Pre WWII Diana Model 27?

John Groenewold at JG Airguns is the go to guy for vintage springers. He has parts and can make a leather piston seal, if he doesn't have one in stock. These classic rifles are very simple and were made in the thousands and marketed under many brand names. After WW II, production machinery was moved to Milbro in Scotland as part of the war reparations act and many more were built there.

Another option would to visit the American Vintage Airguns site and make your request there. These guys are mostly collectors and know this rifle well.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/7vlmm44tfupacsy/DIANA_27_Graf.pdf



just a look

I enjoy my model 27, they are rather simple to work on. The number on the stock is very unlikely to be a year of manufacture. 

The last year I herd of them being built in Germany is 1936, Germany sent every thing into the war effort by 1936 much before the U.S. Got involved in 1941.

My 27 has a o-ring piston in it. Not very original but it is still pushing pellets.

Hairsmith

The month and year stamp is on the butstock of "prewar" Diana's I have a Model 23 dated 1 38 so 1940 may be correct, doe's it have a walnut stock? I heard the 27 has a nice trigger

Most complex part of the pre-war model 27 rifle is the two-stage trigger. Here is a wonderful article from Danny Garvin’s “Vintage Airgun Gallery,” written by leading collector Larry Hannusch on how it works (scroll down a bit):

https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/vintage-diana-resources/diana-airguns-mayer-and-grammelspacher-patents/

If you’ve never shot one of these triggers, it’s quite amazing. Not only gives an incredibly smooth adjustable two-stage pull, but allows the trigger to be dry-fired without cocking the action, similar to many modern match air rifles.

The last year I herd of them being built in Germany is 1936, Germany sent every thing into the war effort by 1936 much before the U.S. Got involved in 1941.

Click to expand...

Sorry, but the number stamped on the butt of pre-war Dianas definitely is the month/date of manufacture.

While industry was starting to spool up by 1936 (Hitler had only been in power three years at that point), and the Germans were contributing to the Spanish Civil War, there was no all-out “war effort” as such. WW2 in Europe began with the attack on Poland in September 1939. Initially expecting a short conflict, many German domestic products, including some airguns, continued being made and sold well after that date.

And the US did not take a major role against the Nazis until the invasion of North Africa in November 1942.

.. i never knew that about these triggers... chambers uk , blackpool uk.... or even try the dianawerk collective airgun forum.. i never really was interested in these antique springers until i took time to read yalls comments.. hmmm... ... ... - paul. ......... .. 

MODEL 27L 

- .177 cal., BBC, SP, blue finish, 18.5 in. smoothbore or rifled barrel, beech stock with metal buttplate, adj. trigger, no safety, 42.5 in. OAL. Tens of thousands mfg. 1910-1936.

One of the most successful barrel cocking adult air rifles of all time.
The Model 27L, 27A, 27E, 27S, and 27 air rifles appear somewhat similar, but they are completely unrelated with virtually no common parts.





Add 20% for pre-1923 version with octagonal to round barrel.