side levers

[fatttmannn]

I like them myselves. Have the following- Webley Viscount .22, Hammerli Model 2 in .177,Air Arms branded Woodsman Carbine in .22, Original Diana 52 Firebird Carbine in .22, Baikel .177, and Norconia sideleaver allso in .177. so whats youre take on them,

[jonnyone]

I like them myselves. Have the following- Webley Viscount .22, Hammerli Model 2 in .177,Air Arms branded Woodsman Carbine in .22, Original Diana 52 Firebird Carbine in .22, Baikel .177, and Norconia sideleaver allso in .177. so whats youre take on them,

Hiya Dave.
Like you I have a Diana 52 and I did consider making it my main hunting iron at one stage in place of my HW80. But that never came to pass as I never quite got on as well with it as my 80. It is a solid gun though and accurate and its FAC potential is well attested if you go that direction. Always fancied one in .177 to see how that performed. The gun itself is abit let down by a plastic trigger (mine is dated around 1988). It also creeps a little. A replacement T06 would improve this no doubt.
I once had a chance of a Woodsman while on calls in Aberdare a few moons ago n wish in hindsight I had upped my offer.
I bet the recoil on the carbine 52 is a tad sharp?
Dave

[fatttmannn]

Hiya Dave.
Like you I have a Diana 52 and I did consider making it my main hunting iron at one stage in place of my HW80. But that never came to pass as I never quite got on as well with it as my 80. It is a solid gun though and accurate and its FAC potential is well attested if you go that direction. Always fancied one in .177 to see how that performed. The gun itself is abit let down by a plastic trigger (mine is dated around 1988). It also creeps a little. A replacement T06 would improve this no doubt.
I once had a chance of a Woodsman while on calls in Aberdare a few moons ago n wish in hindsight I had upped my offer.
I bet the recoil on the carbine 52 is a tad sharp?
Dave

Its quick, and am waiting for Welsh Willi to have a spare slot so he can do a kit for her. I have an 80 a series 1 that was made for my 18th and still going strong. Agree with the triguer on the 52 could be better but has a sideleaver hunter it has to be to my mind the best out there. You mention the .177 , I did have a 54 Airking, but my old car required a majour job to keep it on the road so I had to let it go that was simply awesome and at first chance when funds allow it will be replaced has its it is the best sidelever out there by a mile. The Woodsman allways appealed to me has I had a Jackal Parabelum when I was younger and latter a HI-Power both in .22 but allthough powerful for hunting with acceptable accuracey they were very noisey due to the stock and a bit non P?C( hate that bloody phrase) and wernt really wellcome at the club the Woodsman is after all only an AR7 without the military look, allso has the peried silencer which makes her a bit quieter to use, I call it the Warlock. my 52 is the Valkarie

[Phil Russell]

They are generally very nice rifles. The Diana 48/52 series are a bit heavy but can compete very well for accuracy against non sidelevers. The recoiless 54/56 (do I remember correctly?) are a good design but also on the heavy side. Many say you have to short stroke the 48/52 to get acceptable performance / shot cycle at <12 ftlbs, but I have shot very sweet examples in standard format.
The Air Arms series of sidelevers from yesteryear ... Mistral, Bora, Camargue, EX88 were highly regarded when they came out and I remember the magazine reviewers positively drooling over them.
Cheers, Phil

[fatttmannn]

They are generally very nice rifles. The Diana 48/52 series are a bit heavy but can compete very well for accuracy against non sidelevers. The recoiless 54/56 (do I remember correctly?) are a good design but also on the heavy side. Many say you have to short stroke the 48/52 to get acceptable performance / shot cycle at <12 ftlbs, but I have shot very sweet examples in standard format.
The Air Arms series of sidelevers from yesteryear ... Mistral, Bora, Camargue, EX88 were highly regarded when they came out and I remember the magazine reviewers positively drooling over them.
Cheers, Phil

Yes Phill agree with all of that, respect Sir.

[original45]

Got a couple of early aa models which are nice .
But the diana original 48/52/54 I get on with.
Love em.
Got a cupboard full.

[hookerball]

Got a couple of early aa models which are nice .
But the diana original 48/52/54 I get on with.
Love em.
Got a cupboard full.

Agree.These rifles are proper Heavy Metal that hit hard.Love em too.

[fatttmannn]

Agree.These rifles are proper Heavy Metal that hit hard.Love em too.

good to hear I am not the only one then.

[Hsing-ee]

I like the side-lever configuration and really liked the Hammerli 400 series in my youth. They are not quite as robustly made as they should have been, so my top side-lever is the Feinwerkbau 300 which is a superb piece of precison engineering.

The Hammerli sidelever can be prone to bending because of the positioning of the pivot holes in it and its stamped construction, and the trigger mech must be checked regularly to make sure the tiny grub screws that hold it on are not becoming loose - you can end up with a rounded-off sear.

I think that Air Arms should have made the Pro Sport a sidelever, although this might have been awkward for left-handed people. It is a better configuration for shooting prone and doesn't split the stock like an underlever.

[fatttmannn]

I like the side-lever configuration and really liked the Hammerli 400 series in my youth. They are not quite as robustly made as they should have been, so my top side-lever is the Feinwerkbau 300 which is a superb piece of precison engineering.

The Hammerli sidelever can be prone to bending because of the positioning of the pivot holes in it and its stamped construction, and the trigger mech must be checked regularly to make sure the tiny grub screws that hold it on are not becoming loose - you can end up with a rounded-off sear.

I think that Air Arms should have made the Pro Sport a sidelever, although this might have been awkward for left-handed people. It is a better configuration for shooting prone and doesn't split the stock like an underlever.

agree, love my Hammerli 2 in .177, its like a match rifle to shoot. I forgot my Original 75 to many guns methinks

[Stuart_B]

....... Feinwerkbau 300 which is a superb piece of precison engineering.

...

The mechanics are a work of art. Amazing gun and would dread to think of what it would cost to make these days.

[Baldrig]

I have an Air Arms SE90 .22 cal that I will be selling shortly. Does anyone have an idea of its value please?

[fatttmannn]

I have an Air Arms SE90 .22 cal that I will be selling shortly. Does anyone have an idea of its value please?

A very fine rifle, had one in .22, sold it two years back for £200 with a period scope, hope that gives you some idea a value.

[Popped]

Ive always fancied a side lever maybe one day

[Airsporterman]

My Wife's Webley Tracker Deluxe (oiled Walnut stock) is pretty tastey! (nearly as good as my Airsporter 'S' Carbine Deluxe - but that's an underlever.) (Oiled walnut stock)

ASM