This one is .177. I sure would like to try one in .22. I missed one on an auction a couple years back and kick myself.
Anyone else still shooting the old 45?
Diana 45 Original love
- Thread starter Pea-shooter O.G.
- Start date
This one is .177. I sure would like to try one in .22. I missed one on an auction a couple years back and kick myself.
Anyone else still shooting the old 45?
It looks like it's in very nice condition. I've never heard of the 45. What year was it made? Since it has a leather seal I'll guess that it's an old one.
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This one was manufactured in 1980. They were made from 1978 to 1988 in this action. Diana continued the 45 after 1988, but its action was based on the 34. A few years back, I was looking for a piston seal for a different gun and ran across a Tom Gaylord article on the Original 45. It was then I decided I wanted one.
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I picked one up back in the late 80s early 90s at a gun shop. Made in the late 80s it has the later synthetic seal and shoots tiny groups out to 50 yards last I shot it. I really loved the gun and shot it allot back in the day. It seemed to take a liking to the Beeman Silver Bear pellets that nothing else would shoot. It was my first scope killer and I lost many a scope to this thing. Lost a couple to my 52 as well. Found that the cheap lightweight scopes lasted longer than the better scopes. I have had a Bullseye scope mount waiting to go on it for a couple of years and now that it is out I put it on with a better scope as well. It is very much neglected as I have a 54 that gets all of the attention when I want to shoot a springer these days.
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Lovely rifles. Mine came from Gerry and Carol Thomas at World Class Airguns. For an extra 20 bucks, Gerry would perform a relube tune before sending it out. I refinished it and then had it hand checkered (20 lpi)) by John Groenwold on the grip, forend., and in front of the trigger guard. It still wears its original, fixed 4X Bushnell scope and is fun to shoot and a great garden gun.
RWS advertised these rifles as being capable of 2" groups at 50 yards, which was pretty good for a utility springer 4
0 years ago. Mine in .22 will do half that on a very good day - if I hold my mouth right!
RWS advertised these rifles as being capable of 2" groups at 50 yards, which was pretty good for a utility springer 4
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Dig that checkering! And .22 to boot.
When I took mine down to lubricate, I was taken by the work put into the gun. There was no de-burring to be done. The trigger is manufactured like a little machine with its precisely manufactured components designed to do its job for hundreds of thousands of cycles. I also appreciate the quick/positive lock up upon cocking. It reminds me of my HW95. DEEP bluing.
This isn't my first gun, but it stirred something in me.
When I took mine down to lubricate, I was taken by the work put into the gun. There was no de-burring to be done. The trigger is manufactured like a little machine with its precisely manufactured components designed to do its job for hundreds of thousands of cycles. I also appreciate the quick/positive lock up upon cocking. It reminds me of my HW95. DEEP bluing.
This isn't my first gun, but it stirred something in me.
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You guys have some NICE 45's! Love the checkered one, and may I say World Class was GREAT folks to deal with.
History wise - in the late 1970's Diana's most powerful sporter was the old model 35, about a 700 FPS gun in .177. The 800+ FPS model 45 is based on a lengthened version of the 35's receiver tube, made to better complete with the "magnums" of the day, like the HW 35, FWB 124, Webley Vulcan, etc. The excellent but complex trigger in the 45 is completely different from the older Diana "ball sear" design, and AFAIK has nothing in common with any newer Diana designs. IIRC, the safety on the 45 had some issues, the original design getting changed pretty quickly.
The classic Diana model 50 tap-loading underlever was based on the model 35's power plant and trigger for many years. The model 45 served as the basis for the revised model "50 T01," which may be the hardest-shooting tap-loader ever made.
As mentioned above, the more recent model 45 is completely different - it's a model 34 action, in a stock designed to look like the older model (the tip-off is the first 45, and the 50 T01, have the stock through-bolt above the trigger).
Diana loves to confuse collectors by re-using model numbers, LOL...really the FIRST "model 45" was an underlever tap-loader made before WW2!
History wise - in the late 1970's Diana's most powerful sporter was the old model 35, about a 700 FPS gun in .177. The 800+ FPS model 45 is based on a lengthened version of the 35's receiver tube, made to better complete with the "magnums" of the day, like the HW 35, FWB 124, Webley Vulcan, etc. The excellent but complex trigger in the 45 is completely different from the older Diana "ball sear" design, and AFAIK has nothing in common with any newer Diana designs. IIRC, the safety on the 45 had some issues, the original design getting changed pretty quickly.
