888-262-4867 (GUNS)
Shop at Gun Mall
- Home
- Customer Reviews
Diana RWS 54 Air King reviews - page 1
Create an online reviewand share your thoughts with other customers
| The most favorable review | The most critical review | |
|---|---|---|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
By Tom from USA on 2009-03-15 11:42:48 Things I liked:The RWS Diana 54 is the smoothest spring-piston airgun other than a TX200 or a hand-made Whiscombe (no longer available). The 54 does have a tiny bit of vibration when fired, which the TX200 doesn't, but the 54 is without recoil and the TX200 does have a small kick. If you can overlook the small bit of buzzing, the 54 is very superior in its firing characteristics. The 54 is also the most accurate of all spring-piston rifles--fully the equal of the TX200 and the Whiscombe and surpassing all others. Even in .22 caliber, the 54 drills them all into one small hole. It's a 50-yard spring gun. When you add to this the power that only the Whiscombe exceeds, the 54 is truly unique. I also like the extravagant checkering on the stock. You'll never see more checkering on a factory airgun.Things I would have changed:The 54 is not for lefties. Too bad there isn't a lefthand model made. What others should know:I recommend getting the 54 in .22 caliber to take full advantage of the available power. In .177, the rifle shoots too fast to be accurate at long range with anything but heavyweight pellets. Be sure to get a Leapers Diana scope base, because the 54 can have some barrel droop. |  |
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
By VICTOR from USA on 2010-06-13 19:08:51 Things I liked:awesome power, accuracy, and build qualityThings I would have changed:a lighter trigger pull What others should know:it's a bit heavy - and does take some strength to compress the spring - comes with the territory I guess, if you want power |
- 12
- Things I liked:Great air rifle very strong with no recoil! Very accurate, well worth the money.
Things I would have changed:Kinda heavy, other then that nothing.
What others should know:Very hard on scopes. Make sure you spend the money on a high quality strong scope that won't break. My Leapers UTG 4-16x50 broke after about 1000 shots (6weeks). - Things I liked:Power, accuracy, quality. Although I am small, its easy to use off a bench. Recoilless action makes it a precision instrument. Velocity tests showed up to 1200 fps,long before ultra lightweight pellets and universal 1200 fps.
Things I would have changed:Nothing- It is what it is. Its heavy, but thats a known quantity. Silly to buy a gun you know is heavy then complain about it! Pricey, but power and recolless action make it unique, head and shoulders above the rest.
What others should know:This rifle is made for bench shooting. Its side lever cocking, power, accuracy and lack of recoil make it perfect for long range target or varmint shooting, or just toying with ballistics. Its unique and will be a prized possession. - Things I liked:I bought this gun to deal with our very destructive ground squirrel population. After some experimentation I settled on JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.13gr pellets. I clocked them at 920 fps at the muzzle, and they delivered devastating power, guaranteeing 1-shot kill for the squirrels.
Things I would have changed:It would be nice to be able to mount a tripod, but I sit it on top of a Vanguard Porta Aim Gun Rest, which works. It's definitely too heavy for me to shoot offhand.CommentsBy Charles from USA on 2013-05-28 0 
920 fps? That has got to be a typo. I own a ~2 month old Hatsan Torpedo 155 (a super magnum) & I've chronied 2 18.21gr pellets & 1 one 18gr pellet thru it & the fastest pellet avgd 835fps & the slowest avgd 797fps.Heck, B.B. Pelletier (AKA Tom Gaylord) reviewed a 54 back in May of 2011 & a 14.3gr Crosman Premier only avgd 827fps.So, yeah, definitely a typo. More like 720fps.By Mike from USA on 2013-01-24 0 920 fps with an 18.13 grain pellet? Are you sure your chronograph is working right? - Things I liked:Accurate. Zero recoil. Beautiful. Exudes craftmanship.
Things I would have changed:Heavy! My goodness. Shooting offhand with a big scope and a muzzle brake is pretty tough. This gun is made for a bench rest.
What others should know:Buy a good scope. Good scopes are not cheap. Buy a good mount. BKL mounts are good. The T05 version of this gun had a lot of droop. The new ones are supposed to be droop-free. The new ones have the T06 triggers. I wish mine did. It helps if you can tinker. The recoil system can be tweaked to improve accuracy to MOA levels. - Things I liked:Wow, I don’t know where to begin! My model 54, has the newer T06 trigger, that is easy to adjust if you read up online, as the instructions leave a bit to be desired. I have been shooting mid weight pellets, and haven’t found one it doesn’t like yet. One hole groups at 25 yards (off a rest) all day long! The anti-recoil system, makes this rifle completely NOT hold sensitive. This Rifle was bought as part of a package deal that included a leaper’s 3-9X50 scope, mounts and rings. When Diana went to the T06 trigger, they lengthened the scope mounting dovetail and the mount won’t fit, without modification, when I called Pyramyd Air they sent me a different mount and told me to keep the mount and rings that came with the package! How’s that for customer service!
