RWS 94 (aka Cometa 400) dilemma

[Kragman1]

So, I have an RWS 94 that is just terrific.  It has it all -
Looks great
Shoots great
Short & clean breaking trigger thats a couple of ounces heavier than a target trigger
Easy cocking. Really easy.
Pivot lockup is true (no problems with scope rail alignment)
No barrel droop
Quality blue/polish
Real sights (simple ones, but they work well)
Great stock
Rubber butt pad (thank God)
Stock screws don't keep backing out on me
No scope slippage or breakage problems
And it's really not pellet or hold sensitive

So, whats my dilemma?    "I want more power..."  Or maybe its    "I want a gas spring...."

Someone talk me out of this before I end up with a good looking gun that shoots poorly, shoots itself loose, eats scopes and just generally not worthy....!

Or, if you have experience tuning up one of these and have good news for me, I'd like to hear that too.

(For the record, I'm not trying to make it an RWS 350 but I would like it to be the best version of itself that it can be.  Optimized, not oversprung. If someone like Maccari made a premium/better fitting spring for it that produced an extra 50+ fps with only a modest change in spring force I'd buy 2 of them tomorrow. I'd want a spare - this is a lifetime gun.)

Thanks all!

[Dead Springer]

I'll try to talk you out of it.  Don't do it!  Don't try to make it something it's not.  I had one in 177 a few years ago and loved it.  I convinced myself that I should let it go during the great recession and have regretted it ever since.  They are under rated guns in my opinion and sweet shooters.  Right in the perfect range for a springer.   If you want more power, get a pcp.

[lefteyeshot]

I have an RWS 93. I'd like to have a 94. They don't make them anymore. Kind of a collectors item. I wouldn't alter or mod either. You want a powerful springer or gas ram get one. Good excuse for a new gun.

[270windude]

Ya I’d probably get another gun for the velocity you want and you’ll be glad you did. If anything I’d just try making it shoot smoother. A tighter spring guide or a sleeve will help calm it down. Very loose fittings help add velocity. I usually get a velocity reduction by removing tolerance.

[Kragman1]

Thanks guys, and I mean that.  I'm not going to chase velocity.

But I am going to send it to John Thomas for a fresh main seal, friction buttons, etc.
I want to set it up for years of rotational use.

I am going to chronograph my gun soon just to see where its at today, and I will consider putting in a fresh spring.  The FWB 124 that J. T. Did for me with the ARH "power" spring came out so good that I wouldn't be worried about something like that.  I am not going to pursue a gas spring.  If I want one of those I'll get a new Cometa.

One last thing - I have seen a couple of mentions of the 94's having soft springs that power down after a modest amount of use.  To me that sounds like the springs were installed unset and simply took on a set through use.  Does anyone know anything about that?  If its true, it would be a good reason to put a replacement in to me.  I have to say, mine is very easy to cock.  Not much different than my small bodied .177's. 

[lefteyeshot]

I don't care for gas ram. I have a couple but I think later I'll get someone to put springs in them.

If you go to Pyramd's site and type RWS 94 in their search window you want find it. But if you google: pyramyd air rws 94 air rifle. You'll see their old ad for it. In the spec's it say 990fps. That's probably with alloy pellets. But I don't think I'd add anymore power.

I doubt any new guns have the springs pre-set. I could be wrong. Seems that's something some people do when re-building guns. I've never done that. I re-built an old .177 Peak B4-2 undercover years ago and replaced the spring with a new B2 spring and didn't pre-set it and it shot 625fps and did so for years. I replaced the spring a seals recently because the groups started opening up.

[Kragman1]

Thats Tim.  Thats good info for me, and I appreciate it.

I highly recommend tracking down an RWS 94, especially in .22 if you can find one.  If I ever run across another for a fair price I would buy it on principle.  My rifle is so good to me that I feel a little like a lottery winner.

