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History Diana K98 pellet rifle: Part 2

Diana K98 pellet rifle: Part 2

by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier

Diana K98
Diana’s K98 Mauser pellet rifle is very realistic.

Part 1

This report covers:

  • RWS Hobby
  • Why is it so easy to cock?
  • H&N Baracuda Match 5.51mm heads
  • JSB Exact RS
  • Trigger pull
  • Loading is fiddly
  • Evaluation so far
  • Evaluation so far

Today is the day I test the velocity of the Diana K98 air rifle for you. A lot has been written about these rifles. Much of it has been good, but there have been a few comments that were not so good. One of them was from one of our readers who got his rifle before I got mine and he reports things like hard cocking and difficult loading because of the placement of the rear sight. He also takes exception to the location of the sling on the left side of the rifle, but that is a Mauser design and had to be put there to match the firearm. I won’t comment on that, except to say that a Mauser sling makes a rifle easier to carry while slung than a Springfield-type sling, but not as convenient for shooting as a hasty sling (look it up).

This comment came from reader Zimbabweed, who wants to be called Zimbabwe Ed. His last comment was that the cocking lever on his rifle comes loose and falls down when he shoots. He calls it the loading lever, but we are talking about the same thing. I will be watching for that today.

I’m interested in the rifle’s performance. Today is velocity day, so that’s what I will test. The specs provided by Diana on the Pyramyd AIR website say to expect velocities in .22 caliber in the range of 850 f.p.s. Naturally Diana tested that with lightweight pellets and, since they are in Germany, along with RWS, I am going to assume they tested with the RWS Hobby pellet. So, that’s what I’m going to start with.

RWS Hobby

Hobbys averaged 909 f.p.s. in the test rifle. They ranged from a low of 903 f.p.s. to a high of 917 f.p.s., so a spread of 14 f.p.s. That’s pretty good for a brand new spring rifle in this power range.

Speaking of power, I hope this test silences all those who say the K98 is not up to spec. According to the manual they make this gun in 4 different power ranges. In .22 caliber they are 7.5 Joules, 16.5 Joules, 30 Joules and 35 Joules. That’s 5.5 foot-pounds, 12.2 foot-pounds, 22.1 foot-pounds and 25.8 foot-pounds. At an average velocity of 909 f.p.s. the Hobby pellet generates 21.84 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle, so this rifle must be a 30-Joule airgun. That is a powerful spring-piston rifle, but it’s not quite a mega-magnum. Perhaps that is why it shoots so smoothly.

Why is it so easy to cock?

I was surprised by the power. The RWS 460 Magnum I tested for you in 2008 was a .177, so we are in an apples/oranges situation. The only thing I can compare is the cocking effort. my test K98 cocks with 41 lbs. of effort. That’s a lot for me to cock — so why is this so easy? Simple — the fulcrum is high on the rifle and cocking is a matter of pulling down! I rest the butt on my right leg and that puts the lever so high I almost use my weight to cock the rifle. Not quite, but almost. It is very easy for me to cock this rifle because of this.

Diana K98 cocked
The fulcrum for the underlever is located far out on the rifle (it’s where that stock screw is). That makes it much easier to cock, if you place the butt on your leg to hold the rifle.

The velocity and cocking weight also tells me this action is more than likely an unmodified RWS 460 Magnum action. The 460 Magnum I tested in 2008 cocked with 47 lbs. of effort. I thought this one would come out around 35 lbs. but it’s more than that. The placement of the fulcrum makes a big difference for me. This rifle is easy to cock with one hand for me. If the fulcrum were 6 inches lower on the rifle (closer to the butt) I would have to bring my core muscles into play when cocking and it would be a 2-hand operation.

H&N Baracuda Match 5.51mm heads

Because of the power I tested H&N Baracuda Match pellets with 5.51mm heads next. I expected to see velocities in the mid 700 f.p.s. range. Instead, though, the average was only 604 f.p.s., with a spread from 596 to 613 f.p.s. That’s 17 f.p.s. difference. But why so slow? Well, when I fired the first shot I felt the rifle shudder. It was vibration, but not from the mainspring. I will guess what I felt was the piston bouncing back and forth as the rifle fired, and that took away from the efficiency of the rifle. A heavier piston would not bounce as much and would probably generate more velocity, but instead of tearing the gun apart to modify it, I’m just going to shoot a lighter pellet.