Things I would have changed:Could be lighter, and easier to cock, but so what.
What others should know:Mine is a .22 caliber and it hits like a hammer, with NO discernible recoil! It does have a reputation of being hard on scopes. The other day I was shooting at 10 yards, first shot went right where I expected, and then I missed the target completely on shots 2 and 3, and thought well, it’s eaten its first scope, but on closer examination I realized it put 3 pellets in the same hole, not just one hole, but the SAME hole! Shots 4 and 5 opened it up to about a quarter inch hole (that’s total size, not center to center) This rifle is not cheap, but WOW, you truly do get what you pay for. - Things I liked:I was shooting mine today, 1.125" group at 75yds. amazing! the anti-recoil system works, it's been said to be hard on scopes but i've had good luck with the better centerpoints. The cocking effort is not bad for a high powered magnum, I can shoot this thing all day. i have a .22 and had a tune job done, not sure it needed it but the FPS went up by 20 for an average of 780 FPS. Great gun and a pleasure to shoot.
Things I would have changed:I'm a lefty and it took a while to get my technique down for cocking and loading. a lefty version would be awesome. The front sight/muzzle brake is kind of chincy looking, seems to be the only cheap thing on the gun. the beech stock is nice but a walnut stock would be appropriate for the money you pay. though the trigger performs very well, it could be upgraded to metal considering the cost of the gun
What others should know:It's definitely hard on scopes so make sure you only buy an optic that's rated for heavy recoil airguns. And buy solid mounts. Don't use any rings with only one screw on each side. If you do it right with this gun, you'll find yourself shooting remarkable groups at distances you won't believe. Honest. - Things I liked:They don't call the 54 the Airking for nothing,I've had lots of air rifles, none of them hold a candle to this one. You'll never have to make excuses when you own a 54, the best analgy is it is to the air rifle world what the 220 swift is in the varmint gun world, top of the heap looking down!
Things I would have changed:Make it lighter.
What others should know:This gun is death on scopes and mounts, buy a anti-droop base and use centerfire rings to hold a 3x9 or 4x16 UTG true-strength scope with locking reticle. Had mine two years and couldn't be more pleased. - Things I liked:Pretty much everything. It's incredibly accurate. Fit and finish is great. Easy to load pellets.
Things I would have changed:Reduce the weight, it's heavy!!!
What others should know:I purchased the .177. After trying 10 different pellets H&N Field Target Trophy's worked best for me. It's pricey but I guess that's the price you have to pay for this kind of quality. - Things I liked:Solid German craftsmanship. Crisp trigger, no creep! Very accurate with a variety of pellets, seems to like the heavy ones the best. Mine is a .22 and it is a pleasure to shoot!
Things I would have changed:Sling mounts would be great as you might choose to use one if in the field for awhile. After all, mine weighs 10.5 pounds w/ scope!
What others should know:You are getting a fine piece of German work here. Just be aware it does weigh 9 pounds out of the box wit no scope. If that is not an issue, jump in! - Things I liked:I cant say much that hasent already been said. I can tell you about my great experiences with the 54 for the past 5 years. They were wonderful. What a great rifle. Sure, ya gotta get used to the weight, but it isnt that bad. Sure, I hunt with it too. This has got to be one of the greatest camping toys I have. When the fish aint bittin, the 54 is. Would you like to borrow mine? No way, get your own. This rifle seems to be a cult. They seem different than the rest. Lots of tunes, acc, etc out there, none of which I have did, mine is completely stock. Of course I did add a scope, but that is a given. They arent really that loud, I would class it as about medium, and yes, I do use it in my back yard, and it is urburn where I live. I am a good ol boy, and thats the kind of neighbors have. Lots of people out there just dont respect airguns, but take a look around you. They are up and comming, and the 54 is gonna be around quite a while yet. Love this thing. It does take a bit to break it in. You will notice a speed increase, also the same for accuracy. Its like alot of stuff, just gets better and better. Really now, its the only airgun I need, but I bought several anyways. This is my favorite out of all the airguns I have. Fish is not the only thing that fears me.
