Not sure how many are into spring guns here, but I find it mighty refreshing occasionally to shoot my RWS 34 Panther. I consider this little gun my best airgun bargain. Reletively inexpensive ( I paid 125.00 for mine) it is very accurate, easy to shoot and cock. I can walk and shoot without having to worry about the tank pressure which is nice sometimes. At close to 9 pounds with the scope it is not a light weight.
I chose to install one of Jim Macarri's tune up kits in mine, the kit came with custom guides,tophat, lube, and spring. I installed it in around two hours, much of that time was spent polishing the compression tube, cocking slot and shoe. Put it all back together and after a couple hundred break in shots it's shooting 14.3 grain crosman pellets at 725 fps average velocity. The firing cycle is very smooth and tame with absolutely no spring twang. The recoil is very linear and managable. The cost for the kit was 69.00 if I remember correctly. So for under 200.00 I have a tuned, semi custom pellet gun with a black synthetic stock that will take squirrels out to 50 yards easily. I can hunt all day and shoot as many times as I have pellets. Anyway if your looking for a really nice throw it in the truck plinking and hunting gun give the RWS34 Panther a try. Throw in a Macarri tune kit, I know you won't be disappointed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2008 12:40AM by Joe Hoover.

Hi Joe:

How loud is it? How tough was it to install the kit? What caliber?

I've been looking to add a new backyard-friendly springer to my collection here. I've been looking at picking up a used R9 that's already been tuned but this sounds like another great option.

-- Jim

Jim they are on the same level as the R9 in noise, the only thing I can think of to compare it to would be an electric stapler like builders would use. The kit was a breeze to install, I did a search on Google and a very detailed "how to" instruction post was found complete with pictures. You will need to make yourself a spring compressor. I made one from a piece of 1X6, two 2 inch U bolts, a 6 inch C-clamp and a piece of garden hose to pad the U bolts with. It worked like a charm, total cost was about 11 bucks I believe. Again I found the directions through an internet search. Very straight forward takedown, two pins release everything. One thing I forgot to mention is I also put a Macarri piston seal on when I did the tune.
I believe I could tear mine down and have it back together in 15 minutes or less now. Most of my time as I stated was spent taking it slow and deburring and polishing everything. When you put it back together just make sure the pin holes are aligned and don't force them in. If you have everything right you can just push them in with your fingers.
Very good trigger as well, light and precise. I got mine direct from RWS impoter here in the states. It was a demo gun, what I received was a gun with all the stickers still on, it appeared new in the box to me, saved me about 50.00. You'll have to give them a call to see what they have, the number is on the web sight. Mine is in .22 caliber, but .177 and I believe 20 caliber are made.
HTH

Joe,

I enjoy springers. I'm waiting on a B-28 in .22, a chinese copy of the RWS 350. I have a JM spring and seal ready to put in it, I'm going to de-tune it a little and I also plan to button the piston.

At 725 fps w/14 grain pellet that gun hits hard. The 34's have a large faithful following for good reason I'm sure.

Hi Lon, good to hear from ya. Amazing what a little TLC and a Macarri tune kit can do for a springer isn't. I just read a review on the B28, they had done a lube tune and custom guide, it was shooting 15.3 grain Gamo hunters at 830fps average. That should whack something with some force. Let me know what you think of it, I might like to try one myself. I had a B20 which is a clone of the R9 and it was a good solid gun. I let one of my friends use it to take care of a rodent problem and he wound up buying it from me.
Take care,
Joe