Nice rifle. Can't speak on the .177 but I've had a .22 since they hit stateside, , paid full price back then, so this is a DEAL. Had a warranty glitch in the early days of owning, the gas piston / strut lost some power, I phoned Umarex and talked the fellow into sending me a strut without me sending the gun back. I paid up front for the strut and installed it myself then sent the bad strut back for reimbursement.
Another "tip" I will offer,,, (and I would doubt Diana has made any technical engineering change) .... When loading the pellet, pay attention to make certain the pellet is pressed in deep enough. With the mating surfaces of the breech being slightly angled, I (and other owners) found that the lower area of the pellet skirt was not consistently (my fault) deep enough and becoming damaged upon closing the barrel which caused frustrating erratic accuracy. I decided to slightly chamfer the barrel / chamber which allowed for easier more consistent loading with my fingers.
To the member asking about rear sight, it is metal, I only shoot by scope and removed both of my sights - replaced front with a home-made moderator - cocking handle.
Enjoy the new rifle.
. Let us know how she goes, they do look nice.
