Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Rimfire bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action and self loading rifles. Air rifles.

Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by Crash173 » 13 Jun 2020, 1:06 pm

Hey all. Please I need some help with this!!!!
I’ve just recently purchased the Diana 31 panther air rifle in .177, now straight out of the box with the stock truglo sights the gun was shooting way to the right and high which I then adjusted for. The rear sight I had to shift as far right as it would possibly go for it to hit some what in the area I was aiming, the elevation was perfect but still shooting to the right more then what can be adjusted with the stock sights. I then purchased a scope for it but am still having the same problem, the elevation of the pellet being shot is perfect but even with the scope fully moved as far as it would go the side it is still shooting 8” right at 20 meters, and even further right as the target increases in range. And yes I’ve double checked that the scope mounts are firmly secured to the rifle and in light with it. I’ve had the same outcome using different types of ammo. Is there anyway this problem can be fixed or is it a manufacturer fault with the barrel, I would think these rifles would shoot dead straight even up to 100 yards and beyond only having to adjust for elevation. Pleeeeaaassssse can u help with this if you have some sort of idea what’s going on.
Much appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by TassieTiger » 15 Jun 2020, 4:12 am

Air rifles can be strange - do a search on here - your not the first or last to encounter weird shot straight up.
I bought a Webley.177 some time ago now - and couldn’t get it to group after spending a small fortune on ammo, scopes, mounts, etc. I had multiple ppl shoot that air rifle and no one could group it.

That being said - expecting any grouping from a budget air rifle at 100m is not realistic. 30m - maybe a fraction longer, is probably your best operating range.

You Ve said it’s shooting the same amount to the right, regardless of moving scope - so, this to me, sounds like a shooter error, pulling the trigger / flinching - jerking the trigger will result in a right of sight shot.
How are you testing the rifle ? Bags? Prone? What rest ?
Can you get another person To shoot to see if they encounter the same errors?
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by bladeracer » 15 Jun 2020, 4:54 am

Crash173 wrote:Hey all. Please I need some help with this!!!!
I’ve just recently purchased the Diana 31 panther air rifle in .177, now straight out of the box with the stock truglo sights the gun was shooting way to the right and high which I then adjusted for. The rear sight I had to shift as far right as it would possibly go for it to hit some what in the area I was aiming, the elevation was perfect but still shooting to the right more then what can be adjusted with the stock sights. I then purchased a scope for it but am still having the same problem, the elevation of the pellet being shot is perfect but even with the scope fully moved as far as it would go the side it is still shooting 8” right at 20 meters, and even further right as the target increases in range. And yes I’ve double checked that the scope mounts are firmly secured to the rifle and in light with it. I’ve had the same outcome using different types of ammo. Is there anyway this problem can be fixed or is it a manufacturer fault with the barrel, I would think these rifles would shoot dead straight even up to 100 yards and beyond only having to adjust for elevation. Pleeeeaaassssse can u help with this if you have some sort of idea what’s going on.
Much appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!


I can only guess that the barrel must be bent. You can straighten a bent barrel but if it's new I would return it.
100yds is way further than you'd be shooting a .177" pellet, 30-40m is more realistic under perfect conditions.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by straightshooter » 15 Jun 2020, 7:22 am

It is marketed as a quality air rifle.
If it's new take it back to the dealer. Don't meddle with it as that could be used as an excuse not to take appropriate warranty action.
If it's second hand - life is tough. It could be due to a multitude of causes which may be impossible to pinpoint via forum advice.
Also don't exclude the possibility of there being a peculiarity of your vision with those particular sights.
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by bigrich » 15 Jun 2020, 7:36 am

Return it to place of purchase crash, explain the problem, and get a exchange. Don’t mess with it yourself or you’ll void any warranty. It’s just not right for a new rifle to behave like that
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by rc42 » 15 Jun 2020, 8:09 am

Here's a youtube review of the same rifle where the guy had to move the sights fully to the right to get it somewhere near and his grouping was still terrible (he blames the wind though)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufs7dnQrGn8

Break barrel air rifles are never really accurate but for 20-30m they are good enough.

I had a break barrel 177 a few months ago, a Crossman TR77 NP, it was also hopeless for accuracy with about 4" groups at 25m. I think part of that was due to the 1200fps muzzle velocity, sending pellets super-sonic makes them unstable as they drop to sub-sonic in flight.
Fortunately in QLD we can do like for like swaps without getting a new PTA so I swapped for a Walther LGU underlever and it's jaw droppingly accurate with pellet on pellet at 25m
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by Blr243 » 15 Jun 2020, 8:46 am

I do not mean to insult when I ask if u are certain u have adjusted the sight in the correct direction. It’s been done many times before ...only tryin to help
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by TassieTiger » 15 Jun 2020, 9:48 am

rc42 wrote:Here's a youtube review of the same rifle where the guy had to move the sights fully to the right to get it somewhere near and his grouping was still terrible (he blames the wind though)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufs7dnQrGn8

Break barrel air rifles are never really accurate but for 20-30m they are good enough.

I had a break barrel 177 a few months ago, a Crossman TR77 NP, it was also hopeless for accuracy with about 4" groups at 25m. I think part of that was due to the 1200fps muzzle velocity, sending pellets super-sonic makes them unstable as they drop to sub-sonic in flight.
Fortunately in QLD we can do like for like swaps without getting a new PTA so I swapped for a Walther LGU underlever and it's jaw droppingly accurate with pellet on pellet at 25m


Personally- I’d not be holding the air rifle round the grip, as per person in the video, to reload it...
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by SPRINT-GTO » 15 Jun 2020, 11:11 am

Sorry for being off-topic but can any forum member give me a contact for the guy on this forum who repairs air rifles ??
Thanks in anticipation
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by Bugman » 15 Jun 2020, 6:18 pm

I had a similar problem with my own Diana some time back. Finally switched to a PCP air rifle with no problems with using a scope.
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by Stoney » 15 Jun 2020, 7:07 pm

Break barrel air rifles are never really accurate but for 20-30m they are good enough. :thumbsup: I like the new air rifles with the pressure tank such as the HW110. It has great reviews. I am seriously considering this one.
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Re: Help - Inaccurate brand new air rifle

Post by Tiger650 » 15 Jun 2020, 7:37 pm

You Ve said it’s shooting the same amount to the right, regardless of moving scope - so, this to me, sounds like a shooter error, pulling the trigger / flinching - jerking the trigger will result in a right of sight shot.
How are you testing the rifle ? Bags? Prone? What rest ?
Can you get another person To shoot to see if they encounter the same errors?

Good advice above.
Spring piston air rifles are the most difficult thing to shoot and there is little point in having others who are unfamiliar with them shoot the rifle for comparison.
Lock time can be measured with an hour glass compared to a centrefire, follow through is essential as also is an understanding of "piston bounce" and such.
SP air rifles destroy otherwise good quality scopes, also scope mounts must be specifically designed and of high quality, spring bounce will bulldoze scope/mounts REARWARD using mounts which would be fine on a lightweight big bore centrefire magnum.
Springers are a different world, suggest that you look to one of the excellent USA based airrifle forums, good folk willing to share their vast knowledge.
I have shot many hundreds of pest birds and a some larger vermin with springers, started with a $15 .177 Shanghai 61 [reliably killed starlings and mynahs at 30m with RWS pellets] then a Diana / RWS 52 in .22 which slayed dumb urban crows in droves, current airrifle is .22 Wheirauch HW97K with Macarri Venom spring.
All but the Chicom .177 are / were money pits compared to a quality rimfire bolt rifle as regards killing pests, all very accurate though if you know how they function.
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