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]

Thanks to all who have replied. This gun was a bit of a mystery from word go in that I am sure the seller advised it was an s variant but it also had a joking firebird sticker under the pistol grip. The genuine article has the medallion inset into the grip as I have a 52 displaying this. So on purchase I discounted the sticker as simply a joke. But the gun has certainly confused me a bit over time having the more modern stock similar to the contemporary model 38 of the day. But with the 15 or so inch barrel I wasn't sure quite what I has bought. As has been mentioned it can be frustratingly difficult to pin down an exact model with Diana due to their profusion of models.
I had started to think that I may have had the action of a 34 firebird and a standard stock-with someone having had the genuine firebird stock away before it came into my hands.
I will check on the serial number to see where it lies in relation to that mentioned above. In many ways I do hope that it is indeed a 34s.
Thanks again for the replies.
Dave

[jonnyone]

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

I have to say this sounds spit.of mine. But I will check the serial number to see where that lies...

[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

[landymick]

Does your have stock have a cheek piece or is it plain more like the early 45 ?

[jonnyone]

Does your have stock have a cheek piece or is it plain more like the early 45 ?

Nope it has a cheek piece, deep front fore end and pressed checkering. Identical stock to the model 38 that we once had. Its not the older plain model 34 type.

[Drew451]

Effectively a model 38 with shorter barrel. Always wondered why they continued to offer the 38 when the fancier 34's came out.
Final edition of Walters book ('87) gives no details of any Diana carbines. And the 34 still had the very plain stock. It maybe that 1988 was indeed the year that the 38 type 34's came out along with carbine barrels.
My '88 is the extremely plain version, though.

[landymick]

Nope it has a cheek piece, deep front fore end and pressed checkering. Identical stock to the model 38 that we once had. Its not the older plain model 34 type.

So its the deluxe stock then which happens to be the same as the UK 38 stock.

[landymick]

Effectively a model 38 with shorter barrel. Always wondered why they continued to offer the 38 when the fancier 34's came out.
Final edition of Walters book ('87) gives no details of any Diana carbines. And the 34 still had the very plain stock. It maybe that 1988 was indeed the year that the 38 type 34's came out along with carbine barrels.
My '88 is the extremely plain version, though.

The earlier 38 around 1986 was a Walnut stocked 36 which was a deluxe stocked 34 as I understand it.It has a slim for end & shorter stock with exposed breach.A lot of models were discontinued as RWS continued to confuse them selves.

[jonnyone]

Effectively a model 38 with shorter barrel. Always wondered why they continued to offer the 38 when the fancier 34's came out.
Final edition of Walters book ('87) gives no details of any Diana carbines. And the 34 still had the very plain stock. It maybe that 1988 was indeed the year that the 38 type 34's came out along with carbine barrels.
My '88 is the extremely plain version, though.

Yet again Diana's numeration of their models confuse me, but I've long given up trying to figure it out. Following withdrawal of the successful 45, the 38 was the immediate replacement. Strange how a replacement model has a lower number than its predecessor? Especially if you try n figure that a manufacturer may.number more powerful or more prestige model numbers.in an.upward direction. Just after the introduction of the 38 I went away from the airgun scene so other than knowing the 45 was withdrawn I had no knowledge of the introduction of the ubiquitous 34. Strange you say that the 38 continued on after introduction of "fancier" 34? Wasn't the very first 34's quite plain then? In effect making the 38 the fancier gun not vice versa?
One thing that I cannot understand is how the "boxy" type stocks seemed to be in vogue at one time, in fact mimicking the contemporary HW80 which I have no doubt the 34 and 38 were introduced to compete with. I actually STILL prefer its looks compared to other styles and have come to regard it as akin.to a deluxe version of the slimmer, plainer Diana stocks. Personally I think they handle better to with the flat surfaces of the stock providing grip and alignment advantages over the slimmer more rounded standard versions. But that's just my personal tastes. Could it be that the larger slab type stocks were.more expensive to produce? There's certainly more wood in there
My instinct is that 1988 was indeed the year that carbine barrels were introduced. I think this makes for a better handling gun- and I think I'm not alone in this view. Does make you wonder why then Diana did not make this a regular option? Barrel blanks would have gone further for them
The very rare custom models of the 34 and 38 look extremely good hunting weapons. Having not long picked up the ultra carbine 34SM this seems an ideal handling weapon and my early sessions with it indicates accuracy is all there despite what looks to.be no longer than a 250mm barrel.