New Diana 54 Air King Pro - Factory Lube

[Nitrocrushr]

I recently picked up a new Air King Pro in .22 caliber. As with all of my new air rifles, I tested it over the chronograph before beginning the tuning process. It was generating 37fpe

It was detonating and despite trying to shoot through it, it was in no way taming down. A quick disassembly revealed the source of the problem, EXCESSIVE Lube!! In the pictures below, you can see the amount of lube that was applied at the factory. I also attached pictures showing the piston and comp tube after it was cleaned up

Before

After

For anyone who might be purchasing a new Diana in the near future, do not continue shooting it if it continues to detonate and produce excessive energy levels. On any new springer it is normal to have a few high velocity shots like this out of the box, but they should quickly settle down. In this case it was not settling down, and continued shooting would not have been good for the gun. I just wanted to get this out there as a safety awareness.

Steve

 

[cjtamu]

Good grief. Must have hired the lube team from HW!

 

[JDR]

Man, an Air king Pro was on my list of springers that I will choose from on my next purchase. I am not mechanically inclined so I cannot have any initial QA/QC problems with a new purchase. List had an Air King Pro, HW 98, HW 97 and TX 200. Hearing QA/QC problems on most of these. Not hearing many bad issues with the HW 97.

 

[marflow 777]

will a non-petrol base grease detonate even if it looked like that
i use ULTIMOX 226 on my pistols, it is just Krytox and at low power levels of the pistols I'm very happy with the results
thank for the warning

 

[Simplemann]

Thanks for sharing

 

[luckybuckeye]

Unfortunately some springers need a teardown right out of the box. It’s really sad on a company’s flagship springer.

 

[AirShot]

Man, an Air king Pro was on my list of springers that I will choose from on my next purchase. I am not mechanically inclined so I cannot have any initial QA/QC problems with a new purchase. List had an Air King Pro, HW 98, HW 97 and TX 200. Hearing QA/QC problems on most of these. Not hearing many bad issues with the HW 97.

Be assured, that can and will happen with any brand.. These are production made rifles, not custom made so anything can happen. I akways take apart new rifles for a quick clean and proper lube. Waiting 500 or more shots can be a gamble, one I prefer not to take, but that is just me !!

 

[Toxylon]

Like Chris above already hilariously pointed out, Weihrauch's top guns off the shelf typically have the wrong amount of the wrong type of lubrication in the wrong places. My HW95L dieseled heavily for 2 000 pellets straight. Nothing unusual here, and no basis for Diana bashing.

 

[JEFFPPC]

Then on the other hand, too much lube is an easy fix. Now no lube, that could end up being a bad error. I will be interested in the accuracy and your progression with your new rifle.I have found it to be a lot of fun outdoors at 50 yards.Get tuner, you will smile.

 

[cjtamu]

Man, an Air king Pro was on my list of springers that I will choose from on my next purchase. I am not mechanically inclined so I cannot have any initial QA/QC problems with a new purchase. List had an Air King Pro, HW 98, HW 97 and TX 200. Hearing QA/QC problems on most of these. Not hearing many bad issues with the HW 97.

It’s actually unusual for a Diana. I think that’s why Steve pointed it out, and why I made my joke. Mechanically inclined or no the simple truth is you’ll get more enjoyment if you learn to do some basic maintenance. Springs and seals are consumables and are going to fail eventually whether lubed properly or not. Choices are to find someone to repair, pay for that, and be without your gun for “X” amount of time or learn to do some yourself. Little daunting at first but there’s help here and I think YouTube has videos for every airgun in the world except the Logun MKII Pro ha ha. You can buy or build a spring compressor for less than it would cost you to have someone else do the work. If you go with the Diana 54, Nitrocrushr and Hector know that gun inside out and have posted numerous helpful articles. Ask me how I know

 

[Nitrocrushr]

Yeah not bashing Diana. What was unusual is that all of my Diana rifles up to this point have arrived almost bone dry. This is just an awareness post that things may have changed and lube is now being added, and in this case it was excessive.

Steve

 

[JDR]

With potential quality issues on all springers, seems if you don't have the skills or patience to do a tune, you should include a professional tune in the price of the springer. After I thought about it, I did do that. I will continue that trend although it puts me lower price range of the springers I buy. I do need to keep a list of those members that tune springers and pumpers in case mine fails or I buy a new one.

Xisco B28 - Mike Mellick supertune
RWS 350 - Mike Mellick supertune
FWB 124B - Beeman supertune (with the nickle plating)
HW 35E - AOA Vorteck kit installed

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Yeah not bashing Diana. What was unusual is that all of my Diana rifles up to this point have arrived almost bone dry. This is just an awareness post that things may have changed and lube is now being added, and in this case it was excessive.

Steve

Well they feared a oil shortage from Russia invading Ukraine and that pipe line attack. Then overreacted to a excess supply .. so you probly got the surplus lube job today. Lol.. got to do somthing with all the gult of oil..

"European refiners have found themselves oversupplied with crude as an expected shortage owing to the looming EU ban on Russian oil has yet to materialise. "

You reaped that reward

 

[Simplemann]

Is it just me or I'm expecting too much from an air rifle that you pay a pretty good penny that it shouldn't need to be torn apart to make it right?? Is it just rifles?? I have a Beeman P-3, Crosman 2300S and a Crosman 2289 and never had to "take apart" to make them right.

 

[cjtamu]

Is it just me or I'm expecting too much from an air rifle that you pay a pretty good penny that it shouldn't need to be torn apart to make it right?? Is it just rifles?? I have a Beeman P-3, Crosman 2300S and a Crosman 2289 and never had to "take apart" to make them right.

Expecting too much of the world as currently incarnated. Crosman and Beeman are affected too. You’ve just been lucky.

 

[Hateful McNasty]

Is it just me or I'm expecting too much from an air rifle that you pay a pretty good penny that it shouldn't need to be torn apart to make it right?? Is it just rifles?? I have a Beeman P-3, Crosman 2300S and a Crosman 2289 and never had to "take apart" to make them right.

I use to jokingly sa with a hw that you pay for that and put another $60 ( tune) in it new out of the box to make it work/ shoot right .. ( then the screws fall out)

 

[beerthief]

I would like to find someone that would walk me through a kit change or just a seal change . in person , not on line .

 

[crosman2016]

Man, that's something! Crazy. Thanks for sharing.

 

[fullpower]

I would like to find someone that would walk me through a kit change or just a seal change . in person , not on line .

I have about 0 mechanical skills. But as Cjtamu mentioned , there are u tubes on how to take these guns apart , fix problems and reassemble . I believe Cjtamu actually helped me a while back with all the problems I was having with my new Diana 54. Hector Medina has been absolutely invaluable in correcting the problems with my gun. I have a TX 200 , Pro Sport , WH97 , Beeman R9 and the Diana 54 which I’ve taken apart 3 times now. I’ve taken them all apart. The worst one that kept me up at night was installing a PG 4 Vortek kit in the HW 97. The black cap has to be screwed on and off in order to get the trigger and spring out. Taking it of ,no problem but screwing in back on while in my homemade compressor and under pressure was a real worry as I was afraid of cross threading the threads. But you learn as you go, take lots of pictures and have a very clean work space. If I can do it, anyone can.

 

[uglymike]

I would like to find someone that would walk me through a kit change or just a seal change . in person , not on line .

How far do you live from Burt, Iowa? Drive to Flying Dragon, M-F 0900-1200, Mike's probably there. Just look for the stretch limo from a funeral home parked out front on Main St.