Yes they are, when the sliding-breech escaped from the Match rifle and Communist camps and made it to Sporting Rifle land it was all over. Dumping leather piston seals etc etc were all detail moves.

I think the most important thing has been the improvements of the pellets, and the dumping of the tap-loaders which, with a tiny number of exceptions, were shite compared to their break-barrel sisters. Your Diana 35 is probably far more accurate than any Diana 50 anyone on the board has got, and more powerful too.

There are a lot more to choose from now though, although all variations on a theme. I might get a Hatsan, as that is a truly modern springer.

No one will make a 22mm bore, it is as likely as Air Arms making a HW99S-type rifle. Not a big enough market...