Advice - HW99 v Diana 280

[Mark_WBA]

Hello

Looking for a light weight springer... But I torn between these two.

What the general consensus on these.. Does anyone have any practical experience of either rifle

I'm used to carrying a HW80 around all day hence the need for a lighter option

Cheers

Mark

[TonyL]

Hi Mark,

You're looking at two very good rifles there. Lightweight, accurate, excellent triggers and with typical precision German build.

But I'd also suggest that you throw the HW95 and the Diana 31/34 variants into the mix.

The main deciding factor should be how they feel to you and which you think suits you best as regards handling, weight, dimensions etc. All the rifles will be excellent.

I own two HW99s and two 95s and love them all. You may be aware of some "issues" regarding the cocking lever to cylinder wear on the 99? They don't all do it. And it's fixable. And to not buy one because of this would mean that you're missing out on a superb little rifle with a beautifully refined firing cycle, contradicting the old notion that you can't have a full power, lightweight rifle that is so nice to shoot and so easy to achieve real world accuracy with. However, if the scare stories, er, scare you, the 95's a superb rifle.

I have had only brief experience of the Diana 280, having had a few goes with them. And loved them! Lovely handling and I really like the way the action feels "low set" and "flat" into the stock.

I have zero first hand experience of the 31/34 Dianas, but many owners are extremely pleased with them and I see no reason to predict that they would be nothing other than excellent.

One criticism you do seem to hear of the Dianas is that they are very dry from the factory. Ideally a strip, clean and re-lube would see to this, but if you didn't want to strip initially, some careful application of moly grease to the spring coils, rear of piston and cocking slot should be fine.

Now that the Dianas are available at more realistic prices over here, I'd predict they'll become more popular.

Hope this helps a little. Try and handle as many of these as you can before deciding. Better still if you can have a go with them, ideally at a club / longer range.

[tinbum]

I had a Diana 31 land on the doormat today! Well ok, so it didnt fit through the letterbox, but you get the idea......

Initial impressions are good: Nicely made, well finished and fit is good, but its a very twangy 7.5j model, so as soon as I've finished my pre-Crimble stock list I will get to work on it and fit the export spring that came in the box.
It could be the synthetic stock, but it seems very light and very well balanced with weight a little forward of the HW, so hopes are high.

[Drew451]

Spot on advice above. I can only recommend the full length 280 in .22 since that's the only one of the two that I own. Performance wise, I cannot split it with the HW85k that I have except the Diana handles better. The fibre optic sights may not be everyone's cup of tea though. Mine was well lubed although other modern Diana's I've had have been dry as a bone.
If I had the choice of any of the above mentioned, I'd probably go for a new Diana 34 Premium. It would give at least equal performance to the 280 in a nicer looking package with more traditional open sights. Better options for tuning also, if required.
Can be had for around 260 quid, which isn't much more than a 280.

[tinbum]

Spot on advice above. I can only recommend the full length 280 in .22 since that's the only one of the two that I own. Performance wise, I cannot split it with the HW85k that I have except the Diana handles better. The fibre optic sights may not be everyone's cup of tea though. Mine was well lubed although other modern Diana's I've had have been dry as a bone.
If I had the choice of any of the above mentioned, I'd probably go for a new Diana 34 Premium. It would give at least equal performance to the 280 in a nicer looking package with more traditional open sights. Better options for tuning also, if required.
Can be had for around 260 quid, which isn't much more than a 280.

The 31 I got is the same as the 34 but much cheaper and in synthetic. Given that this ones fate is to be pulled apart and experimented on it seemed only right to go for the cheapest option. However, if it works as well as I hope a 34 premium will be on its way very soon!

[PCPShooter]

Hello

Looking for a light weight springer... But I torn between these two.

