1987 RWS 45 - questions about TLC

[Kragman1]

Bought it 15 years ago and put it away.  I don't remember firing it but once briefly since then, but I did a little today. 
600 over the chrony with 7 grain lead.  A surprising amount of free travel before it picks up the spring.  Accuracy comes in "clumps" - three touching in one spot, then in another spot a half inch lower, etc.  Maybe its extremely hold sensitive? 
Lockup is terrific, I love the T01, and everything about it clearly says "take care of me" so I'm going to.

I'm pretty sure that it has a leather seal based on info found here and I suppose it could have a spring problem.  No real idea though. 

I have some neatsfoot oil and I'll get a few drops into the transfer port tonight and let it sit for a while.  Its probably never seen any.  I know that I haven't oiled it since I've owned it.

If the seal doesn't respond to oil, is an O-ring or synthetic seal upgrade a good solution? Or is it simple to replace the old leather with new? 

I also have a Maccari spring for a D34 on hand.  Not sure what the dimensions for the 45 spring are, so I thought I'd ask here if they can share that spring.  The ARH website lists both models.for the spring, but I know that there was a later model 45 that was really a 34 in a different stock.

I'd love to get a little insight from those who have been there, done that.
So lay it on me. 

Thanks in advance!

[Roadworthy]

I would not drop neatsfoot oil through the transfer port.  It will detonate.  Use pure silicone oil instead - just a couple drops.  That may be sufficient for the time being.  It is possible to fabricate a new leather seal but with the addition of oil it may not be necessary.  Vortek does sell a conversion kit to move to a synthetic seal but it could have a negative impact on the shot cycle.  You may have excess play while cocking due to a tired spring or possibly a broken spring.  You may learn which by checking through the cocking slot.  A Diana 34 spring would probably work fine.

[Kragman1]

Thanks Roadworthy.

I really would prefer to leave it original, or as close as is reasonably possible.
So I'll try to save the current seal, or refurb it with fresh leather. 
John in PA has told me in the past that he's refurbed various leather seals.  Hopefully the D45 piston head is suitable for the job!

As for the spring - if its found to be damaged, I'd say that the jig is up.
I don't suppose there are any new originals around so I'll do the best I can. 
And that may well be the D34 spring I have now.

Other than the short cocking stroke (and its just a matter of getting used to it), I like the rifle very much. 
From the users standpoint, it is very well made.  It has the "old school quality" feel that I truly respect, and its not far off from my '96 R9 in that regard.
I imagine that the people that know them from the inside think well of them too. 

Well....  make that four airgun projects I have going on now!

[SteveP-52]

https://www.gunspares.co.uk/products/24388/45/

[Toxylon]

I've heard plenty of good things about the D45, mostly at airgunbbs. Like Brian, many owners point out the old school quality that these guns ooze. They were also popular FT guns in the early days, which speaks volumes.

[Kragman1]

Thanks Duke.  I'm not surprised to find out that it was FT capable, though I'm guessing that the HW77/97 beat out everything in general?

Found a Tom Gaylord review of an '88 D45 in which he labeled the trigger a "pre-T01".  Trigger photo looks identical to mine.
Does anyone know more about that? 
I had assumed (!) that mine was a T01....

[Toxylon]

Yeah, the D45 didn't stand a chance against HW77 in the FT realm, but neither did other springers, and the D45 was introduced years before the 77.

[Kragman1]

Quick answer - 77 or 97 if buying new today?

[MDriskill]

Are you sure it has a leather piston seal? The model 45 was made with both leather and plastic ones over its life (just speculation on my part, but the 45 had the same piston diameter as the earlier model 35, so the early leather-sealed guns may have just been using up stockpiled parts?).

The "T" numbers have long been used by Diana to indicate any major change - NOT just triggers. The 45's trigger is a unique design used only on the model 45, and its cousin the model 50 T01. The 45 T01 had a revised safety mechanism and some other changes. It's all completely un-related to the "T01" trigger in the later model 34, etc.

[Toxylon]

Quick answer - 77 or 97 if buying new today?

For years and years, Weihrauch made the 77 with open sights AND a stock well fitted for open sights use, as it had been from the early 80's start, while the 97 was basically a 77 without open sights and a high comb for scope use.

For some inexplicable reason, around 2012 or so, Weihrauch opted to fit the 77 also with a high-comb, unfit-for-irons stock. They basically cut away the options and introduced redundancy. Now, a HW77 is a gun that is still supplied with fine open sights, but no way to use them. Kinda reminds me of the HW95 I had to sell for the same reason.

As I understand it, the HW77's long reign at the FT circuit ended when the AA TX200 was introduced in the early 90's. But in recent years, the HW97 has claimed the top dog title. I see recent, little-used HW97's for sale all the time. I see HW77's second-hand maybe 1/5 of the time.

I'd consider buying an early, low-comb 77 if one was available at a reasonable price. That gun is far, far more desireable to me than any of the others mentioned above.

[north country gal]

We bought an '87 vintage RWS45 at an estate auction for a gentleman that was retiring from shooting due to health issues. Though he kept the 45 as his around the house gun and didn't compete with it, he treated it with the same care as his high dollar PCP competition guns. Included the excellent made in Japan RWS 4x AO scope when we bought it. Not a gun I shoot on a regular basis, but when I do shoot it, I appreciate the old school quality and shooting experience. 


As for the 77, we bought the 97K and the 77K during summer about five years or six years, ago. The 77K on mine did have a slightly lower comb than the 97 and I could use the 77 with iron sights, though the comb might still be too high for someone with a larger face. Have no idea how any other vintage 77 stock compares, though.