Things I would have changed:Nothing. Great rifle.
What others should know:I seem to enjoy the rifle with mostly RWS pellets. I like pellets less than 16 grains in weight. That also puts the Preditor in this class. Those also work great in this rifle. Its fast on the Crony. This rifle is pricey, so take your biggest wallet with you when you buy one. - Things I liked:Accuracy Accuracy Accuracy. This rifle delivers. This rifle is built like a tank. The anti-recoil system is fantastic. The trigger is great as well. Powerful.
Things I would have changed:Weighs as much as a boat anchor.
What others should know:This rifle is without a doubt the best springer out there. It is not hold sensitive, it is powerful, and you can tell there is a fine attention to detail and quality. It will last you a lifetime. - Things I liked:I really liked the high quality finish on the stock and the receiver. The wood was of good quality. The trigger pull was exceptable and the efort to cock the rifle was what I expected. The gun is very accurate.
Things I would have changed:I have built several guns which I use in benchrest shooting. This gun needs to be revised. The barrel is a disapointment. RWS removed too much materal which causes the barrel to bend slightly when stored. The front sight is really cheap and over sized. The rear sight is flimseyalthough I have seen it used on other rifles. If you touch the side of the rear sight it will shift to one side or the other. I do not mind a heavy stock, however this one could be lightened up some. The plastic trigger is really cheap too along with the plastic muzzel brake. there is many barrel makers here in the states that could provide a much stronger barrel drilled to except standard rifle sights and ready to fit in RWS's receiver and probabley much cheaper. RWS has over machined the barrel to the point that it is weak in my opinion and that costs extra money too.
What others should know:This gun has a lot of vibration and recoil in the receiver. You need to be very careful when selecting a scope. Check the manufacturers rating for recoil before buying a scope and beware of any scope not rated for less than heavy recoil. You can check online for scope ratings.CommentsBy Domingo from USA on 2013-03-20 1 My friend, it seems you are a bit confused about the properties of steel. The barrel of this gun, or of any other gun, will not droop because of being stored, unless by storing you mean placing on your driveway so you can run it over every day.By Andrew from USA on 2011-07-24 3 Wow, where do I start? Frankly, your comments are from somewhere out there in the ozone layer! From your comments I presume that you have never taken one of these apart? The stock on this gun is VERY light, the weight is in the action, & the cocking mechanism, not in the stock. It does not have a muzzle break, & it is very easy to modify the trigger to give a light pull. As for the barrel being 'weak', & bending slightly when stored, how on earth are you storing your rifle? (continued)By Andrew from USA on 2011-07-24 1 (continued) Don't rest any gun on its barrel when you store it, and buy a scope. I use a Bushnell Trophy 4x12 40mm, and the gun hasn't broken it yet. Make sure the two screws that hold the stock on are very tight, and that is it. These are accurate guns, but they do have barrel droop from the factory, but that is NOT a 'weak' barrel (so shim your rear scope mount)!By Loren from USA on 2010-11-24 3 You are right on about selecting a scope for this rifle. But your silly statements about the barrel, come on you can't be serious. - Things I liked:I bought the .177 version. Absolute accuracy. I can't miss be it 10 yards or 70. A true point & shoot. Perfect fit for my size. This rifle's dynamics were crafted perfectly: There's no kick whatsoever.
Things I would have changed:These are the only two things I can think of possibly improving... 1. This isn't very loud as is, but I'd love a more silent version. 2. It really beats the heck out of scopes. I'd love to convert it so the scope mounting is attached to the stock and riding over where the current mounting is. The scope would never feel a thing.
What others should know:This is truly an ADULT rifle. It's long, heavy, and takes a fair amount of cocking effort. Perfect for my build. I have a 4-12x40ao Hawke scope, Leapers Space Age 1" Rings (low), on the recommended UTG Scope Mount Base. Setup is perfect! Best pellets I've found are Air Arms Field Heavy and JSB Diabolo Exact Heavy. Have not yet had the opportunity to hunt critters but let me put it in perspective: At 70 yards I placed soda cans filled with water. Each shot not only penetrated completely through both sides with little to no deflection from the water, but made the cans jump between 1 1/2 to 2 feet in the air. And since there's no kick you get to watch the impact in the scope. - Things I liked:Beautiful Rifle...Awesome Accuracy....Awesome Power....I bought the .22 and it loves the JSB .22 Cal, 15.9 Grains, Diabolo Exact Jumbo,and the JSB Match Diabolo Exact Jumbo Heavy .22 Cal, 18.1 Grains, Domed, Getting .5" groups at 30 yards with ease. The 54 is so accurate. Awesome target rifle and can't wait to get a few squirrels and rabbits. No re-coil is awesome. I have no problem with the cocking effort using the right technique. I have been several times to the Shooting Range and can shoot for 3 hours and 250 pellets no problem...This Baby is addicting.