For big power, I recently bought a gas version RWS 350 in .22, but I'm not sold on that gun yet.  I need a lot more trigger time to figure that out.  The 94 is much more enjoyable to shoot though.  Its so much easier to work with.  I'm already wondering if it makes sense to sell it.  Its my third .22 and it kinda seems like a third wheel.  Thats what happens when you shop online at 1am I guess.....  ha ha!

I do wish that someone would make a modern FWB 127 but with performance in mind.  Add 15% more swept volume plus a long spring that gets the most out of it, and a good trigger.  Build a lightweight quality stock of a modern material that allows for a more narrow wrist and I'd pay really good money for one in .22 cal.  Sounds like wishful thinking though.

[lefteyeshot]

I'd like to have a 94 though I'm a .177 kinda' guy. You mentioned your 124. A friend has one. He re-built it his self. Loves it. The RWS 93 and 94 remind me of my Walther Terrus and Perrus.

I didn't know you could get a 350 with gas ram. I have the short 350 PC springer. Haven't conquered that one yet.

Also have a Beeman Mach 12.5. It's probably the most powerful gun I have. It shoots okay. Nothing to brag on. When I shoot it, though it takes a few second for my teeth to stop buzzing and my eyes to refocus. It's a real rush to shoot.

If you ever read the reviews of it they're funny, people talking about how hard they recoil and how hard they are to shoot but no one seems to want to send them back or part with them.

[xyon]

You won't get another air rifle in the price braket with as good a trigger. I have made new spring guides for several fenix 400's no spring twang. You cant add a gas spring as there is not enough room. Also need to polish the spring ends and add a steel washer so the spring does not dig into the aluminum trigger block.

[lefteyeshot]

You won't get another air rifle in the price braket with as good a trigger. I have made new spring guides for several fenix 400's no spring twang. You cant add a gas spring as there is not enough room. Also need to polish the spring ends and add a steel washer so the spring does not dig into the aluminum trigger block.

Thanks, good info. So the Fenix 400, Cometa 400, RWS 93/ 94 triggers are the same? Maybe the 93 is different I don't know.

What do you think about the Norica Black Eagle/Marvic trigger if you have experience with them?

[xyon]

We don't get the rws branded rifles in nz, but the cometa fenix 400/fusion range have the nice trigger. The cometa 50/100/200 have a more basic trigger. I've only had a norica dragon which has a very heavy trigger. The marvic looks to have a better one, but I have never shot one.

[Kragman1]

You won't get another air rifle in the price braket with as good a trigger. I have made new spring guides for several fenix 400's no spring twang. You cant add a gas spring as there is not enough room. Also need to polish the spring ends and add a steel washer so the spring does not dig into the aluminum trigger block.

Thanks xyon - that's handy info about the trigger and I'll keep it in mind!

But, AirForce International sells the gas spring and trigger kit for the 400 at $89.  They promised to get back to me with more info about it, but that was two weeks ago and they still haven't. Not impressed.

[lefteyeshot]

We don't get the rws branded rifles in nz, but the cometa fenix 400/fusion range have the nice trigger. The cometa 50/100/200 have a more basic trigger. I've only had a norica dragon which has a very heavy trigger. The marvic looks to have a better one, but I have never shot one.

I think the Black Eagle and Marvic are the same gun, just different stocks. I only have a Black Eagle. I've read that the TF89 is a clone of  these Noricas.

[Jeff Marshall]

Thanks guys, and I mean that.  I'm not going to chase velocity.

But I am going to send it to John Thomas for a fresh main seal, friction buttons, etc.
I want to set it up for years of rotational use.

I am going to chronograph my gun soon just to see where its at today, and I will consider putting in a fresh spring.  The FWB 124 that J. T. Did for me with the ARH "power" spring came out so good that I wouldn't be worried about something like that.  I am not going to pursue a gas spring.  If I want one of those I'll get a new Cometa.

One last thing - I have seen a couple of mentions of the 94's having soft springs that power down after a modest amount of use.  To me that sounds like the springs were installed unset and simply took on a set through use.  Does anyone know anything about that?  If its true, it would be a good reason to put a replacement in to me.  I have to say, mine is very easy to cock.  Not much different than my small bodied .177's.

