Page 2 - Diana Model 48 Reviews

Rifle was delivered as advertised packaged well no complaints. Fit and finish was nice. Have not had a chance to really shoot it yet to speak of.

Nothing

Brand new to air gunning. itll take some time to learn how to shoot it properly.

A beautiful, well balanced and powerful .22 air rifle. It was accurate out of the box with overlapping holes at 15 yds (using RWS super domes) - a short distance but the front blade was wider than the 3/4" dots I was using on the target at that distance. It feels a little gritty right now (less than 100 pellets) but I absolutely know this will smooth out. The ordering process and shipping by Pyramyd Air was excellent. The rifle arrived just a few days after ordering and was packaged securely.

My first model 48 was a .177 purchased in 1987 (stamped with "made in West Germany"). After a 25 year break, I had the time again to enjoy shooting air rifles. With no maintenance and thousands of shots through it decades ago, the rifle is still smooth, powerful and accurate. This new .22 model looks identical to the one that's 32 years old (obviously the trigger is now a T06 and it appears the bear claw release metal is a little thinner - not flimsy, just thinner). There's a reason why these have changed so little over so many decades of production, they work very well and can last a lifetime.

I purchased the .22 and the .177, the .177 is now over 2,000 pellets, and keeps getting better, same with the .22. They definitely need some time and pellets to settle into their grove. The more I shoot it, the more it settles in. After months, I am finally getting consistent accuracy from day to day, verses a wandering zero, stringing and such, and no, it was not due to the shooter. Great workmanship and a nice wood stock for an air gun. For springer, probably the best you can get.

Plastic rear sight (broke one already after snagging it) and trigger guard could be upgraded to metal. Safety, well it is not easy to place back on safe once disengaged, it is not 'safety' lever friendly.

It's a scope eater, as expected and annotated by reviews. RWS scope package version broke quickly, them went thru a UTG scope already, and now on the third scope (UTG again) with the .177. Check your screws, and use Loctite and let it cure in. I had a serious stringing of pellets on both rifles, turns out the stock screws kept coming loose, the looser they are, the more shot stringing I had. It took multiple Loctite sessions to get the stock screws to settle in (the .22 is still an issue).

Good heavy gun. I bought this 48 for my wife. I have an older model 52 and love the accuracy. We shoot targets for a couple of hours at a time before she gets tired from cocking the gun. She likes the side cocking more than the break barrel. She was always afraid that some of my barrel cocking guns would pinch her hand. This gun was not accurate right out of the box. It has taken a tin of pellets before it began to shoot consistently. Not sure if it is the gun or her getting use to the heft of the rifle. We both like shooting and I think this was a good choice for us.

The sights are really good but if I had a choice, I would rather have the green and red fiber sticks.

Quallity workmanship

In my normal shooting position, the stock doesn't line up in a comfortable position on my sholder. The top endge of the butt is above my sholder. I'm not using a scope so maybe that makes the difference.

The leverage makes it an easy pull. The gun is heavy, but to me that means the mechanism is sturdy.

Everything

Nothing

I had a 54 some time ago which I had to sell. I am shooting an M1-A now so I just couldn't justify the price tag for a new 54 with Sierra Match Kings at 30 cents a piece, so I stepped down a notch and purchased the Model 48. I am very happy with it. If you are able to shoot a spring piston well a firearm is a piece of cake as far as trigger control...at least it is for me. This 48 helps me tremendously. I can also practice in the back yard without a visit from SWAT, which is never nice. Seriously, I would recommend without a bit of reservation. It is a pleasure to own.

I like this air rifle very much. Overall quality of this rifle is very good. I like how the automatic safety operates. This rifle is very accurate.

What is there not to like about this rifle? I have been mesmerized with airgunning since I was 10 years old. The RWS Diana 48 was always a gun to be coveted WAY back when. It is STILL a gun to be desired today! I own or have owner many different airguns. I will say that this airgun is one that will be kept, and shot, and maintained. I have risen of my arsenal many more expensive air rifles.....but the 48 is my mainstay. Even in 2019 there is a reason the Diana 48 is the airgun by which all other airguns are compared to. It shoots as accurately as a Quality PCP. The only difference: it has a prerequisite of trigger time. My 48 really started to loosen up after 500 pellets. It is reliable. It is accurate. It packs a punch. It is gorgeous to the eyes. Did I mention the T06 trigger? This is the best trigger out of any match trigger I have shot. Even in 2019, after all the airguns I have shot and owned, I cannot day enough good things about the Diana 48.

If Diana could make this quality of a gun at 3 pounds with a scope and still shoot as accurately.....wellllll.....

If you want perfection in a self contained airgun- The Diana 48 is IT!

It's a classic and it's a powerhouse. I have the .22 cal variant and it runs 22-25 FPE with midweight pellets. Accuracy is outstanding with cloverleaf groups at 20 yards. For a self contained hunting gun, you would be hard pressed to do better.

It's a minor gripe, but the plain stock is rather boring and slippery. The fix is to carve on it yourself, or step up to the factory checkered variant. The trigger is OK, but it's no Beeman/Weihrauch Rekord trigger. I have a 3x9 Bushnell Trophy on mine in RWS adjustable mounts and it has held up for the past 20+ years.

