Looking for Air Rifle Recommendation

Tim-Gabz said:
I am currently sooo very out of humour. My youngest left a jar of Daisy BB on top of the fridge door. I have him picking up of over a thousand BB on the kitchen floor, I got a major fright going in for some wine then there is a serious dumping and bouncing of little silver balls. Amazing how some stick to the fridge door magnetic strip.
Click to expand...

The brass coated ones are better :-). But yeah, use a magnet. I used to put a speaker magnet on the end of string and walk around my shooting area to cleanup when i shot my BB pistol.
 
SuzukiGS750EZ said:
Dynabit Nobel RWS i believe is the manufacturing name that makes diana. But its said Diana RWS as far as a name is concerned. :-). Don't mean to get arguin.
Click to expand...

No arguin' at all - I am trying to get the facts straight in my own mind too.

I believe Dynamit Nobel AG is now under the umbrella of RWS (Rheinisch-Westfälischen Sprengstoff)

RWS are renowned ammunition manufacturers, who are also very well known airgun pellet makers.
No where on the RWS German website are airguns listed - Diana or otherwise.

Diana Airguns (Germany) does have its own website where my admittedly cursory search does not seem to even mention RWS....? and certainly do not list, or mention any affiliation with the Spanish airgun maker Cometa.

In the USA - RWS airguns is under the umbrella of Umarex USA -
but Umarex also seems to have - Walther, Beretta, Colt, Hammerli, Smith & Wesson.

So my GUESS/speculation (since I do not know for sure) -
RWS is a munitions manufacturer in Germany -
but in the USA - the name RWS may also be a tradename used by Umarex -
and that RWS tradename has actually sold re-badged airguns at least from Cometa, as well as Hammerli eg: there is a RWS Hammerli 850

Perhaps you can add more to help clear all this up, please?

EDIT to ADD -
Searching on RWS over at Wikipedia gives just this:
" The three-letter abbreviation RWS may stand for one of the following, depending on context:
...
Rheinisch-Westfälische Sprengstoffwerke (Ger. "Rhinelandic-Westphalian Explosives Works") – a brand of rifle cartridges, rimfire ammunition and airgun pellets; marketed by Swiss company RUAG Ammotec since 2002, who also license the RWS brand to Umarex USA for the marketing of their premium line of air rifles
... "

Doing a Google on "RUAG Ammotec" finds these:

RUAG Ammotec
which seems to show it represents: "RWS, Geco, norma, Rottweil, Hirtenberger, Dynamit Nobel, SM"

and

RUAG Holding AG

which unfortunately doesn't seem to get us any further about RWS airguns

EDIT 2 -

More confusion -

Diana Model 31 Panther series (as listed by Diana Airguns Germany) is sold as the RWS 34 P series by Umarex in the USA

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
Last edited:
The RWS trademark has been synonymous with premium German made airguns and airgun ammunition for more than three decades. RWS air rifles have been the benchmark in quality and accuracy for hunting and pest control pellet guns among airgunners around the world who also know RWS as Diana Air Rifles. RWS pellet guns are known for their German quality and their robust limited lifetime warranty.
http://www.umarexusa.com/rws.aspx
 
jill jackson said:
The cheaper Gamo's are mostly less than a RWS.
But, that Hunter Extreme is as much as the high end RWS's, Or more.
You should look at all that's out there before you buy, comparable models between brands are pretty much like priced and Gamo makes a few models that don't have such great reputations.
That CFX is one that they make that's said to be pretty darn good.
Click to expand...

I've been looking at a lot of guns, and the CFX is pretty much what I'd settled on. Though like you say, the RWS line has a few I might be able to afford as well.
 
CFX is a fixed barrel with a rotary breech and it is a side-lever cocker.
Has a great reputation for accuracy and power.
Only thing I don't like is it's .177 caliber only and they had it in .22 (don't know if they still do) and the .22 was a dog compared to the .177, just didn't have the same power comparatively.
If I get another air rifle It's more than likely gonna be a RWS 350 mag in .22.
I got a 45 RWS in .177 and a Spanish made Hammerli, Storm in .22 that RWS imports and both are really nice shooters and I like the .22 a lot better for pest birds, it has even killed a crow once.
The 350 RWS mag will have a good bit more power and has a great reputation.
 
