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| The standard length Diana 280 - a rifle which responds well to a tune-up |
Actually, a little too 'snappy' in my favourite, shorter-barrelled 'K' configuration - which, I believe, is a UK-only model. Anyway, that's why I didn't succumb to adding one to my armoury.
Then I met up with keen airgunner, Tony Leach, at this year's British Shooting Show who'd just bought a UK-specced Diana 280K with the intention to tune it up. I know him to be pretty much a dab-hand at getting the best out of springers, so I asked him if he'd let me know how it turned out - which he's now done courtesy of his AirgunTech blog, here.
Having read it, I think I'm probably going to treat myself to a Diana 280 - the 'K', I reckon - and then give it to Tony to work his magic on. Just as I thought when I tested the original Mod. 280 (pictured), it's a lovely little air rifle with a massively huge potential if worked upon.
Spring guns are very good, the question is that it requires more skill of the shooter, larger arms and good posture.
ReplyDeleteBut weapons are great, now with the use of GR (gas ram), the softer the left trigger, thereby more accurately.
congratulations for the post.
Sadly Diana stockists appear rather thin on the ground in my area, looks to be a lovely rifle.
ReplyDeleteDiana are hobbled by their 4mm transfer port, a throwback to the days of leather seals, Weihrauch caught on to tne different way they compress quite early on and reduced the size from 4 to 2.8mm when they moved to parachute seals....... The Diana break barrels also have a peculiarity in as much as the port runs from tne centre of the compression tube via a swan neck to the outlet on tne barrel, tbey are partially correct in that the centre is the most efficient place to pick tbe air up, but lose all advantage by doing what they have to do to get it to tbe barrel. The net effect of this big, bent port is they have to have a hefty spring to gain the pellet tension "pop" required. It's a silly fly in the ointment of some of the best springers on the market.....but easily tuned out, fill the transfer port with JB Weld, then drill a 3mm one STRAIGHT through, and you'll find an extra 3 ft/lbs and a far smoother cycle as the piston lands on a pneumatic buffer, then either reduce the standard spring by 30mm or buy a No 1 Titan with guides to match and you should be on the 11.4 ish money, with about a third of the snap.
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