Diana 48/52 history

[Geezer]

Here's my 52, bought a year or two back from a dealer- described as an "Original" [and yes, it is in inverted commas] CLASSIC Mod 52 in .22 and dated (I think - it's tiny) 05 91.

I haven't found references to one quite like it online. There's no provision for open sights, a barrel sleeve, and a muzzle weight, evidently some sort of UK special - but with a conventional (and rather nice) Walnut stock.

The butt pad isn't contemporary with the piece - it originally had a ventilated "Wiking" pad which was falling to bits. I never thought that finding a replacement could be such a task, or I'd have tried to knock something off the price.... in the end I got a gunsmith to size something down to fit.


https://imgur.com/cpY36PA

https://imgur.com/oneZ4t6

https://imgur.com/gvdvn4M

https://imgur.com/YhWjMO3

Nice. Mine has the same markings, and what looks like the same muzzle device (though mine is definitely a primitive silencer). Is the receiver really not drilled to fit a rear sight? Cool.

[Mr Pusk]

Thank you both. I'm a sucker for a nice piece of wood.

Nice. Mine has the same markings, and what looks like the same muzzle device (though mine is definitely a primitive silencer). Is the receiver really not drilled to fit a rear sight? Cool.

You're quite right, and I wasn't! The receiver is drilled for a rearsight, but the blacking doesn't show any sign of a rearsight having been there, and I don't think the holes have ever had any bolts in them. Plus with the thing on the front, muzzle weight or moderator or whatever it is, there's no foresight. I suppose it could have been added later but it looks all of a piece.

[Drew451]

That is a very nice looking 52. The forend looks very much like the thumbhole version. The angle of the pistol grip looks properly functional.
1991 is late for an Original, i have seen a few early 90s 52's but not the rest of the range. There are reputedly a few even later Original 54 Airkings in circulation, thoigh.

[original45]

Have several of the t.h classic 52s .can't properly see the mod but looks right

[Geezer]

I think - not sure - what was going on was that the U.K. importer (Frank Dyke Ltd) were importing the guns and then substituting a SC stock (when appropriate) and a U.K.-made silencer thingy. I guess the “Original” and “CLASSIC” stampings were either applied for them by the factory, or done in the U.K. for them.

[Drew451]

The "Original" stamping was factory. The Classic script is of variable quality and quite different in style to the other stampings. Whether that points to an afterthought and different tooling in Rastatt or stamping in London after import is beyond me.

[original45]

Some stocks were marked with a cs inside others not. All my classics are what appears to be French walnut even my spare stock. Never seen the none th classic before that's interesting.
None had open sights as far as I know.
Must have been scoped option only however for mine I did buy ramps and rear sight units as a option.
All seem to have similar flying except one which appears more polished.
They were from what I remember within a year or 2 of each other manufactured date too. May dig them out to peek.
Personally love the s.I variants and found the t.h easy to hold .moderators were nicely made and fitted well into barrel sleeve .

[Geezer]

The "Original" stamping was factory. The Classic script is of variable quality and quite different in style to the other stampings. Whether that points to an afterthought and different tooling in Rastatt or stamping in London after import is beyond me.

The “Original” stamping on mine looks factory (compared to some of my others), while the “CLASSIC” doesn’t. However, the “Original” stamp is offset as if to make space for the “CLASSIC”.

My rear sight holes don’t look like they’ve ever had anything in them, or on top of them, either.

I hadn’t had it out of the cabinet for ages. Forgotten how long and heavy it was. Not helped by the period Simmons 4-16x40 on top. But, on a few dry presentations, if you get the technique right, it does hang and hold on target well.