by Tom Gaylord
Writing as B.B. Pelletier
Winchester’s 422 is another lower-powered breakbarrel from the 1960s and ’70s.
This report covers:
- The test
- RWS Hobby
- RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle
- Not doing well
- RWS Superpoints
- Good news
- Discussion
- Fish
- Summary
Today’s report will be interesting. It confirms what we all thought and it absolutely ASTOUNDS in one surprising area! Grab your coffee and let’s get started.
The test
Today is accuracy day — or what will be the first accuracy day for the Winchester 422 pellet rifle. I’ll explain as we go. I shot the rifle off a rest at 10 meters from the target. I used the artillery hold for most of the test, and I’ll tell you when I switched to letting the rifle rest directly on the sandbag. I shot ten-shot groups at 10-meter air rifle targets, and I shot with the open sights on the rifle. Remember — that front sight is bent down and to the left, so we will learn whether that was intentional or it just slipped and banged into something.
A reader, Breeze, is sending me a replacement front sight. If I have to, I will replace the bent one with that new one that’s straight and test the accuracy again.
RWS Hobby
The first pellet tested was the RWS Hobby wadcutter. The first shot hit the target about 2.7 inches above the aim point and a little to the right. But it was on paper so I decided to finish the group without adjusting the elevation.
The remainder of the shots were lower and more to the right, resulting in a group that measures 1.796-inches between centers. From this first group I learned that the rear sight was adjusted too high and also that the front sight bend was accidental. I figured it had to be because this rifle does not look like it has been cared for over its life.
Ten RWS Hobby pellets scattered into this 1.796-inch group at 10 meters. The aim point was the base of the lower bullseye.
After shooting the first group I adjusted the rear sight down as low as it would go.
RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle
The second pellet I tried was the 8.2-grain RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle wadcutter. The first two shots hit below the bull I was aiming for, so I adjusted the rear sight up a little. The remaining eight shots were about right for elevation but they also hit to the right of the aim point. This 422 definitely needs its front sight straightened.
The group measures 2.15-inches between centers, with the last 8 shots in 1.958-inches at 10 meters.
The Winchester 422 threw 10 RWS Meisterkugeln Rifle pellets into 2.15-inches between centers, with the final 8 after the sight adjustment in 1.958-inches.
Not doing well
We’re not doing so well, are we? These results are anything but encouraging. Cheer up, though. There is good news coming.
I’m sticking with RWS pellets because I know Diana pellet rifles like them.
RWS Superpoints
The next pellet I tried was the RWS Superpoint. They went high again and as always they landed to the right of the aim point. Ten Superpoints went into 1.632-inches at 10 meters.
Then RWS Superpoint pellets went high and right, in a 1.632-inch group.
Isn’t there ANY pellet that this 422/Diana 22 wants to shoot? Well, yes there is. In fact, I can’t tell if two of the three pellets we just tested are not superb in this pellet rifle.
HUH?
BB — are you calling two-inch groups at 10 meters superb?
No, I’m not. But what I am about to show you is going to turn this test inside-out.
Good news
They say the test of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and hoping for a different result. I “invented” the artillery hold decades ago when I tried holding my air rifle differently from what I read in the Beeman catalog — just to see how bad it could get. Instead of the tight grip that they advised (what I call a deer hunter grip) I held my Beeman C1 carbine as loosely as possible. And behold — the groups shrank to nothing! All I had to do then was give that hold a name. And, for those who haven’t gotten it — when you see quotes around a word, it means that is NOT what the writer really means — it’s a joke. I didn’t invent the artillery hold. I just gave it a name.
So, what’s the good news? The good news is that for the next pellet — the RWS Superdome — I rested the 422 directly on the sandbag. The artillery hold clearly wasn’t getting me anywhere. What would this hold do? Well the first shot hit the bottom of the bull below the aim point. The next 9 pellets went into a group that measures 0.264 inches between centers! The 10-shot group measures 1.099-inches between centers.
Ten shots in 1.099-inches at 10 meters, with nine in 0.264-inches. Wow!
