Diana Oktoberfest Reviews

Great build.heavy but good feel in shoulder.100 rounds before reloading

Hard to see the sights.fiber optic sights would be a game changer

It's a great shooting fun bb gun.i tried Daisy,crosman,umerex,Hornady and excile bbs all the same results 1" groups at 5 yards after that bbs are all over the place. I can hit galley ducks some times at 18 yards. It's not a sniper,but a great fun gun

Awesome...it is tremendous fun and I love it. Metal, Real Wood, "Bolt Action", large reservoir. It is in a different class when comparing bb guns. I read a lot of worrisome reviews prior to buying this about how normal 4.5mm BBs wouldn't work and the accuracy would be terrible and that I needed to buy oversees overpriced 4.4mm BBs. This was flat wrong. With Crosman Copperheads, this is dead on consistent within a half inch at 13 yards. After I finish off the Copperheads, I will try out the Daisy Match Grade.

Great character, great feel, and "A riesen Gaudi"

Do not use 0.177 Gamo Round Balls - they will jam. The reservoir tube is gravity fed so point upwards when cocking to prevent dry fire.

i bought this rifle - a red dot sight with a 11mm rail adaptor fits where the rear iron sight mounts making this rifle much more shootable. i use BUSNELL TR25 on mine. one must shoot .177 lead balls out of it. steel BBs even daisy match BBs just randomly spray the targets. HN smart shot works OK. German Lead 4.4mm balls are what it is specd for. even then it shoots 1 inch groups from a rest at 25ft

change the barrel so HN .177 smart shot shoots well from it or put in a .177 smoothbore barrel that shoots daisy precision BBS well.

dont shoot steel BBs out of it. Put on a RED Dot sight

Things I like; that's simple - everything.

Be scopeable.

The fps that is listed is very conservative. Mine clocks at 485 low to 500 high fps. I only wish it was scopeable; it's that accurate for a BB gun. A bargain at twice the price.

I am very impressed with the accuracy. Outdoors, in the wind, I can step back from 20 yards to 35 yards and consistently hit a plastic bottle that is 2.5"x3.5"x7.5". And more often than not it ends up end-on. Not every shot at 35 yards, but by holding a hair high, I can hit it within a few shots. And this is offhand. And I'm no expert. And I'm not spreading lead around everywhere. It seems to have a quite flat arc out to around 100' but then starts falling off more and more rapidly.

I find it a little awkward lining up the sights, they seem too low along the barrel, so getting my eye down low enough means the rifle is high on my shoulder. But maybe there's something wrong with my form.

It's heavy, but that helps make it accurate. It's not the most comfortable thing to pick up, some of the corners of the stock alongside the barrel could be rounded instead of square. Once you have it up though it is comfortable to hold.

great value fun to shoot change the sights tho.

Sights

Great unique plinker . Get one while you can

The build quality seems very good by the Chinese manufacturer under Diana guidance. It is a solid and substantial piece with twice the magazine capacity and more power than the venerable Daisy Model 25. Unlike the latter classic BB rifle, the Oktoberfest is a rifled BB gun with a topside bolt action and a full width stock. Of course, it is multiple times the price.

The rear sight is "challenging" at the best and "horrible" at worst for a 75 year-old shooter with progressive lenses. I don't have a problem with the ramp and clamp for the elevation and windage adjustments, however. Like its commercial forebear, it is a gallery gun for a short and fixed range. Nevertheless, the rear notch is too small and disappears in the bolt hinge mechanism. The notch "blade" is just too small and it is coupled with a front blade that might better be a post?

Use lead shot for the sake of the rifling. That, currently, presents a problem as the H&N SmartShot seems to be absent from the supply chain for some reason. The actual German round balls that would be ordinarily used didn't come across the Atlantic to suppliers along with the rifle. That is okay, since one will need to so some serious cleaning of the barrel from the muzzle end to scrub out the post machining debris. The "breech" end is inaccessible. Being a Diana, this should eventually prove to be a shooter and a short range piece that will provide shooting enjoyment within its scope. I am hoping that the SmartShot will arrive (I've got an order for 6K of them) so I can do some serious breaking in of the piece and see what it can really do.