By the way, at the average velocity, this pellet is generating 17.1 foot-pounds of energy at the muzzle. That’s 5 foot-pounds less than Hobbys and it is diagnostic of something that’s not right. Dropping 3 foot-pounds isn’t so bad, but when a gun drops 5 foot-pounds in this power range, you know something is up. The vibration I felt upon firing is now more important because we have evidence of far less power than expected. This is why owning a chronograph is so very important for an airgunner!

JSB Exact RS

The last pellet I tried was the 13.43-grain JSB Exact RS dome. This pellet is often an accurate one and it’s also lighter. I think the K98 can handle heavier pellets, but I wanted to see if my prediction about the piston bounce was correct. Apparently it was because the rifle was as smooth with this pellet as it was with the Hobbys.

Ten JSB Exact RS pellets averaged 830 f.p.s., which is 20.55 foot-pounds. The spread was large, though. It went from a low of 821 f.p.s. to a high of 852 f.p.s. That’s 31 f.p.s. I was going to tell you that the next-fastest shot was 829 f.p.s., but shot number 9 registered 839 f.p.s. So the spread is real, and not just one anomaly.

Trigger pull

The two-stage trigger breaks at 1 pound 11 ounces. That is phenomenal! Sporting rifles like this usually go over 4 pounds. Stage two does have some creep, but I’ll live with it.

Ed, I never saw the cocking lever fall out of place once as I shot the rifle. I wasn’t supporting the forearm at all, so perhaps that is the difference. All I can tell you is this rifle is functioning as advertised.

Loading is fiddly

One of Ed’s complaints is the rear sight hangs over the loading port, making the rifle difficult to load. I have to agree with that observation. I took a picture of it so you can see.

Diana K98 load
Loading the K98 is a bit fiddly because the rear sight hangs over the loading port.

I find if I stand the butt on my leg, the barrel is almost straight up and loading is as easy as it gets. But the K98 is not a fast-loading air rifle.

Evaluation so far

In my opinion, the K98 is a winner at this point. Of course I haven’t seen the accuracy which is everything, but a number of people including Pyramyd Air’s own Tyler Patner have told me the rifle is accurate, so I’m expecting the best.

As I said at the start, I intend shooting with open sights, because for me this rifle will always be a Mauser. But I will mount a scope and test it that way, too.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

65 thoughts on “Diana K98 pellet rifle: Part 2”

  1. BB—If i put this rifle down on the bag rest with even a slight “thump”, the weight of the cocking lever gives it enough inertia to unlock. The same thing happens in the offhand position, if I let the rifle “thump” into my left hand. This is possible because of the weight of the rifle, and the balance ( very muzzle heavy.) The lever has enough weight for inertia to move it out of the locked position.I have also been able to unlock the lever by giving the uncocked rifle a good shake. I have not tried shaking it when cocked. When I use the word ” thump”, I do not mean using the rifle like a hammer. I have taken your advice and ordered a 16 Joule tuning kit. I also intend to remove the rear ( open) sight, and use my Gamo peep sight. I will not use a scope because of the low comb on the stock ,and the weight of the rifle. I might try a scope to select the best pellet, shooting from a rest. Once I find the best pellet, I will use the peep sight for position shooting. One more problem, if you load this rifle as in your photo, a dropped pellet will fall back into the action. Since the cocking lever is locked in the open position. inverting the rifle and shaking it to remove the pellet is not easy to do. If you are shooting from a confined space, in the dark ( the better to get a good sight picture ) this will be difficult. I also found the butt plate too smooth for safety. I put self adhesive sand paper on the butt to keep it from slipping off my leg while cocking this rifle. – ——- Ed PS–When I first started to contribute to this blog, I meant to use zimbabwae ed. But it was late , I was tired and by the time I realized my error, it was too late to correct it.