Last edited:
jill jackson said:
The RWS trademark has been synonymous with premium German made airguns and airgun ammunition for more than three decades. RWS air rifles have been the benchmark in quality and accuracy for hunting and pest control pellet guns among airgunners around the world who also know RWS as Diana Air Rifles. RWS pellet guns are known for their German quality and their robust limited lifetime warranty.
http://www.umarexusa.com/rws.aspx
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw that too - perhaps you just missed my "edit to adds" - but as it says in the USA RWS is a tradename used by Umarex - and although it does definitely sell Diana airguns under RWS - RWS does NOT make Diana airguns - Diana (Germany) does.

In the USA there has been -
RWS 94 = Cometa Fenix 400
RWS 93 = Cometa 300
RWS 9B or 9N = Cometa "Indian"

Cometa Airgun is a Spanish airgun manufacturer - not affiliated with Diana Airguns (Germany) .

There also seems to be RWS Hammerli and it's not just an isolated listing the link shows a Foogle search listing of 4 pages of vendors.

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
My Diana 45 is marked with both RWS and Diana.
I think they are more (RWS) of an importer and they have a few lines they deal with.
The rifles are called RWS and Diana pretty much interchangeably here in the USA.
 
See this write up of the RWS Diana 350 mag, if you want to know you could ask this guy that writes the blog for pyramydair. He may have already told all about the brand there if you wanna search. But anyway he'd for certain know.
http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2006/02/diana-rws-350-magnum.html

OK i did find this comment by the writer there:

"No it's not Diana (remember, RWS is just the exporter). This is being made by others, and I have been testing it for the past 6 months. We've gone through three prototypes so far and I have high hopes that number four will be correct. If it is, they should go straight to production and we should see the first batch inside two-three months."

So RWS exports the brand but is so affiliated with them RWS is stamped on the guns as well, it seems.
That is why the Diana site made no mention of RWS and the RWS site does mention Diana and the rifles are the same models.
 
Last edited:
jill jackson said:
So RWS exports the brand but is so affiliated with them RWS is stamped on the guns as well, it seems.
That is why the Diana site made no mention of RWS and the RWS site does mention Diana and the rifles are the same models.
Click to expand...

Yes, tradenames can be really confusing -

The RWS German Website does not mention Diana -
Diana Airguns Germany does not mention RWS -
it is only the Umarex (USA) website that has RWS airguns.

The fact that the airguns are stamped RWS and Diana means that Diana does make the guns for the tradename RWS -
I wonder whether Diana airguns in Germany are stamped RWS?

But this was pretty common in the USA - for example what was "Asahi Pentax" in the rest of the world,
at one time was "Honeywell Pentax" in the USA only
HoneywellPS.jpg


--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
Last edited:
I don't think the Diana's within Germany are stamped with the RWS.
They are the same models yet for the brief time I was on the site they had a different type look. The stocks seemed fancier.
RWS picked up that Hammerli brand a couple of years ago I believe.
They have that 850 co2 rifle that uses the big 88 gram cartridges.
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/rws-850-co2-air-rifle.shtml
I think they are just a world wide import/export outfit that is huge and getting bigger all the time it seems.
 
Last edited:
My son got involved in the 4H air gun club in our community. The gun of choice was the Daisy 853. .177. single stroke. Comes with a nice little mic sight. I was surprised at how accurate a gun it is. The trigger is a little heavy - the gentleman that coached the team was an ex armorment officer and touched up the triggers on the club guns as well as any that the kids were shooting. My son has gone off to college and the gun stayed home - nothing better than to go out and play sniper off the back porch with the left over plastic army men from way back when. 1" soldier at 35' through mic sights is quite a challenge. They always had a fun shoot the last day of the season at the club. Aspirins, cutting playing cards in two on edge, blowing out candles, etc. The dads/moms had to shoot against the kids - I shot a 48, which I was kind of proud of! Good memories - it was fun to go to the meets - lots of good kids involved - you could tell these were the kids that were going to get good grades and keep out of trouble.
 
jill jackson said:
RWS picked up that Hammerli brand a couple of years ago I believe.
Click to expand...

Sorry, no....

Umarex USA again has the Hammerli tradename for the USA.

But even Umarex USA on their page for Hammerli
does not mention/associate with RWS!

- association with RWS I suspect may possibly be only due to vendors thinking that RWS is better known?

Hammerli at Wikipedia -
" Hämmerli is a Swiss manufacturer of firearms aimed mostly at sport shooting, especially Olympic events governed by the International Shooting Sport Federation.
In 2006 Hämmerli was taken over by Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen and they have licensed the Hämmerli brand to Umarex USA. "

Like I said tradenames can be really confusing.

