I was cleaning my RWS 350 and I accidentally hit the safety and touched the trigger and the barrel slammed shut. Luckily no concussion or sheared finger tips. I did shoot it after and it seemed to shoot just as hard. I need to check with my chrono. My question is even if the velocity does not change., did I do any damage to any component of the gun and how can I check for it. I realize the RWS 350 safety is not as safe as the HW and FWB 124 safeties as they require a lot of force to engage while the RWS 350 is easily moved. Thinking slamming the barrel shut is not as bad as a dry fire. Please advise.
RWS Did I damage my gun.
- Thread starter JDR
- Start date
If the POI shifts by inches, then yes. But bending springer barrels is a well-understood situation.
I'd be more concerned with egging out the barrel pivot bolt holes, putting cracks in the pivot bolt, or denting the top face of the breech block against the top of the receiver.
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All of those are valid concerns. Additionally there may be damage to the stock. Possibly cracked or compromised to some degree.
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IF YOU ONLY HIT THE SAFETY AND THE GUN WENT OFF,YOU HAVE MORE THAN JUST BENT POTENTIAL BARREL OR CRACKED STOCK ISSUE … 
SAFETY is first line of protection ,the trigger itself is two stage and should not go off with out pulling at least to it.
Did you hit it ?
All points mentioned. Are VALID.. SEALS WILL BE FINE. . bent for sure if it was full cocked release. That’s fixable. If your lucky the wrist area did not crack
Remove the stock and inspect all screw holes and trigger area for fine cracks. use a magnifying glass. The 350 only uses two areas if I recall,
front forend and rear guard. Front screw is into the wood only.
Lay the action on a flat surface on the breech ,shim the rear so the compression tube is level to flat surface.. Then look down the space from breech to muzzel. Most Diana’s had droop from factory. So maybe it’s strainer now. Then do the same both sides and you will know if adjustments are needed. Barrel bending is common and doable.
SAFETY is first line of protection ,the trigger itself is two stage and should not go off with out pulling at least to it.
Did you hit it ?
All points mentioned. Are VALID.. SEALS WILL BE FINE. . bent for sure if it was full cocked release. That’s fixable. If your lucky the wrist area did not crack
Remove the stock and inspect all screw holes and trigger area for fine cracks. use a magnifying glass. The 350 only uses two areas if I recall,
front forend and rear guard. Front screw is into the wood only.Lay the action on a flat surface on the breech ,shim the rear so the compression tube is level to flat surface.. Then look down the space from breech to muzzel. Most Diana’s had droop from factory. So maybe it’s strainer now. Then do the same both sides and you will know if adjustments are needed. Barrel bending is common and doable.
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he said touched the trigger after the safety . I am not a good reader so usually i read twice ,if their is a question involved . But that is just me .IF YOU ONLY HIT THE SAFETY AND THE GUN WENT OFF,YOU HAVE MORE THAN JUST BENT POTENTIAL BARREL OR CRACKED STOCK ISSUE …
SAFETY is first line of protection ,the trigger itself is two stage and should not go off with out pulling at least to it.
Did you hit it ?
All points mentioned. Are VALID.. SEALS WILL BE FINE. . bent for sure if it was full cocked release. That’s fixable. If your lucky the wrist area did not crack
Remove the stock and inspect all screw holes and trigger area for fine cracks. use a magnifying glass. The 350 only uses two areas if I recall,
Lay the action on a flat surface on the breech ,shim the rear so the compression tube is level to flat surface.. Then look down the space from breech to muzzel. Most Diana’s had droop from factory. So maybe it’s strainer now. Then do the same both sides and you will know if adjustments are needed. Barrel bending is common and doable.
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touch is one thing, hit it enough to pull through two stages is another.
Potato, PoTATO ..
either way. DO THE CHECKLIST.
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5 of my guns have what most people would call a hair trigger , first +second stage combined is maybe 1/8 of an inch movement at most . Perfect to me but just a light touch to others . Please do not take this as an argument just a statement to clarify my point o view .
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Check screws and set irons low shoot it maybe 10m or so . If it hits in reason of poi bull or a mile high or just bad off ..lol
( Not me but a example of extreme case in point )
"was very near the end of the cocking stroke when the barrel snapped closed with nearly the full force of the mainspring."
( Not me but a example of extreme case in point )
"was very near the end of the cocking stroke when the barrel snapped closed with nearly the full force of the mainspring."
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No insult felt , no need to clarify ,I get it.
Most of mine are far to light for most people. That being said, there is always a 1/4 inch dedicated first stage that is felt to a hard wall, move and it breaks like glass. I’m used to the wall and can hold on it easily. Most blow through it. I am a trigger snob. Rekord,Cd, Uk Tommy… although I made a hell of a good Quattro on the Turkish Tommy I have.
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I maybe made a oops.if the barrel was bent up like my picture above the poi would be lower then higher from poa..
Right? So it would hit a mile low ..lol, right .. man I got myself confused now .
Right? So it would hit a mile low ..lol, right .. man I got myself confused now .
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The moral of the story is don't cock it to clean it. You don't need to do that, and if you do you risk a slam. Cocking a gun to clean it offers very little benefit and severe risk.
If you really need more room to pull a patch through use a little hardwood wedge to hold it open a bit. Stuff something between the pivot and the comp tube to give you some clearance. Just don't cock it.
Don't put the bull in the chute unless you are ready to ride him. He might just climb over the gate.
It would be a shame if it bent the barrel or buggered up the locking mechanism. The 350 is a powerful rascal. I hope it's not damaged and shoots where you aim it.
If you really need more room to pull a patch through use a little hardwood wedge to hold it open a bit. Stuff something between the pivot and the comp tube to give you some clearance. Just don't cock it.
Don't put the bull in the chute unless you are ready to ride him. He might just climb over the gate.
It would be a shame if it bent the barrel or buggered up the locking mechanism. The 350 is a powerful rascal. I hope it's not damaged and shoots where you aim it.
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FWIW - I broke the stock on my Beeman R-10 by letting go of the barrel just before it latched in the down position. Bought a new stock and it shot fine.
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Ya I guess... Seems all mine break open just off the detant ball or chisel enough without fully cocking to run a string type pull and patch
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Exactly my point.
I use a block of wood in my HW97. With breakbarrels I just clean the darn thing. I'm not sure how cocking the gun would help. Maybe if you used a rod to clean it and had a scope mounted. Still a little stuffing in there will get the angle you need.
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A fitted block of wood that fit between the tube and breech block when opened (90°). To just chock and prevent that happening would work good ..
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i just break it open and clean with a pull through patch , just open not under tension at all .
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