    • Ed,

      Having the cocking arm pop open that easy would be most frustrating. Have you removed the action from the stock yet? Probably 3 screws. At first glance, one would ask themselves about the front barrel band and the front sling band,…. and just what separates where. Since the grain is not consistent, or flowing, between the 2 pieces of wood,… I would bet that top and front pieces of wood would remove with the action.

      Once inside,.. you could address whatever mechanism is holding the cocking lever and perhaps “tweak” it a bit. I would not put up with it popping out,…. rather just return it.

    • Ed,

      I spelled out your name so other readers would get it. I wasn’t criticizing you.

      I think your lever problem is unique to your rifle. I looked at the design and it seems adequate for the task.

      As far as the butt, it is smooth, but until I shoot at targets I won’t have the experience to comment, so I was saving that for Part 3. I guess anything on muzzle heaviness will have to come there, too.

      B.B.

      • Cocking effort at 87 is very difficult for me. However, on under lever or side lever air rifles, I put the butt of the rifle on my boot toe area ( to keep it clean from any dirt..) stand up and put my 183 pounds down. But, the weight of the air rifle becomes an issue, so I have to use a shooting bench or shooting sticks to use the air rifle.
        Thank you for the very interesting blog, B.B. !
        Pete Hallock ( aka: PZ1 : Pedro Zapapta 1 ) Orcutt, California

    • Ed, Chris
      My cocking lever drops out too. There’s about 2 inches of free play before it engages the cocking mechanism when it drops out and it stops there.
      It is held in place by a ‘small’ spring loaded triangular pin, similar to a ball point pen button, that sticks out inside the front metal end cap on the stock.
      I have not looked into it but there is not a lot of space there to perhaps install something to compress its spring without also restricting its ability to compress enough to let the cocking arm pass by. May be possible though.

      You can get the lever to drop out with any ‘abrupt” stop in motion like dropping it on your lap, however it is easy to avoid. The spring on the retainer is kinda weak for the job and the retainer really is small.

      I put a canvas lace-up stock pad with a built in cheek riser on it to help with a scope. A heavy scope also moves the center of balance back and makes it easier to hold.

      Cocking is not bad but don’t try to do it slowly. If you find you can’t move the unlock lever forward after you load it, you probably did not cock it all the way and are actually in a ratchet detent .

      • 75 years ago today was Pearl Harbor Day … 50 years ago today I was in boot camp having my hair cut off !
        A day we should never forget. Evidently our children are not taught about it now.
        Something most all of the survivors today agree on is “Always be prepared !”
        Bob M

        • Bob,

          You will be pleased to hear that the vast majority of my students, who range in age from 18 on up (but most are 18-23), have indeed heard of Pearl Harbor, the home of a U.S. Naval base in Hawaii and of the sneak attack on it which forced our entering WW II. A very few might not know that it was attacked by the Japanese, but they know enough of Pearl Harbor to satisfy me and my sense of patriotism.

          They have grown up to emotionally link and make equivalent Pearl Harbor with 9/11 as the two foreign sneak attacks on U.S. soil which caused us to go to war.

          Just don’t ask a millennial what the Lusitania was! Then again, far too many Americans under the age of 50 can’t confidently answer that one.

          Michael

          • As the philosopher George Santayana said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” This phrase has been paraphrased many times into similar quotes.

          • Michael
            I figure most kids would eventually pick up history through entertainment, distorted as it may be, but you know I watch Watters World on FOX and he asks college students, similar to Jay Lenos street walking, simple questions like who was the first president and they are lost. Scares the hell out of me. Where are we heading? They seem to have taken their lives, liberties and freedom for granted and it supports their anti gun feelings. I would like to see the draft reinstated myself.

      • StevenG

        It’s a snug fit and I think increasing the size of the lever would just hold the spring loaded cam or button into it’s recess and actually make it easier to fall out. I can live with it as is. There may be lots of ways to stop it from ever coming out but you would have to over-ride them every time you cock it.

        I think installing another lever retainer on the opposite side would work well.

      • Steven,

        I thought that surely the “sugru” was a typo. Wikipedia to the rescue. It is a real thing after all! 😉 A modern rubber repair compound that would be something like “liquid steel”,… for those that do not know.

