Dating a Gecado Model 22

[Quadra]

I recently bought at auction an older Mod. 22. A lovely little air rifle it is and I've been trying to determine its age. It has no year of manufacture on the compression tube but has the forearm grooves on a very slender slab sided stock of dark stained beech. Could anyone give an approximate year or years when the forearm groove was dropped and the stock as a whole became somewhat fuller in appearance with a noticeably rounder profile. I've seen older Akah and Frankonia brochures on the VAG Forum dating to 1953 and 1954 respectively and my little gem appears exactly as the Model 22 Dianas pictured within those pages

[WebleyWombler]

That's because it is a Diana made by M&g. Gecado, Original and RWS were some of the alternative trade names they used depending on the region They were selling in

Edit, PS, they are often date stamped on the heel of the butt. It may be very feint though and hard to see as that part of the stock gets the most hammer.

[MDriskill]

Diana's sporter rifles seem to have gotten a general revision around 1963 or '64. Revisions to the actions, sights, and triggers; restyled stocks; and some fancy target variations of the models 35 and 50 were dropped in favor of the new recoilless model 60 match rifle. So not the most helpful answer but your model 22 is likely not newer than that.

The postwar Dianas that I have from before this time generally do not have serial numbers, but that may not be true for all the markets they covered.

[Benelli B76]

It seems like M&G supplied the southern hemisphere under the Gecado name. Saw them in South Africa.

Baz

[Quadra]

These "youth" rifles were listed in an old Western Scope Catalog dated 1965 that I picked up as a curio at a gun show about 30 years ago. I don't know much about this Canadian firm aside from the fact that their address was listed as being in Calgary, Alberta.

Gecado Model 22 $15.95 CDN
Gecado Model 23 $19.95 CDN
Gecado Model 25 $23.95 CDN

The Slavia Model 618 sold for $11.95. l

[crowbar]

On the date starting I have a mod 27 & mod 50 stamped 1966 but have read of but never seen a 1964 stamped rifle.