RWS Diana model 34?

[Aussie]

Hello or you gun nuts out there.

I have ordered a RWS Diana model 34 air rifle in .22 cal for my son for christmas together with a quality scope. Any of you used one or heard good or bad reviews about these? The web site states that it will push a .22 pellet out at over 800fps and are suposed to be very acurate, I know there are more powerful pellet guns out there but this ones setting me back $700 AUS with scope.

My sons 14 and he regularly uses a .22 magnum for rabbits and foxes and although I have drummed firearm safety into him until it oozes out of his ears I wanted to let him walk the paddocks on his own knowing that he would be safe.(want him to know that I respect his maturity etc without rocking in a corner when he's out by himself)

Never had a air rifle and after your wise advice.

Dazza

[520dvx]

Dazza I have this same rifle but I have the model 48 w/scope. These air rifles definitely demand respect, they are quite powerful and are indeed very accurate. I love mine and think you will be pleased with your decision.

[Aussie]

Thanks Miles,

I'm sure my son will go nuts when he see's it. Feral animals arn't going to have a good Christmas day though.

Thanks for your reply, I'd hate to find out on Christmas day that I was suckered

[rickw]

I'm not an air gun fan but I know that RWS has a good reputation. I've had firearms since I was twelve and had to take a hunter safety course to get a hunting license. Your son is old enough to understand how to handle weapons. I think that one of the main things to watch is what is behind the intended target and when to pass up a shot.

Rick

[Olav Vittfarne]

When I grew up in Sweden in the 70's a Diana air gun was the dream of every boy. In those days .22 wasn't that usual, we had the 4.5 mm.
When I was 10 my father bought a Bavaria de Lux air gun, another German company, and, during circumstances best forgotten, my brother (6 at the time) shot me in the jaw from around 5 meters away and the pellet dug a 2 cm channel in the jawbone. Took the doctors 4 hours to dig out all the small pieces from the pellet.
Air rifles are a totally different ball game than BB-guns, but they are great fun to use.
What do you pay for .22 pellets down under?

Mats

[Olav Vittfarne]

Here's a link to a site with reviews
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews1349.html

Happy hunting

Mats

[Blade Wielder]

I got a Diana about 6 years ago. A .177 caliber that shoots slightly under 500 fps. It's wasted many a squirrel.

A .22 pellet gun would be really cool, especially at a speed of 800 fps, which is comparable to how fast a real .22 rifle's bullet would be travelling.

[Aussie]

What do you pay for .22 pellets down under?

Not sure yet, I'm still waiting for my permit to purchase to come through before can pick it up and as I've never had a air rifle before I'm unsure.

As to the point about what is behind the target that's the first lesson I gave my son and I've never seen him break that golden rule ie, If you miss what are you going to hit?

Julian is very responsible with weapons and realy I could let him out alone with a rimfire and know he's safe, it's just.. like you know.. he's my boy... and yeah

[Korndog]

Hey guys
This is my first airgun ever. As some of you know, I hate killing things, and am no hunter. Well folks, I have come to the point in my life where I have reconciled the disposal of certain pests by lethal means. Here is my FX Monsoon semi-automatic .22 cal. airgun. It's quite amazing.

[mparker762]

There are a couple of guys out there that make airguns in much larger calibers (like 30 and 45), that are charged off of scuba tanks.

I've got a little benjamin in 177 cal that has taken care of its share of rodents.

There's also a neat little load you can do with a 38 special or 357 magnum called a "cat sneeze" round. This is a 38 case with a OO buckshot as the projectile, using only the magnum primer and a few kernels of bullseye as propellant. Done right there's just enough pop to get the ball out of the barrel with 2-3x more velocity than a slingshot (but a heck of a lot more accurate), and it's got enough momentum to drop a rodent in its tracks at a reasonably close range.