Discussion
What have we learned? First we learned that the front sight was bent by accident. Then we learned that the rifle wants to be rested directly on a sandbag, for the best possible groups. What does that mean? Are we supposed to carry a sandbag around when we plink? No. What this test tells us is the accuracy POTENTIAL of the rifle. My advice is to hold it like you hold any other pellet rifle and do your best.
Also — when the new sight that’s coming is on the rifle I need to try it with Superdomes, Superpoints and Meisterkugeln Rifle pellets again. I don’t think Hobbys will be that good, but what the heck — I may as well test them again, too.
Fish
Reader Fish asked me to take a picture of a Diana 27, Diana 23 and the Winchester 422 together. I assume he wants it for perspective. Here it is.
The Diana 27 (Hy Score 807) on top, Diana 23 (Geco 23) in the center and the Winchester 422 (Diana 22) on the bottom.
Summary
What a dramatic accuracy difference, just from changing the hold! Today’s test results set us up for another test, once the front sight has been replaced. This was a day when I got the bear!
B.B.,
Any rifle that puts 9 into 0.264 deserves to use:
/product/rws-r-10-match-heavy-177-cal-8-2-grains-wadcutter-500ct?p=288
Or maybe the lighter R-10s too!
Deer Hunter hold it is! Nice that you dropped the insanity plea and went to the bag!
shootski
BB
In the back of my mind I kind of figured all, if not most, springers would benefit from the artillery hold. I realize some don’t. Do you have any suspicions as to what may be a leading cause, weight, power, length, stock configuration or caliber? Or could it simply be the interaction between a given stock or bag material and a hand or bag?
If anybody finds the answer, you will automatically graduate from this academy.
Bob,
I recall trying different materials while resting directly on a rest,.. 2 pieces of plastic that could slide on each other, silk like cloth (same principal), a variety of foam, some silicone gel pads, etc.. I do not recall the results at the moment other than to say that my usual rest was wood blocks screwed together and some 1/4″ x 2″ gasket strip on the block.
Playing with shoulder pressure can yield surprising results as well. Trigger finger hand pressure/position can be a big one too.
Chris
Chris,
I make my “sand” bags from old denim jeans legs filled with an 1/8″ plastic bead I get from work. I frequently rest my sproingers directly on the bags as the air rifle will slide easily on the denim and the beads make for a soft support. This works great most of the time, but not always.
As you noted, a big factor is the trigger hand. I had a Gamo CFX that shot superbly. Using H&N 4.51mm FTT’s, I could shoot 10 shot groups regularly that could literally hide under a dime at 25 yards. It was awesome!
Then I noticed a strange phenomenon (really like that word) happening. I was starting to chase my group, adjusting the scope to center it. I even took it to BB at one of the air rifle shows, where he proceeded to grab it by the scope and give it a good shake. The scope was solidly mounted, thank goodness.
After that experience and some discussion, I began to pay real close attention to what I was doing when I shot. What I found was by changing the position of my thumb, I could change the point of impact by almost an inch. You need to realize that I am holding this air rifle with my right hand as lightly as is possible and barely bringing it into my shoulder.
By placing my thumb directly behind the compression tube, I could create a nice, tight group at my point of aim. By wrapping my thumb around the grip, my grouping moved to the right almost an inch. By moving my thumb, I could pick which group the pellet would go to. Talk about hold sensitivity.
RR,
Yup,.. it all matters, The TX200 and LGU were both very accurate and easy to shoot,.. but even those 2 had their little quirks. Like you said too,.. you can shoot 2 really nice groups,.. that are an inch apart!
There is something else to keep in mind too and that is groups/POI while bench resting VS bracing off a tree/structure and free standing (like used while pesting/hunting). Not to mention the inherent reduced level of steady with braced and off hand, which throws another ??? in the mix.
Chris
Chris,
Seen this as well: bench resting VS bracing and major shifts in POI. I have guns setup for specifically for bench shooting and guns for bracing & off-hand shooting, the two don’t cross over.
I’ll initially setup my bracing rifles from a bench but final sighting is is done braced. Guns that I sight in for pesting in “T-shirt weather” are re-zeroed for cold weather hunting in bulky clothing. It makes a big difference!
S you know, hold sensitivity IS a big thing, lot of people don’t realize that you can totally negate an excellent shooter just by being (even slightly) inconsistent in your hold.
