About Jock Elliott
Located in upstate New York, I never met a projectile launcher I didn't like. Besides fooling around with airguns, bows, and blowguns, I pick banjo and guitar. I share my life with my wife, son, and a variety of furry creatures.
Posts by Jock Elliott
It’s one of my favorite times of year, the time when many of us celebrate our faith and peace on earth, good will toward men.
Here at El Rancho Elliott, we celebrate Christmas, but whatever you celebrate, I wish that you do it with love, good wishes, and the gracious company of the people you care about.
I wish you receive a really great airgun-related present. Maybe it’s as simple as a tin of your favorite pellets or perhaps something as grand as a fancy new airgun. But whatever it is, I hope you enjoy it in good health and safety.
I hope you are smart about your airgunning. . . that you will not shoot at resilient spherical objects (because the pellets will ricochet right back at you), that you – and everyone at the firing line – will wear eye protection, that you will always keep your airgun pointed in a safe direction, and that you will not be so foolish as to take brand-new airguns apart. (If there is a problem, let the warranty handle it. If there isn’t a problem, leave it alone!)
Further, I wish that you will be generous with your time. Introduce someone to the joy of shooting sports or take the time to help an airgunning “newbie” through some of the issues that first-timers seem to suffer. If you enjoy an abundance of airguns, you might even consider donating an airgun to a youth shooting program.
For the sake of all of us in the sport of airgunning, I hope that you will be smart about how you deal with your neighbors. If you have a new neighbor, take the time to introduce yourself. Let them know that you are an airgunner, but cordially reassure them that you are as concerned about safety as they are, and they have nothing to fear from your airgunning. You might even invite them to shoot with you, if that seems like a good idea.
If you participate in online forums about airgunning, my wish for you is that you – and everyone you deal with – will be extra courteous. Whenever possible, give the other fellow the benefit of the doubt, and respond with good will. Remember that what appears to be a harsh word may not have been intended that way.
Enjoy the season, your friends, your families, and your airguns.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
Last time I suggested that if you really want to put a grin on someone’s face this holiday season, you might want to make them the gift of an air rifle, combined with the gift of your time shooting with them.
The excellent Daisy Avanti 747 pistol.
But for some folks, an air pistol might be a better choice. If you want an air pistol that is suitable for casual plinking and backyard shooting yet could be used for silhouette competition or club-level ten-meter competition, the Daisy Avanti 747 is an excellent choice. It is a single-stroke pneumatic that is completely self-contained, is easy to cock and shoot, make a mild “pop” when it goes off, has virtually no recoil, and is wickedly accurate with the right pellet. The 747 is so mild-mannered that it probably could be shot in an apartment with a silent pellet trap and a little covering music. About the only thing that the 747 is not good for is pest control. It is simply too low powered to be used for humane pest control.
The CO2-powered Crosman 2300S has excellent sights.
If you want an air pistol that doesn’t even require a cocking stroke, consider the CO2-powered Crosman 2300S. It has a Lothar-Walther choked match barrel and meets IHMSA rules for “production class” silhouette competition. It uses 12-gram CO2 cartridges but delivers around 60 shots per cartridge. This pistol features a Williams rear notch sight with target knobs for easy adjustment and is extremely accurate with the right pellet. I would not recommend the 2300S for pest control, except for very small pests at close range.
An LP8 pistol equipped with an optional red dot sight.
If you want an air pistol that recoils, there are two really good choices that immediately come to mind. The RWS LP8 is a break-barrel springer pistol that can be readily fitted with a red dot, and is powerful enough for defending the bird feeder at close range.
An HW45 in the Black Star configuration.
Any of the HW45 series of pistols are also excellent. They are slightly more difficult to fit with a red dot, but they are extremely well made and deliver enough power for pest control at close range. I have personally terminated a squirrel using a .177 HW45, and I have heard stories of folks killing much possum-sized game with an HW45 at close range.
One of the interesting things about the HW45 is that the piston works backwards. A pistol like the RWS LP8 is like a scaled down breakbarrel rifle. You crank the barrel down to cock the gun, and you’re driving the piston and spring back, toward the palm of your shooting hand. When you trigger the shot, the spring and piston rocket forward, just like a break barrel rifle.
