Diana overlooked/underated?

[Bluefan]

I'm not sure where he bought one for that price but I bought my new one from kirklees guns last week for the same £220 price tag, it's a 34 classic in .22 and a bargain for that price they have had it a while upstairs it's stamped 2016 but was fresh in the bag and box.

Snap. Bought the 280 there for the same price but I think they've gone up a bit now.

[LESS THAN FORTUITOUS KENNETH]

I have a 46 stutzen. Well happy with it. Or if we are talking Originals as well, then I also have a 45 and a 50. Both are excellent bits of kit.

[jonnyone]

Ill second that regarding the 46 Stutzen Ken. Well happy I have it.

Squirrels not quite so well pleased.....

[Geezer]

No experience of new ones.

Old ones are good. Similar or better (often better, in performance terms) than Webley, BSF or BSA. Not quite classic HW or FWB quality and performance. But close, depending on the model.

Dianas were appallingly marketed and priced for about the last 20 years. 700 quid for a factory springer, even the 56TH, is silly.

Back in the mid-80s, they competed well with everything: a base Diana 35 cost about the same as a standard HW35 or a (non-S) base model BSA Mercury and a tad less than a Webley Vulcan; a 45 cost a little less than a (non-S) Airsporter, or an HW80 and only a bit more than a Vulcan. And about three-quarters the price of an FWB Sport.

The original (no pun) model 34 undercut all of the above, a few pounds below even the basic Mercury.

The 50 was a premium model, selling for much more than it was actually worth (IMHO) - more than an Airsporter S, 20% more than an 80, 40% more than an FWB.

[bill57]

The Mayer and Grammelspacher guns were beautifully made, a member of my club has an Original 35 which is just lovely. Years ago I had a Diana (not Original) Model 5 pistol, with the embossed and stippled wooden grip, how I wish I'd never sold that.

Don't get me wrong, I have seen photos of newer Dianas which look very well made, lovely guns, but I'm sure that at some point their manufacture left Germany and those days of quality, for me anyway, are over.

[mattyw1987]

So are they not made in Germany any more? My new 34 has made in Germany stamped into the cylinder along with 2016, Bit of a con if they are not made there is that.

[Bluefan]

So are they not made in Germany any more? My new 34 has made in Germany stamped into the cylinder along with 2016, Bit of a con if they are not made there is that.

I'm guessing mine and yours are from the same batch from Kirklees in so much as they are older made in Germany stock, so we touched lucky. It's a good shop and the staff know there onions (that's Yorkshire business men for you)