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Thread: Rws 24

  1. #1
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    Rws 24

    Picked up a lovely little 24 last night and have looked it over and put some shots through it.
    Its a nice simple basic design but one which oozes quality. Its lock up is reassuringly positive n solid. Its breech jaws are mated well. Its external finish is good. The trigger is not the best but is certainly more than equal to any gun in this price bracket (or the bracket it used to be in).
    This being a 1985 model the compression tube diameter is 25mm. This equates to a firing cycle that is very sweet n soft. Hardly recoiless but very soft indeed and refreshingly different to full power springers. Haven't chrono checked it yet but power seems in region of expected 6 ft llbs.
    All in all a very pleasant 80s throwback.
    Dave

  2. #2
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    Didn't Webley import them under their badge? I cant remember what they called them.



    ATB
    Ian
    Last edited by I. J.; 14-11-2017 at 10:56 AM.
    Founder & ex secretary of Rivington Riflemen.
    www.rivington-riflemen.uk

  3. #3
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    I agree that these are great wee guns. I cut my teeth on one and was spoiled by it's accuracy. Went on to bigger more powerful guns but none (recoiling springers) more accurate. They seem very thin on the ground these days but I eventually got my hands on an Original version from the first year of production not long ago. It's as good as I remembered. To be honest, the trigger isn't up to the same standards as the rest of the gun but I'm getting on fine with it now. The 24D with the ball sear trigger must be superb.
    If I'm doing a wee bit of plinking, the 24 is the gun I reach for first. Open sights usually. It's just one of those guns that's great to shoot and hard to put down. Not many people realise how good there are.

    The version made for Webley was the Airwolf.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drew451 View Post
    I agree that these are great wee guns. I cut my teeth on one and was spoiled by it's accuracy. Went on to bigger more powerful guns but none (recoiling springers) more accurate. They seem very thin on the ground these days but I eventually got my hands on an Original version from the first year of production not long ago. It's as good as I remembered. To be honest, the trigger isn't up to the same standards as the rest of the gun but I'm getting on fine with it now. The 24D with the ball sear trigger must be superb.
    If I'm doing a wee bit of plinking, the 24 is the gun I reach for first. Open sights usually. It's just one of those guns that's great to shoot and hard to put down. Not many people realise how good there are.

    The version made for Webley was the Airwolf.
    I think Webley kept everything except the metal open sights and replaced them with their plastic bits

    I'm using it indoors due to its low power. That said about the power it does seem all there and I'm curios to get it checked. I'm not expecting nor do I want a powerhouse but judging by the dent it put in the kitchen plinth after my rolled lead flashing backstop had slid down- it appears to be of good output.

    Nice and light and dare I use the term "fun" to use...

    Dave

  5. #5
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    Aye, Webley used their own sights on the Airwolf. My own 24 has a plastic rearsight as used on the Model 5 pistol. I think my older 34 has this as well. I quite like it.
    So your RWS is posh, Dave. Don't tell me its got two wee screws in front of the trigger blade as well...

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drew451 View Post
    Aye, Webley used their own sights on the Airwolf. My own 24 has a plastic rearsight as used on the Model 5 pistol. I think my older 34 has this as well. I quite like it.
    So your RWS is posh, Dave. Don't tell me its got two wee screws in front of the trigger blade as well...
    Well if its posh its landed in bandit country lol. I'm not sure the implications of finding those two screws there but would guess its a more refined trigger that is more adjustable. If that's the case I'm going to disappoint us both as there are no screws there. Despite that the trigger is growing on.me and I've deffo put up with worse.
    I'll need to.dig out some old mags to track down this particular model on sale back in the day to get a feel for where the gun sat in.the hierarchy of the Diana range back then.Its clearly a youth/ starter gun, but its a little cracker I must say.

  7. #7
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    IIRC in its later sales days it was available in red, yellow and blue.
    Founder & ex secretary of Rivington Riflemen.
    www.rivington-riflemen.uk

  8. #8
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    The Air Wolf indeed had the Webley rear sight, but was otherwise a Diana 24. Made 1985-9.

    The 24 was basically the replacement for the older 25 and 27, sharing the same base design as the bigger 34. By which time it was the Diana base model rifle, as the older 15, 16, 22 and 23 boys' rifles stopped being produced. Introduced 1984.

    To the best of my knowledge, the Air Wolf always has scope grooves (like the early 24). I don't think any 24s had the three-ball trigger (denoted by the two screws).

    It should be date-stamped towards the rear left of the receiver, roughly in line with the trigger, in format MM/YY.

    You should see it make 5-6 ft.lbs. Nominal velocities at the time were 495fps in .22" and 575 in .177".

    Nice rifles. Unfortunately, the earlier 25D (ball trigger) is better, and the earlier 27 also has the better trigger and is a bit more powerful.

  9. #9
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    24D has the ball sear trigger.

  10. #10
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    Well I thought this little un was punchy.

    Just chronoed it at smack on the limit with superdomes.

    Off to put some more shots through it on my long range hallway to kitchen firing range.
    Dave

  11. #11
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    A 12ft.lbs 24? Really? The published figure of 575fps in .177" works out (assuming a 7grn pellet) at 5.1. My later 26 does about five and a half. Are you sure you don't have a 34?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    A 12ft.lbs 24? Really? The published figure of 575fps in .177" works out (assuming a 7grn pellet) at 5.1. My later 26 does about five and a half. Are you sure you don't have a 34?
    Apologies to all. Got a little carried away and it was a busy evening. I got my pistol and rifle limits mixed up.
    The 24 is putting out 5.9999r. Which is way too close for a pistol but very good for this little one!

    I suspect if I had discovered it was putting out 11.9999r then I would have in fact fainted and announced a pretty unique 24.
    Sorry for the confusion.
    Dave

  13. #13
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    Actually I'm almost disappointed. A bit of me hoped (against all the laws of physics) that someone had been able to tune a 6 pound springer with nice firing manners to close to the limit.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    Actually I'm almost disappointed. A bit of me hoped (against all the laws of physics) that someone had been able to tune a 6 pound springer with nice firing manners to close to the limit.
    Yeh I know what you mean mate. Maybe, just maybe a .22 could be pushed near but that one is way beyond me and I suspect the gun.also. but its horses for courses.I guess and this gun is so sweet where its at I'm not sure I would like to shoot it much higher though I suspect it will go there if pushed but how much I'm not sure. I truly cannot make my mind up if the gun.is bog std or tweaked as its so smooth cocking n firing. If std I think Diana need to revisit that era as its sweet. If tweaked I take my hat off to whoever has been inside it.
    I don't know a great deal of the marque, I had a recommendation to get hold of one as they are good fun. It was indeed a justified recommendation.
    I've certainly got an old std 50 that is not far off the limit but that was converted over to a synthetic piston head n that also shoots nice.
    Dave

  15. #15
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    Probably standard. Those old Dianas are well made and shoot well

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