Because I shoot off-hand most of the time I usually shoot at 0 to 25 yards or so with braced shots out to 35 yards. Since getting into bench shooting I’m doing a lot more target work at 40 to 50 yards. Realized that shooting at closer ranges (sub 30 yards) covers a lot of errors in form, once you go beyond 40 yards inconsistencies in hold or trigger discipline are magnified and the inherent accuracy of the rifle is secondary relative to the skill of the shooter. Case in point, my Impact will print “hide under a dime” groups at 50 yards if I don’t interfere with it too much 🙂
Enjoying shooting at longer ranges – learning a lot!
Hank
Hank,
Just wait until you stretch it’s legs. You will go out on a nice, quiet morning some time and shoot a sub 1.5″ group at 150 yards.
P.S. Some of that stuff is just too nasty for my laboratory. Hey, I’m dain bramaged enough.
RR,
I extended my shooting range out to 125 yards from the bench and can manage close to 175 yards with my portable bench if I need to. I’ve been slowly increasing my distance in 5-yard increments, so 150 yards is not going to happen any time soon 🙂 I did set up a gong at 125 yards just for giggles though.
We got 6 inches of snow with more forcast and temperatures (mostly) below freezing. Damp-cold conditions make for numb fingers and shivering doesn’t help my groups any so I think that bench shooting is done for the season – just put the aperture sights back on the 603 for indoor 10 meter stuff. Love the 603 – it’s a “smile every time you shoot” it kinda rifle.
For the chemistry set, methyl hydrate ( aka “gas line antifreeze” – cheap by the quart) is fairly friendly and is useful for removing some adhesive residues.
Hank
Chris,
No, no, enough! Ahhhh! Brain overload! I have too few brain cells left to take all this in!
Seriously though, it does take some time to learn all of the general and specific quirks of shooting sproingers. That is why so many go to PCP these days.
RR- another rifle that is sensitive to hold is the AirForce Condor SS I have. With the power potential and the light weight of it it really moves a lot! Cheek pressure on the bottle, different grip on pistol grip, bipod vs Caldwell front rest, etc. All can make a huge difference in poi and it can be really frustrating until you realize what is actually going on. As you learn to control yourself better, the gun will amazingly become more accurate! Who knew?!
Bruce
You know, RR. The thought crossed my mind that it might not be “rifle” sensitivity but your trigger finger movement. I wonder if the placement of your thumb is affecting your trigger pull and by transference, minute movement of the rifle causing it to shoot to a different point of impact away from your point of aim? Other than a video with some reference indications at the muzzle, I’m not sure how else to tell but this is very interesting.
Fred formerly of the Demokratik Peoples Republik of NJ now happily in GA – y’all
Bob,
This time I was confused. The 422 does move when it fires and I thought it would need the artillery hold. But as you see, that’s not the case.
BB
BB,
Glad you got it to shoot good. Looking forwards to the next test after getting the front sight fixed back up.
Chris
BB
That picture you posted for Fish looks like the 422 barrel is bent upwards. Maybe just a illusion but it looks that way to me.
And you didn’t test the Superdomes with the artillery hold did you. You went right to resting on the bag.
Maybe you should do a 10 shot group with the artillery hold and the Superdomes so we can see if the hold made the difference or if the pellet made the difference.
GF1,
I’ll be darned — it does look that way! I thought while I handled it that was the case but sighting along the gun revealed nothing. But that picture does show it
BB
BB
No big deal the way I see it.
But I wonder if it’s one of those guns that the trigger got pulled when the barrel was still open.
Maybe that’s why the front post sight is messed up too. Maybe the barrel scraped the wall while it was flipping up.
GF1,
Might could be.
BB
BB
I guess it isn’t hurting anything so far.
BB,
I’m more than likely wrong, but it seems to me as if the barrel itself has a tad bid curved shape.
Fish
Fish
That’s what I see. A upward curve.
Gunfun1,
A Diana without barrel droop! Good eye. :^)
Michael
Michael
Right. 🙂
Hello!