But cocking the HW45 is totally different. You pull back the ‘hammer’ to release the rear of the upper, and then you pull the rear part of the upper up and forward to cock the pistol. While you’re doing that, you’re actually dragging the spring and piston toward the muzzle of the pistol until they latch. When you trigger the shot, the spring and piston leap toward your hand. The shot cycle feels different than the LP8, but both the LP8 and HW45 are a lot of fun to shoot, and I have spoken to several airgunners who really enjoy the challenge of learning to shoot these spring-piston air pistols well.
With any of these air pistols, you’ll likely need a pellet trap, a selection of pellets, some eye protection, and perhaps a red dot sight. Ask the good folks at www.airgunsofarizona.com, and they’ll fix you up with what you need.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
It’s that time of year again when one of the cable stations will run a 24-hour-marathon of A Christmas Story, that great movie based on the writings of Jean Shepherd, in which all that Ralph Parker, a nine-year-old boy, wants for Christmas is a Daisy Red Ryder BB gun.
That film really resonates with me, on a couple of different levels. One is the way I received my first BB gun was just like in the movie. For months I had been lobbying my parents to receive a BB gun for Christmas. Finally, the day had arrived. I was sitting in the living room with my Dad and Mom. The opening of presents was over, and I was disappointed. I hadn’t gotten my BB gun. But, just like in the movie, my Dad said, “Wait a minute, there’s another present over there.” And he pulled a long, slim box from behind the couch. In it was my first Daisy.
Second, there is a line at the very end of the movie that strikes a chord with me: Next to me in the blackness lay my oiled steel beauty, the greatest Christmas gift I had ever received or would ever receive . . .”
In many ways, I think many of the experiences I have had with airguns have been an attempt to recreate the joy that I felt on receiving that first BB gun. In part, it was a rite of passage. My folks were saying to me, in essence: “You’re grown up enough that we trust you with the responsibility of a gun. Used improperly, it can hurt creatures and break things. Used rightly, it will produce joy and satisfaction. Welcome to the beginning of adulthood.”
In addition, receiving that BB gun was the beginning of many happy hours for me and my Dad shooting together.
So I would like to make a most proposal: if you would like to put a huge grin on someone’s face this Christmas, why not give them an air rifle combined with the gift of your time shooting with them?
HW30 Deluxe tricked out with optional peep sight.
If you roam around www.airgunsofarizona.com, you’ll see a lot of excellent air rifles, any one of which would make a suitable present. But if I had to choose just one that would be appropriate for a beginning shooter or a seasoned airgunner, it would be an HW30. The HW30 is light, easy to cock, fully self-contained, a delight to shoot, nicely accurate and capable of taking small game out to about 30 yards or so with proper shot placement. It’s an air rifle that is kind to newbie shooters, yet an old hand will happily shoot one all day.
The HW30 is good enough that both my brother-in-law and I have shot field target with the HW30 and done reasonably well. When a ham radio buddy, frustrated by the difficulty of shooting a higher power air rifle he had purchased, asked for a recommendation for controlling squirrels in his yard, I pointed him straight at the HW30. In a later conversation, he raved about what a great choice it was.
If you want more information, you can read my review of the HW30 De Luxe here: http://198.154.244.69/blog/2010/09/hw30s-de-luxe.html
Of course, with the HW30, you’ll want a pellet trap, a selection of pellets, some eye protection, and perhaps a scope or peep sight to go with it. Ask the good folks at www.airgunsofarizona.com, and they’ll fix you up with what you need.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
The Crosman TR77 is a break barrel air rifle with some surprising characteristics.
Recently, the good folks at Crosman Corporation sent me a sample of the Crosman TR77 air rifle. Right on the box it says “Tactical Break Barrel Rifle,” and that got me to wondering: what makes an air rifle “tactical?” Then I read further: “military-style all-weather synthetic stock” and “tactical muzzle break.” Then I got it: “tactical” is really marketing shorthand for “military look.” Okay, I’ll accept that.
This is what a “tactical” break barrel looks like.