        Thanks for the knowledge.

        • Sugru is fantastic stuff. I use it to repair all kinds of stuff. You can even use it to just put a grippy silicone surface on something. Keeps about 3 years in the fridge.

  2. BB—I did not object to the Mauser side sling. I have 2 Norinco KKW copies and an altered ( for scope) DSM 34. I installed sling swivel bases so that I can use my Springfield slings. I plan to do the same thing with this Diana Mauser. I have already installed a replica leather Mauser 98 sling on it. By using qd swivels on the springfield sling, I can remove it when I want to display it and replace it when I want to shoot it. I just picked up my Kingston Armory >22 cal. M1 garand. If anyone has questions about this rifle , I will be glad to answer them. —-Ed

    • I had seen pictures of the rifle last year from shot show ,and sent them an email asking if I could stop by and see one since I pass by there pretty frequently. Never heard anything and never saw one either, Glad to hear they actually came out. How do you like it, and where did you find one? Not for nothing but a co2 Garand using an 8 shot rotary clip. juiced up to 700 fps plus would be a winner , especially with a wood stock

      • B.B.

        In the old Beemans catalog, they did sell a t-shaped pellet seater for fixed breached guns. One side had an adjustment for seating depth and the other side of the t was rounded for smoothing the skirt. Yes, I do have one!

    • Jim,

      Every now and then I will try a new, tight-fit pellet in my TX200 Mk III. I have a VERY small Allen wrench with the short side dipped in some red plasticizer — the kind folks use to dip tool handles in. It is small enough to fully seat a tight pellet without mangling the skirt. I don’t have to use it too often, but when I have to, it works.

      Michael

      • BB, Michael, Fishmonger,

        Thank you for the info. I don’t at present have a rifle that would require a tool like this but I’ll keep your suggestions on file if I ever have. It seems like making one out of the Allen wrench would be the way to go.

        Thanks,

        Jim

  3. BB, how is a same gun produced in 4 different power levels ? Do they only change the mainspring for altering the power or they change the piston weight and transfer ports also?
    And how does piston weight and piston diameter affect the power of an air rifle?

    • Riki,

      I am certain that BB will give to you a more detailed answer than I have time to this morning, but the short answer to your queries is yes.

      The long answer is worthy of a blog report all it’s own. In the case of this particular air rifle they will not be changing the transfer port size, but they will be changing the spring and possibly the piston. A stronger spring will compress the air faster. A heavier piston will reduce the rebound that BB is experiencing when using the heavier pellets.

      A larger diameter compression chamber and piston will compress more air as will a longer stroke, giving more air to push the pellet. The transfer port size should be optimized to the caliber and provide the most efficient transfer of air from the compression chamber to the barrel.

      The big secret to it all is to find the proper balance to it all. When you do, you end up with an air rifle like the Air Arms TX200. If you don’t, you end up with an air rifle that jumps around and slaps you side the head and you could not hit the broad side of a barn if you were standing inside.

      Hopefully BB will chime in and write a far more detailed blog about this. I myself would certainly enjoy reading it.

    • Riki,

      Different countries have different laws. Germany is 7.5 Joules. The UK is 12 foot-pounds, which is just under 16.5 Joules.

      As for the power levels, I don’t think it’s possible to vary that much with just different springs. My guess is they change the piston stroke.

      B.B.

      • Just to add,
        That is for unlicensed ownership. The UK and Germany do allow the ownership of airguns over those limits , but since they consider them to be firearms they must be registered and the owner licensed.

        Personally I wish we could get some 12ft lb airguns in the USA, this gun for example would be far more appealing to me in .177 at 12 ft lbs. I would never take it into the woods, so the extra power does nothing but make me work harder.

        • StevenG,

          You could have it tuned down if you wished by having a lighter spring installed. Vortek can make you a spring to suit your needs, wants or desires.

          http://vortekproducts.com/ourstore/airgun%20Springs

          I myself intend to make use of their services. I have an uber magnum sproinger that I am going to be experimenting with to find the best power range for accuracy with it. Then I will have a custom spring made for it.