The classic Diana model 50 tap-loading underlever was based on the model 35's power plant and trigger for many years. The model 45 served as the basis for the revised model "50 T01," which may be the hardest-shooting tap-loader ever made.
As mentioned above, the more recent model 45 is completely different - it's a model 34 action, in a stock designed to look like the older model (the tip-off is the first 45, and the 50 T01, have the stock through-bolt above the trigger).
Diana loves to confuse collectors by re-using model numbers, LOL...really the FIRST "model 45" was an underlever tap-loader made before WW2!
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Thanks MDriskill. I didn't know of the pre-war 45. I looked a bit on the Google and read a little. Those don't look like they were cheap to manufacture in those times. A lot of machining and moving parts. I wonder what they sold for then. I do appreciate that workmanship from generations past.
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Brings back lots of memories...my first real air rifle, shot it for many years, miss the old gal...
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Picked one up .177 on Gunbroker last month for $200 shipped. I need to find a replacement rear drift pin.
Some buba replaced the drift pin with a nut and bolt. Currently shooting Vogel bulk wadcutters at around 760/fps.
Some buba replaced the drift pin with a nut and bolt. Currently shooting Vogel bulk wadcutters at around 760/fps.
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Ike838, TW Chambers might have the rear stock pin, but they don't have those plastic bushing that are inserted into the stock that the pin goes through. I've purchased items from them in the past.
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Just got a old 1985 original 45 the other day in. 20 caliber rare in the UK.
There great gun's really well made a pig to work on though.
I replaced the original spring with a Titan xs mainspring along with a good clean and regrease so smooth now no more of that horrible twang vibration that Diana's a and Originals always have.
Have too say along with the Wheirauch hw77 one of the best airguns when properly tweaked love em.
There great gun's really well made a pig to work on though.
I replaced the original spring with a Titan xs mainspring along with a good clean and regrease so smooth now no more of that horrible twang vibration that Diana's a and Originals always have.
Have too say along with the Wheirauch hw77 one of the best airguns when properly tweaked love em.
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I got this one about a year ago from a member here on the forum. It was made in 1984. It had a cracked stock. I repaired that. It shot ok. But not as good as I’d hope. I just dug it out of the back of the closet today. Tore it all down. And ordered a new piston seal and a Vortek spring kit. I’m keeping it at the 12 foot pound range. I enjoy an easy shooting air rifle.
This will be my first rebuild. I’m excited.
This will be my first rebuild. I’m excited.
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I have one made in 1983 I didn’t know much about it when I bought it, I took it apart to put a new spring and piston seal, but oh boy to take apart the piston seal is painful a had to take it to a machine shop to make the conversion , but I made it and the rifle now is shooting smooth and good power, but not easy to make the conversion..
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Circling back to one of the earlier posts in this old thread...Diana just loves to confuse collectors by re-using model numbers! The two quite different versions of the post-war model 45 barrel-cockers are well described above, but the REAL "original" model 45 was a pre-war underlever.
It is the top gun in these two photos, the lower one being a post-war Webley Mk 3. In a rather amazing 1943 decision (the middle of WW2!), Webley's infamously cheap management decided their new post-war top rifle would be a copy of an old German one! Though some details differ, the overall resemblance is immediately obvious.
This particular 45 was made for "Waffen-Jung," a dealer in Stuttgart's tony Calwerstrasse shopping district.
It is the top gun in these two photos, the lower one being a post-war Webley Mk 3. In a rather amazing 1943 decision (the middle of WW2!), Webley's infamously cheap management decided their new post-war top rifle would be a copy of an old German one! Though some details differ, the overall resemblance is immediately obvious.
This particular 45 was made for "Waffen-Jung," a dealer in Stuttgart's tony Calwerstrasse shopping district.
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The old Crosman 6100 was the same gun but has a slightly different stock. That was first break barrel and had lots of fun with it. One the very few air guns I have ever sold, went to my friend after I got my first Beeman R1.
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I am lacking a Crosman 6100 also, and acquiring one would scratch a few itches for me simultaneously.
It is a leather sealed Diana 45, and it would round out my Crosman Challenger collection at the same time.
I have owned the Anschutz 333 and 335, but passed them on in favor of retaining the Crosman branded versisons.
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