The TR77 certainly is an interesting looking rifle. It stretches 43 inches from end to end and weighs just 7 lb. 6 oz. including the CenterPoint 4X32 scope and mounts. At the extreme aft end is a rubber butt pad which is attached to a molded black synthetic stock. The stock is fully ambidextrous and has a slight rise toward the rear that functions as a cheek piece. Ahead of that is a short section of stock that has a cross section like an I-beam. Ahead of that is the main receiver with a pronounced pistol grip at a fairly steep angle. The same black polymer forms a trigger guard around a black polymer trigger and lever-type safety. Forward of that, there is a slight indentation on either side of the stock, followed by a section of forestock that has fat ridges for easier gripping.
Underneath the forward end of the forestock is a long slot that allows clearance for the barrel during cocking. Forward of that is the barrel, which has a fluted polymer muzzle break on the end that can be gripped during cocking. Moving back along the barrel, you’ll find the breech block and main receiver. Near the aft end of the receiver, there is a dovetail for mounting the CenterPoint 4X32 scope and mounts, which are included with the TR77.
To ready the TR77 for shooting, grab the muzzle break and pull the barrel down and back until it latches. I estimate that cocking effort is in the 30-35 lb. range, and the cocking stroke is surprisingly free of creaks or groans or other noise. This opens the breech for loading. Slide a .177 pellet into the aft end of the barrel and return the barrel to its original position. Push the safety lever forward to the FIRE position, and squeeze the trigger. The first stage requires about 2 lb. 5 oz. of effort, according to my digital trigger gauge. The second stage is long, with lots of creep, and ultimately requires 6 lb. 7 oz. of pressure.
While this is clearly an air rifle that could benefit from some trigger improvement – either a trigger job or an aftermarket trigger – I found that I could shoot reasonably well with it and produced nickel-sized five-shoot groups from a rest at 13 yards using Crosman Premier 7.9 grain .177 pellets. I suspect that I could have achieved tighter groups with a higher-power scope, but the TR77 came with the CenterPoint 4×32 scope, so that is what I used.
What really surprised me was the speed and consistency of the TR77. It put 7.9 grain Crosman Premier pellets through my chronograph at an average speed of 943 fps, and the variation from high (946) to low (940) was only 6 fps! I find that quite remarkable in an unturned, inexpensive factory air rifle. Despite the TR77’s speed, the shot cycle was not harsh, and the report was typical of a medium-power springer.
The butt pad can be peeled off . . .
, , , to reveal storage spaces inside.
The other surprise that the TR77 has for the shooter is that the butt pad can be peeled off to reveal two small storage chambers inside the butt stock. This really spoke to me.
Ever since I was a kid, I have had a fascination with survival scenarios. Starting with Robinson Crusoe and the stories I would read in Boy’s Life and Outdoor Life, I loved reading about people who find themselves in survival conditions and the tools and ingenuity they use to stay alive.
In particular, I remember the story of three young men who decided to paddle the length of one arctic river. They had planned pretty well, but lost some of their gear (if I recall correctly) and found themselves in a subsistence situation. It seems to be that if game were available, an air rifle might be pretty useful for keeping body and soul together. I have even written about this idea a time or two in this blog and elsewhere.
So I could envision setting the TR77 up as a survival rifle, storing a supply of pellets, an allen wrench for the scope mounts, and some fire starting materials in the cavities in the buttstock. Maybe I would wrap some parachute chord around the I-beam section of the stock. The possibilities are endless, and I think the TR77 would be a fun gun for this type of project, defending the garden, or hunting small game.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
Years ago, your humble correspondent wrote for a number of radio related publications. As a shortwave listening enthusiast, I would often tune in to the BBC news service beamed to North America. At the end their broadcasts, the BBC news readers (as the Beeb called them) would often launch into a reiteration of the headlines with the following phrase: “And now, the main points once again.”
Well, this is one of those “main points once again” moments. As we roll into the holiday gift-giving season, I know that some of your reading this blog will receive an air rifle or air pistol as a present. Others know family members who will receive an airgun. Still others know family members who will be making a present of an airgun to an adult or a youngster. Given that, and recognizing that some of the people who are receiving the gift of an airgun will be handling a gun for the first time, it seems high time to review the main points of airgun safety.
