Diana 280

[jonnyone]

I managed to pick up a boxed 280K a couple of years ago and it is a lovely piece of kit. As Tony rightly said the action does seem low set in stock and the whole gun sleek n slender. Very pointable. One of those guns that it would be an abject crime to over scope.
As per usual, probably for cost reasons, the stock is the same that Diana fitted to the standard 280 despite the K being a scope dedicated gun. It is also helpfully screw cut at the muzzle to facilitate a mod and with the barrel being carbine it still doesn't end up excessively long with one in place. I think the K in particular was a UK market only model.
The stroke on these gun is very short making for a very fast action time. Mine has had little done and is very accurate.
Interestingly the gun is larger than a HW99 which it easily competes with but smaller than a HW95 which I'm not sure it's pitched against but still gives a more than credible run for the money.
Its a tough market out there currently. Airguns are hardly mainstream even though they are to the members of this forum. Unlike cars which practically all families own, airguns are a hobby that a sector of society partake in and it clearly is not that lucrative for any manufacturer right now but I think with Diana the bean counters seem to be running the show presently. Despite this I still wish them luck.
I don't think it is one of their better moves to drop the 280 (did I read right they've dropped the 430L also). It's quite ironic that even our power hungry American cousins have caught on to the virtues of these two models and are buying them. Just at the juncture the models are withdrawn. Ironic.
Dave

[Geezer]

did I read right they've dropped the 430L also

Yes, Dave. The only u/l left in the catalogue now is the 460.

[Geezer]

Nice write up on the 280 from Hector, last year:

https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hect...-the-diana-280

And very interesting series on the 430L:

https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hect...-all-it-can-be

And a great post on here from 2013:

http://www.airgunbbs.com/showthread....st-impressions

[jonnyone]

Yes, Dave. The only u/l left in the catalogue now is the 460.

Another shame then as this gun is also a cracker. I picked up the last gun out of Edgar brothers via Sportsman gun Centre. Unusually it came in .22. It was also unfortunately devoid of lube. I have had to strip and apply some light moly to the rear skirt and outer compression tube. It now glides well but in time I will tweak it more.
Some would say the 430 is the fixed barrel version of the 280.
There are one or two 430Ls around and about same as there are probably some 280s as Drew suggests. It may indeed be an idea to get one now if they float your boat.
Dave

[bill57]

Got to say it again, I bought a 280 a couple of years ago. One of only two guns I've ever had from new, it was utterly dreadful. Worst quality control I've ever seen, it got sent straight back and I would never, ever buy a Diana again.

[oldskoolzzz]

I’ve had some mixed experiences with the 280.

I really wanted one the first time they were announced as that slim stock looked so damn nice and low and behold I snapped up a used full length regular 280 not very long after they were released way back in 2011

First impressions were decent it shot nice and the T06 was a pleasure and that’s coming from a rekord snob

After the novelty had worn off as per usual I moved it on to help fund something else at the time as I regularly flit between Springers/pcp’s.

Then in 2013 I spotted a tuned 280k version (SFS) and just had to try it as I still prefer Carbine type Springers and it ticked the boxes so to speak.

It was a bit meh to be honest and not that dissimilar to my bog standard version so again it was booted out the door for something else

Then my 3rd time lucky surfaced a year later in late 2014 which was another 280k but totally standard this time and same again it was still a bit meh in all honesty.

Couldn’t quite put my finger on why the 280 didn’t quite do it for me maybe it just didn’t feel dare I say ‘quality’ enough and strange as it seems but last year I briefly owned a Remington express that came my way more out of curiosity than anything else but I couldn’t half think it really reminded me of the 280

[PCPShooter]

31/34 did everything the 280 did, but better - and easy to set up for UK too
280 was just attempting to match hw99 - another pointless rifle (imo) - as the 95 is better all round if set up correctly - just like 34 / 280 relationship

[Bluefan]

I like mine
I got one after reading Bigtoe’s blog and chatting to him I was going to let him do something to it he had done to his but I’ve not seen him since so it’s still standard one day maybe

[jonnyone]

I’ve had some mixed experiences with the 280.

