Western Airguns Working to Figure Out the Western Rattler .357

[Ezana4CE]

Ezana4CE

What was the best way you found to carry it? I had a pack on and had my shooting stick attached to it. I kept changing arms and I think my STEALTH biceps took all the weight.....

Tony P.

@pesty3782 I prefer slinging it across my body for long walks as in headed to a particular location to post. I would do this if I was going to a pasture to set up shooting off my tripod. It’s easier carrying the Rattler and tripod in two pieces as opposed to attached to one another.

When walking in timber or brush it’s comfortable slinging it over one shoulder. My issue with this is since I have a loop sling clip on one end I have to be care about how I take it off of my shoulder because the metal will clank if I’m not careful.

Then if you have a 2-1 point sling like this one you can detach the front clip and hook it into a D-ring that is close to your shoulder and let it hang in front of you. It does take a toll on your neck and shoulder, but you can grab the gun and relive some of that pressure while you walk. The trick here is to be sure that you’ve taken enough slack out of the sling so that the gun doesn’t deal the ground. This especially important for people shorter that let’s say 6’ tall varying rifles 36” or longer.m which the Rattler obviously is. There are variation on how to carry it in a 1-point sling configuration. This is The easiest configuration to carry the rifle to have it at the ready quickly. However, the only way I know to use this configuration is by installing a Kraford and Lyft buthook.

 

[pesty3782]

Matt (Owner or Rattler) didn't have a sling on his rifle so it was all arm carrying it. I am with you, if I owned one I would have a sling on it.

Tony P.

 

[Ezana4CE]

…When I set them down I noticed there is a loose baffle to the rear of the core. The moderator internals is a single piece with no loose parts. It seems as if the weld is broken on the last baffle above the arrow.
View attachment 537382

Western Rattler .357 Gen 1 Moderator Core

Western Rattler .357 Gen 2 Moderator Core to replace the one pictured above.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

Rattler .357 Gen 2 Moderator Core to replace the one pictured above.

View attachment 541837

The air sripper cones are usually a much better design. Did you notice a difference between the two in performance?

FYI, barrel O.D. is 15mm with a threaded muzzle of M14-1 pitch on the newer 357 Rattler's.

 

[Ezana4CE]

@Airgun-hobbyist It’s still dust free. I haven’t used it yet. I expect the cones to be more effective. I’m hoping they dampen the report batter as well.

 

[AmericanPitCorsojay]

@Airgun-hobbyist I’m setting it up for hog head shots, pig vitals, and possibly deer for next year. I shot a hog broadside with a larger slug and more power (different .357) and didn’t recover the shot hog. I don’t feel confident to try it with this gun. I figure once I get the Rattler set up, I can take a large hog out within three shots the way I want it set up. I’m just not comfortable enough to hunt hogs with this gun yet.

Nice got me one,when I was in az,ordered the agm for it

 

[Ezana4CE]

Nice got me one,when I was in az,ordered the agm for it

@AmericanPitCorsojay Do you need some attention? You already posted this earlier in the thread.

 

[AmericanPitCorsojay]

@AmericanPitCorsojay Do you need some attention? You already posted this earlier in the thread.

No,didn't know I did. But I ain't got to no.more,promise I won't lose sleep

 

[Ezana4CE]

I have a question about the bores thru the magazine. Are the bores straight thru (no taper) or is there a slight taper to them...like wider at the rear where the base of the slug sits, and a little narrower at the front where the nose of the slug sits?

@davee1 I was able to confirm that there is a slight taper to the magazine chambers going from back to front. I received this information from Shane at Airguns of Arizona.

 

[Airgun561]

Great thread!This will help a lot of people over time i believe.So i have had just about the same exact experience as this guy describes with my Rattler .357.First day out (about 6 months ago) I set up with JSB 81gr pellets as was suggested.First 5 shots to zero at 25 went perfect,second 5 shots at 50yds went well also and finished the mag shooting a roughly 3” group at 50yds.Went back to 100yds aired back up and with a full mag,shot the first 3 pellets no problem then i got that same misfire thing he describes in this thread.The magazine wouldnt rotate at this point.After wiggling it back and forth i managed to get it to rotate and discover that seated pellets were moving backward when i took a shot.After that every third shot or so i would get a misfire and no rotation of the magazine which i could then advance manually and get another few shots before a misfire etc.In each case of a misfire the pellet had moved back in the magazine on that particular chamber.I have a Huben GK-1 with essentially the same system that has performed flawlessly for a couple thousand rounds at this point so needless to say i was frustrated.This post is getting a little lengthy so i will throw up another post after i get home from work with where im at in the whole situation and a possible solution to the problem

 

[Airgun561]

To finish up my previous post about my rattler 357 experience…So after the misfire issues i just put it away until i had time to diagnose the problem,my new business was taking all my time and focus.Last friday i brought it down to Joel at palm beach airguns where i purchased it and he basically cleaned a couple areas and readjusted the barrel then he shot a full magazine with no issues (it did stick momentarily when he was rotating the mag after loading it).So i came right home and loaded the mag with some Mr hollowpoint 119gr that fit pretty tight.I did have 2 of those misfires on that mag but switched to NSA 110’s and 125’s after that and it has not misfired since for over 150 rounds so far with NSA 110’s and 125’s.He had no idea why the pellets would be moving back and misfiring.i’m in no hurry to try the jsb pellets after all that but i supposed i should to verify it was most likely the barrel position.That being said i’m not getting good groups at 100yds for whatever reason..my $250 notos hits 3 inch plates no problem at 100yds and even took out a little 2.5 inch metal ram figure on the 2nd attempt and so far i cant even come close to doing that with the rattler.i’ll clean the barrel tomorrow and see how much that helps.