Let’s start with the basics: any air rifle or air pistol has the potential to destroy property, injure people or animals, or even cause death if handled improperly. Note that well: if handled improperly. Got that? Good!
Now, because the readers of this blog are pretty smart folks, I bet you are inquiring: “So what is proper handling of an airgun?”
I’m glad you asked. Proper handling of an airgun consists of two parts. Part one: know where the muzzle of the airgun is pointing at all – repeat ALL – times. Any time the airgun is in your hands or in your control (such as when you have taken it out of its storage place and you have set it down for a moment), you need to know – not guess, but know with certainty – where it is pointing.
Part two of proper airgun handling is this: never, ever, point an airgun at anything you don’t want to see broken or destroyed. I am dead serious about this; don’t point your airgun at another person or animal or property for even an instant (unless, of course, if you are hunting). If you don’t want to see a hole in it, don’t point at it, it’s just that simple. Why am I going on like a maniac about this? Because an airgun can only shoot where it is pointed. Put another way, the secret of airgun safety is to make sure that it is always pointed in a safe direction including when you are taking aim at a target.
Now, I’m sure that my sharp-eyed readers will have realized by now that making sure your gun is pointed in a safe direction at all times places a special burden on parents, because as youngsters are learning to shoot, whether it is a BB gun or a pellet gun, they need to be supervised. From a practical standpoint this means that parents must be close enough to redirect the muzzle of the gun to a safe direction if that becomes necessary. It’s no good watching the kids play with the BB gun through the kitchen window; parents have to be close enough to take control of the gun if it is pointed in an unsafe direction.
Every airgun manufacturer I can think of packs useful information in with their guns. Take the time to read it. Make sure that you have a safe backstop on your shooting range. Be certain that everyone on the firing line is wearing eye protection. Don’t shoot BBs against hard targets, they will ricochet.
For some addition thoughts on airgun safety, check this out: http://198.154.244.69/blog/2011/11/that-safety-thing-again.html
My wish for you is that your Holidays are safe, that Santa brings you something wonderful, and that you can spend many happy hours enjoying airgunning with folks you love.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
As you are reading this, the great U.S. Holiday of Thanksgiving is just three days away, and I thought I would take a moment to remind you that you and I – we, collectively – have a lot to be thankful for.
We live in a country where we are free to practice our religious faith – or to not practice any faith whatsoever – and no one is going to threaten or coerce you either way. That’s a thing to be thankful for. There are many countries on this globe where that is simply not the case.
Since I work some weeks ahead on this blog, as it happens I am writing this on Election Day. I do not know what the outcome will be, and regardless of how you view the outcome, I think perhaps that we can agree that living in a country where we can have an election is a thing to be thankful for. In the heat of campaigning, all of us saw and heard a lot of complaints: this is wrong, that is wrong; this needs to be fixed, that needs to be fixed, and so on. While I won’t deny that we have problems in this country that need to be addressed, perhaps we could take a moment to give thanks for the many things that are right.
Many of us have families to be thankful for – spouses, children, relatives, friends. The Elliott’s modest abode – El Rancho Elliott – is located in upstate New York. We were spared the wrath of Hurricane Sandy, but a couple of hundred miles to the south of us, many people were not. While it absolutely stinks to lose your home and possessions, if you got out and the people you love survived, you have much, much, to be thankful for.
As a shooting enthusiast, I am grateful for airguns. They offer me the opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of shooting in many places where discharging a firearm would be absolutely forbidden. As a result, I can shoot in my side yard without having to load up a bunch of gear, get in my car, and travel to a range. How neat is that!? In addition, airgunning is remarkable friendly to the wallet. Once you have purchased an air rifle or air pistol, high quality pellets cost just pennies per shot, so I have a hobby I can enjoy without busting the family piggy bank.
