Diana 430 Air Rifle

The RWS 430 accomplished the two major factors for me.First it is stupid accurate. I have ten higher class springers and this is not only the most accurate but it requires no real shooting skill. It's not hold sensitive nor do you have to hang with the shot Just put the crosshairs on the target and squeeze the trigger. Second this is a great hunter lighter and shorter than the rest of the under levers with a narrower stock. If you shoot paper or hunt and are not a great shot you'll love this gun. The T06 trigger is excellent even though it's plastic. Recoil is low and tends to be straight out with no barrel jump. It's not pellet picky allowing a greater choice of pellets.

Now that I've given it well due praise what are the drawbacks of this gun. They are typical for RWS. This company refuses to correct some age old problems. They all have barrel droop so adding a compensater is required, why don't they fix this? They are all setup for open sights. Great if you like this but the stock cheekpiece is way too low when a scope is added so expect to add a rest on the stock. I don't know why they cater to 5% of the market who shoot with open sights. There are always some parts made of plastic, burrs in the mechanisms and spring drag. Nothing seems to effect it's great performance but I would gladly pay $20 more for a RWS if they would spend a little more time on details. The anti bear trap design is poor and I wouldn't even have it. I removed the rear sight which is slightly over the loading chamber.

OK, so if you want your first springer or your next one this gun is a definite one to have. The T06 trigger is one of my favorites only being beat out by the HW triggers. The cock force is a little higher but smooth. This is caused by the short cocking lever, no one should see an issue with it. This is probably the best underlever for hunting. RWS continues to be one of my favorite gun companies in many ways but I sure wish they would correct some small details even for a slightly higher price. This gun is foolproof for accuracy and that's what it's all about. You won't find the 430 in many reviews but this is one of my favorite underlevers of the five top high end underlevers I own and it's light enough to hunt with.

This was the most accurate under lever I have right out of the box. I also own TX200, HW77 . It will shoot about any pellet well. It is a great weight and can be used for hunting unlike the TX200. The reason this is such a great rifle is that there is no real recoil and your crosshairs stay on the bullseye throughout the shot. It is a great gun for someone starting into springers because it is not hold sensitive and makes a person feel like a pro with no effort.

As with all RWS rifles it has some common problems that they should change. The stock is setup for open sights and when adding a droop compensater mount which they need you'll have to add a cheek piece to get your eye in line with the scope. Since probably 95% of the people would use a scope build it this way. There are some burrs, plastic parts and weak points that they should correct. Add $20 and build it right. None of these things effect it's shooting but I would expect to do some fixing over the years.

Bottom line of the ten springers I own this is the most accurate and foolproof shooter of any gun. If you have problems shooting a springer try this rifle. Anyone can shoot it.

German quality; compact size; smooth firing sequence;

Nothing.

The Diana Model 430 underlever is a fabulous air rifle. I am an inveterate fan of spring guns and my Model 430 deepens my appreciation for self contained spring guns.

I have fired approximately 400 rounds through my rifle and it is beginning to smooth out. The trigger pull is a consistent 1.6 pounds.

Using JSB 8.44 gr. pellets, I easily scored hits on 1 1/4" kill zones set out at 50 yards. Knocking down one inch plus targets became so easy that I had to set the 1/2 kill zone field targets at 40-50 yards.

The ambidextrous stock on my gun is thick, plain beech wood. I like looking at its fine, elegant lines. My Model 430 exudes the aesthetic appeal born of 124 years of fine German air rifle manufacturing.

The discharge is almost instant with no noticeable twang or vibration. The rifle's subtle discharge, excellent trigger, and outstanding accuracy make this rifle a joy to shoot.

My 430 is topped with an Accushot 3x12 scope and a one piece mount.

I wanted a mid-powered underlever springer with a good trigger, t06. For me it has the perfect weight and balance for all kinds of shooting situations. Likes all rws pellets, not pellet fussy. very short firing cycle, very accurate.

Has the usual rws sights, not so great. rear sight was mounted over the chamber making getting pellets to load a little harder. Removed the rear sight and mounted a scope anyway.

A little stiff out of the box but broke in nicely. Being a carbine its a little harder to cock. My fifth and favorite air rifle so far.