Diana MK4

[slow_runner]

After some delight with the mysteries of the courier delivery service, here is the Diana mk4 air pistol with the missing rear sight I wrote about earlier.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/302/32...ffd8dcb9_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/550/32...948a8fe6_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/596/31...9f9c6fda_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/362/31...50701172_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/494/31...af042349_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/322/32...9dea21c6_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/301/31...d2c92118_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/599/32...433e220f_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/627/31...7aa25206_o.jpg

It is reasonably well preserved and is in better nick than I had imagined, with only the lightest speckle.
That the whole package is so intact, I am wondering how the sight came to be missing - were these prone to losing the hinge pin and so, the sight?
This afternoon I fired a couple of pellets and judging by the results it may need a few drops of oil and perhaps a new spring. Not too sad though as it would plink well enough across the lounge room. It will be put over the chronograph tomorrow.
Did I say that I was happy? I am.

[slow_runner]

This morning the Diana was pulled down to attend to the small amount of speckle corrosion. The soft wire wheel and some light attention has seen good results; it is looking excellent. The breech seal was aged and hard so another was punched out and a paper packer inserted. Lube has been applied through the transfer port for the leather piston seal and the initial results are 250fps give or take a few more. Only a few pellets mind; now it is resting up and will be tried again later when the seal has taken on some condition

What fps should I expect from these Dianas? Is 250+- in the ballpark of reasonable?

Cheers.

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Wanted: rear sight for Milbro Diana MK4, the slide elevation type. Or images to replicate from.

[Josie & John]

This morning the Diana was pulled down to attend to the small amount of speckle corrosion. The soft wire wheel and some light attention has seen good results; it is looking excellent. The breech seal was aged and hard so another was punched out and a paper packer inserted. Lube has been applied through the transfer port for the leather piston seal and the initial results are 250fps give or take a few more. Only a few pellets mind; now it is resting up and will be tried again later when the seal has taken on some condition

What fps should I expect from these Dianas? Is 250+- in the ballpark of reasonable?

Cheers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wanted: rear sight for Milbro Diana MK4, the slide elevation type. Or images to replicate from.

What a lovely set. I'm after one of these early boxes myself. There should be a date stamp on the base of the grip and I'd be interested to know what it is.

250 fps is about right as these were never powerhouses. Good enough for tin cans at realistic ranges though.

Kind regards,

John

[slow_runner]

What a lovely set. I'm after one of these early boxes myself. There should be a date stamp on the base of the grip and I'd be interested to know what it is. 250 fps is about right as these were never powerhouses. Good enough for tin cans at realistic ranges though. Kind regards, John

Thanks John. I am well pleased with it, more especially after the clean up and seal replacement.
I intend to take a couple more images tomorrow to show the improvement in appearance.
It has 6-57 stamped on the butt. I don't know where that puts it in the historical context but it is in good nick for a near 60 year old air pistol.
New, it was £4/17/6p. That could have been a couple of weeks wages for the average peasant of the time .

How the rear sight came to be missing is a mystery; maybe the pins were prone to drop out with the end result of the sight losing its way?

The box must have been a premium given the extra work to make. Upon unpacking the parcel and opening the box, it was a definite surprise to find that the original treated wax(?) paper was still with it.

From the previous owner; he was given it by a mate who worked at the local tip. The story goes that it came in with a bunch of household clearance items. Maybe someones missus got all precious about such an item in the house and gave an ultimatum?

Cheers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wanted: rear sight for Milbro Diana MK4, the slide elevation type. Or images to replicate from

[Josie & John]

Thanks John. I am well pleased with it, more especially after the clean up and seal replacement.
I intend to take a couple more images tomorrow to show the improvement in appearance.
It has 6-57 stamped on the butt. I don't know where that puts it in the historical context but it is in good nick for a near 60 year old air pistol.
New, it was £4/17/6p. That could have been a couple of weeks wages for the average peasant of the time .

How the rear sight came to be missing is a mystery; maybe the pins were prone to drop out with the end result of the sight losing its way?

The box must have been a premium given the extra work to make. Upon unpacking the parcel and opening the box, it was a definite surprise to find that the original treated wax(?) paper was still with it.

From the previous owner; he was given it by a mate who worked at the local tip. The story goes that it came in with a bunch of household clearance items. Maybe someones missus got all precious about such an item in the house and gave an ultimatum?

Cheers.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Wanted: rear sight for Milbro Diana MK4, the slide elevation type. Or images to replicate from

A nice find indeed. June 1957 sounds about right for your variation of the MkIV as fixed sights were introduced fairly shortly afterwards. Perhaps the adjustables kept breaking!

Kind regards,

John

[slow_runner]

A nice find indeed. June 1957 sounds about right for your variation of the MkIV as fixed sights were introduced fairly shortly afterwards. Perhaps the adjustables kept breaking! Kind regards, John

It has been suggested that the 50's Diana 23 25 sights were used which makes sense.
Can anyone confirm that andf it is true then how were they attached or altered to enable the fitting to this air pistol?

While I am waiting here are images of the results of yesterdays efforts; thanks Jeff.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/672/32...acd26089_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/686/32...d7313a19_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/335/32...0937c712_o.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/648/32...918cef97_o.jpg

[APTD52]

I have exactly the same pistol in my collection. it was my first airgun..The raised area on the toplever should have a rectangular hole to locate the end of the sight and there should be a small round hole about one inch to the rear of this for a locating rivet. Please advise if this is the case on your gun.I will check and see if i have the parts and let you know. As gggr probably mentioned I dont have my own pc so response time could be bit slow.

Best wishes .Alistair Duncan

[slow_runner]

I have exactly the same pistol in my collection. it was my first airgun..The raised area on the toplever should have a rectangular hole to locate the end of the sight and there should be a small round hole about one inch to the rear of this for a locating rivet. Please advise if this is the case on your gun.I will check and see if i have the parts and let you know. As gggr probably mentioned I dont have my own pc so response time could be bit slow. Best wishes .Alistair Duncan

That is fine Alistair and thank you for your response.
My example does have the slot to accept a sight blade but there is not a hole for the rivet.
On the side of the raised section there is a hole for what I presume is the pin that locates and fixes the sight blade.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/335/32...0937c712_o.jpg
Quite how that is achieved I do not know. I have my own idea on how that was achieved but cannot confirm if it is the correct method without images of a genuine blade.

My understanding is that the earlier sights had an elevation slide and that the fixed blade sight followed. I could be incorrect though but regardless, this pistol did have the elevating sight.
If you, or some other kind person, have an example that could be photographed and images sent then I can complete this Milbro Diana.

Cheers, Ken

[lodmoor]

slow-runner your in box is full. I have PMd you re pics of MK4 sight but need your email addy to send them to.

[slow_runner]

slow-runner your in box is full. I have PMd you re pics of MK4 sight but need your email addy to send them to.

Thanks for the note. All sorted now.