Further, I am grateful for the breadth and depth of the variety of airguns that are available to us today. Cruise around www.airgunsofarizona.com, and you’ll find that the spectrum of offerings is absolutely astonishing. You can spend under $40 for a pump-up rifle suitable for controlling pests in the garden at short range and plinking in the backyard, or you can lay out thousands for a high-powered big bore hunting rifle. And in between, there is a range of offerings to suit almost every taste and budget.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the many fine folks who are involved in airgunning, from the manufacturers and retailers to the people who organize airgun shooting events, to the individual airgunning enthusiasts. I have found them to be, as a group, incredibly generous of their time, treasure, and expertise.
So those are some things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I’m willing to bet that, regardless of your situation, you can think of some more.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
The Falcon T50 10-50×60 Field Target is a large, impressive scope.
When I first became interested in adult precision airguns over a decade ago, one of the first things I encountered was the fine sport of field target. I noticed that a lot of the competitors shot with really large high magnification scopes on top of their rifles. I thought it looked cool, and I would later find out that there was a very good reason for those really big high-mag scopes.
We’ll get to that in a little while, but first some background. Field target involves shooting at metallic silhouettes of birds and animals. Each target has a hole in it – a kill zone – behind which is a paddle. Put a pellet cleanly through the kill zone, hit the paddle, and the target falls down. If you miss the kill zone and hit the face plate of the target or clip the edge of the kill zone with the pellet, the target locks in the upright position. It’s simple, neat, and a potload of fun.
What makes field target really challenging is that the range to the target may vary from 10 to 55 yards, and the size of the kill zone may vary from 3/8 inch to 1-7/8 inch. Further, there is no correlation between the range to the target and the size of the kill zone. A one-inch kill zone at 10 yards is pretty much dead easy, but that same one-inch kill zone at 50 yards starts to get, ah, “interesting.” In addition, a really fiendish FT course designer might stick a half-inch kill zone out beyond 30 yards, which will have many of the shooter muttering dark threats under their breath.
If that was not enough trouble for the field target competitor, there is one other factor to consider: compared to powder burning varmint rifles – which send bullets downrange at 2,000, 3,000 or even 4,000 feet per second – the airguns used in field target competition shoot slowly – usually well under 1,000 fps. Consequently, the field target competitor is going to want to know – with as much precision as possible – the exact range to the target. Why? So he (or she) can accurately compensate for the arc-like trajectory of the pellet.
And that’s where big, high-magnification scopes like the Falcon T50 10-50×60 Field Target come in. With a high magnification scope, the shooter focuses precisely on the target and then reads the range to the target off the side wheel (or the objective bell of the scope in the case of a non-side-focus scope). The higher the magnification, the easier it is to focus precisely, particularly at long distance.
The T50 is specifically designed for competitive shooting at less than 100 yards. It is 17.32 inches long, weighs 35.1 oz., features a mil-dot reticle, 1/8” MOA per click, and has been designed to provide range finding that is accurate within 1.5 yards at 50 yards, according to the factory specifications. The turrets are large, well-marked and can be reset to zero.
That hole allows a hex wrench to be inserted for tightening the side wheel on the side focus knob.
The T50 comes with a sheet of stick-on numbers so the shooter can set up the side wheel according to his or her preference.
The T50 comes with a large side wheel that clamps to the side focusing knob and aids in precise focusing and range finding. The side wheel is accompanied by a sheet of self-adhesive numbers that can be placed on the side wheel so that the competitor can do his own setup according to preference. Also included in the package are front and rear flip-up lens covers, a lens cleaning cloth, hex keys for the windage and elevation turrets and side wheel, an objective thread protector, and a threaded sunshade.
The knobs on the T50 are large and well marked.
I mounted the T50 on my Marauder using SportsMatch extra high 30mm scope rings, and found that scope delivers amazing magnification and sharp focusing at distance and also, surprisingly, sharp focus at 50X at just a bit less than 10 yards. Impressive.
Now, to be perfectly candid, the highest magnification scope I had used previously was a 32X. So when I tried the T50 at the highest magnification, I found it a little disconcerting how much movement (of myself) I was observing. But one of the nice things about the T50 is that you can turn the collar near the eyepiece and enjoy crisp clear views at slightly less magnification.
If you are looking for a 50X scope to aid your field target competition, the Falcon T50 10-50×60 Field Target may be just what you need.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
The Webley Rebel with optional scope mounted.
