D54/D56 Slide maintenance?

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Sqwirl57

Sqwirl57

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Apr 13, 2020
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PA, United States
Picked up a D56 and it was shooting great. Noticed the slide became pretty loose and wasn't locking forward the way it was supposed to so I gave the rear detent screw maybe half a turn in. That was enough to keep the action from sliding back down under its own weight. I know I can loctite that down but I'm holding off on that for now.

My concern now is that the action didn't seem to release from lock up when fired. I assumed I had over tightened the rear screw but upon removal of the stock I found the front slide was just sticking pretty badly. I removed the guide and front slide and just put a thin layer of moly down and worked it in. Its freed up a bit but still seems a bit "friction-y".My question here is whether or not there is a better way of going about this. Should it be polished? Oiled? Something else?

Thanks in advance!
 
Nitrocrushr said:
A few pointers here.

Diana 54/56 Sled Setting Tips - Airguns & Guns Forum

Diana 54/56 Sled Setting Tips, Air guns, Airgun Forum
www.gatewaytoairguns.org


Steve
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Thank you! I have been rereading your posts for the last 3 hours. This gun is throwing me for a loop. I was half inch all day a couple days ago at 30m. Now I'm lucky to break an inch and a half at the same distance. I verified the scope is good already. Is this gun just THAT sensative to slide settings? I would imaging its basically changing its hold sensitivity/harmonics (for lack of better words) so it makes sense.
 
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Sqwirlfugger57 said:
Thank you! I have been rereading your posts for the last 3 hours. This gun is throwing me for a loop. I was half inch all day a couple days ago at 30m. Now I'm lucky to break an inch and a half at the same distance. I verified the scope is good already. Is this gun just THAT sensative to slide settings? I would imaging its basically changing its hold sensitivity/harmonics (for lack of better words) so it makes sense.
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It is a critical part of maintaining precision on this rifle, yes. The sled system needs to move smoothly too. Even slight contact of the cocking handle against the pull rod hinge linkage on the comp tube can affect your POI.

Set it n the unlocked position. On my OEM 54/56 I go as tight as I can without getting the push in recoil. Somewhere around minus 3/8-1/2 turn from max with sled in the unlocked position. Just an eighth turn too far and you’ll start feeling the push on the shot due it hesitating to unlock. If you start feeling that push, back off just a touch.

Steve
 
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Ok so my sled seems to be setup properly then. The cocking linkage contact may be my next step then. I definitely have contact there. This is just popped open a hair but they are basically on each other and rubbing when closed.

20220912_194458.jpg
 
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Sqwirlfugger57 said:
Ok so my sled seems to be setup properly then. The cocking linkage contact may be my next step then. I definitely have contact there. This is just popped open a hair but they are basically on each other and rubbing when closed.

View attachment 289461
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Make sure that the cocking handle isn’t rubbing against the sled reset plate on the right hand side.
 
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No expert, but here is my experience anyway. With the factory oil on the sled rods, there was considerable stiction present. I wiped off all the oil and relubed with Phil Wood bicycle grease (amazing stuff, lasts for decades without drying up or bleeding oil) which greatly reduced the stiction. I also found that tighter detent settings worked better than loose, possibly because that helps dampen some of the play in the rear sled on my 54. I am at minus 1 turn currently and getting good accuracy. My cocking arm overtoggles and seats against the reset plate. Maybe I should look into that.
 
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