Air Gun Home :: View topic

spotco2 · Member

I received my refurb RWS 34 today along with a Center Point Adventure 3-9x40mm A/O scope and Accushot High Profile Single Point Mount.

Out of the box, the refurb rifle had some normal scuffs and scratches in the stock with a couple fo marks in the blueing. Honestly I did not mind the marks to save $54 on a toy. It will get more as time goes on I'm sure.

I test fired 5 shots to make sure everything worked like I thought it should and I mounted the scope. Here's where things got a little goofy and I need some help.

I set up a target at 25 yards and completely missed. Moved down to 15 and nothing. Dropped to about 5 and finally started getting close to paper. After about 30 shots I finally had the scope dialed in to hit the paper but I was having to aim at the top center to hit bottom right.

Long story short, I was able to dial the scope in at 25 yards (with a sand bag) to hit paper, but still had to aim at top right to hit anywhere on the paper. I finally ran out of adjustment on the scope and shot this final target while aiming at the red dot (see pic). Pellets went everywhere but where I was aiming. I tried Crosman pointed Hunting, Premier Hollow Point and all 5 in the RWS Assortment Pack with no real change.

I finally just pulled the scope and went to iron sights and a sand bag at 25 yards and was able to dial this in with the cheap Crosman pointed Hunting pellets.

The Crosman Premier Hollow Points were hitting about 3" right and 3" down. The RWS pellets all hit at different areas of the target but seemed to group well.

1. Is it common for different types of pellets to hit that far away from each other? If I sight the gun in with one particular pellet, will I have to sight it in for every other pellet that I decide to try?

2. WTH happened with the scope? Is the high mount causing me to shoot so low? Is this scope just jumping around due to the recoil of the gun and I need a different scope? Why can I not get the height adjusted with this set up?

Any help or info is appreciated. I'm new to airguns and really look forward to learning and enjoying the sport.

broommaster2000 · Moderator

fritz · Silver Status Member

The increase in group size could be due to paralax issues, there is also barrel droop. The droop completely explains why you're shooting so low.

Using an adjustable mount you can physically angle the scope tube downward to use less of the adjustment room. This can also be done to some extent with bits of soda can or film-negatives (anything really thin and flexible). Cut these to fit nicely on the rear ring to move the eye piece of the scope upwards. Remember to completely loosen all screws on the mount-rings, or else you could seriously torque the scope and break it.

I think there are about 5 pieces of soda can on my D34, although I use medium mounts.

Broom could also be correct about your scope moving. Completely remove the mounts (scope can be left inside them). Clean the rail with rubbing alcohol to remove all dirt and oils. See that damn little screw on the rail? That's not a scope stop. Yeah, I didn't know that either until I found out the hard way. Also clean the mounts, and securely tighten them to the rail.

Some people have had success using blue loc-tite on the rail itself, but I haven't used it myself. Using a 1 piece scope mount also allows a tighter bond between mount and rail.

I feel your problem is very likely uncompensated droop, and scope sliding. Also make sure your objective is set to the correct yardage to eliminate paralax issues. Don't forget to practice the artillery hold... with iron sights. You're probably not used to shooting springers, which doesn't help.

Leapers also makes a riser block that includes a picatinny rail and scope stop that easily mounts onto the Diana rail.

EDIT: completely forgot question #1. Yes, you will very likely have to move the scope a bit when changing pellets. Maybe you'll get lucky and have 2 or more choices that shoot to the same POI.

spotco2 · Member

Thanks folks.

I'll try building a couple of shims over the weekend and see if that helps.

So that flat head screw is NOT a scope stop? WTH is it? The mount butts right against it so I just assumed it was there for tha purpose.

fritz · Silver Status Member

I have no idea what its for. Although my best guess is to hold down a peep sight.

You don't really build a couple of shims... you just finish your beer and cut the can up with a pair of snips or even a pocket knife.

spotco2 · Member

fritz · Silver Status Member

You should clean the can first though... beer doesn't belong on your airguns.

spotco2 · Member

I cut some strips from a plastic soda bottle for shims.

I locked the gun in a vise and leveled the barrel. Then I set the scope mount in place and checked it for level inside the rings...it was not. I used 5 pieces of a soda bottle to get the mount level and parallel with the barrel.

Installed scope and was able to dial it in to getting well under 1" groups at 10 yards consistently (after about 100 shots and I kept having to tighten the scope). I moved the target back to 25 yards and have not been able to group under 3" yet.

Something still ain't right...

I have been using the same pellets for every shot. They are Crosman pointed tip hunting pellets ($2 per 250 at Wal-Mart) and they were very consistent at 10 but not 25.

I will play more this evening or tomorrow.

fritz · Silver Status Member

Could be the pellets, but don't worry about it until after 1000 shots. The gun needs to break in.

dobiman · Veteran Member

A refurbished airgun? Preowned? Oh boy, who knows what the gun went through then. Maybe the bores been scratched by improper cleaning, or maybe there is a build up of lead from not cleaning. I hope I am wrong. Like the others said, try different pellets.

rsterne · Moderator

1" groups at 10 yards is about the equivalent accuracy as 2.5" groups at 25 yards.... I'm guessing the pointed pellets are responsible for opening up the groups beyond that.... In any case, it's time to try different pellets.... Your gun should be capable of 5-shot clusters at 10 yards.... and 1" groups at 25 yards.... rested on sandbags on a bench....

If you have the scope adjusted for the range you are shooting at you shouldn't have any parallax issues.... You can check that by clamping the gun so it can't move and then look through the scope at a target.... Move your head side to side and the crosshairs shouldn't move on the target.... If they move significantly, you have a parallax problem.... If you are at 10 yards, the scope AO must be set to 10 yards, of course.... that's what it's for....

Bob

spotco2 · Member

Yeah, I wondered about buying a refurb, but figured I could send it back if I do not like it. So far other than the issues above, I have not really found any faults other than some pretty good scratches on the stock.

I'll try other pellets this evening or tomorrow morning at 25 yards.

I've got about 10 different brands and shapes. Anything specific y'all would reccomend for punching paper at 25 yards to get the tightest group?

I've been shooting from the rail of the deck with a sand bag, so it's pretty stable (except for my shaking).

rsterne mentioned setting the scope AO and honestly I don't know what that means. Can someone elaborate?

dobiman · Veteran Member

Looked at your iron sight groups again. For 25 yards, it is very good for a sporter springer. My HW50 does about that. Follow the other guys advice on your scope. The AO is the Adjustable Objective front lens on the scope if there is one on yours. It helps with the focus and parallax error for airgun distances. Could be that there might be something wrong with the scope. Try the scope on a .22 rimfire rifle to see if it is the problem.

rsterne · Moderator

spotco2 · Member

Well crap. I guess sometimes you just have to be smarter than the thing you are working on.

This scope has big friggin rubber caps on each end. I never even noticed those adjustments on the front.

It was set at 100 yards.

I will play at daybreak.