Diana 55

[ggggr]

Im buying a Diana 55 from the sales section. If anybody can get a look at the pics hes posted and the thread and let me know what you think. Im wondering whether it is "cut and shut" and whether that is a 25 or 27 stock? Anyway Im buying it to have a look at---but all opinions taken on board. Isnt it quiet on here recently?

[ggggr]

It arrived yesterday. Its a Diana 25 stock. Ive taken the bracket off a B2 cylinder and am waiting for a mate to weld it to the underside of the cylinder so I can use original screw holes in the stock instead of that strap arrangement. Stripped it down and the mainspring was broken into 3 but the piston washer was in good nick. A hex head bolt was through the cocking lever pivot so I will look for a cheese head bolt or a hex head with a longer shank. The rear sight base plate broke off when I tapped the sight off but will see if it will weld. The lug on the barrel that the cocking lever plunger locates on was missing and a spring clip kept the lever in place. The gun was covered in some laquer or gunge and the blue came off as I tried to remove it so I gave the gun a quick bluing last night. I glued the underside of the stock today where it was cracked. I ground and filed a hex head bolt to fit the dovetail on the underside of the barrel and cut away some off the shank. It was then that I found the cocking arm plunger was worn. I spent about 1 1/2 hours grinding and filing the plunger to get it to come far enough forward to locate on the peg. I cant work out whats missing from the gun to activate the loading tap (I assume its similar to early airsporters?). If anyone can post a pic on here I would be grateful although its more curiousity than getting it to work. If I can get the welding done and the glue on the stock does its job then I should get a decent fun plinker out of it. Watch this space.

[ggggr]

Anybody got a pic of how this is automatic? Anyway, gun not welded yet but drilled and tapped bracket 2ba. I will probably have to shorten the screws to stop cocking arm catching on them. I want to put the gun back together but fear the heat from the weld would turn the oil funny--so wait. Anybody interested the pics should still be in the normal sales section---Peter Griffin had it for sale and put pics up. Obviously, that bracket over the top will be gone when I can get the bracket on the underside of the cylinder welded. I think call it a Diana mk3.

[ggggr]

Well its sort of finished now. Mate turn up and welded the bracket on the cylinder and put a bit of weld on front of cylinder just behind the tap on the right hand side. This was because tap was going a bit too far forward when you opened it fully. I filed the weld and the tap lines up fine now. Because the bracket was tacked on the gun first and then a couple of more put on after taking action out of stock, the screw holes line up fine as well. I had everything ready to go back together. The small piece of boxwood that I araldited onto the inside of the stock to strengthen where it had split seemed ok and araldite had set. It went back together really easily. As I was using an old mainspring,the sleeve pushed down easily and I even lined the trigger up with the pin pretty quick. I had to fit the action in the stock before I could put the cocking arm on because of the bracket but decided that it was no problem and the bracket was better than 2 separate lugs. I used the bolt that came with the gun for the cocking lever pivot but have a cheesehead bolt to cut down to fit. I put the front sight back on and used a spare body for the rearsight. The plate was a little bent but I left it at that as Im shooting at short distance. The cocking lever seems slightly to one side so either it or the barrel is slightly bent (barrel seemed ok when looking up inside of cylinder). The catch I made for the barrel came loose so I used some superglue as Ive no loctite. It seems a nice little gun to plink with. Ive streched the old plunger spring and refitted it as my left forefinger was killing with pressing the catch. I may try to make up an alloy rod to replace the plunger unless someone has a webley mk3 on to try? Its probably jumped from the £28 I paid for it to £30 now! Interesting to look at though. Its like a slightly slimmer webley mk3 now but about inch and half shorter.