Recoil of an RWS Diana 34

[lizzie]

As I mentioned in another thread, I sent a MO off for an older model 34. I'm wondering what to expect as far as recoil goes, and what kind of scope to put on her. I'm hoping that with her age (20 years), she's well broken-in, and I'm hoping that the velocity is less than the new ones are advertised for. I prefer 700-800 rather than 1000.

[tom96]

a good tune and recoil will be minimal but the leapers TS scopes are the only ones i use on springers any more.

[VAFarmer]

I have never been bothered by the back-n-forth recoil on a 34 really.  They torque some after about 500 shots straight from the factory. 
Twangy, real twangy. A little buzzy.
A backwoods lube tune consisting of a shrinkwrapped guide and a polished thrust washer, a plastic washer (you don't wanna know what it's made from) along with a thorough polishing really tame it down.   I went with some softer washer material this time around, got the spring-to-guide fit really snug also.   Went liberal on the heavy tar...all down the spring this time.  Made some buttons out of drink bottle punched, and superglued and sanded to snug.  Moly paste with just a little more graphited added on ALL the high pressure polished parts.

This has me down to ranging to just over 12 ft. lbs to just under 14 ft. lbs depending on pellets I've tested.  I'm sure it will pick up over time, but I am actually digging shooting closer to 12.......the gun's shot cycle is "telling me" that it likes this area more, and accuracy is stellar at 25 yds, with 2" being a reliable "hit-every-time" at 50yds.  Heck, I can hardly see the target at that distance anyway.

It has a very quick, very tame, muffled "thwack" now.   

The 12 ft lbs threshold is on the low side of the the 34's range, which I have found really likes to be around 15 stock, and could go 17 with a pro tune or a Vortek.

Gotta tell ya though, the close-to-12 range is an awfully sweet shot cycle. 

With a basic, decent tune and lube you can have a rifle that feels(shot cycle wise) and shoots like an HW 95.
NOT SAYING it handles like an HW mind you, the 34 is much more front-heavy.   And long.
But with a good trigger mod, can shoot very much like an HW.   
The 34 is the moderate airgun mechanics dream, IMHO.   Can be made to shoot exceptionally well, just like many of the chinese guns, but DOES have a fit and finish a couple notches above a chinese gun.
The older ones are very nice.
T01 or T05?
The t05 can be made to act just like the 01, but needs some modification.   

Good luck with it, my current 34 and overall go to is a "somewhat" older 34.


God bless,

Farmer

[lizzie]

Thanks guys!

VAFarmer- would you like a side project tuning it for me?

[RedFeather]

This the .22 or was that a .177?  Neither one, new or old, will do the 1000 fps, especially the .22.  I think that, with the weight, you won't be getting much felt recoil.  Haven't shot a 35 but reckon it's somewhere in the neighborhood of that.  My 2005 34 is better behaved than the old Model 50.  And try it first before setting out to tune it.  Mine was used and, to me, it doesn't need anything.

[lizzie]

.177.

Not to worry- I'll give it some time at the bench before deciding anything. If it shoots like my old 35- I doubt I'll do anything to it.

[thekid]

Lizzie, for the first little while it will feel a little torquee and have some recoil.

The spring ends are rough but if you polish them that it is a huge improvement in felt recoil.

[lizzie]

Thanks thekid! I'm really looking forward to getting and trying it out.

[Nathan]

Well depending on the condition of the seal and spring, your gun could be putting out good power, closer to the 900 than 700 fps. Since your gun is 20 years old, I would opt for the Leapers UTG droop compensating mount. That rifle will more than likely have some droop.

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/utg-scope-mount-base-fits-rws-diana-34-36-38-45-with-to5-trigger?a=2298

If you go with that UTG mount, get MEDIUM height Weaver rings, not high. Otherwise your scope will mount too high and can cause a uncomfortable heads up shooting position.