GAMO CF-S .177
I went berserk and decide I needed a Bullpup underlever…. a what?The pistol grip will swivel out of the way for charging lever. So far so good!Trigger is connect by a stiff flexible push rod and heck, even in this state you
you can feel the potential. It is super stable. No heavy barrel and lever way out the front ! I think it’s going to be pretty darn good. Will post a few more pictures when it’s further along.
Hope you are well and things are going swell. : – )
Robert.
PS this is a repost .. I got a bit lost. : – )
Robert,
Ya’ did it! 🙂
On topic only?,.. the comments here go (off) topic all the time. Glad that you are now up to speed. A lot of blogs have been written since 2006! 😉
Chris
Robert,
Good for you! That’s a wonderful job that got you exactly what you wanted! 🙂
BB
Hello BB!
It’s not pretty however it is cheap fun. : – ) Will post a picture or two when it gets a bit further along in it’s development! Under barrel lever springer bullpup ? Heck, must be at least two on the planet…
Haw!
Robert.
RobertAlexander,
Bravo! I wish you well on your project. If you Google barrel mounted scope rail there might be something you could use to mount a scope. Then again I read that the barrel is too close to the lever arm that it won’t allow it. I’m now thinking that you can mount a block on the rear sight mounting points and extend it over the barrel.
There was an Italian stockmaker on one the FB groups a followed that offered bullpup stocks for the HW77 and HW97 a few years back.
I don’t think it is possible to get a crisp trigger on a bullpup with the linkage involved. Maybe if you decreased the amount of flex in the wire might be of help.
Siraniko
Siraniko, Chris, BB, Gunfun, 1stblue, good morning!
I have a few things to play with regarding a scope mount. There is the iron sight threaded hole just above the breach. So I can use that. Then there is the barrel so I can do some kind of linear clamp. Also I could weld something on … a plug weld in the right spot… pretty adventurous but I have seen it before in pictures. The big issue is squaring things up. Not so easy in a wonky garage.
The trigger… well it’s the gamo / Theoben rolling mechanisim thing so it’s not crisp full stop. However making it worse is not good. My first design was just a bicycle gear cable in a brass tube. This actually was really good. But it’s not flexible to bend out of the way for recharging. So that was a good test to see how it all feels. And it was pretty good. A second consideration was weight of the connector rod, if it is tooo heavy it’s going to be a danger if the rifle hits the ground, safe off, blunt end first. So I want it light.
Next up was a heavier brake cable in the flexible housing. This was good but a bit fiddly and a bit too heavy and if it gets crushed , using a clamp for the trigger, it deforms. so no dice.
Then the happy accident. ( I recycled a curtain that had GRP batons 3mm round, lots of ) so the GRP rod fits in the brake housing, it’s super stiff longitudinally and flexible. So this is the way forward. Also the trigger will clamp onto the rod and can be adjusted. AND it’s super light.
So the grip will swing out of the way of the charging lever , the trigger connector bends and it all makes sense, and it is cheap, easy to make and few moving parts ( one! ) .
Will post more pics as they come to hand.
Thank you for the comments!
Robert.
Robert,
How about anchoring the rail from the front sight mount until the rear sight mount?
Siraniko
Siraniko.
Um. Well I need access to the breech block which is between those two points. But some kind of tube slipped on along the main tube with cut outs etc could do the trick. Interfacing it with the dove tail might be tricky to get it to look nice… a couple of plug welds might hold it on. Then I could have a solid base on which to attach any kind of rail. mmm… I need some tube the right internal diameter.
and I should be out in the workshop, not flying my flight simulator! : – )
Robert.
This is MKI, and as you can see it has too much metal at one end!
To balance the gun required a silly amount of lead ballast at the blunt end. Consequently shooting from a stand was tricky, I had to shoot with the wobble and after about 5 or so seconds the wobble gets too much. and no amount of different holds etc would help! It’s just basic mechanics and gravity.
The bullpup takes this out of the equation!
Robert.
This is what it used to look like! I think this is the MKII , the bullpup is MKIV I think… buying a cheap but good rifle is the best way to go with learning the ropes of stock design and build. And getting locked into one design because you spent tooooo much time on it… it’s not the best approach!
Robert.