      • That would be the right way to do it, unfortunately its done (by Diana) by fitting a transfer port restrictor and cutting an inch off the spring
        This creates a horrible double bounce in the recoil and an unnecessarily slow lock time..
        The German home market adds to this with an extended piston head

        • Dom,

          From the rather poor diagram and parts list in the TX200 manual,… it would appear that the only difference is the spring and the spring guides. The other things you mentioned make sense as well.
          The extended piston head is interesting. I would imagine that cocking lug is moved further back in that case and that there would be some extended free play before the cocking arm actually started it’s work. Same cocking arm arc, same position of piston at the rear,…. just less room (air space) in front of the piston when cocked. Interesting.

          Sad too that when done in correct balance,… it leads to the “horrible” example you mentioned.

  4. B.B.,

    It’s funny, because I am probably the only one here who has never shot a powder burner, yet when I was maybe seven years old my father taught me what a hasty sling was and how and why to do it. I had an all-metal-and-wood toy Mauser which had a leather and cloth sling. While shorter than this one, the toy rifle is every single bit as realistic looking from 10 feet as this Diana. (I know because I just checked it. It’s in my basement.)

    At the same time my dad taught me the three different shooting positions.

    Michael

  5. Ed and Bob,

    Regarding the cocking lever that won’t stay put, that is a common problem among many Hakims and Diana Model 50 air rifles. In Europe most folks might already know that, but they are uncommon in North America, especially the Diana Model 50. I do not recall seeing Air Sporters with that issue, however. Perhaps some UK airgunners have an easy fix for the issue.

    Michael

  6. B.B.,

    Easy to cock or no, this Diana generates almost 7 more foot-pounds of muzzle energy than a TX200, so the extra 12 or so pounds of force to cock it vs. the TX makes sense. For me, a paper-punching and plinking type, the 7.5 joule version would be a dream for shooting off of a bag on the rear deck. At that low power I could probably simply turn the rifle on its left side on the bag and pull the lever sideways with my right arm, making its heft a non-issue. And if the 30 joule version is a smooth shooter, the 7.5 one would have to be, well, it would have to be something for me to own! :^)

    Michael

  7. BB, Chris, Bob M, Jim—-I will not remove the 98 action from the stock. I am sending it with a vortek tune kit to an air gun smith. I will ask him to check the cocking lever lock spring. I did not take your mentioning my name as a criticism. I just wanted to explain my mistake. It is not easy to avoid lever unlock, because this rifle is heavy and poorly balanced. If it had the same weight and balance as my HW 30 S, you would be right. My airgunsmith said that all that this rifle needs is a Vortek 16 Joule tune kit. He did not say anything about pistons or transfer ports. Kingston Armory (trade name) is making and selling .22 cal. rifles that resemble M1 Garands and M14,s. They are using a steel 10/22 type receiver that uses Ruger magazines. They showed the prototype rifles at the 2015 gun show, and are now putting them on the market. There is information re these rifles on the internet. I have ruined 2 .22 cal. pellet pens trying to turn them into ” krummlauf” style pellet loaders. They dont bend very well . I tried hot water so as not to melt the plastic, but the bent loaders dont work. ——Ed

  8. B.B.,

    The Diana 48 in .22 caliber is the same way with piston bounce on heavy pellets. Anything approaching 20 grains and over cause the bounce. I believe their powerplants are more alike than different with a sliding compression chamber. Crosman Premiers at 14.3 grains always worked the best in my 48. Then again, I detuned it to 18.5 FPE with one of Jim’s springs.

    Shawn

  9. The cocking handle dropping out is not really a big problem. It’s just something that can happen when you manhandle it a bit too much in a certain situation. You cause it … not the gun…. and you can prevent it from ever happening. It would be nice if it never happened but then it would be harder to pull it out.
    I would not go out of my way to do anything to the rifle to prevent it.
    A small powerful magnet imbedded in the stock may help but I don’t think it’s worth it or necessary. It may eventually work it’s way loose and attach to the lever anyway.

