First post on this part of AR. Been lurking for a couple of years, just reading a lot.

Now for the ?

I've got an RWS Diana 34 in .177 with an RWS 4x32 scope. ( friend of mine gave it to me afetr he took it to Africa on a safari to plink around camp and didn't use it much? It looks brand new.)
My lovely wife has asked me to thin out the english sparrow population at her bird feeder.
I'll get several in a string, then start missing. A quick trip to the basement and the bullet trap show the POI has shifted, sometimes an inch or more.
I've checked the ring screws and all seem tight.
Is this something that is typical with break barrel air rifles?
My only other air rifle experience is with an old Crosman 760 pump....
Any suggestions?

Probably the scope.

If it sat around for a while it may be a bit grudged up in side?

Put no oil in the air chamber

But a strip and lube very lightly with airgun stuff or just a little hi pressure non exploding chassis grease may be a good thing

Too much or old grease can make em erratic as they warm up
you can drop a little oil on the spring if you can see it.

But probably the scope.

It just may not be run yet, they can take quite a few tins of pellets to REALLY settle down.

Loosening stock screws can hurt as well, they need checking quite often.

but it's probably the scope

Most air gun scope mounts are cheap crap. I had more problems with the mounts than scopes. I a using this one now with good sucess http://www.pyramydair.com/s/a/...ops_Scope_Shift/2298

I have exactly the same rifle/scope. Bought it two years ago. Didn't know anything about air rifles (still am a novice). Mine shot horribly. Would sight it in 2-3 times a week when it shifted. Tightened scope mounts, etc. Tried many different kinds of pellets. Kept all the targets, shot off a bench rest. Just couldn't get it to hold a 2" grouping at 15 yards.

I live out in the wilds, kept it outside on the veranda and shot just about every night. Tied plastic pop bottles, tennis balls, etc to the various trees around the yard. Even have a 55 gallon drum lid set out at 98 yards.

After 1,250-1,500 pellets it really started getting accurate. I now love it and it will shot most of the different pellets great.

Mine just seemed to get better the more I shot it. I really like it now!

Good luck, just put lots of pellets through it and you may have the same good fortune as I have had.

Jerry

Now that's what I was thinking. Maybe it hasn't been shot enough to settle in. I haven't put a tin of pellets through it yet and I dodn'y think the previous owner did either. He gave me 7 tins of pellets, only one was opened.
Thanks for the replies. I really appreciate everyone chiming in. I'll try giving it a bit more of a workout and see if it settle in.
The war on the english sparrows at my wife's bird feeder continues.....

Shoot at least 4 tins,
Usually you don't clean an airgun barre really, but if it sat around for a while it may help.

Check all the screws eventually they'll stay tight.

Funny how we are low on sparrows and try to encourage them. I have a good little flock of Tits this year, even saw a pair of Gold Finches at the feeder, I hope they nest round here.

4 tins?
Blimey, that's a lot of sparrows
Stacking them up like cord wood...

Have lots of House Finches, McCown's Longspurs, Horned Larks and of course, House Sparrows.
The star of the feeder last week was a Western Tanager. What a beautiful bird! Had lots of Goldfinches when I lived in Gillette. Wish I had taken a picture of 10 or so at the bird bath.

It may need to be shot a lot to break in, or it might be the pelets you are using may not be that accurate in your rifle. I would sugest trying several brands of quality pellets to see what your rifle likes.

Good luck.

Thanks for all the replies.
I've been using RWS R 10 8.2 grain Match pellets the most. The flat nose sure is a sparrow stopper.
BUT, the little batstards are multiplying or calling in reinforcements.
This morning there were 15-20 out there instead of the usual 5-6.
I'm being overrun. Wife is not happy with them running off the other birds. They're little bullies...

I had the same problem with that exact rifle/scope setup. Turned out that it was almost impossible to keep the scope mounts tightened up enough to handle the recoil. Locktite, vice grips, rail stop eventually worked until I sprung for a good one piece mount with six mounting screwa.

Sounds like time to "spring" for a nice Precharged bolt action repeater.
With no power restrictions in the USA you could be turning the tables on the little winged invaders at ranges that would really surprise them.
I'd suggest an Air Arms 410 classic in .177 set to 18fpe. a short Harris swivel bipod and a decent scope 14x or so. Using JSB or Air Arms 8.4gr 4.42mm pellets.
I know it's a lot of cash to spend on whacking sparrows, but it would make the Wife happy and you can't put a value on that.

quote:

Originally posted by john113wyo:
Thanks for all the replies.
I've been using RWS R 10 8.2 grain Match pellets the most. The flat nose sure is a sparrow stopper.
BUT, the little batstards are multiplying or calling in reinforcements.
This morning there were 15-20 out there instead of the usual 5-6.
I'm being overrun. Wife is not happy with them running off the other birds. They're little bullies...

Test the M34 using the iron sights. If the POI doesn't shift then the problem is the scope or the mounts. You might want to try a quality domed pellet also. I've found WCs do not hold accuracy well past a very short range (12-20 yards depending on the air rifle with most I've tested). The domed pelled kills very well and accuracy over the longer ranges is much better.

Larry Gibson

Well, after reading the above posts I decided to try a new scope AND different pellets. Switched to RWS Superdome Field Line 8.3 grain pellets and a Leapers 3-9x32AO Bug Smasher scope. I sighted in, then made a 32 yard kill on a sparrow. Crikey!
It's on, Mr. Sparrow! The war that is....

Thanks for the tips guys!

I have a 34 and a BSA 2-7 airgun scope on a (I believe Cabela's base). It'll put 3 in one hole at 30 yards then the next one 2 feet away. Had the same type of results with the irons before I scoped it. May still need the bore and piston run in. Crown looks a bit on the crappy side, though.

I tried several scopes before I bit the bullet and ponied up for a Leupold 3x-9x compact with EFR (adjustable objective allowing closer range focus as needed with air guns) then the mount was the problem--got the adjustable mount RWS and problems solved. I too have severe sparrow problem. I have several purple martin houses and the sparrows love them too. Besides shooting them,I trap them. I use my scopped RWS 52 but usually my Sheridan with a peep sight is the one that is handy. In my RWS I tried several pellets and the Crosman Premiers seemed to work best in my gun.

i have a rws model 34 and it likes crossman preimier pellets too..... i use both the heavy premiers and the the lighter hollow point pellets......... you must remember that a magnum spriger like the mod 34 will kill a scope not rated for it in a short time...... i also bought an otis cleaning cable too to use when it needs it..... the scope on my mod 34 is a daisy powerline vari- power scope and it seems to be holding up really well as it is an air rifle scope..........