This is MKIII, it’s nice. but flawed. I had fun with the boiled linseed finish but that does not make it shoot better! Frankly I was carried away with “good finish” and ignoring the annoying heavy pointy end.
When shooting from a rest, yes it was predictably good, but I am an old school rabbit shooter and stalking/shooting on your feet is the name of the game. ( I have yet to try crawling along…)
Also it’s just long! Heck it’s a mammoth. : – )
Robert.
Hello!
A bit more work on the Gamo CF-S bullpup. It works! Keeping the fibre glass rod dead stratight in the housing keeps the friction down. So far it feels fine, I can feel the take up, then the trigger spring well enough, the trigger returns no problem. Such a cheap simple way to do this! The trigger itself needs a lot of work.Not sure how it will look but I have been drawing ideas and thinking this over. Cocking is easy but I did have to change my style. When the cocking lever gets to about 90deg to the barrel you need to really get it over the hump and I guess time will show me the way. The whole thing is short. Next issue is a fore grip. Not sure what to do here. The final build will be out of some nice wood. : – )
Robert,
Looking good. Keep at it.
Chris
Thank you! Have a nice day! Robert.
Here it is next to an Estwing hammer. 32″ / 800mm long. Feels pretty good. Not exactly sure if I like the vertical grip. May lean back a bit. Also I need to come up with a safety. I might be able to make a connector rod to the safety that I can operate from the grip, keeping it away from the trigger. The safety should not be so close to the trigger that it then poses a safety issue in it’s use. If you are cocked and safe off and you want to safe on but slip in the process… not a great idea! So moving the safety away from the trigger is great. : – )
Stay safe! Robert.
Robert,
That under lever coming back into the wood/grip/trigger area seems like an insurmountable problem. A break barrel would pose close to the same issue. A side lever cocking would work. The only thing I can think of is to remove the under lever and make the cocking of the spring a push rod action/motion. Like put the rod on the edge of the table and push down on the whole rifle,.. with the barrel going below the table top. The other option is the same concept, but with side grab handles to move the cocking rod.
I am thinking with you. I like the concept of a bull pup springer. Side lever cocking would solve a lot of issues.
Chris
Robert,
The simplest thing I can think of is to move the trigger group back to remove that added complication of swinging the trigger group out of the way. You lose about 6 inches I reckon and the muzzle becomes a little heavier but it will simplify your build. The worst I can think of is to turn the rifle 90 degrees turning into a side lever. That makes the trigger linkage a little more complicated though and I don’t know how the balance will feel.
Siraniko
Chris , Siraniko. : – )
I have thought of all of those angles so far and frankly the swing out grip is the best of them. If you are going to go bullpup then go all the way. Pulling the grip back out of the way of the charging lever will add quite a lot to the overall length. This is not acceptable! and the prototype has proved this to be unnecessary. The rifle works fine, the charging action is fine and shooting grip is not too bad. Will put up a youtube video of it working at some stage. The fine tuning the design to get rid of some warts etc is going to happen after I come up with a scope mount solution. and adding a safety. A possible feature could be a removable grip for space saving ( screw on /off ). Further down the track I think a wooden chassis with better shape dimensions etc might happen. Also maybe a periscope, so that I can keep the scope as close to the barrel as possible. The periscope will be looking down to the lower than eyeball height scope. If you see what I mean. Have had a little play with some mirrors and I see not reason why this can’t work. Fogging up on a cold wet day … well that’s a different story. Ideas!
RobertA. ( Decided to shorten my handle! )
PS. I am thinking a 1911 style hand grip or maybe Lewis gun grip… hey if you can why not?
Robert,
Periscope eh? 🙂 You really do think outside the box and I do admire that. I somehow missed the swing out concept. I suppose it would work that way. Keep at it.
Chris
Made a grip. Had to do quite a bit of thinking to make it. The trigger is one piece to the connector which is the alloy flat you can see poking out the back. It’s screwed on to the piece of scrap with two hefty wood screws and the grip is screwed into that with a 6mm machine screw. Access thought the bottom of the grip. Must have taken six hours non stop from scratch. So that wooden guard/grip/frame base thingy could be easily machined out of alloy. and the grip is an easy wood job. Feels good, looks ok. Not bad for some doodles/design on paper and then one concentrated effort. The fibre glass rod will be attached some how.. maybe bind and glue. Then covered up. Happy camper here : – )
Robert,
Looking good. It easy to see the refinement advances if also looking at the picture above from 11/26.