Things I would have changed:Swivel Studs for Bi-pod and Sling.
What others should know:Yes it's heavy like all the other reviews say, but on a rest or a sticks bi-pod no worries at all. Iron Sights right out of the box at 18 yards in the house got .75 inch groups standing with no rest...With the Leapers 3x9x50 scope at almost 2 lbs. it is much more difficult to hold it steady. One of the other reviews pointed to a web address with directions to mount a swivel stud for an attached bi-pod....can't wait to install those. The RWS 54 is a must for anyone's Rifle collection. Also, get the UTG scope mount...fits perfectly and very tight to the gun. No scope shift at all. - Things I liked:The accuracy and finish quality are outstanding. This rifle will likely last a lifetime. Definitely an heirloom airgun. I am very satisfied with my purchase. I bought the .22 version.
Things I would have changed:I would like for it to come with swivel studs and a picatinny rail instead of the 11mm dovetail mount.
What others should know:A wonderful air rifle. Make sure you get a good scope because the Model 54 is a cheap scope eater. - Things I liked:This rifle is very well made, has an exelent trigger the best T05 I've ever felt out of the box, very accurate when I can get a scope to hold zero!
Things I would have changed:Its a little heavy for carry'in around in the woods
What others should know:This rifle is a scope eater, it has ate 3 Leapers scopes 2 3x9x32 and 3x9x40 TS scopes! with in a week and a half, I just ordered a Bushnell 3200 10x 40 fixed power and maybe it'll hold up to this beast! This is a very powerful shoots cphp's 14.3gr at 830fps out of the box .22cal, I'm thinking the anti recoil system is causing the scope breakage cause my RWS m48 havs never damaged a scope ans its basically the same gun with the same power!CommentsBy william from USA on 2011-06-14 1 Mark, now that some time has gone by, what scope would you recommend? - Things I liked:awesome power, accuracy, and build quality
Things I would have changed:a lighter trigger pull
What others should know:it's a bit heavy - and does take some strength to compress the spring - comes with the territory I guess, if you want powerCommentsBy Alex from USA on 2012-07-17 0 just add up the thumbs on the comments and you get the rating in stars!By Hemn Mahmmod from Iraq on 2011-08-15 0 I totally agree with Simon's comment.By william from USA on 2011-06-14 1 Golly, just ONE star? Your objection did not seem that bad.By Simon from USA on 2011-05-11 2 I think he confused the star rating system.By Sassan from USA on 2010-10-21 3 If you are believe in your rating, why don't you let us know why you think that way. I need to make my mind between 48 and this one and your rating with discrepancy to rations is not helping me at all in fact confusing. Could you explain more and apart from weight what else has bothered you?By Foster from USA on 2010-09-09 2 i'm with Scott on this one ....other than it seems you need to work on your arm strength , you seem to give the gun a huge thumbs up .....so what's with the awful ratings ?By Scott from USA on 2010-07-07 7 Why did you basically have good comments, yet give it one star across the board? - Things I liked:This review is for the .177 version. Powerful, accurate, heavy. I'm 28 and received it as a wedding gift from my brand new wife (I picked it out, she paid for it) and I fell in love with this gun immediately. I've owned it for only 5 days now and have shot about 500 pellets in my basement range. Whether holding it with both hands or resting it on a pillow on boxes - I'm hitting 1/2 inch targets at 10m with every shot. I can't wait to get a scope and bipod to take this gun out sniping. I couldn't ask for anything more out of this gun - it really is the creme de la creme of spring rifles. I chose this gun because I wanted unlimited accuracy (no break barrels), I didn't want to mess with CO2 (I will never buy another CO2 gun - too much hassle), so that left under levers and the more expensive side levers. I chose side lever so I could lay prone in a field/forest without turning to operate an under lever. I chose the 54 because of the added bonus of having no recoil. Although a bit pricey, I could not have decided on a better rifle.
Things I would have changed:It would have been nice to see a lighter weight option for this rifle...but personally I like how heavy it is. My neighbor and my father-in-law complained about it's weight compared to their shotguns but I like a heavy rifle - helps me keep her steady.
