RWS 350 Magnum or Model 48 ?

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4b1t

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Would like to get back into airguns after many years. Looking for something in .22 with good power for heavier pellets, mainly punching paper and the odd small game.

Plan on keeping it for a while so durability and user maintenance are important.

Have narrowed down my choice (unless I here otherwise from you) to the RWS 350 Magnum or the RWS Model 48.

Biggest difference between the two is break barrel versus side cocking.

Will probably stick to iron sights unless there is a really rugged scope that you can recommend, too.

Any pros/cons of 350 Magnum over Model 48 ?
 
Both are great guns as long as you don't get them in .177 Small game will easily be harvested with either.Harold
 
Thanks for the comments.

Are there any advantages/disadvanteges between break barrel and side cocking ?

Intuitively the fixed barrel would be more consistent and accurate vice a break barrel due to wear and returning to zero. True or false ?

Does one "wear" more than the other, as I am looking at long term durability.

Whichever one I buy, I would like to get the most common wearing replacement parts, so if there are any ideas, much appreciated.
 
I have owned a couple of magnum air guns in the past, a Diana 48 and Wiehrauch R1 (i.e. side cocker vs break barrel).

Both were very accurate and powerful, from what I recall they weighed and recoiled about the same.

I found the R1 a large gun due to it's length. I really liked the 48 as it was much more compact. Although most say that a quality break barrel will retain accuracy, I prefer the design of the side cocker/fixed barrel.

Once you get up into this quality of airgun, in magnum power I would suspect with proper maint. and care, they would last the same.

As far as parts go, a spare piston seal, perhaps a replacement spring is all I can think of stashing away. If you go for a break barrel, a couple of breach seals would be handy. Although, to replace a spring or piston seal you would require a spring compressing rig.

If I were to buy a magnum, spring air gun again, I would consider the 48, if I had the money and wanted a smooth shooting, accurate springer I would go for the 54!

However, once you get up into the price bracket of these guns, I would consider another PCP airgun, perhaps .22 cal, but probably .25.
 
Some great advice so far. I've shot both, and OF the 2, I'd pick the 48. The RWS is a brute of an air rifle, and I found I didn't shoot it particularly well. That's me though.

The rifle I WOULD suggest, and one I may end-up getting, is a Diana 36 break barrel. Similar/same to a Diana 34, only with some nicer aesthetics/touches. I've grown weary while shooting 48s and 350s (had a friend who had both) but the Diana wouldn't tire me out nearly as much. I wanted to like the 48 (such a cool-looking gun) but my groups opened-up with time~not the other way around. I think I like the simplicity of the break barrels more, and find them more pleasurable to shoot.

BTW, every time I get close to buying one...I buy another .22lr rifle. :)
 
Well, since Hetzenauer posted the above..............................I'll chim in again!! LOL

Dennis Quackenbush makes some fine air guns, but his lead times are very long, plus his guns are on the "spendy" side.

Here is one of my PCP "pellet" air rifles, a Jack Haley .457 cal PCP rifle.

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I've shot 340 - 515 grain "pellets" out of it. Guys are taking large animals with these at 130-150 yards and even further. On a full charge the gun will push a "pellet" out with 400 FPE.

Check out Southernairguns.com to see what he can do. My 45 cal is a beast, his 58 cal rifle is a monster!

Back to reality and the OP question, the two German made guns you are considering are excellent, the Diana 36 mentioned is also nice. I don't think you can go wrong with a German made springer. Simple, no pumping, C02, air pumps or air tanks required.

However, I'm like .22LRGUY, when I get some 'toy' money, I end up buying another powder burner!
 
Again, thanks for the input.

As for the .45 cal and up air rifles......I thought I was going "big" with a powerful spring gun in .22....you guys are insane !!!!:D

As for powder burners, I have more than I could ever shoot, the air option intrigues me.

I am really leaning towards the Model 48 for no reason other than the fixed barrel.

I like the simplicity of irons but was also looking for a simple fixed power scope, say 4X, but most of those offered on the air rifle sites are variable. Since air rifles are notoriously hard on scopes, I find it unusual that there are not more fixed powers being offered.
 
Take a look at D&L airgun in BC, lots of airgun-rated scopes on their site for sale. They're not as tricky to find as you might think. With respect to the 48~I don't think it's a bad choice, but I'd urge you to try and find a way to get your hands on one for a little touchy-feely. They are robust guns. My personal opinion is that they're not ideally suited to offhand shots (big/bulky) but the "hold" on a spring piston gun has a big impact on it's accuracy...so prone shots can be tricky too and of course, no fun reloading a magnum springer laying down!

Your call, but the Diana 34 or 36 is a decent compromise, and while full-sized...is manageable on offhand shots. Don't let the barrel lock-up issue get under your skin either. I inherited a Chinese Model 61 spring piston (break barrel) gun in 1977 and thing still shoots after probably 10,000+ pellets since then. Locks-up tight too. That's an econo springer from China, not a proven pc. of German engineering/manufacturing.
 
mbogo3 said:
as long as you don't get them in .177 Small game will easily be harvested with either.Harold
Click to expand...

.177 will kill small game just as dead as .22 if you put the pellet in the right place. I love both calibres and owned both guns. Took raccoons without a problem with the 350 in .177, squirrels with the 48. Although I give the edge in accuracy to the 48.
 
I own both 350 and 48 in both calibres. 22 packs more punch while 177 cuts through like butter.

Buy both in my opinion and have the best of both worlds.

Mike
 
Weihrauch's

I've had both but the 48 was in .177. The 350 was looong. I always felt like I was carrying a spear. The recoil was crazy too, until a Vortek kit was put in and that made an amazing difference but more money.

The 52 was fine, no real complaints aside from I don't like the scope rail on Diana's nor is all the plastic a thrill.

Personally, while I find Diana's very accurate I'd buy a Weihrauch over a Diana any day. The HW80 is great especially in carbine form and the HW85/95 is basically a slightly scaled down version. Power is suffcient on both, accuracy is excellent, build quality is super, the trigger is one of the best in the world. Integral scope rail too.

I like Diana's, but I think the Weihrauch's are far better.
 
I have a 48 in .177. It is a lazer out past 60 yards, it will go 100 with lots of energy. I also would go for a HW77 over a Diana 48 in either cal.
 
Air arms tx 200 probably the finest springer out there loads of info at airguner magizine for anyone interested in hunting with airgun. For a couple of bucks got online subscription witch gave me a years back issues as n well and the fellas across the pond are the hands down masters of airgunning due to there restrictive firearms laws just my opinion
 
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