Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
Two thoughts:

1. The 70s-80s were "power mad". I was a teenager then. We all wanted "full hunting legal limit 12 ft/lbs power" even if that meant we ended up at 14 trying to manage an HW80, and probably failing.

2. The Original Dianas were better marketed than later (or now) but they were typically anything from the same price as a BSA Meteor (24 and Meteor both about £44-45 in 1984) to 5-10% more expensive. Those youth guns were mostly bought by dads - who (a) probably didn't want to spend more than needed to start junior shooting, (b) still had a patriotic attachment to British brands.
Very true. I also remember some of those with junior guns had dads who were into shooting and were gun savvy. These were often bought new. But yes, a lot of 14 year olds were wrestling with 2nd/ 3rd hand HW's, BSA Mercs or big Webleys.