Diana 34s

[jonnyone]

A query to the esteemed members of this section.

Quite a few years ago I purchased what I was told was a Diana 34s. Now, this is not the later SM with the ultra carbine barrel and large moderator. Rather this is a 34, with a 15" (?) barrel and a late modern looking- deep fore end stock.

The gun is dated 11 88 (its not a good stamping so just possibly could be 89), but a suggestion by a personage with superior Diana knowledge to myself has questioned that it is indeed a 34s. He suggests that at the date mentioned the stock would have been the older plain, slim type stock, and perhaps the barrel too has come off a later 34. In all perhaps suggesting that I may have bits from three guns- barrel, action and stock.

I'm starting to doubt what a 34s actually consists of and what it's appearance would be now.

Can anyone throw some light on this- perhaps with links to what they KNOW is deffo a Diana 34s (or maybe you own one)?

Thanks in anticipation.

Dave

[Drew451]

My own '88 34 is a long barrelled and very plain model. Its a T01 I'm sure its stamped as such. I thought that was the only model produced at that time and Diana were late on carbines.
However, Im pretty sure there was an 34S carbine produced in the early 90s with a plain, non deluxe stock. Stamped as a Diana and possibly as an RWS. As far as I am aware, there was no carbine Firebirds around the 89/90 period.

[look no hands]

I'm not overly clued up on Diana's, the only 34s I know of is around the same time as the 34sm (so mid 90's), I always wanted a 34sm but couldn't afford one at the time, I remember seeing a review in one of the mags at the time about the 34s, it was being tested because it was a package deal being offered from our very own sponsor of this BBS, the stock looked the same but it had a longer barrel and a different silencer than the one offered on the RWS 34sm.

That's the only light I can shed on the situation.

Pete

[landymick]

The mod 34C was around 1984 which had a 15.5 barrel, from 84 to 88 there where many variants of the 34 around making it very difficult to establish all the models.If it looks unaltered I would think it is genuine.

[webman]

The gun you describe sounds to be exactly the same as my Diana Model 34S. I still have the box, instructions etc. This was bought in around 1989 from Manchester Air Guns. The cylinder is marked "DIANA MOD 34", so will obviously lead to confusion. This is nothing new with Diana/Original guns, which in my opinion are a nightmare to identify correctly. The only clue to the correct model is on the end of the box it came in. This is marked Mod 34, followed by a stencilled "S". The picture on the box lid is of a Mod 48 sidelever, and there is no illustration on the box or in the instructions of the actual Model 34S in the box! The number on my 0.177 rifle is 658858, if that is any help. So there are at least two genuine Diana Model 34S rifles in existence.

[Drew451]

The gun you describe sounds to be exactly the same as my Diana Model 34S. I still have the box, instructions etc. This was bought in around 1989 from Manchester Air Guns. The cylinder is marked "DIANA MOD 34", so will obviously lead to confusion. This is nothing new with Diana/Original guns, which in my opinion are a nightmare to identify correctly. The only clue to the correct model is on the end of the box it came in. This is marked Mod 34, followed by a stencilled "S". The picture on the box lid is of a Mod 48 sidelever, and there is no illustration on the box or in the instructions of the actual Model 34S in the box! The number on my 0.177 rifle is 658858, if that is any help. So there are at least two genuine Diana Model 34S rifles in existence.

You mean it has a long, deep forend which covers the breech block? And quite a deluxe looking stock?

[jonnyone]

The gun you describe sounds to be exactly the same as my Diana Model 34S. I still have the box, instructions etc. This was bought in around 1989 from Manchester Air Guns. The cylinder is marked "DIANA MOD 34", so will obviously lead to confusion. This is nothing new with Diana/Original guns, which in my opinion are a nightmare to identify correctly. The only clue to the correct model is on the end of the box it came in. This is marked Mod 34, followed by a stencilled "S". The picture on the box lid is of a Mod 48 sidelever, and there is no illustration on the box or in the instructions of the actual Model 34S in the box! The number on my 0.177 rifle is 658858, if that is any help. So there are at least two genuine Diana Model 34S rifles in existence.

Just checked number on mine and it comes in at 660377. Not a million miles away.from yours webman? Combined with the date stamp (Im erring on it being 88 than 89 to be honest) it does seem to indicate that there is an above average chance that the barrel and action left the factory as a pair. I'm reasonably confident that the stock is contemporary going by your feedback now as well.
If the s variants had carbine barrels- and this certainly has- then I don't think its unreasonable to assume this is an s version.
Again thanks all for your input n hopefully clearing this up for me.
Dave