Finally! A BB gun that is serious. Very well made, but with the usual filthy Chinese bore; the machining is okay but the mfgr really needs to have the staff clean them out a bit after the work. The bolt cocking is an interesting variant to my fleet of break barrels. The 100-odd capacity BB magazine is an unusual feature for a one-in-the-breech life I've been living. RWS standards of construction and quality by their Chinese supplier.

1.] The rear sight blade is too small and obscured by the bolt hinge mechanism. The placement of the sight and the size plays hobb with my 75 year-old eyes, and this is magnified by my progressive lenses. While I know that one is to concentrate the vision on the front post, it gets really lost in the wall of metal ahead of the rear sight and in the tiny rear notch. The sight needs a bigger notch and maybe the front should be a square post instead of a blade? 2.] The rear mechanism cover, being plastic, disallows any alternate rear sight choice or placement. The Oktoberfest could be a real fun piece with the ability to mount a Williams sight closer to the trigger guard and hand grip. I understand that it is a gallery gun, but does it have to stay that way? Could that cover be replaced by an anodized aluminum cover that could accomodate an 11 mm dovetail some way? I'd pay for it as an upgrade piece!

The Oktoberfest deserves lead rounds not steel. The H&N SmartShot (if they ever become available soon???) is a great round for this piece. Currently, 02/22/23, those twice-copper plated lead rounds are nowhere to be found. When my 6K order arrives, I'll be able to do some serious examination of the rifle's capability. 'Till then, it gets to sit in the locker getting to know its siblings.

Everything about the Octoberfest rifle is cool except for ammo issue

The only true way to get the full potential out of the Octoberfest is to use the right BBS 4.4mm Diana Octoberfest BBS it would be nice if Pyramyd AiR stocked the correct Ammo size for this rifle to function properly

I had to get the 4.4mm BBS from DIANA in Germany and they were not cheap $40 a tin U.S.dollar what an inconvenience

I'm pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of this rifle. Although it's made in China, you wouldn't know it. The blueing is deep and flawless, and the wood is tight grained and has a smooth consistent satin finish. The few plastic parts are cleanly molded and look good. I thought the bolt action might be awkward, but it's very intuitive, fast, and the cocking effort is minimal. The trigger started out a bit gritty but after a couple hundred rounds it smoothed out and is predictable and not terribly heavy. The iron sights were right on the money out of the box for the informal plinking of cans at 20 yards. It's not a powerhouse, but it has enough velocity to make cans and pinecones jump. I managed to put around 400 rounds of Crosman Black Widow BB's through it before winter hit and I experienced no malfunctions. Loading is easy and the included machined aluminum funnel works well. This is a solid, simple, reliable, and well made rifle at a reasonable price.

The sights are pretty low, and you have to hunker your cheek down hard to get a good sight picture. It works well for me, but I could see some people having a problem with it.

I read the excellent multi-part article for this gun on the Pyramid Blog, and that helped me in my decision to buy it. Good info on the accuracy potential of a variety of BB's. I bought this rifle for it's unusual action, and for informal plinking at 10-20 yards. It fills that role perfectly. It's fast to cycle, quiet, and just plain fun to shoot. Come spring I'll probably test some Daisy match grade BB's in it if my 499B is willing to share. It's stated many times in the included paperwork that this rifle is gravity-fed and that not pointing the muzzle up when cocking can cause a malfunction. Keep that muzzle up and you should have no problems. Also, other than the short dovetail where the rear sight is mounted, there are no provision for mounting a scope. This is an iron-sights only gun. It's also a load it once and shoot all afternoon gun due to the capacity of the tube magazine. I'm satisfied with all aspects of this rifle. A unique and worthy addition to my collection.

the build quality and operation are great. the 11mm rail the rear sight sits on can be removed and replaced with a small red dot sight - i put my Sig Romeo 5 on it with an 11mm rail adaptor - works great ! It holds 100 rounds and the bolt action works well. But sadly, at 20 feet it shoot 2 inch groups

it is specifically chambered for German copper plated Lead 4.4mm precision BBs. (not steel BBs) Maybe put a Barrel on it that would fire Daisy Precision Steel BBs as well as my 499 Does. Pyramid, should stock and sell the correct German copper plated Lead BBs used by the German Shooting Gallery people along side selling the Rifle. Tom BB Pelletier hopefully will have a better answer for the Ammo Question in January 2023 in part 4 of his review and Pyramid will stock it ? I will have to send it back for a refund.