Yes, it's buzzy and twangy out of the box. Would it kill ya to fix the barrel droop issue? There is no reason for a fixed barreled rifle fitted with a scope mount to have barrel droop and require a mount where you jack up the back end as high as possible to be able to sight in your scope.

Accuracy, simplicity " "mechanicaly speaking " beautiful stock, not hold sensitive or pellet picky. Crisp trigger, good power.

Nothing at this price.....

After 100 or so shots I then decided to put the tune kit in. As reported this gun is very very dry. Inspected the parts very well no burs well made but the barrel did need a good cleaning. After a good lube this gun shoots like a dream. Now over 500shots in, very smooth in every way. I had to get used to side cocking but now its a sinch. Out of my now 20 Springer it may be my favorite. HAPPY! HAPPY!

Beautiful rifle much easyr to cock than I thought accuracy was great right out of the box only getting better got the 22 cal for the shear power oooooo yeaaaa. foot lbs up the ying yang

Put a weaver rail on these things 3/8 don't hold I went with the rws one piece cant go wrong there.

Be very carful when you cock side leaver guns that your belt buckle doesn't hit the stock got a nice preasure dent in the middle of my cheek piece not very noticeable but when its the only mark on the gun ?????. :(

Extremely accurate with or without scope shooting 25 yards all around bullseye. Shooting target stapled to 2x4 and after only a couple days have blown hole 3 inches in diameter through board.

None

Loctite all screws and bolts, found after shooting a few rounds screws keep coming loose. Let loctite dry 24 hours before using gun.

Everything about the 48 is fantastic...but it's accuracy and trigger are most note worthy.

Nothing... maybe include swivel sling mounts with purchase

I purchased the RWS 48 in .22 more than ten years ago to use for pest control on our farm. Essentially all I do with it is shoot rabbits between 15-70 yards. It has a 3X9X32 Leapers scope which is completely adequate. I have run in excess of 10,000 pellets (premier domes) through this rifle in conditions that are far from ideal and I still functions flawlessly although I suppose it does look it's age now. For dispatching pests and small game I doubt you will find anything more accurate or reliable. I only shoot paper when adjusting the scope, but when I do I am always impressed by the groups it is capable of even with my less than stellar marksmanship. At a rest at 50 yards I can almost always get 5 shoots into something the size of a quarter. If you can afford the $500 price tag and you are willing to take good care of it I would strongly recommend you purchase this rifle.

This rifle is solid and extremely accurate. I have a 22 cal with an older hawke varmint 2-10 half mil scope on it and I regularly shoot golf balls off tees at 100 yards with it. Mine love H&N field target trophies in 14.66 grain. I cannot say enough good things about this rifle, it is the airgun responsible for starting my addiction.

The loading is a little cantankerous. It would be nice to have a little more room for fat fingers and the lever that keeps the piston from coming back up, while a wonderful safety feature, does take some getting used to.

This rifle is heavy, its a bit bulky, and it has a fixed barrel these all lend to its tremendous accuracy. This is my one airgun I can bench and treat like a powder burner rifle when I shoot it. If you are new to airguns I highly recommend this rifle due to its rather significant lack of hold sensitivity. This rifle and a few tins of 14.66 grain field target trophy pellets will keep you happy for quite some time.

Workmanship, power, accuracy, fairly easy to cock, and looks. This is one fine rifle. The T06 trigger is wonderful and lets you extract the potential of this gun. Shoots 14.3 ammo at 860fps and for a springer that's moving folks. It can hit anything you can see within 50 yards, the limit of my backyard range.

Only one thing. I would add checkering or stippling so it's not so slippery. The stock is smooth as glass which can make it hard to get a good grip.

This gun has some spring twang. I installed a Vortek tune kit which eliminated the twang. With an LDC installed the gun becomes very quiet. So quiet that at first I thought something inside had broken making it shoot with less power. A few shots over the chrony confirmed that it was shooting at full power and nothing was broken. It sounds like a low power BB gun with the LDC on. This is a heavy gun so probably not a good choice for field carry unless your built like a gorilla.

Very pleased with the accuracy. I sighted in at 16 yds. and eliminated the center bull with nine shots.

None

My first choice for a pellet was the Meisterkugeln. I grouped three other pellets at five shots each. None were as accurate as the Meisterkugeln 14 gr.

Nice rifle that feels of quality. Good accuracy open sights or scope.

Rifle is heavy. Hard to load with scope attached.

The weight of the rifle was no surprise. Loading with the scope attached is cumbersome.

I bought mine in 2003 in the 20cal. version no longer available . The side lever cocking was the reason I bought it .

Don't think I would change anything even the weight witch I think benefits the longer shot .

It seems to like a heavy pellet , Im shooting the.20 cal. Beeman Kodiak and the Crow-Magum .

Super accurate

Butt stocks a little short

This gun shoots best ,soft rest

I got the rifle in .22 cal. Very nice and plain stock, comfortable shoulder pad, very good trigger, and smooth shooting cycle. After break-in the gun was very easy to cock and more accurate than me.

Maybe an optional weaver rail?

This gun can be a scope trasher, get a good scope to go on this beauty and you won't regret it. Also, this gun is a powerhouse, think twice about what's behind the target before pulling the trigger.