Any good springer rated scope (i.e. Leapers, Centerpoint, Bushnel etc) should be fine.

Nathan

[s10gto]

Both my 34's had twang. I put a JM GRT kit in my .22 34 730fps with 14 grain. No buss now! My other .177 I used JM's 12ft lb kit 790's with 8.65. Very smooth easy cocking and just a great shooter.

Congrats on your new german girl! Looking forward to pic's 

Dustin   

[Nathan]

"your gun could be putting out good power, closer to the 900 than 700 fps"
If it's a .177. A .22 will do much less 600-700 fps.

Nathan

[lizzie]

Both my 34's had twang. I put a JM GRT kit in my .22 34 730fps with 14 grain. No buss now! My other .177 I used JM's 12ft lb kit 790's with 8.65. Very smooth easy cocking and just a great shooter.

Congrats on your new german girl! Looking forward to pic's 

Dustin   

Well, she's pretty plain, but she's elegant, lol.

[lizzie]

Well depending on the condition of the seal and spring, your gun could be putting out good power, closer to the 900 than 700 fps. Since your gun is 20 years old, I would opt for the Leapers UTG droop compensating mount. That rifle will more than likely have some droop.

Nathan

I think that it already has a UTG mount or similar- at least that's what it looks like in pix. Glad you brought this up- and a newb question- what is barrel droop? It's a term I see here on occasion, but I don't understand what it is. Thanks.

[Mark 611]

Barrel droop is the angle of the barrel as its linear alignment with the compression tube, droop is when the barrel is no longer in alignment with the tube be it up or down! in most cases its below the tube alignment, allot of Diana gun are made this way because the Euro people use iron sights instead of scopes! so these gun's are made with droop for better alignment with use of iron sights!

[lizzie]

Thanks Mark- I'm glad to hear it's a purposeful feature, and not a defect, lol.

[VAFarmer]

Ha!   Thanks for making  my day!   

Seriously, though.   There are guys posting on here that have forgotten more about 34's than I will know.   I'm just a country boy who can't bear the thought of paying someone to do what I feel like should be within my capacity ( this is politcally correct speak for "cheap"    )  A good used 34 from a trustworthy source is a dream come true, if'n ya ask me.   If you trust the seller, a good used 34 is still worth 140-160 bucks shipped.   Your gonna pay ~ 215 to have it shipped from Pyramyd, and while it might shoot good, she's gonna be dry as a bone.     At the very least, you need to break into it and lube tune and deburr, which is gonna take away from trigger time.

I'll agree with Mr. Redfeather and the others who said  "Shoot it first."   Heck, somebody may have done a lube tune, and you find it grouping 1/2 at 25yds open sighted.   

There are several good tuners on alot of these boards.  Pricing is really reasonable.   Look at it first.   If ya got a nice chunk of wood with it, and bluing is nice'n deep/rich, it would be worth a tune cost.

Is it an 8 land or a 12?   If you got a 12, try Beeman FTS's, FTT's, PREDATORS and if you can deal with lower velocity Kodiaks baby!!

If its an 8, they shoot cheaper stuff alot better.....mine does stellar with the good stuff, but does acceptably with canned premiers, and those cheap coated TF domes.....around 1cent a shot.     Who doesn't want to spend 6 bucks to shoot 500 rounds?

Good luck, I don't think there will be any disappointment for ya.

God bless,

Farmer

[lizzie]

THanks Farmer

As for shooting it first- no doubt I will. It's 20 years old, so I'm expecting it's already had the kinks worked out, and hoping it hasn't had the heck worked out of it, lol.

8 or 12- no idea. The lady I'm buying it from is an FFL dealer, and usually deals in regular firearms, not airguns, so I'm pretty confident she wouldn't know either.

[thekid]

I would think being 20 years old, she is all GERMAN with an 8 land barrel.
Rob

[lizzie]

That's what I would think too.

[Nathan]

Probably has the TO1 trigger too 

Nathan