The rifle is chambered for German copper plated Lead BBs. According to the German Expert review of the Rifle by Andy Hoffman. American steel BBs randomly scatter across the target and produce 2 inch groups. Tom BB Pelletier hopefully will have a better answer for the Ammo Question in January 2023 in part 4 of his review and Pyramid will stock it ? I will have to send it back for a refund.

The heft of the wood stock / metal components are realistic .At first I thought the charging bolt was jammed but just required a little strength to cock the spring piston back like racking home the bolt of a K98 Mauser rifle. I used economical crosman copperhead steel bb's the copper coating giving up to 20 % increased velocity. Backyard friendly with very modest , be careful : this is not a toy. Follow up shots are a lot quicker than a break barrel air rifle. There's even a provision for a scope albeit polymer as is triggerguard, a weight / cost saving measure. At 100 pellet capacity ,load on Sunday shoot all week ! The box has fitted durable foam that securely holds the rifle in place unlike the usual disintegrating styrofoam . Festive plaque , 2 year limited warranty, German engineering + affordable price : .bring home this rifle + relive a largely bygone era of the arcade shooting gallery once more....

The plastic cap at the end of the loading tube is easy to lose and initially requires a small knife blade to gingerly lift off. Apply a little vaseline tip of the cap and your good to go.

This is great fun adult sized gem.

Received my Oktoberfest yesterday. Looks good.

Everything was fine until I tried to adjust the rear sight. That has GOT to be the poorest excuse for a rear sight that I have ever seen. (And I've been collecting air guns since the 1970's). It's far worse than anything the Chinese ever made. Worst thing: it's PLASTIC. The manual calls for a 1.5mm Allen wrench but mine required a 1/16 SAE wrench. Trying to adjust the sight is a waste of time. "Kentucky Windage" would work better. If anyone knows of a QUALITY iron sight (like a Williams) that will work on the 11mm rail of this rifle, please share that (and the model number) info with us. I do have an 11mm Red Dot that would fit but feel that would look rather out of place on this rifle.

With the exception of the =+%^^$%#*!!** rear sight, this is a nice rifle. I use Number 9 lead bb's which work great.

This gun is remarkable for the price. Accurate. Great trigger. Shoot all day attitude. Very easy cocking effort.

Have the ability to add a scope- it's that accurate after a GOOD cleaning.

If your on the fence, jump of and pull the trigger.

Construction is robust. Cocking is easy. Lots of fun for the money. I shoot one inch lollipops at 30 feet. It is so satisfying seeing a direct hit turn a lollipop into sugary dust. I have learned to point and shoot with much success. I love shooting this Oktoberfest BB rifle. Velocity is 450 fps -+ 10 fps using 8.18 gr. Gamo round, black ammo. This ammo is more accurate in my gun than lighter copper clad BBs. I used my AirChrony to measure velocity.

The sights could be better. The rear sight notch is too shallow. I've painted the front sight white for a better sight picture. However, as I mentioned earlier, I have learned to point and shoot the rifle using only the front sight.

Try different BB ammo. My gun loves the heavier Gamo round .177.4.5mm black ammo. Just for fun, I tested accuracy at 20 yards using the Gamo BBs. and got 4.5" groups. Lighter pellets grouped at six inches plus with lots of flyers. The Oktoberfest rifle is designed for very short range shooting, but shooting beer cans 60 feet away is possible. The rifle has sufficient power to penetrate both sides of a 16 oz. water-filled plastic bottle at 15 yards.

Power, adult sized, accuracy, trigger. Weight and size are consistent with a centerfire rifle instead of feeling like a toy.

