Diana model 23 how old ?

[beerthief]

just bought a Diana 23 Lux . besides made in Germany there no other markings . has a finger groove stock and Diana is holding a rifle in the right hand above her head , and a Bow in the left , the lux is stamped on the barrel block . i can find no other markings , no date . I will post pictures tomorrow .
Thanks Stan in KY .

 

[marflow 777]

 

[beerthief]

mine is 35.8 long with finger grooves, dovetail front and rear sight . no cheek piece .

 

[beerthief]

mine is 35.8 long with finger grooves, dovetail front and rear sight . no cheek piece .View attachment 460169View attachment 460170View attachment 460171

added some pic's , will have to retake with darker background my nikon is focusing on the white instead of th gun , sorry

 

[Swissair]

Lux isn't referring to the model: there was no Lux version of the Diana 23! Might have been stamped by the dealer.

If there is no 2 digit year stamped into the heel of the butt, then I would date it as early 60's. Sometime after 1958, Diana seem to have stopped stamping the year into that spot and didn't start dating guns again until June 1966, when they used the MM YY format on the backend of the cylinder, left side. These are my pair: the older one with finger grooves is undated, the lower one is dated 08 73. If the gun is made after Jan. 1970 it will have a Friemark (F in a pentagon), which is the German mark for an airgun with less than 7J muzzle energy, such as the Diana 23.

 

[Wadcutter]

They are neat little guns. Here's mine. It has "1 38" stamped on the heel. Shoots around 485fps with JSB Express pellets.

 

[beerthief]

They are neat little guns. Here's mine. It has "1 38" stamped on the heel. Shoots around 485fps with JSB Express pellets.
View attachment 460409View attachment 460410View attachment 460412View attachment 460411

mine has no date and the made in Germany is on the left side. has a kneraled end cap . most likely a early 60's ? lot of fun shooter so far.

 

[MDriskill]

Mr. Wadcutter sir: that is, bar none, the coolest junior-size Diana rifle I've ever seen! What a little treasure.

 

[bf1956]

They are neat little guns. Here's mine. It has "1 38" stamped on the heel. Shoots around 485fps with JSB Express pellets.
View attachment 460409View attachment 460410View attachment 460412View attachment 460411

What a classic! That peep sight factory? Really adds to the overall appeal.

 

[Wadcutter]

What a classic! That peep sight factory? Really adds to the overall appeal.

No, the tang sight was on the gun when I purchased it but isn't original. It's a "Lyman 1A SL" made for Winchester models 1905, 1907. It has a flip down aperture, which comes in handy when there isn't much lighting.
They never came with checkering either. Like MDrikill says, it's "a little treasure" and I had to have it when I saw it.

 

[beerthief]

No, the tang sight was on the gun when I purchased it but isn't original. It's a "Lyman 1A SL" made for Winchester models 1905, 1907. It has a flip down aperture, which comes in handy when there isn't much lighting.
They never came with checkering either. Like MDrikill says, it's "a little treasure" and I had to have it when I saw it.
View attachment 460496View attachment 460495

So i looked up Lyman 1A SL , Ebay had listed @ $275 or best offer .

 

[MDriskill]

Thx for the pix of the sight! That type of sight is a great solution for an old gun with no scope grooves, etc. The flip-down small aperture is too cool, had never seen that feature before.

 

[zrman27500]

Gorgeous little 23! I absolutely love my model 23 for killing cans at 10 yards.....could shoot her all day!

 

[bf1956]

Gorgeous little 23! I absolutely love my model 23 for killing cans at 10 yards.....could shoot her all day!

What dreams are made of...sweet dreams my friends, good night and God bless.