{"id":1501,"date":"2011-08-08T01:00:07","date_gmt":"2011-08-08T08:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/blog\/?p=1501"},"modified":"2011-07-23T09:39:39","modified_gmt":"2011-07-23T16:39:39","slug":"the-rws-model-34-p","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.airgunsofarizona.com\/blog\/2011\/08\/the-rws-model-34-p.html","title":{"rendered":"The RWS Model 34 P"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Every once in a while, you\u2019ll see on the Yellow Forum a topic centering around the topic: \u201cWhat would be the best survival air rifle?\u201d<\/p>\n

I always read these forum threads with great interest because the topic of survival in the wilds has always fascinated me. I remember reading the tale of a group of young men who made an exceptional canoe passage on a Canadian river in high northern latitudes. The passage of the full length of this particular river had never been done before; they had a limited time window in the arctic summer, and they would be beyond communication and beyond outside help, completely on their own. As I recall, they had some accidents, lost some of their supplies, and scarcity of food became an issue.<\/p>\n

As I read the account, I began to wonder: if I had to select an airgun to take with me on such a trip \u2013 one that would be suitable for collecting food \u2013 what would it be?<\/p>\n

A while back in this blog, I came up with a list of characteristics that I would like to see in a survival airgun. Looking back at it, I have decided to modify some of my thinking, and I have noted the changes in italics<\/em>.<\/p>\n

1. Portability. That means either a pistol or a rifle than can be readily broken down or at least a rifle that is not overly heavy.<\/em>
\n2. Self-contained.<\/p>\n

3. Sufficient power for taking small game.<\/p>\n

4. Stealthy report to minimize scaring game.<\/p>\n

5. Easy to shoot well. Spring-piston powerplants are the hardest to shoot well because of their whiplash forward and back recoil. Multi-stroke pneumatics are easy to shoot well.<\/p>\n

6. Reliability. Airguns dealers tell me that springers are the most reliable powerplant. You can usually put at least a couple of thousand rounds through one before a rebuild is needed, and some are far more reliable. Further, springers tend to be \u201cfail soft,\u201d that is, you can break a mainspring, burn a piston seal, and many springers will continue to launch pellets, albeit much less efficiently. By contrast, some multi-stroke pneumatics can fail in storage simply because the seals dry out or lose flexibility.<\/p>\n

7. Ease of maintenance. Spring piston powerplants typically require a spring compressor for assembly and disassembly. MSPs usually can be taken apart with hand tools. Also, a high level of weather resistance.<\/em><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll notice that some of these characteristics are at odds with each other, so you have to make your gun selection based on what\u2019s most important to you.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A couple of weeks ago, the folks at UmarexUSA sent me an air rifle that would make my short list for a survival airgun \u2013 the RWS Model 34 P.<\/p>\n

The 34 P, a variant of the classic Model 34 breakbarrel air rifle, stretches 46 inches from end to end and weighs just 7.7 lbs with its fiber-optic iron sights. At the aft end of the buttstock is a black plastic butt pad with \u201cDiana\u201d (the name of the German manufacturer) and some horizontal ridges molded into it. Moving forward, the entire stock \u2013 buttstock, forestock, and trigger guard \u2013 is molded of an all-weather engineering polymer that has a very fine-grain pebble finish. At the pistol grip and foregrip, there are high-profile ridges molded into the polymer that do an admirable job of providing grip.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The red fiber optic front sight.The green fiber optic rear sight.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The molded trigger guard houses the new metal TO6 trigger which is adjustable only for length of first-stage travel. Underneath the forestock is a long slot that provides clearance for the linkage when cocking the 34 P. At the end of the barrel, a molded polymer muzzlebrake serves as a mount for a globe-type front sight which houses a red fiber optic rod. The sight \u201chood\u201d has slots in it that allow sunlight to reach and illuminate the optic fiber. Moving back along the barrel, you\u2019ll find the notch-type rear sight which has green fiber optics on either side of the notch. The result is that the correct sight picture will show one green dot on either side of a red dot. Moving further back, you\u2019ll find a dovetail for mounting a scope and, at the extreme aft end of the receiver, a push-pull resettable safety.<\/p>\n

To ready the 34 P at the muzzle break and crank the barrel down and back until it latches. This will take about 30 lbs. of effort. Stuff a pellet into the breech and return the barrel to its original position. Take aim at your target, take aim at your target, and squeeze the trigger. On the sample that I tested, the first stage came out at about 1 lb. 9 oz. At 2 lb. 4.6 oz., the shot went down range with alacrity \u2013 the 34 P was launching .177 caliber 7.9 gr. Crosman Premier Light pellets at 905 fps. With a scope mounted, I was able to put 5 JSB Exact pellets into a group at 30 yards that you could easily cover with a dime.<\/p>\n

In the end, I find the RWS Model 34 P to be a worthy candidate for a survival air rifle. It is highly weather resistant, the fiber optics sights are easy to see and provide an excellent sight picture, and the accuracy is commendable.<\/p>\n

Til next time, aim true and shoot straight.<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jock Elliott<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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