Diana 45

[jonnyone]

Agree, with three riders:

- official velocity figures (though who trusts them?) in the 80s put the 34 ahead on power;

- the later 45-based RWS45 and 34-based 45 were slightly desperate attempts to cash in on the 45 model name: neither was very successful;

- my personal theory on the 45 is that it sold very well from introduction until the HW80 arrived in 1980/1, then became very unfashionable. It was indeed a great FT choice in the early days.

And I have a feeling that on cost it would now be at least in the same league as a 97 or TX. Which means it would not sell (like the new FWB Sport).

Yes I can't argue with much of what you have pointed out geezer. I think official and customer proven evidence pints to the 34 having higher power potential. Not quite sure which one wins on making that power smoother though. As we all know, more isn't necessarily best.
Ironically- and tjis is a purely personal perspective- I think that the RWS 45 was an.improvement over the rather bland 45, and in my book maybe it should have been the first format of the gun rather than.the last? Though its possible that the thinking there was to try and distinguish the 45 as an all new gun rather than a beefed up 35s which the RWS 45 shares a very similar stock to? And yes the stampede to.get the HW80 undoubtedly caused some sales damage to.the 45. But for those that didn't follow the herd I'm sure they continued to enjoy a very well engineered quality product.
It would be interesting to speculate as to what the price point would be of a 45 equivalent these days. And yes it may well be that Blighty could be overlooked if a 45 got re introduced in.the same way we are presently with the new FWB.

[Drew451]

Yes I can't argue with much of what you have pointed out geezer. I think official and customer proven evidence pints to the 34 having higher power potential. Not quite sure which one wins on making that power smoother though. As we all know, more isn't necessarily best.
Ironically- and tjis is a purely personal perspective- I think that the RWS 45 was an.improvement over the rather bland 45, and in my book maybe it should have been the first format of the gun rather than.the last? Though its possible that the thinking there was to try and distinguish the 45 as an all new gun rather than a beefed up 35s which the RWS 45 shares a very similar stock to? And yes the stampede to.get the HW80 undoubtedly caused some sales damage to.the 45. But for those that didn't follow the herd I'm sure they continued to enjoy a very well engineered quality product.
It would be interesting to speculate as to what the price point would be of a 45 equivalent these days. And yes it may well be that Blighty could be overlooked if a 45 got re introduced in.the same way we are presently with the new FWB.

In theory the RWS type could have been the first format of the gun as the 35 Super preceded the 45. Except no one thought of it at time. It did give the 45 a new lease of life in the twilight of its run. I find it surprising that the Original 45 ran on till '88. Presumably, they were still quite popular in some countries if not fashion conscious Britain.