When I first got interested in adult precision airguns about a dozen years ago, my very purchase was a Benjamin 392 multi-stroke pneumatic. And I can’t tell you how many airgunners I’ve talked to over the years who started with a Crosman, Benjamin, or Sheridan multi-stroke pneumatic . . . it has to be scores of them.
And little wonder – multi-stroke pneumatics (MSPs) have a whole lot going for them. They tend to be very reliable, they are easy to shoot well, and you can vary the power by varying the number of strokes you put into them. There is no recoil, they are self-contained, and MSPs can be left pumped up all day without harm. In short, I like MSPs.
So imagine my delight when I found out that Webley has introduced a new MSP airgun, the Rebel. The .177 caliber Rebel stretches 34.6 inches from end to end and weighs just 4.4 lbs. At the extreme aft end of the Rebel is a rubbery butt page, which is attached to the ambidextrous synthetic stock by a white spacer. The stock is finished with a fine pebbly surface, giving it a matte appearance. On either side of the pistol grip and forestock is a pattern of tiny bumps to improve grip.
The pistol grip and forestock have small bumps to improve gripping.
Forward of the pistol grip, a black plastic trigger guard surrounds a black plastic trigger and push-button safety. Forward of the trigger guard is the forestock which serves as the pumping arm to charge the action. Above the forestock is the barrel which has a plastic fitting on the end that serves as a mount for the fiber-optic front sight. Moving back along the barrel, you’ll find the receiver, which is molded out of black plastic and has a dovetail on top for mount a scope or rear sight.
The breech closed and bolt forward.
The breech open and bolt back.
On the right side of the receiver is the breech. At the end of the receiver on the right side is a lever. Press it down, and the bolt springs backward, opening the breech for loading a pellet.
The pumping lever/forearm full open.
To ready the Rebel for shooting, grab the air rifle by the pistol grip with one hand and the forearm with the other. Open the forearm all the way and return it to its original position for each charging stroke. Pump the Rebel up to eight times for maximum power. When you’re done pumping, click the lever on the right side of the receiver, and when the breech pops open, load a pellet and push the bolt back to its original position.
Ease the first stage out of the trigger, squeeze the second stage, and the shot goes down range. Now this is where everything starts to get very interesting. First, the Webley Rebel is supposed to have something called a knock-open valve. Now, to be honest, I am not entire sure of the design details, but I do know that it is supposed to mean that the more pumps you put into it, the harder it will be to pull the trigger. So I did a little testing. At three pumps, the first stage was 1 lb. 6.2 oz., and the second stage was 2 lb. 8.6 oz. At five pumps, the first stage was 2 lb. 2 oz., and the second stage was 3 lb. 2.3 oz. At eight pumps, the first stage was 2 lb. 7.9 oz., and the second stage was 3 lb. 9 oz. So, yes, the trigger does get heavier as you increase the number of pumps, but at no point was the trigger so heavy that it was bothersome. Quite the contrary, I found the trigger to be very crisp and manageable.
The velocity, too, varies with the number of pumps. Here are the chrony results with RWS 7 grain Hobby pellets:
4 pumps = 645 fps
5 pumps = 705 fps
6 pumps = 740 fps
7 pumps = 766 fps
8 pumps = 786 fps
This picture speaks volumes for itself.
I save the best part for last: the Rebel delivers excellent accuracy. At 17 yards, at five pumps, using Crosman Premier Light 7.9 grain domed pellets, I shot a five-shot group that measured just .31 inches from edge to edge or just .13 inches from center to center. In addition, at five pumps, the report is remarkably subdued, just a mild pop.
In the end, I can heartily recommend the Webley Rebel. It delivers a whole lot of airgunning performance for not a lot of money. With an inexpensive scope mounted, it would be an excellent choice for an old hand at airgunning or an outright newbie.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
From time to time the good folks at www.airgunsofarizona.com send me a care package of guns and other goodies that they think I might like to play with and test. Usually the package contains the latest offering from various airguns manufacturers.
Recently, though, the AoA gang surprised me by sending an air rifle that I had been aware of ever since I became interested in adult precision air rifles over a decade ago but had never seen or shot . . . the RWS Model 48.