Sights are not very friendly to "older" eyes. I had to add a dab of white out to the front post. I would have preferred more useable sights.

The large BB reservoir is also a big plus.

It was an excellent BB gun, and it still does have the potential to be the perfect adult sized BB gun for backyard casual plinking, bolt action repeating, dirt cheap ammo, great accuracy for a BB gun and its size was perfect for large built people like myself and the tube magazine reminded me of the first .22lr I ever shot.

The feed arm, in less than a 100 shots, I experienced a jam, I was using standard Daisy brand BBs, I followed the manual's instructions and pointed the muzzle down and cycled the cocking arm several times, gun still dry fired without loading the BBs. Turns out the feed arm that transfers the BB from the magazine to the barrel has a U cut in it to allow a pin from the cocking arm to move through it, but the U cut is directly next to the fulcrum the arm pivots on, shaping a perfect break point in the event of a jam. With a major redesign of the loading arm and perhaps a smooth bore barrel, this COULD be something really special for the air gunning community.

Hats off to Pyramid Air for having a good return policy and very timely customer service.

Very accurate BB rifle! Under $200 cost. Made by Diana. The accuracy, trigger, cost and Diana make this BB rifle a winner. Fit and finish are excellent for this price point.

A lot of trigger take up to finally engage the sear. The rear sight has two issues. No adjustment knobs or screwdriver slots for windage or up/down. You have to loosen allen screws and manually adjust the rear sight. The rear sight is small and takes getting use to. I can only use this sight during good days due to it's small size.

This is a full size and weight rifle. Odd cocking action. Average effort to cock the action. There is a 1 7/8" long 11 millimeter rail that the rear sight is in, so the sight could be replaced. About (4) pound trigger pull weight. The trigger pull is smooth but long, easy to feel when the sear will break. More of a bench and sandbags shooter, than a stand up rifle.

The fit and finish is very good.. The wood stock. Magazine capacity of 120 bbs. High velocity. accuracy, Fun to shoot, rifled barrel, well regulated sights

The sights could be better. I painted the front sight yellow.

The barrel was the dirtiest I have ever seen, and I cleaned it before I shot it. It was 12 degrees when I first shot it so I only shot 20 bbs. I used Daisy zink plated bbs, at 15 yards. The accuracy was excellent. The groups were 1.5'' -.25'' . Four went into .5''. I would not shoot this gun at 5 or 7 yards. That is too close, for the velocity. The closest I Would shoot it is 10 meters. I repeated this test with 100 bbs, at 16 yards, with the same results.This is an excellent BB gun! I shot off a small front rest.

High build quality, smooth easy cocking, appropriate trigger pull weight, smooth but creepy. Nicely machined steel and a flawless wood stock with a few plastic parts, this looks like a workman like, entry level pellet driver. It's easy to expect more from this gun than it will deliver. Remember it's a spring piston BB repeater, albeit a good one. Makes my Red Ryder and 25 feel like toys.

This gun needs better sights. Sights are too small and get lost behind the cocking mechanism. Cheek is too high for clear sight picture. This is one case where fiber optics would be of value. Full disclosure, I added a fiber optic front and a ghost ring rear.

I like simple, spring piston BB guns; load in the morning and shoot all day with no fumbling with ammunition or dropping tins of pellets on the ground. This is about fun. No angst about that flyer or missed shot that spoils your one hole 5 shot group. About time someone made a big boy BB gun. As delivered the Oktoberfest had the dirtiest barrel I've ever seen. It was chronographing an average 506 fps but jumping all over the chart. So were the BBs. A good cleaning and 400 rounds later it's averaging 460 fps with Daisy zink coated shot with a 4 point spread either direction. Although this is still marketed as a gallery rifle, it's no target shooter. At 5m BB range it will print a 5 shot group about quarter size. My 12 year old Red Ryder will shoot a single ragged hole that a dime will cover at that range. At 10 meters, the Daisy will stay within the 9 ring on a standard 5 1/2 inch target card. Not so the Octoberfest. But stretch that to 20 yds. and the diana shines.