OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Scopes > Rimfire / Airgun
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - My Diana 350, the scope killer
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

My Diana 350, the scope killer

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
driveway101 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: September/17/2007
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote driveway101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: My Diana 350, the scope killer
    Posted: September/17/2007 at 23:22

Hi all,

I have a Diana/RWS 350 Magnum in .22 (heavy kicking magnum spring air rifle). I have killed 3 Leapers scopes in less than a month - less than 400 accumulated shots! Ok... I know Leapers is made in china economy scope, but I have read so much about these rifles killing scopes I didn't want to drop $400+ on a scope only to have my magnum eat it. I read on one forum that a guys 350 ate 6 scopes in less than a year! Anyways, I called a local gunsmith to see if there was anything I could do and all he said was that ALL scopes will eventually break on a magnum springer and that there was nothing I could do. Is this true?! am i stuck with iron sights on this beautiful long range springer?? Is there a scope out there that is built like a tank and can take the vicious recoil of this gun? And if not, why not? we can send a man to the moon but we can't design a scope that can take the recoil from a magnum air gun...?

One thing that's weird is one guy will say "I have a Leapers on my 350 and it has lasted 8000+ shots and the next guy will say "I went through 6 scopes this year"... Are some of these guns vibrating/recoiling more than others even though the are the same brand?

 

ANY help wpuld be very appreciated!!!

 

Jason

Back to Top
cnwrobb View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper
Avatar

Joined: June/13/2006
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 33
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cnwrobb Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2007 at 06:40
I have owned RWS and HW air rifles in .177 that produced violent 2 way recoil after the shot.  I had either a Tasco air rifle scope on them or a Bushnell air rifle scope.  Both held up and never had problems with them.  I see Burris makes models for air guns on this site also, but I do not have any experience with their line.  Beeman makes a superior product (per friend who owns one).  Also research UK air rifle sites as they are absolute fanatics about the sport of air rifle.  They offer scope brands which are not readily available here, but can be imported. I think all spring air rifles recoil about the same when comparing .177 vs .22 vs 5mm.
cnwrobb
Back to Top
RONK View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: April/05/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3199
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2007 at 20:13

 I really dont know if this is true, but I've been informed that scopes designed for such airguns are able to take the abuse because the internal optical elements in them are braced from both sides. In other words, a scope that has it's lenses,etc. supported to handle only rearward recoil will often fail on an airgun. This is because of the whiplash -like forward snap occurring upon firing such toys. A good airgun scope is "braced" solidly in front of AND behind the lenses to withstand this unique "forward recoil."

  Incidently, such aforementioned failures occur fairly often on autoloading shotguns set up with optics to shoot slugs. The heavy bolt cycling and slamming shut can kill many otherwise good scopes in a fairly short time. Airgun scopes reportedly do o.k.on such rigs...

Back to Top
driveway101 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: September/17/2007
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote driveway101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/18/2007 at 22:39

thanks for the responses.

the problem Ronk is that the Leapers scopes ARE air gun rated, and they claim to hold up to magnum air guns as well. it is this fact that scares me away from dropping tons of money on another brand of scope that may or may not survive the 350. A cheap Bushnell is still close to $300 and although they are guaranteed it's not always that easy to get a replacement, not to mention it takes time and money to ship it back and wait for the replacement. I was hoping someone could shed some "scientific" light on why the same gun and same scope is fine for one person and breaks for the next, all other things being equal.

Back to Top
RONK View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: April/05/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3199
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/19/2007 at 20:13

 Ah, sorry to get off to the side there. I'm not familiar with Leapers products.  I guess it sort of comes down to dropping 75 or 100 bucks at a time on a disposable scope every six months, or  paying a lot more for something that has at least some kind of warranty. Maybe you should look at this from another angle. Trade in the Diana on one of the custom compressed air  outfits?  Not sure if they are hard on scopes, though.

  Maybe one of the geniuses around here can design a floating, air or hydraulic-cusioned, set of rings to isolate the scope from such guns.



Edited by RONK
Back to Top
cyborg View Drop Down
Optics God
Optics God
Avatar
Gaseous Clay

Joined: August/24/2007
Location: North Georgia
Status: Offline
Points: 12288
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2007 at 10:35
 You might want to check on the Nikko Sterling, I'm not real sure, but I've heard good reports. 
With Freedom comes great responsibility, you cannot have one without the other

An armed public are citizens. A disarmed public are subjects.

OATH KEEPER #8233 Support us, and join our cause.

