Post war Diana model 27 advice sought

[sevorg]

Good afternoon, not been here for a while but have some spare time now and was thinking of tinkering with a couple of project rifles. I was given a rather rough looking 0.22 Diana 27 a year or so back, and was wondering if it is worth investing a little time and effort in as a light weight ratter. It chronos between 6.8 and 7.5 ftlb and I was wondering what one of these should do with a good lubrication service without any modification to internals as an indication of its general health?

To help identify it, it has "Diana Mod 27 made in Gt Britain" across the rear of the cylinder with no visible serial numbers. The rear of the cylinder has a knurled, domed cap that unscrews to reveal the internals. I believe it to be post war possibly mid to late 50s.

[laverdabru]

Used to have one in .22 30 odd years ago, which was an early '50's one with, I think, a very nice alloy trigger. Recently. I bought a similar model 25 in .177. Both easy to work on. Sold my 27 years back to a farming friend, who used it as a short range ratter.

HTH

Bru

Ps - love the cider comment!

[sevorg]

Hi Bru, thanks for the info, I think I'll have to strip it down and see what it's like inside.

[DSidelever]

Strictly speaking its a Milbro 27 & I believe TW Chambers still have some spare parts (plus a useful diagram!) ((www.gunspares.com)).

Does yours have rifling ? I mention that because IMO the smoothbore versions of the Milbro 27 are not worth too much attention (I speak from personal experience from many years ago)..

Dating these rifles isn't as easy as genuine M&G Dianas but the stock type can be an indicator (finger groove fore end etc).

There's also been a lot of Millard Bros (Milbro) info put up on Danny's Vintage Diana Forum (http://www.network54.com/Index/103829) - lots of old catalogues & adverts etc.

[sevorg]

Strictly speaking its a Milbro 27 & I believe TW Chambers still have some spare parts (plus a useful diagram!) ((www.gunspares.com)).

Does yours have rifling ? I mention that because IMO the smoothbore versions of the Milbro 27 are not worth too much attention (I speak from personal experience from many years ago)..

Dating these rifles isn't as easy as genuine M&G Dianas but the stock type can be an indicator (finger groove fore end etc).

There's also been a lot of Millard Bros (Milbro) info put up on Danny's Vintage Diana Forum (http://www.network54.com/Index/103829) - lots of old catalogues & adverts etc.

Thanks for the link to net54, I was just starting to think there must be a Diana forum out there... Mine has a rifled barrel and an alloy trigger (but without the two adjustment screws I've seen on some of the images). I must take some photos and load them through one of the photo hosting sites to get a more reliable date from those in the know. The stock has a finger groove and "No III" engraved, reasonably neatly, into one side suggesting it might have been used by cadets or scouts possibly.

[DSidelever]

You could try Photobucket or Flikr (whatever!) for your images & right here, on this section, would be the very best place to ask. The Trainer angle does add a lot of 'interest'.

(There is a Sticky posting somewhere on the BBS about how to post images).

[sevorg]

You could try Photobucket or Flikr (whatever!) for your images & right here, on this section, would be the very best place to ask. The Trainer angle does add a lot of 'interest'.

(There is a Sticky posting somewhere on the BBS about how to post images).

Thanks for this, here we go with an attempt at some images... http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/gr...?sort=3&page=1

I've tried to show as much detail as possible with the stock removed. Can anybody offer an estimate of age and potential value please?

[laverdabru]

Photos came out fine.
Gawd, that take me back - my first air rifle, back in the '70's. bought for a fiver from a secondhand shop known as 'Dodgy Joes'.
There are people on the site who will know a lot more than me...but I think the version with a nice ali trigger & fluted forestock is early/mid '50's.
Value - again, others know far more than me. £50, maybe £65 max as is?
I was happy to pay that for a Diana 25 .177 of slightly newer age recently, with a steel trigger, but it was in VGC.

HTH

Bru

[DSidelever]

Bru's Pa must have been to that shop ('Dodgey Joes) a day before my Dad popped in...

I got the smoothbore version

The one pictured (very good pics BTW!) is in excellent condition indeed (new breech seal needed though) and you're right about the stock markings - it looks very much like a club rifle.


Don't get me wrong, that first rifle of mine was leaning up against the wall of my bedroom so I could admire it (the old days) as a 7/8 year old.

& I spent many an hour walking about with it (broken, shotgun style, naturally),

never hit a bloody thing with it though.

[DSidelever]

RE: Milbro 27 .177

I used to cycle about 3 miles down to a village (nearby where my family lived and now about 4 miles further again away) called Northleach to visit the local Gunshop (+ fishing tackle!) for my 'ammo'. It was the shop of a Mr T Chambers ... yes, the T W Chambers who I linked to, now sadly deceased, the 'Gunspares' outfit which keeps this section going for spare parts. Decent old boy, who quite rightly always suggested Eley Wasps, he moved up to Scotland sometime in the middle to late 70's.

He did well.

[sevorg]

Thanks for the additional info. It does bring back memories of more relaxed days, I used to take my dad's Webley Mk1 pistol out on walks along the Great Ouse in the late 60s aged 10+, never tired of shooting at bits and pieces floating by and always seeing your point of impact. I put many thousands of pellets through that gun.

[sevorg]

I've had this apart now and performed a service as per http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....ing-Gun-Tuning together with a tidy up of any sharp edges. I kept the original spring as it didn't feel too weak and added a delrin washer each end to aid any rotation. This means the spring is only a couple of mm away from being fully compressed when cocked but I think this gives a reasonable safety margin. I may remove one washer if I have it apart again.

I attempted to rejuvenate the breach seal but realised after a few dozen pellets that it was not right. Decided to put an O-ring in as the new leather seal I put into my Cadet Major project was not too successful, worked but looked a real mess. Anyway, following the fitting of the new seal I put a few rounds through the chrono this morning and was surprised to find it averaging 528 ft/sec with only +/- 4 ft/sec variation, = 8.9FPE with 14.4gn Mosquito Express (best results from my very limited variety of .22 ammo). It is also very smooth with a quite refined feel to the recoil.

Originally my intention was to sort the gun mechanically and offer it for sale on here, but it is starting to grow on me... so much so that I might tart up the stock as it is (badly) varnished with the odd run and plenty of dings in it. One question I'd like to ask is should I leave the engraving on the stock http://s1378.photobucket.com/user/gr...tml?sort=3&o=2 or attempt to loose it? Opinions please.

[isobar]

personally,i would leave the stock alone apart from a polish,as you say the symbol have been done neatly and just adds a bit of interest.i have a 27 but it's a german made "original",nice little rifles but i have yet to shoot it as accurately as it is capable of. atb

[harry mac]

I've had to retire mine until I can get it sorted. At the moment it's like a carton of milk. It goes off on its own
Usually, just as you close it. I think it's suffering from "Diana Piston".

[laverdabru]

Good to have the update. I'd be tempted to leave the stock markings, neatly done & part of the guns history.
They do seem to be quite pokey for the time, the 25 in .177 I bought from HarryMac a while back spits the pellets out well.
Bru