Western Airguns Working to Figure Out the Western Rattler .357

[Ezana4CE]

I forgot to mention that I finally added a sling to my Rattler. I removed the factory rubber but pad and installed a Kraford and Lypt but stock. It has holes for QD swivel mounts in both sides. I added a Magpul loop mount to the picatinny rail beneath the reservoir. Then I affixed a random sling to the rifle.

This 2-1-point sling is springy due to it containing a lot of elastic. When I walk the rifle bounces a little under its own weight, but I can now carry the Rattler over one shoulder or sling it across my body comfortably.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I have shot my Rattler at and below that 47-51° temperature range that you posted on several occasions last month without a magazine rotation issue. If it does not prove to be a metal contraction issue due to the cold (the barrel interfering with the magazine), consider that there may be flecks of lead or even lack of lube causing the magazine to not cycle properly (possibly randomly pushing the magazine into.the barrel). I say this because I found some lead flecks in my GK1 semi auto when I disassembled it for a thorough cleaning that had potential of getting into places they didn't belong.

 

[Ezana4CE]

I have shot my Rattler at and below that 47-51° temperature range that you posted on several occasions last month without a magazine rotation issue. If it does not prove to be a metal contraction issue due to the cold (the barrel interfering with the magazine), consider that there may be flecks of lead or even lack of lube causing the magazine to not cycle properly (possibly randomly pushing the magazine into.the barrel). I say this because I found some lead flecks in my GK1 semi auto when I disassembled it for a thorough cleaning that had potential of getting into places they didn't belong.

@Airgun-hobbyist I’ll take that into consideration. I’m inclined to think the barrel may be situated very close to the mag. I will post what I find within the thread.

 

[caliusoptimus]

I’m also curious about what’s going on with this regulator. Today’s shot string looks very close to a string shot a couple of days ago. This is after bumping up the reg a tad. I want to know what I did to lose vevelocity.

Early on I had a problem with my reg. I think a little metal shard came off of the bottle thread area and got stuck in the plastic reg valve seat. Caused it to leak pressure to the plenum. Pain to fix... had to dig out the tiny shard from the plastic and then hammer the seat together to seal again. Not sure if that applies to you, just sharing my experience.

Also fwiw mine is not very consistent on velocity. Even with sized and weight sorted slugs I'll get an ES of 20 or 30fps. That's on the high end of reg and power settings.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

...
Also fwiw mine is not very consistent on velocity. Even with sized and weight sorted slugs I'll get an ES of 20 or 30fps. That's on the high end of reg and power settings.

Have you tried moving/twisting the barrel a bit closer to the magazine? I noticed that my extreme spread opened up and power level dropped slightly after a barrel removal/cleaning, that ultimately did depend on the breech to magazine clearance.

 

[Ezana4CE]

Have you tried moving/twisting the barrel a bit closer to the magazine? I noticed that my extreme spread opened up and power level dropped slightly after a barrel removal/cleaning, that ultimately did depend on the breech to magazine clearance.

I actually backed the barrel off of the mag slightly. After tightening the two screws back up the barrel can still be easily rotated. How can I correct this?

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

I actually backed the barrel off of the mag slightly. After tightening the two screws back up the barrel can still be easily rotated. How can I correct this?
View attachment 517922

We had speculated that the barrel was too tight against the magazine and that's the cause if the cycling issues... But in light if this new found barrel clamping issue, (the barrel rotating on its own or even rotating with regular handling and tightening against the magazine) may be why you are having cycling issues. So I'm not sure why that wouldn't be considered a warranty issue if those clamp screws don't hold the barrel solidly from rotating.

 

[Ezana4CE]

We had speculated that the barrel was too tight against the magazine and that's the cause if the cycling issues... But in light if this new found barrel clamping issue, (the barrel rotating on its own or even rotating with regular handling and tightening against the magazine) may be why you are having cycling issues. So I'm not sure why that wouldn't be considered a warranty issue if those clamp screws don't hold the barrel solidly from rotating.

@Airgun-hobbyist No idea. Stuff like this is why I don’t like messing with my guns. It’s always something.

 

[Airgun-hobbyist]

@Airgun-hobbyist No idea. Stuff like this is why I don’t like messing with my guns. It’s always something.

You could shoot the gun for a dozen shots or so to air it down (to make the cylinder smaller to allow more clamping room), then check barrel alignment to the magazine, and then tighten them screws up. This may allow a tighter clamp on the barrel. I'd be careful over tightening.

Because of it being a fairly new model gun, it may be best to get Western to warranty those two clamping parts, sending you two new ones to install. That way they can fix the issue with new guns going forward.

 

[Ezana4CE]

I like this video demonstrating how to remove, clean, replace, and adjust the Western Rattler barrel. This is one of the better videos for me to understand these things.

My shroud may just be loose. In the AOA videos the barrel and barrel shroud are removed as one piece. I'm not sure mine is behaving that way. In the linked video above, the content creator separates the barrel from the barrel shroud. I'm not sure when he removed the moderator.

 

[Ezana4CE]

I received more information via correspondence with Shane at AOA. AOA's Rattler barrel removal video that I was initially following in which Don was demonstrating how to remove the barrel from the Rattler was for the earlier models that have metal shrouds. In it the shroud and barrel move and one unit as he unscrews it. Mine does not do this. the shroud spins, but the barrel does not move. I think this is why I found the video in post #50 so helpful because the Rattler in it has a carbon fiber shroud. I just wish that he showed how he got the barrel covers and moderator off. I was told that the moderator creates tension on the barrel shroud.

@Airgun-hobbyist The screws appear to still be holding the barrel securely. I was mistaken. Thankfully I didn't over-tighten them due to my misunderstanding.

 

[Ezana4CE]

As of December 11, 2024 there do not appear to be many videos of complete Rattler tear downs of the version with the carbon fiber shroud. After further correspondence with Shane, I was told that I cannot remove the two cage protectors, towards the action, without removing the barrel first. This makes it difficult to mark the barrel and chassis with witness marks as a reference point of where the barrel was situated in order to make a slight adjustment backing the barrel out a tad. When I began having issues with the magazine and changing temperatures (below 51ºF) this is what I thought to do, but have not because I ran into issues and didn't want to force anything. I suppose I will work with this rifle more when it rains or something. I hate when this sort of thing happens because it delays my shooting and learning a gun, better yet actually hunting with it. Who knows when I will get to doing that? It may end up being a gun I don't use much and will eventually sell. Thankfully I have a reliable big-bore that I am comfortable hunting with.