Now that I have handled and shot an RWS 48, I must admit that I am really astonished that there isn’t more buzz about this air rifle on the online forums. It really is a very nice gun that performs quite well. More about that in a little while. First, let’s take a walk around the RWS Model 48.
The cocking lever is mounted on the right side of the receiver.
The RWS Model 48 is a sidelever single shot spring piston air rifle. Available in .177 or .22, it stretches 42 inches from end to end and weighs 8.5 lbs without a scope. At the extreme aft end of the 48 is a soft rubber recoil pad that is attached to the ambidextrous hardwood stock with a white plastic spacer. The stock is completely unadorned with any checkering, slots, grooves, or other decorations. The fit and finish is very pleasing to my eye, and with the exception of the cocking lever being mounted on the right side of the rifle, it looks like it could be shot equally well by right or left handed shooters.
The pistol grip has a moderate slope to it and forward of that is a black trigger guard that surrounds the black metal T06 trigger. Forward of that, the forestock is smooth and tapered. Underneath, toward the end, a large screw helps to secure the action in the stock. Forward of that is the barrel, at the end of which is a molded plastic muzzle brake that also serves as a mount for the blade-type front sight.
Moving back along the barrel, you’ll find the receiver and a notch-type microadjustable rear sight. Behind that is the breech. A silver metal breech block slides back when the cocking lever is pulled back to allow loading of pellets. Further back is a dovetail for mounting a scope, and at the back end of the receiver is a push-pull safety. That’s it – the RWS Model 48 is simplicity itself.
Before you can return the cocking level to its original position, you have to press down this small metal tab on the left hand side of the breech.
To ready the Model 48 for shooting, grab the end of the side cocking lever (I usually prop the gun on my thigh with the muzzle pointed vertically) and pull it down and back until it latches (it takes just under 40 pounds of effort). Insert a pellet in the breech. At this point, the cocking lever is locked in the full back position to prevent the breech from inadvertently snapping forward and injuring your fingers. Before you can return the cocking level to its original position, you have to press down a small metal tab on the left hand side of the breech, otherwise you can’t close the breech.
Take aim at your target, ease the first stage out of the trigger (this takes about 1 lb. 8 oz. of pressure), and begin squeezing the second stage. At about 2 lb. 9 oz., the shot is goes down range.
The RWS Model 48 delivers a serious turn of speed, launching .177 JSB Exact RS 7.33 gr. pellets at 1058 fps average (18.22 foot-pounds of energy) and JSB Exact Heavy 10.34 gr. pellets at 853 fps average (16.7 foot-pounds). The report is about what you would expect from a springer of this power: a WHACK that sounds a bit like someone hitting a board with a hammer.
The accuracy is also what you might expect from a springer of this power. From a rest, at 25 meters (27 yards), I put five JSB Exact pellets into a group that measured .875 inch edge to edge, or just under .7 inch center to center. That’s certainly good enough for defending the garden.
The Vortex Crossfire II 4-12 x 40 AO scope seems very solidly built and has a terrific warranty.
I tested the RWS Model 48 with the Vortex Crossfire II 4-12 x 40 AO scope aboard, and I’ve got to say that I continue to be impressed with these Vortex scopes. They are bright, clear, and appear to be very solidly built. The model I tested features the Dead-Hold BDC reticle, which provides multiple aiming points. Even more impressive than the construction and the reticle of this Vortex scope is the warranty: an unlimited, unconditional lifetime warranty through Vortex Optics. Clearly, the folks at Vortex believe their scopes can withstand whatever punishment we airgunners can dish out.
I mounted the Vortex using an RWS 1-inch Lock Down Mount that is specifically designed for RWS air rifles. It offers two anti-recoil pins, a very secure grip on the scope rail, and .025 inch elevation to compensate for the barrel deflection in RWS rifles. If you’re going to mount a scope on an RWS rifle, I highly recommend this mount.
In the end, I liked the combination of the RWS Model 48 and the Vortex Crossfire II scope. It’s a flat-shooting no-frills fixed-barrel combo that should provide years of shooting fun.
Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.
– Jock Elliott