Cyborg
Back to Top
driveway101 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: September/17/2007
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote driveway101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2007 at 18:26

thanks for the reply. i was thinking about the Bushnell 4200 Elite. I was told there is no stronger scope for air guns than this one. If it breaks I think it's iron sights from here on.

cheers.

Back to Top
cyborg View Drop Down
Optics God
Optics God
Avatar
Gaseous Clay

Joined: August/24/2007
Location: North Georgia
Status: Offline
Points: 12288
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2007 at 18:28
YEP the 4200 is a good one, I hope it works out for ya. Keep us posted. 
With Freedom comes great responsibility, you cannot have one without the other

An armed public are citizens. A disarmed public are subjects.

OATH KEEPER #8233 Support us, and join our cause.

Cyborg
Back to Top
RONK View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: April/05/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3199
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2007 at 19:48

 I hope it works out for you driveway101.

 BTW, I really was serious about the shock absorbing mounts. It seems to me that a clever fellow could conjure us something that would take the sting out of these guns without losing zero. Imagine rubber ( car tire material ) bushings in 30mm or 35mm rings, surrounding a 1-inch scope tube. It would simply have to isolate the optics from the airgun's wicked little snap, and I would bet a round of drinks that it would hold zero very well, too.

  Any thoughts, guys?

Back to Top
driveway101 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: September/17/2007
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote driveway101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/21/2007 at 20:44

I got an email from Kevin Gilbride at strightshooters.com and he said that some guns break scopes no matter what, and it doesn't matter what kind of scope you buy. And this can vary from one gun to another and it doesn't matter if they are the same model. here's what he said:

If your gun is breaking those type of scopes then you need to send it to somebody for a tune. Let me try to explain it like this. Every gun is a little different. Some have more sideways motion than others even the same models. We have seen medium powered RWS 34’s that are quite smooth and others that have broken every scope of any price that were put on them. They moved sideways almost as much as forward/back. That multi-motion thing is almost impossible for a scope to handle. Some guns have far more sideways torque than others. 

 

Uusually a tune that uses a tighter spring guide and different spring can take care of that problem though.
And then there are other reasons for scopes breaking. If a stock screw is loose on the gun, the action moves in the stock and no scope can handle that. Or if somebody doesn’t tighten the mounts enough. Or cheap mounts, or a dozen other things. Using pellets that are really heavy in a spring gun increases the recoil. Pellets such as Kodiaks create back pressure resulting in even more recoil than normal for the gun. So it isn’t always the fault of the scope. Many other things can contribute to problems.

Back to Top
RONK View Drop Down
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Optics Master Extraordinaire
Avatar

Joined: April/05/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 3199
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RONK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/22/2007 at 10:57

 

 That is very interesting. I had never heard of the sideways motion thing before. That makes two things I've learned so far today, and it's not even lunchtime yet!

Back to Top
tahqua View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Have You Driven A Ford Lately?

Joined: March/27/2006
Location: Michigan, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 9042
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/24/2007 at 08:17

I have a 6x42 AO Leupold on a Webley Scott Patriot and have had zero problems. The Patriot is one of the hardest kicking spring guns available. All Leupolds are air gun rated. The differences with their airgun/rimfire scopes being reticles and parallax settings.

The company I bought my rifle from said that my Leupold would break and that I should get a Leapers. Yeah..............okay!

 

Doug

Back to Top
cyborg View Drop Down
Optics God
Optics God
Avatar
Gaseous Clay

Joined: August/24/2007
Location: North Georgia
Status: Offline
Points: 12288
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cyborg Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/24/2007 at 08:20
Like that would happen in this lifetime ?
With Freedom comes great responsibility, you cannot have one without the other

An armed public are citizens. A disarmed public are subjects.

OATH KEEPER #8233 Support us, and join our cause.

Cyborg
Back to Top
driveway101 View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: September/17/2007
Status: Offline
Points: 5
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote driveway101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/24/2007 at 12:23

hey tahqua,

what kind of mounts are you using (1pc?, 2pc? Accushot? BKL?...) did you do anything speacial when mounting the scope? I read where one guy kept breaking Leupold AND Bushnells!! He said the carnage didn't stop until he had the gun tuned.

Back to Top
tahqua View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Have You Driven A Ford Lately?

Joined: March/27/2006
Location: Michigan, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 9042
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/24/2007 at 13:19

I'm using a Beeman mount designed specifically for the Patriot/Beeman Kodiak rifles. It is one piece and has a cross bolt that seats into the machined receivers of these guns. I haven't looked at the Diana 350 in a while, it was my first choice. If your scope is moving you definitely need a stop of some sort.

I don't know about the Bushnells but the Leupy takes the punishment my gun gives out.

Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.116 seconds.