Grey Plastic Original Model 5 and Model 6 air pistols.

[zooma]

Can anyone date the use of the grey plastic stock/grips that were used on the Model 5 (and Model 6) air pistols following the change away from the 1958 - 1960 wooden grip types?

What I would like to know is how long this grey colour of plastic stock/grip was used before the brown plastic types that we are more familiar with here in the UK were introduced.

Lastly - does anyone have a plastic Model 5 or Model 6 that they would like to sell at a fair price ?

[Abasmajor]

Hello,

'Encyclopedia of Spring Air Pistols' (John Griffiths) states that grey plastic grips replaced wood grips from 1962 until early 1970s and brown plastic grips replaced grey plastic grips between early 1970s until 1978.

Can't find anything that dates changeover any more precisely.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Brian

[zooma]

Thanks for that Brian,

I am continuing my research to try and nail down the production dates for all of the Diana/Original types of air pistols - not sure why really - just something I am interested in finding out.

Here is what I have dug-out from a selection of good reference sources over the last 24 hours:-

Original Model 5 BB Wooden stock/grip 450 fps. August 1958 - 1960.
Original Model 5 TB Wooden stock/grip 450 fps. August 1958 - 1960.
Original Model 6 Wooden stock/grip 450 fps. 1960 - 1961.
Original Model 5 Grey plastic stock/grip 450 fps. 1960 - 1972.
Original Model 6 Grey plastic stock/grip 450 fps. 1961 - 1972.
Original Model 5 Brown plastic stock/grip 450 fps.1972 - 1978.
Original Model 6 Brown plastic stock/grip 450 fps 1972 - 1978.
Original Model 5G Slant Grip type with plastic grips 450 fps. November 1978 -
Original Model 5GM Magnum Slant Grip type with 700 fps (!) 2003 - 2008.
Original Model P5 Magnum with 9" barrel and 568 fps.
Original Model 6G Slant Grip type with plastic grips 450 fps. November 1978 -2000.
Original Model 6G Slant Grip type with wooden grips 450fps.
Original Model 6GS Slant Grip type with scope rail and scope 450 fps.
Original Model 6M Slant Grip type with plastic grips 450 fps. 1978 - 1995.
Original Model 6M Slant Grips type with wooden grips 450 fps.1978 - 1999.
Original Model 10 Mk 1 with eccentric thumb web collar 450 fps. August 1974 - 1977.
Original Model 10 Mk 2 with barrel weight an plastic clip-on thumb web spacer 450 fps.January 1977 - 1989.

I still need to cross reference some of this information a little more and of course there are lots of small variants in amongst this lot as well - but this is my first stab at it and I will try to refine and amend it over the new few weeks/months/years


I am still looking for a nice grey plastic Model 5 or Model 6 if I can find one at the right price.

[Abasmajor]

Hi Bob,

Looks like you have already accumulated quite a bit of data to be going on with. Presumably you have used the 'Vintage Diana Resources Forum' for some of your research. I always enjoy using this and the similar BSA Forum (thanks Danny) for any Diana/Original or BSA related information.

I have a pre-war Diana Mod 5 which I think is a very underrated pistol and a pleasure to shoot.

Good luck with your search for a later Mod 5/6.

Regards

Brian

[greasemonkey]

hi zooma, I have a Diana model 6 that was made in 1969 and has the brown plastic stock,hope this helps..greasemonkey

[Garvin]

Bob I used to own this Diana mod 6 and I'm pretty certain it was dated 1968, although I can't remember the month - the digits are so small I can't see from the pics either.

[aircol]

Grey 08 68 , brown 05 70 , model 6 grey and brown no stamp of date but on the right side markt , deutsche bundespatent , auslandpatente.
Keld :-)

[RobinC]

Hi Bob
Other than knowing that they were definately brown in '72 as a friend bought a new one I can't help. Have you tried Mayer and Grammelspacher who made them as they are still in existance trading as Diana again and looking at their website they are very proud of their history, it is in German but they do refer to that era of product, and I think they are still in the original factory site.
Diana
Mayer & Grammelspacher GMBh & Co.KG
info@diana-airguns.de

[hilton]

I was under the impression that the grey grips were released in Germany and branded as Diana and Gecado

[zooma]

Hi Bob
Other than knowing that they were definately brown in '72 as a friend bought a new one I can't help. Have you tried Mayer and Grammelspacher who made them as they are still in existance trading as Diana again and looking at their website they are very proud of their history, it is in German but they do refer to that era of product, and I think they are still in the original factory site.
Diana
Mayer & Grammelspacher GMBh & Co.KG
info@diana-airguns.de

Thanks Robin - I will give them a try - but they weren't very forthcoming when I asked them about my Model 100 rifle!!

[red bob]

hi bob i have an original mod 6, brown grips dated 07 78 . for reference.
interestingly while looking in the large sponge bag she came in i found a plastic bag with a set of L/H grips tucked in the lining and a printed paper leaflet.

[zooma]

hi bob i have an original mod 6, brown grips dated 07 78 . for reference.
interestingly while looking in the large sponge bag she came in i found a plastic bag with a set of L/H grips tucked in the lining and a printed paper leaflet.

That large sponge bag sounds like a proper little Alladins cave - found anything else interesting hidden away in there?

[red bob]

funny you should say that bob the printed paper leaflet had some kind of old map pointing to a hidden collection of vintage bellows rifles, but that was rubbish and i screwed it up and chucked it

[zooma]

Hi Bob,

Looks like you have already accumulated quite a bit of data to be going on with. Presumably you have used the 'Vintage Diana Resources Forum' for some of your research. I always enjoy using this and the similar BSA Forum (thanks Danny) for any Diana/Original or BSA related information.

I have a pre-war Diana Mod 5 which I think is a very underrated pistol and a pleasure to shoot.

Good luck with your search for a later Mod 5/6.

Regards

Brian

Hi Brian,

I have not used the forums you mention for any of my research - I just dug into my library of various old air gun books - but I will take a look some time as I never thought about using them and I should have done!

Thanks - Bob.

[matt 1966]

While browsing I moticed protek suppllies have two grey grip models for sale in their collectable air gun section