Looking forwards to more as you move along.
Chris
Here is the inside of it. Took me a long time to think that all out. Even kept me up at night!
Nice! Yes, I can see how it took 6 hours with basic tools. Good looking work.
Swapped out the cheap softwood for hardwood. chopped the plastic down a bit more… at some stage there will be none left. I hope. Added a recycled fore grip from another prototype. Added the new grip.
Feels ok. Pretty comfortable. A solid wood stock would be nice, will have to work out the details. The grip feels good. Whole thing balances up quite well. Started looking at my Dipotre sights…. maybe maybe. Robert.
Robert,
That’s looking good! I’m getting a little dizzy trying to think of a way to mount a usable sight on that. Maybe a small red dot might be better. In all the bullpup builds I’ve seen the sights are mounted high above the bore. Witness the AUG, FAMAS and H&K G11. The lowest method I can think of would be to mount the sights offset to the Left hand side. More people will see your build if you post it on the latest blog which gets posted at after 6pm at your time zone. You are 5 hours ahead of my time zone.
Siraniko
Robert,
Looking good,… once again. You are getting there! Like Siraniko said, post on the current day blog (if) you want more people to see it (with a link back to this page) if people want to catch up/see the progression.
Chris
Robert,
On the scope mounting (from the previous conversation on the ’06 blog), you might look into AR front shrouds/accesory rails. Some wrap around and others are a U shaped,.. I think.
Others: The scope is loose in the pic and Robert was trying to come up with a way to get it forwards. I also mentioned 1 piece cantilevered mounts.
Chris
Chris,
It’s possible I may as yet mount my dioptre sights. Which would get me up and shooting while I figure how the heck I am going to fit the scope. Probably will jury rig up some kind of barrel clamp that will have a dove tail screwed on to the top. I’m thinking alloy plates, 5mm bolts etc and a good bit of sawing filing and marking out, drilling etc… that kind of thing. Tend to try the cheapest hardest way to do things…. must the Kiwi way!
It’s 01:00 hrs here so I am crawling off bed before I fall off my chair! Good night!
Robert.
PS. Bar drilling new holes or welding things on… the lever is so close to the barrel that wrapping things round it is off the table. If you see what I mean. GN !!!
Robert
Pretty cool.
Hi RobertAlexander, The journey is the destination, nice work! It’s still hold sensitive.
Rob
1sblue. : – )
Hey good idea!
Check out my Relum “scope bar” design. And it’s held on with thread and glue! Super cheap and heck it’s darn accurate ( well for me at any rate ) . I love innovation! and prototyping! A question though on your design. How do you get a cheek weld? Do you even? Keep at it ! Great stuff!
Robert.
/blog/2012/12/the-relum-telly-part-1/#comment-432985
Git ‘er done.
Well guys,
I’m going to assume that everything BB did was consistent when he pulled the trigger and shot the rifle and the only thing that changed was using a bag instead of the artillery hold. So changes in trigger pressure, hand and shoulder position should not come into play.
But then again perhaps they all came into play every time you change the shooting position and it all depends on the profile and specifications of the rifle and how it reacts to recoil in which case the hand or bag would make a difference too, either good or bad.
I guess I’ll just have to accept the fact that every airgun reacts differently to recoil and anything that disturbs it while shooting it. Sounds like the only way to be consistent with a given airgun is to keep a log book for each one. Assuming you have many of them and can’t remember the best way to shoot each one.
Bob,
Shoot me an e-mail when you get the chance. There is some M-rod stuff I want to run by you.
Chris
Who’d a thunk. I’m glad you figured it out. This has happened several times over the years since I found this blog. I don’t remember exactly where or when. Does anyone remember the last time this happened? Anyone? Anyone?