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
jill jackson said:
If you click my link you will see that this Hammerli is connected to the RWS name
http://www.pyramydair.com/p/rws-850-co2-air-rifle.shtml
Click to expand...

yes... I know, and it does make some sense.....
but PyramydAir is a vendor
and the link I did earlier -

" RWS Hammerli and it's not just an isolated listing the link shows a Foogle search listing of 4 pages of vendors. "

included PyramydAir

As I pointed out earlier Umarex USA are the importers and distributors for Hammerli and on their page (please click on the link and see for yourself?) they do not associate RWS with Hammerli -

I do apologize - I am now repeating myself -
and as all this is starting to sound pretty pedantic, sorry.

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
Last edited:
stevewest said:
The gun of choice was the Daisy 853. .177. single stroke. Comes with a nice little mic sight. I was surprised at how accurate a gun it is. The trigger is a little heavy - the gentleman that coached the team was an ex armorment officer and touched up the triggers on the club guns as well as any that the kids were shooting.
Click to expand...


Ah... back on topic -
the Daisy Avanti 853 is a good gun -
in fact the bargain priced Daisy 953 is basically the same gun with a plastic stock and without the refinements.

How's the trigger now after the re-work
for example compared to the RWS/Diana 48?

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
jill jackson said:
Ah, but that Hammerli rifle has the RWS stamp on it same as the Diana's do
http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2006/06/rws-850-airmagnum-part-1.html
"The rifle has the traditional RWS logo. The automatic safety button extends from the back of the breech."
Click to expand...

Thank you for helping to clarify that -
now it makes me wonder why Umarex USA importers and distributors for Hammerli on their page do not associate RWS with Hammerli?

Thanks,

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
Hammerli is a brand, just as Diana is.
That RWS 850 Hammerli is a model RWS worked with them to design and import.
It has advanced German features I read and Hammerli is a separate brand but RWS is having something to do with at least some of the newer models, it seems.
And I really don't know for certain maybe they just paid for the name?
I have a Hammerli Storm that's made in Spain and imported by RWS even though it doesn't have RWS on it like the 850.
 
jill jackson said:
Hammerli is a brand, just as Diana is.
That RWS 850 Hammerli is a model RWS worked with them to design and import.
It has advanced German features I read and Hammerli is a separate brand but RWS is having something to do with at least some of the newer models, it seems.
And I really don't know for certain maybe they just paid for the name?
I have a Hammerli Storm that's made in Spain and imported by RWS even though it doesn't have RWS on it like the 850.
Click to expand...

Yep, that sounds like a plausible explanation that Hammerli is merely a brandname.

So doing some more minimal (re)search - since Hammerli according to Wikipedia was taken over by Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen

I went and found the Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen website and indeed they do list Hammerli - but the Hammerli page only shows high grade match air-rifles I do not see the Hammerli 850 CO2 even mentioned on the Walther site.

So perhaps it's a Umarex USA thing where they are using the brandnames of Hammerli and RWS?

I am confused again...
so is a RWS-Hammerli a "real" Hammerli -
or just a re-brand done by Umarex USA?

So who makes those RWS-Hammerli?

According to Umarex USA Hammerli page -

" Beginning in 2007, Umarex USA launched a Hammerli product line comprised of performance based air rifles that continue the legacy of quality, reliability, and accuracy for which Hammerli has stood for over 140 years. "

which is not the same as saying those Hammerlis are made by Hammerli (now owned by Walther)

--
Vincent
http://picasaweb.com/UnknownVincent
http://UnknownVincent.Shutterfly.com
http://UnknownVT.Shutterfly.com
http://groups.msn.com/UnknownVincent/shoebox.msnw
 
This should help
http://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2007/04/hammerli-storm-elite-part-1-first-look.html


When Umarex acquired the Hammerli name in 2006, the shooting world waited to see what would happen. Hammerli is a legendary Swiss maker of fine target arms. Though many of their models have actually been made in Switzerland, they have actually rebadged a lot of airguns. In fact, many airguns were made for them by the former East German firm of Haenel. But the quality has remained high no matter what factory was making the guns. Today, Umarex is applying the Hammerli name to new low- and mid-priced sporting airguns made by new companies. The Hammerli Storm Elite is such a gun.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top