RWS Diana 52 - tuning options....

[Geezer]

What do you want to do with it?

Plinker: leave as is.

Serious hunter/FT: big tune.

My old 52 (factory slow lazy spring and restricted set-up) is a nice plinker (aka informal target rifle). Improving it much would cost at least what it’s worth.

[Hellequin]

What do you want to do with it?

Plinker: leave as is.

Serious hunter/FT: big tune.

My old 52 (factory slow lazy spring and restricted set-up) is a nice plinker (aka informal target rifle). Improving it much would cost at least what it’s worth.

Well, I had intended it being a jack of all trades, so a bit of bunny bashing plus some plinking & informal (not club competition) HFT style target shooting. That said, it's a .22 so I'd no real intentions or expectations for anything ultra serious for it. It's just a rifle I'd wanted for a long time and having finally found one in the right condition I'd like to use it rather than just look at it.

If I'm brutally honest, I know that to have this rifle seriously (professionally) tuned would be my heart ruling head and that something like a 97k in .177 (or a new Walther LGV) would be a more 'efficient' proposition as target/occasional hunting rifle. I don't really want to leave it 'standard' long term though, it's too nice a rifle to be left sounding like a dodgy bed spring every time the trigger is pulled...

[Frog]

Forget the T06 trigger - instead do the T05 two screw trigger mod - very easy and cost about 10p for a second adjustment screw. Gives an excellent result.

[robs5230]

The T05 trigger is a nice trigger. No need for a T06.
I had one of Tony's kits in my 52 and it totally transformed it from the lumbering hunk that it was into a rifle that was totally different.

Mine was a .22 ultra carbine too.
With Tony's help it was rebarrelled with a Rapid 7 anschutz .177 barrel. Not an easy job but very doeable.

If you want the best for the 52 contact Tony.

[Hellequin]

The T05 trigger is a nice trigger. No need for a T06.
I had one of Tony's kits in my 52 and it totally transformed it from the lumbering hunk that it was into a rifle that was totally different.

Mine was a .22 ultra carbine too.
With Tony's help it was rebarrelled with a Rapid 7 anschutz .177 barrel. Not an easy job but very doeable.

If you want the best for the 52 contact Tony.

Thanks Rob, he's certainly going to be the person I turn to if I get the full job done. He has some interesting write ups on his website & FB page! Your rifle sounds bloody lovely, although I doubt I'll do anything as drastic as a new barrel on mine!

Forget the T06 trigger - instead do the T05 two screw trigger mod - very easy and cost about 10p for a second adjustment screw. Gives an excellent result.

Not heard of that mod mate, do you have more details or a link to what's involved? Cheers

[robs5230]

[QUOTE=BarnsleyBob;7530165]Thanks Rob, he's certainly going to be the person I turn to if I get the full job done. He has some interesting write ups on his website & FB page! Your rifle sounds bloody lovely, although I doubt I'll do anything as drastic as a new barrel on mine!
[QUOTE]
The barrel swap was a real risk and I knew of only one being done before mine, in the states with no detail so I went about it blind.
The way the barrels are fixed into the breech / action is designed as rather a permanent fix.
Its not a job to be taken on lightly.

As for the 22mm conversion its superb. Little felt recoil or movement at all.

Tony is way ahead of the game.

[peddy]

Worth checking if the transfer port restricted is still there. If so I'd just sleeve the piston, polish, relube and use it. Can't see the point in spending loads on it. The 52 is a pain to use hunting. The to5 is ok not worth the expense of the to6 conversion. I still prefer a well set up to1 trigger.

[leetrenchard]

I have a 54 (same action as 52) with a vmach kit.

This left it running too close to the limit and with almost no preload.

Information I dug up is that restrictor is a simple washer under the breech seal with a 2 or 2.5 mm hole.

More research said that this gave a lazy action, I bought instead a TR Robb breech seal that has a 3mm hole instead of the 4-4.5 mm of the stock seal.

This seems to work fine with the vmach spring and gives a nice action and 11ftlbs.

[Frog]

Two screw trigger mod:

fits a second adjustment screw (4mm allen head screw) in front of the existing screw. The new screw adjusts the first stage (replacing the standard bar that is the first stage stop) and the original screw the second stage. Juggling the two screws gives a really good trigger with a not overly long first stage and light crisp second stage - mine rivaled a rekord for feel and function (better than most out of the box rekords actually) - absolutely zero creep on the second stage. It's an easy and well worth doing modification that is a big improvement.

It is possible through over adjustment to get an unsafe hair trigger with this mod so be careful if you try it. The trigger is safe as long as you have some first stage travel before hitting the second stage and a crisp release - both stages act on the seer.

The trigger has a flat in front of the adjustment screw that is crying out for the new screw to be put there.

Word of caution is the trigger alloy is soft so use a very clean fresh tap for threading the hole and use a 3.2mm drill for the 4mm screw. A pillar drill makes it easy to get the new hole perpendicular to the flat face on the trigger where the two screws poke out for adjustment and in line with the first stage stop bar. You have to remove the bar that is the current first stage stop - do this by cutting it in the middle and pushing the two pieces out of their respective sides.Cutting it in the middle avoids damaging the trigger if you try to cut it near the side (ask me how I know...). I cut it with a dremmel. Other than that its plain sailing.

PIctures here: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/thed...05-t12124.html