Off topic AGAIN: Benjamin Trail NP FIXT!!! That friend’s Benji NP that was shooting at ~400 fps DID in fact have a damaged piston seal, thank you B.B.! A 1/8″ CHUNK on the edge of that seal was missing, making me wonder how it got velocity that high. AND, I saw damage to the piston face and the “cylinder” face that the piston touches: there were ~12 indents that looked like BB dings, though the transfer port is too small to allow them to it into the “cylinder”. I’m still scratching my head over those dings, but at least on reassembly the beastie now gets the normal ~720 fps via 14.7 gr pellets. Is it at ALL possible that the chunk of seal that failed could have caused the dings? I’d think not, but hey, any ideas from the crowd here???
I had a failed piston seal with chu nks of metal embedded in it. Turns out it was pieces of main spring. Both ends of the spring had bits broken off.
Well, Breeze and all: 1) This gun has a nitro piston, so there were no metal bits, obviiously (gun worked FINE, after seal replacement) 2) I was VERY carefull while gutting the gun: NOTHING came out of the receiver/cylinder 🙁 Like I said: the gun seems to work fine NOW (though accuracy tests are pending, tomorrow?), but I’d sure like to know what caused this mess. The photos I too of inside the cylinder at the air xfer port and the piston face are poor ( I don;t have BB’s photo skills, or gear!), but the ~12 dings or so really look like minor BB dings ON THE STEEL SURFACES, where there is NO way to get them there, nor would I think they should ding the two surfaces the way they did, but I COULD be wrong on the latter thinking…
Geez I figured the post office would have delivered the sight by now!
Ain’t no rain, snow, sleet nor dark of night gonna stop the mail delivery.
Or so I thought…
Breeze,
At our local post office/sorting station they were running three weeks behind a few weeks ago. Overtime got canceled, and they stopped hiring to replace leaving employees. For us local mail is the worst. If something is coming from Oregon, it might get here in a week, but if it is from 20 miles away it takes three weeks.
Michael
Ahhh….the stories I could tell, having seen what goes on behind postal doors!
One time they forgot to strap the rolling carts in the 43ft trailer full of mail.
Well it was snowing and they hit a bunp while going up a hill.
Guess what?
Yup, the rolling stock busted through roll up door depositing the mail,letters and packages, on the road.
And the driver didn’t stop right awY.
B.B.,
Well, this is a sweetie, sure enough. I think you shoud keep it, but if you ever wish to part with it . . . :^)
Michael
BB,
TY for the photo. This helps a lot.
Fish
More on the continuing story of my Diana 54 (can I call it a 55 because I was born in 55, can I !, can I !…. Oh well, forget it 🙂 You all are right, I did put a scope on it, a Leapers 6×24. The gun, mount, and scope weight 11 lbs. 15 ozs. but still balances nicely. If it can break that tank, nothing is safe! I was on my way to shooting a half inch group off a bi-pod at 30 yards until everything started going haywire. One of the scope mount screws had come loose and I had to tighten all the stock screws. Now, I know enough to keep an eye on them.
I took it down to the field target match this week and shot it afterwards. With Barracuda Match 10.65’s, I was able to hit a 30 yard kill zone 2/3 times (3/4”?), a I inch kill zone at 40 yards 1/2 times and a 1 1/2 “ kill zone at 50 yards 1/2 times. I was too pooped to keep shooting after that (I’d taken about 30-40 shots before that).
I would like an vertically adjustable butt plate (any one know where I can get one?) and a lighter trigger but I’ll let Dave Slade work his magic on that) Shooting indoors, it likes 8.3 gr. Superdomes best (go figure). The hole just gets slightly bigger.
Here is the chrony results from the dealer with JSB exacts (no weight specified-8.44’s?)
1-1001
2-0988
3-0998
4-0995
5-1019
Brent
Get some JSB or Air Arms 10.34 pellets and see what happens.
And I’ll say it now. You need to detune her a bit. You will both like it.
If you don’t want to chop you original spring buy you a extra and chop it.
And I did not need a spring compressor to take mine apart. Yes I had to put pressure holding down on the trigger assembly. But was able to push the pins out by hand.
And yes tighten your screws. But usually I have no problems after the initial tightening with the 54’s I have had.
Brent,
Do a web search for Bisley Adjustable Buttplate. There are videos as well. I have no first hand experience with it. Just a suggestion. – Don