    That statement about kids not being taught about Pearl Harbor was just some blurb I heard on a news channel. But I’m sure they don’t talk about it in liberal colleges. They would have to figure out a way to blame it on us and the horror of it may cause students to run to their safe place. 😉 (USN Ret. been there)

  10. BB— I re-read the instruction manual for the Diana 98. On page 20, unloading a pellet, in a cocked rifle,—- ” insert 2 cleaning pellets and discharge—etc. In a rifle of this power, will shooting cleaning pellets damage it ? On page 21 , cleaning the barrel, —“Insert rod from breech end “. Please explain how I can do this. Does this mean that there are flexible cleaning rods in Germany ?—–Ed

    • Ed,

      Wow,… that is messed up. Unfortunately,.. all too common from what has been read right here. The only way I have heard of cleaning pellets being used is load the cleaning pellet(s) FIRST, followed by a lead pellet. As for loading the cleaning rod from the breech end,… there is no excuse for that being in there.

  11. ATTENTION— all Diana Mauser users- Look up —–Home made pellet seating tool——–It is the answer to all loading problems with side and under lever air rifles. It is made from an old bore brush and a piece of wood for a handle.——-Pardon me, I am going to my workshop to make a few. ——-Ed

  12. I made the loading tool and it works ! The open sight can remain in place. I can lower it, and raise the front sight so that I can use a peep sight without the open rear sight getting in the line of sight. Shooting this rifle is safer now, because my fingers are not inserting the pellet into the breech. I may even shoot my Chinese under lever gun again. What would I do without this and several other blogs? And I am doing it without risking my fingers !——–Ed

    • Ed,

      At the risk of everyone shelving their side and underlevers,… for fear of mangled digits,… I thought that it was quite safe to load them as long as you are holding onto the cocking arm/lever. Yes?

      Congratulations on making the tool. I do not seem to have a loading issue with the TX or the LGU. Perhaps that rear sight hanging over just a tad does make the difference. And really,…. why can’t the maker move it forward just a few millimeters?

      • Chris
        I accidently loaded mine before it was fully cocked and everything was locked up rock solid. I could not move or return the lever or release the sliding lock. I had to complete the cocking one more notch. I figure there is some sort of ratcheting safety involved. This is my first underlever.

        • Bob,

          There is definitely a safety ratchet mechanism involved and that is a good thing. I have never had it get stuck as you did,… but as you found out,… just pull the lever down some more until it stops. Worth noting on the TX,…. when I first got it,… after about 1,000 shots,… the safety would not engage. The rifle,… while fully cocked,… did not engage the safety. Nothing would happen. I had to really pull down quick and hard for the safety to come on. As it turned out,… I was playing with tune kits and the such and was headed “inside” anyways. Some light oil and working it several times did the trick. No issue ever since,.. now at 3,000 plus shots. Still,.. I was bummed at the time.

          I have read here that such rifles did not have the “bear trap” safety at one time. 70’s? You had better have a good hold on that cocking arm!

  13. Chris— As long as —-but what if you need a 3rd hand? Using this loading tool frees me from having to hold the lever full time. —Re the rear sight, I am sure that the person who designed it (and it,s location ) was not a shooter. I am looking at my 2 DSM 34,s, my Paatz sportsbusche, my Norinco KKW copies and I see rear sights that look just like the one,s on Mauser 98 rifles. I wish that Diana had used one of these sights. I think that Diana cut corners, and used a sight they were already making for a different rifle. ——Ed

  14. Off topic …. just received my Nickel Schofield No.3 today. Totally on par with the likes of the Nickel Colt Peacemakers for looks. I like it better than the chrome look of the Colt Python. Comes in a plastic bubble pack unfortunately, but I think it has to do with marketing because it hangs on rack hooks, in your face for all to see.
    Would look good in a display case ! Enough said for now, BB has covered this one already. – Bob M

    • PS:…. You can NOT fan fire this Schofield pistol and if you could the rear sight would probably take its toll on your hand. You could cock the hammer in the same manner but you must release the trigger and pull it each shot.