What the general consensus on these.. Does anyone have any practical experience of either rifle

I'm used to carrying a HW80 around all day hence the need for a lighter option

Cheers

Mark

Cometa Fenix 400 instead, or Diana 31/34 compact, or HW95, leave the 280 and most definitely the 99s, behind

[rabbitwrecker]

No first-hand experience of the 280, but nothing bad to say about the Dianas I have owned. I have however, been shooting an HW99s for the past 18 months and can't praise it enough. Truly an awesome little rifle and no galling issues either...

[Drew451]

The 31 I got is the same as the 34 but much cheaper and in synthetic. Given that this ones fate is to be pulled apart and experimented on it seemed only right to go for the cheapest option. However, if it works as well as I hope a 34 premium will be on its way very soon!

For a development rifle, I'd agree. But for a keeper, I'd take the Premium with your perfected kit in it. And I may very well do that.
Mark, you will notice a big difference in weight and general handling with any of the Dianas or smaller HW'S mentioned. They are nicer in the hand and come to the shoulder better. No chore to carry about a shoot all day

[Jackspratt]

Hello

Looking for a light weight springer... But I torn between these two.

What the general consensus on these.. Does anyone have any practical experience of either rifle

I'm used to carrying a HW80 around all day hence the need for a lighter option

Cheers

Mark

Don't even consider a comparison - just buy the 99s.

Or if you want to save a few quid go for the HW50s from Europe - same gun!

Jack

[Rickenbacker]

No first-hand experience of the 280, but nothing bad to say about the Dianas I have owned. I have however, been shooting an HW99s for the past 18 months and can't praise it enough. Truly an awesome little rifle and no galling issues either...

It doesn't matter how many times you say you've had no galling issues - It's still only you who's had no galling issues!

[Drew451]

It doesn't matter how many times you say you've had no galling issues - It's still only you who's had no galling issues!

While accepting Diana aren't perfect and should be lubricating all of their new rifles properly from the factory, I'd say Weihrauch are very remiss in churning out HW99s and HW30s with a design/ manufacturing fault which seriously affects the operation of the majority of new examples.
I say that as someone who has owned a barrowload of both makes. But not a 99 as yet.

[tinbum]

It doesn't matter how many times you say you've had no galling issues - It's still only you who's had no galling issues!

That's why I'm still buggering about with other guns. The 95 is better by a long chalk and for very little cost will outshoot a perfected 99 with ease. I love the 99 but the chagrin induced by HW's lack-lustre approach to detail has kinda ruined it for most people.

The Diana 31 will be better, which is almost a shame.

[Rickenbacker]

While accepting Diana aren't perfect and should be lubricating all of their new rifles properly from the factory, I'd say Weihrauch are very remiss in churning out HW99s and HW30s with a design/ manufacturing fault which seriously affects the operation of the majority of new examples.
I say that as someone who has owned a barrowload of both makes. But not a 99 as yet.

I agree with that, and I can say 'me too' re your last sentence.

Diana - Almost every model has some feature or other that spoils the party (for the UK 12 FPE market, at least). The 280s being a stupidly long and dog-leg trans' port (I'm sure Barry will be along if I'm wrong on that one).

HW - As said, increasingly poor QC in recent years is getting to the point of seriously putting the punters off. It's as-if they really don't care so long as the products look OK on the outside. The HW50 / 99 issues annoy me, particularly because the '50 was the first HW airgun made (in the 1950s). And the basic design used to work! So it can only be a decline in quality of manufacture, tolerances, build or materials - that has resulted in the same design giving such problems recently.

I could go on about both manufacturers, but as the OP asked about the 99 vs the 280: I think I'd try a Diana 31/34, like Mr Tinleg says.

[tinbum]

The ridiculous dog leg thingy induces inefficiancy and a softer shot cycle. I'm hoping to exploit both for a perfect .177 break barrel.

See that box? []

Here I am, thinking outside it!

[Drew451]

The 34 transfer port is dog legged also. Or was. Not being an engineer, I've no idea why this configuration was chosen. The 280 appears to be a short cylindered 34 as was the earlier 28. I agree that the 31/34 would be unlikely to disappoint.