The RWS 94's do have mainsprings that are well known to sag after a couple of thousand shots.

[Toxylon]

You won't get another air rifle in the price braket with as good a trigger.

I got my first taste of a Fenix 400 recently when I bought one used for almost no money (bent barrel). They really are phenomenally good for the price. The trigger was perfect as is, no need to tweak. I wish I had used my 200 bucks on a Fenix 400 when I started out, instead of a Gamo Hunter 440.

It's one of the mysteries of life how one Spanish maker can make an excellent entry-level rifle for the same retail price as another makes a $)((#. Even moreso, that the $)((# has a much bigger market share.

[270windude]

I imagine it’s due to cost of research and staying ahead in sales in a competitive market. One company can ride on gamo’s coat tails like many other have. That saves them RD cost and can put a little more into each product whereas gamo stays ahead of the market and has an obligation for more modern business competition. Look at the Phillips nerelco products at Walmart, 20 years ago they sucked a little, now they appear to be crackerjack toys. American business manufacturing is basically about staying competitive by selling the peasants whatever they’ll pay money for with as little manufacturers cost as possible.

[nced]

I don't care for gas ram. I have a couple but I think later I'll get someone to put springs in them.

If you go to Pyramd's site and type RWS 94 in their search window you want find it. But if you google: pyramyd air rws 94 air rifle. You'll see their old ad for it. In the spec's it say 990fps. That's probably with alloy pellets. But I don't think I'd add anymore power.

I doubt any new guns have the springs pre-set. I could be wrong. Seems that's something some people do when re-building guns. I've never done that. I re-built an old .177 Peak B4-2 undercover years ago and replaced the spring with a new B2 spring and didn't pre-set it and it shot 625fps and did so for years. I replaced the spring a seals recently because the groups started opening up.

When living in West Virginia a fellow at the DIFTA field target club in Damascus, MD used the RWS94 for a while but found that the springes sagged rapidly needing replacement. I don't know what the replacement interval was but I do know that the shooter had gone through a couple springs during one season. I was told by the shooter that the spring coil had an unusually small ID which raised the stress level so the factory springs weakened within a couple thousand shots.

[lefteyeshot]

I don't care for gas ram. I have a couple but I think later I'll get someone to put springs in them.

If you go to Pyramd's site and type RWS 94 in their search window you want find it. But if you google: pyramyd air rws 94 air rifle. You'll see their old ad for it. In the spec's it say 990fps. That's probably with alloy pellets. But I don't think I'd add anymore power.

I doubt any new guns have the springs pre-set. I could be wrong. Seems that's something some people do when re-building guns. I've never done that. I re-built an old .177 Peak B4-2 undercover years ago and replaced the spring with a new B2 spring and didn't pre-set it and it shot 625fps and did so for years. I replaced the spring a seals recently because the groups started opening up.

When living in West Virginia a fellow at the DIFTA field target club in Damascus, MD used the RWS94 for a while but found that the springes sagged rapidly needing replacement. I don't know what the replacement interval was but I do know that the shooter had gone through a couple springs during one season. I was told by the shooter that the spring coil had an unusually small ID which raised the stress level so the factory springs weakened within a couple thousand shots.

Thanks, Ed. That is interesting.

[Kragman1]

Well, I finally got a chance to run my 94 over a chronograph using 14.5 grain Superdomes -

742.0
739.8
739.7
740.7
739.2

Avg = 740.28
ES only 2.8 fps

That's pretty impressive to me, although I do wish I could improve on the velocity somewhat. Without affecting anything else of course....

[xyon]

Avg = 740.28
ES only 2.8 fps

That's pretty impressive to me, although I do wish I could improve on the velocity somewhat. Without affecting anything else of course....

That is the same power as my one. I wish it was more powerful too. But I will not try to get more power because I know that is always a losing game with springers. Think like the Brits, make it smooth and if anything less recoil even if that means less power. Then it will be a joy to shoot.