  15. B.B.,

    I just now noticed that in the photos this Diana K98 appears to have a length-of-pull which is slightly less than most adult-sized long guns. Given that the listed overall length of 44 inches, my “guesstimate” is about 11.5 – 12 inches. How far off am I?

    Michael

  16. A chap at the range last night has one of these fitted with a WW2 Zeiss 2x optic (made his own suitably aged ring mounts!)
    Looks great, but all I can say is scopes have come a long long way!

    • Dom
      G&G Armament makes a 1.5x copy of this Scout Scope, comes with a slide on QD side mount. (over the rear sight) It fits their replica 500FPS, CO2 Airsoft K98 but it only has a 3/4″ tube and is just over 10″ long. It looks sturdy and has a duplex reticle but it is a primitive long eye relief Scout Scope . Did he mount his to the wood stock or utilize the dovetail somehow? Or was his a regular eye relief scope? OR …are you talking a real steal Mauser …?

  17. Michaeir—-I am very hard to please. The .22 M1 Garand is a great rifle—BUT–The pistol grip is too short, I will have to add a grip cap. My pinky and the heel of my hand have no support. This is in comparison with my 2 M1,s and spare stock. I shot M1,s in service rifle matches for 25@ years, and never had this problem. However, it is easy to fix. I have only been able to fire enough rounds to zero the rifle. It seems to be accurate, it functioned with aquila SE standard velocity ammo. I did not clean the factory grease , yet. It needed a lot of left windage. It shot to the right, even after I replaced the front sight with my national match sight (thinner blade). I moved the front sight as far to the right as it would go, it still shot to the right and needed a lot of clicks to the left on the rear sight. — I got this rifle by ordering it from a well known dealer in my area. He sent a copy of his ffl to Kingston Armory, and they sent it to him, after a 6 week wait. I have 2 winchester -Daisy co2 M 14,s, and I agree with you re a co2 M1 Garand version. I will tell you more re this rifle, after I have shot it with a variety of .22 ammo, and at 25 and 50 yards ( if you are interested in the rest of the story). —–Ed

  18. Michaeir—I just re-read your comment. Do you live near Liberty, N.Y. ? I live near Middletown , N.Y. If you are near me, we could get together and you could see and shoot my .2 M1.———Ed

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    It's important to know that due to state and local laws, there are certain restrictions for various products. It's up to you to research and comply with the laws in your state, county, and city. If you live in a state or city where air guns are treated as firearms you may be able to take advantage of our FFL special program.

    U.S. federal law requires that all airsoft guns are sold with a 1/4-inch blaze orange muzzle or an orange flash hider to avoid the guns being mistaken for firearms.

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  • Expert Service and Repair

    Get the most out of your equipment when you work with the expert technicians at Pyramyd AIR. With over 25 years of combined experience, we offer a range of comprehensive in-house services tailored to kickstart your next adventure.

    If you're picking up a new air gun, our team can test and tune the equipment before it leaves the warehouse. We can even set up an optic or other equipment so you can get out shooting without the hassle. For bowhunters, our certified master bow technicians provide services such as assembly, optics zeroing, and full equipment setup, which can maximize the potential of your purchase.

    By leveraging our expertise and precision, we ensure that your equipment is finely tuned to meet your specific needs and get you ready for your outdoor pursuits. So look out for our services when shopping for something new, and let our experts help you get the most from your outdoor adventures.

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  • Warranty Info

    Shop and purchase with confidence knowing that all of our air guns (except airsoft) are protected by a minimum 1-year manufacturer's warranty from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted on the product page.

    A warranty is provided by each manufacturer to ensure that your product is free of defect in both materials and workmanship.

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  • Exchanges / Refunds

    Didn't get what you wanted or have a problem? We understand that sometimes things aren't right and our team is serious about resolving these issues quickly. We can often help you fix small to medium issues over the phone or email.

    If you need to return an item please read our return policy.

    Learn About Returns

Get FREE shipping on qualifying orders! Any order $150+ with a shipping address in the contiguous US will receive the option for free ground shipping on items sold & shipped by Pyramyd AIR during checkout. Certain restrictions apply.

Free shipping may not be combined with a coupon unless stated otherwise.

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