What others should know:By the tenth shot with this gun I had the open sights aligned perfectly - shooting with just my hands and in a standing position. VERY easy to calibrate the open sights. After about 500 shots they haven't budged. So far my favorite pellet is JSB Diablo Exact Match 10.2 grain Domes. The first 300 shots I used Premier Ultra Magnum Heavy 10.5 grain, but those darn things are dirty as hell - dust all over my fingers and the rifle. The Diablos shoot just as good and are pretty clean for lead pellets. Also, the Premiers are an EXTREMELY tight fit...so much so that I felt like I had to almost force them in. The Diablos on the other hand feel like they were made for the 54: they slide in perfectly with barely any effort. It's a heavy rifle and it takes decent effort to cock. I'm a muscular guy so I have no problem firing the 54 all day. This rifle is NOT for children and NOT for adults with small frames. I'm still not sure if I should have gone with the .22 in the long run, but I am extremely happy with the .177 and have no doubt I'll be taking down small game with ease.CommentsBy Michael from USA on 2012-01-01 0 Use your other guns for offhand shooting.By Jeremy from USA on 2011-12-23 0 Dammit, I've got a small frame and I'm getting this or a 56 anyway. Admittedly, I won't be doing mush offhand shooting with it, or I'll need a visit to the chiropractor. ;) - Things I liked:Fine German craftsmanship, excellent accuracy, suprising power, and recoiless...what more could you ask for? This is my second RWS in .22 caliber, the first being the 350 Pro Compact. I was so impressed with the 350 I was curious to see if the anti recoil mechanism of the 54 could possibly add anything to accuracy. After testing I'm coming to the conclusion that the 54 is not inherently "much" more accurate, BUT (and that's a big but) that wonderful recoiless design makes it easier to shoot accurate more consistantly. It's simply more forgiving. It's also a big plus when shooting off rests since it cancels out, somewhat, any variation in hold and makes it less critical than on a typical high recoil sporter gun. Having shot high power competition benchrest for a few years, my favorite pastime is draining every bit of accuracy out of a rifle. The 54 will now be primarily my favorite ultimate high power springer target gun. As for pellets: My 54 likes Crosman Premier and JSB Exact extra heavy 18 grain, although it shoots fine with many others. In my 40 ft basement range I can shoot .13" and less (some as small as .06) with Crosman Premier. At 32 yards in the backyard under good conditions I've shot a few groups between .4" and .5" with JSB heavies. That's remarkable. Can't wait to put out some wind flags and try some really long range shooting this Summer.
Things I would have changed:Nothing. This simple unique recoiless design I've not seen used since my Feinwerkbau 300s match rifles and it's nice to see it's back in a gun that's 4 times more powerful.
What others should know:If you enjoy shooting for accuracy off a bench or to a lesser degree position shooting, this may be your ticket in a high power springer. I'm no weakling, but to me the weight is just a bit much for carrying in the field all day and shooting offhand. Best bet would be to stay put in a choice area for squirrels or other game and do your sniping from there with a bipod or some other way to rest the gun. You won't miss. No Co2, no pumps, no air tanks...just you, the 54, and a pouch full of your favorite pellets and you're all set ! Do not believe that the 54 is 50 feet a second slower or less powerful than the 350 magnum which is rated most powerful in the RWS line. I can't tell the difference an don't think anyone else will. This small velocity claim difference should not influence your purchasing decision. This is the first sidelever gun I've had and I must say it's a nice mechanical advantage, but I'm used to barrel break guns and find them just as easy to cock and use. Also the sidelever needs much more clearance to the side while cocking as compared to a barrel break gun. This could be a disadvantage when hunting in brushy areas.CommentsBy David from USA on 2010-06-23 1 I've since gone over the trigger sear very lightly with my ruby stones and smoothed it up. Wow...it's now less than a pound and very crisp and rivals anything in my collection including by benchrest competition guns. These RWS guns really respond to some TLC tuning. - 12
| Show: | Items |
Overall rating:5 5.0
Value for money:5 5.0
See all my reviews
What others should know:Originally bought a Hawke-HK4026 Scope and a BKL-360MB Scope Mount for the gun on technician's recommendation. Scope was mounted and tested by Pyramyd before shipping but they did not catch that at 10 yds the scope was maxed out vertically and pellets hit target 1/2" below bullseye. The BKL-360MB Mount is a bad match for this gun. Use the BKL-388MB instead to compensate for barrel droop.