The amazing rotating sighting system of the Diana 50b rifle

[45flint]

One of the joys of collecting is discovering new things about a gun you just purchased. The Diana 50b rifle I acquired yesterday has the most amazingly flexible sighting system I have ever encountered on a rifle. I am attaching a slide show to illustrate. First at the tip of the barrel is a rotary dial which by turning can rotate an internal “star” that has 4 different sighting posts. At the rear sight you have the peep which can be removed to reveal a plate which can be rotated to give you 4 different types of open sight notches. If you desire the open sight there is a dovetail plate on the middle of the rifle where the rear assembly can be mounted to give the proper distancing. You don’t see this every day, just a lot of fun to see it all work. Will I use it all probably not, but who cares. The open sights would add to the long stock military look? I think thumbing through the pics will illustrate.

https://imgur.com/gallery/3B2bM

This was available in the 1950’s, not surprisingly the rotary sight was dropped, not sure exactly when?. These rifles in various forms went on for 40 years but followed the usual pattern of most vintage guns, cost savings eat away as time goes on.

[bill57]

Sheer quality. It speaks of the understanding between the engineers who designed it, and the managers who would see it into production. A tragedy that such a great name is now used to sell such poor quality.

[Unframed Dave]

Very interesting, I've seen a rearsight arrangement like that on another gun, without the clip on dioptre. Can't for the life of me remember which one though.

Will keep an eye out for one now.

Thanks for sharing.

Dave

[I. J.]

Very interesting, I've seen a rearsight arrangement like that on another gun, without the clip on dioptre. Can't for the life of me remember which one though.


Dave

The later BSA Meteors had a peep sight plate adaptor. Was that it?

ATB
Ian

[eyebull]

Stunning sight setup.

[trajectory]

Excellent front sight, pretty good rear sight too, only wish they had designed the windage adjuster with a wheel instead of the dinky little square peg, but then to be fair if you compensate for the wind by aiming off how often do you need to adjust it?

[Unframed Dave]

The later BSA Meteors had a peep sight plate adaptor. Was that it?

ATB
Ian

Don't think so, was relying on a nights sleep to bring it to the front. Sadly nothing.

Dave

[trajectory]

Some wallets were blue, well at least one was, is...

[greenwayjames]

Didnt Falke use something similar on the top of the range rifles?

[Drew451]

A slightly different rotating notch rear sight plate is common to many higher end Diana's. Right through to the late 80's at least. Pull and turn with the fingers easily.
A very nice Model 50 you have. Superb find.

[45flint]

A slightly different rotating notch rear sight plate is common to many higher end Diana's. Right through to the late 80's at least. Pull and turn with the fingers easily.
A very nice Model 50 you have. Superb find.

Looks like no one imitated the front sight? Even Diana dropped it in the 1950’s? Probably wasn’t cheap, and also it does limit you to 4 posts, but at least you don’t loose them. Lol