I really wanted one the first time they were announced as that slim stock looked so damn nice and low and behold I snapped up a used full length regular 280 not very long after they were released way back in 2011

First impressions were decent it shot nice and the T06 was a pleasure and that’s coming from a rekord snob

After the novelty had worn off as per usual I moved it on to help fund something else at the time as I regularly flit between Springers/pcp’s.

Then in 2013 I spotted a tuned 280k version (SFS) and just had to try it as I still prefer Carbine type Springers and it ticked the boxes so to speak.

It was a bit meh to be honest and not that dissimilar to my bog standard version so again it was booted out the door for something else

Then my 3rd time lucky surfaced a year later in late 2014 which was another 280k but totally standard this time and same again it was still a bit meh in all honesty.

Couldn’t quite put my finger on why the 280 didn’t quite do it for me maybe it just didn’t feel dare I say ‘quality’ enough and strange as it seems but last year I briefly owned a Remington express that came my way more out of curiosity than anything else but I couldn’t half think it really reminded me of the 280

You do seemed to have persevered with the 280 and can certainly speak with some authority. Like you I love the T06 trigger though I've no doubt there will always be those that can knock even this. Like you I've a big respect and love for the Rekord so that unit is the benchmark we are measuring against. I have and still own lots of HWs to this day and enjoy flitting between the two marques. Understandably in your case the sale of one funds the purchase of the next and I wonder if that is also a factor in how you've come to own the same gun three times.
I've never shot a full length version but I suspect it's a little more tame than the 280K which can be a little snappy. I am surprised that the SFS version didn't float your boat as to their credit they do appear to sprinkle some magic on most guns they fettle.
In contrast to yourself my 280 seems every bit as up to scratch quality wise with my 99s and I think they complement each other, but hey that's me. Having shot a Diana Airking for some time now picking up a 280 or a 99 does feel like picking up a kids toy which of of course they are precisely not. I certainly wouldn't confuse lightweight with cheap build- as am sure many of us wouldn't. Both are lightweight springers which do make an occasional pleasant change from carrying some heavy scale shooting iron around.
Dave

[oldskoolzzz]

You do seemed to have persevered with the 280 and can certainly speak with some authority. Like you I love the T06 trigger though I've no doubt there will always be those that can knock even this. Like you I've a big respect and love for the Rekord so that unit is the benchmark we are measuring against. I have and still own lots of HWs to this day and enjoy flitting between the two marques. Understandably in your case the sale of one funds the purchase of the next and I wonder if that is also a factor in how you've come to own the same gun three times.
I've never shot a full length version but I suspect it's a little more tame than the 280K which can be a little snappy. I am surprised that the SFS version didn't float your boat as to their credit they do appear to sprinkle some magic on most guns they fettle.
In contrast to yourself my 280 seems every bit as up to scratch quality wise with my 99s and I think they complement each other, but hey that's me. Having shot a Diana Airking for some time now picking up a 280 or a 99 does feel like picking up a kids toy which of of course they are precisely not. I certainly wouldn't confuse lightweight with cheap build- as am sure many of us wouldn't. Both are lightweight springers which do make an occasional pleasant change from carrying some heavy scale shooting iron around.
Dave

Totally agree with your comments Dave.

Ironically I wouldn’t say no if another one came my way

There is something about them quite appealing and for me it was that elegant stock more than anything else which attracted me to them in the first place

I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between the SFS ‘Tooned’ version and a bog standard version that followed shortly after mores the pity.

I’m trying to rack my brains as much as possible with those 280 experiences but it was a long time ago now and couldn’t believe it was circa 10 years since my first one my how time flys.

However that recent Remington express that was passing through my mitts instantly reminded me of the 280 days which probably says more for the Remington than the 280 perhaps, although I still feel maybe I’m more eluding to that quality feel of the 280 which possibly disappointed a tad.