 

[Ezana4CE]

To finish up my previous post about my rattler 357 experience…So after the misfire issues i just put it away until i had time to diagnose the problem,my new business was taking all my time and focus.Last friday i brought it down to Joel at palm beach airguns where i purchased it and he basically cleaned a couple areas and readjusted the barrel then he shot a full magazine with no issues (it did stick momentarily when he was rotating the mag after loading it).So i came right home and loaded the mag with some Mr hollowpoint 119gr that fit pretty tight.I did have 2 of those misfires on that mag but switched to NSA 110’s and 125’s after that and it has not misfired since for over 150 rounds so far with NSA 110’s and 125’s.He had no idea why the pellets would be moving back and misfiring.i’m in no hurry to try the jsb pellets after all that but i supposed i should to verify it was most likely the barrel position.That being said i’m not getting good groups at 100yds for whatever reason..my $250 notos hits 3 inch plates no problem at 100yds and even took out a little 2.5 inch metal ram figure on the 2nd attempt and so far i cant even come close to doing that with the rattler.i’ll clean the barrel tomorrow and see how much that helps.

@Airgun561 I sure hope this isn’t one of those barrel lottery things. I think I cleaned my barrel before shooting NSA 110 grain slugs from 100 yards. I really like how those shoot. I also have some 120 grain swaged slugs I want to shoot at a distance. Maybe I’ll have time to work with them more after the next rain passes. You may want to try some Griffin Airgun Ammo as well.

 

[Airgun561]

@Airgun561 I sure hope this isn’t one of those barrel lottery things. I think I cleaned my barrel before shooting NSA 110 grain slugs from 100 yards. I really like how those shoot. I also have some 120 grain swaged slugs I want to shoot at a distance. Maybe I’ll have time to work with them more after the next rain passes. You may want to try some Griffin Airgun Ammo as well.

I’m thinking that’s a possibility with regard to the barrel comment,maybe i’ll buy another barrel and see how it compares.I want to have joel from palm beach airguns come over and shoot it..He shoots lights out with his FX,i went iguana hunting with him.The other thing is my reg came new set at 130 which us too low fir the heavy slugs this gun supposedly likes.I broke out the chrony on a mag of the NSA 125’s after work today and the highest i could tune them was low/mid 830’s fps.switched to the NSA 110gr and was getting a nice 880 fps.Was going to try NSA 142gr and mr hollowpoint 173gr today but i decided to wait until my reg is set at 150.So anyway i have a bunch of different ammo here i’ll be testing over the next week so we’ll see what happens

 

[Ezana4CE]

I’m thinking that’s a possibility with regard to the barrel comment,maybe i’ll buy another barrel and see how it compares.I want to have joel from palm beach airguns come over and shoot it..He shoots lights out with his FX,i went iguana hunting with him.The other thing is my reg came new set at 130 which us too low fir the heavy slugs this gun supposedly likes.I broke out the chrony on a mag of the NSA 125’s after work today and the highest i could tune them was low/mid 830’s fps.switched to the NSA 110gr and was getting a nice 880 fps.Was going to try NSA 142gr and mr hollowpoint 173gr today but i decided to wait until my reg is set at 150.So anyway i have a bunch of different ammo here i’ll be testing over the next week so we’ll see what happens

@Airgun561 If you’re shooting a .357 Rattler, a regulator set at 130 bar is lower than the lowest recommended setting. I believe the manual recommends a minimum regulator setting of 150 bar. Read back through this thread or reference the owner‘s manual. Your reg setting may be part of your issue. That may be a good starting point. This thread has gotten long, but I’ve gone through enough crap of my own that I hope to be able to save people like yourself some headaches. Read through it.

 

[Airgun561]

@Airgun561 If you’re shooting a .357 Rattler, a regulator set at 130 bar is lower than the lowest recommended setting. I believe the manual recommends a minimum regulator setting of 150 bar. Read back through this thread or reference the owner‘s manual. Your reg setting may be part of your issue. That may be a good starting point. This thread has gotten long, but I’ve gone through enough crap of my own that I hope to be able to save people like yourself some headaches. Read through it.

Agreed thats why i mentioned it..I heard minimum should be 140,if thats the case not sure why they would let it leave manufacturing at 130.I just now watched jim chapman had tuned his rattler at a reg of 160 to shoot the NSA 142gr.basically punched a 3/4 inch hole at 65yds with that set up.Best of luck with everything.Maybe check your barrel positioning it seems like that is most likely what solved the mag cycling issue on mine