Diana Springer Pistols

[beerthief]

Woah. Those are both awesome. I'm starting to get the feeling that this is a whole other rabbit hole that I'm heading down here.

I have a 6G giss pistol , talk about nice . and they are not big $$ like a few years ago .

 

[Mycapt65]

I believe the standard 45 will fit grips of any Colt 1911. I use Hogue 1911 grips on mine. I did have to get different screws that fit the HW45 off ebay. Here's my P1 (Hw45) next to my 9 and dollar bill for size reference.

 

[cjtamu]

I believe the standard 45 will fit grips of any Colt 1911. I use Hogue 1911 grips on mine. I did have to get different screws that fit the HW45 off ebay. Here's my P1 (Hw45) next to my 9 and dollar bill for size reference.

View attachment 402613

Correct. Long as they’re for the the full size 1911. The “Star” versions are same frame as the HW75 I believe and those are the only ones that will take the target grips. I think some P1’s were also the half frame but might have been the UK model?

 

[Ievgen721]

The two springer pistols I will never be without are the Webley Tempest and the Feinwerkbau model 65.

An exact copy of Tempest was made in the Soviet Union under the name Baltiets, for training of Soviet soldiers.

 

[MDriskill]

Correct. Long as they’re for the the full size 1911. The “Star” versions are same frame as the HW75 I believe and those are the only ones that will take the target grips. I think some P1’s were also the half frame but might have been the UK model?

Exactly. The original Beeman P1, and early Beeman P2 use the full-size frame with separate 45 auto grip panels. The rather cool, but rare, buttstock sold for the P1 (seen in a pic above), also requires the full frame.

Later P2's, all HW 75's as far as I know, and the "Star" versions of the HW 45, have the frame sawed off below the trigger mechanism, and use the one-piece target grip. It's nice but should you not like it, I don't know of any alternates available.

My mid-80's P1 has Beeman's "combat grips" from those days - comfy, though the generic tropical hardwood isn't much to look at! (Gotta roll your eyes at this bit of marketing hoo-ha...for the record, I do not recommend single-shot air pistols for actual combat.)

 

[crowski]

I have 4 springers. P1, P11, HW70 and a FWB 65. plus 4 C02’s. I am terrible at shooting these. Lots of practice needed.

Probably shoot the 70 the most. Crow

 

[MDriskill]

so just for reference so no one thinks i might not know
Diana
2-model 5's
2-model 5g's
2-model 5g mag P5
9-model 6's in some form
4-model 10's one left hand
1-LP8
been down that rabbit hole

I think you've moved from "rabbit hole" to "full-size underground tunnel network," LOL!

 

[specie]

The two springer pistols I will never be without are the Webley Tempest and the Feinwerkbau model 65.

The Tempest is cute, compact, the inheritor of a century of Webley barrel-over-action tradition, built like a tank, and just a ton of fun; the ultimate plinker. It competed in the market with your Diana 5 for many years so would make an interesting "bookend" for ya, ha. Its size and rearward recoil make it an ideal practice piece for firearms, too.

The FWB 65 is arguably the best spring-piston pistol ever designed, and absolutely history's most dominant match air pistol...if you won a big match between about 1965 and 1984, you were shooting a 65, period! I do love the Diana Giss double-piston guns (models 6 and 10), the 10 is a true work of art and the only other springer that could compete with the FWB's. But the 65 is sturdier and lighter, and has a fixed barrel with sidelever cocking which most prefer to the Diana barrel-cocking layout. Trigger, sights, and accuracy are of course all fabulous.

View attachment 402596

I bought this one new in 1991: a VERY expensive airgun!View attachment 402667

!

 

[DualMagMike]

BSA Scorpion .177

Diana P5 .177

Diana LP8 .177

Browning 800 .22

Browning 800 .177

Beeman P1 .177

Diana 10

HW45 .22

Beeman P1 20 year commemorative from the R Beeman collection .20

Beeman 800 .177

(top) FWB 65 MKII, 80 (bottom) 65 MKI, 90 MKI

 

[marflow 777]

you are right Mike but some were so cheap what should i have done and i have been doing this for a while

you know a springer no one mentions is the Cometa Indian, the easiest to cock but the sights are so-so, the trigger is not real good and loading can be interesting but it is a well-made pistol

 

[Northwoods22]

I enjoy my Tempest and .22 P1. A fun low dollar springer is the Umarex Ruger MKIV. Needs a trigger job, and benefits from the addition of some ballast in the form of lead shot and epoxy under the grips. Both easy tasks. Shoots surprisingly well for a $50 plinker if you don't mind doing a little tuning.

 

[Sqwirl57]

I enjoy my Tempest and .22 P1. A fun low dollar springer is the Umarex Ruger MKIV. Needs a trigger job, and benefits from the addition of some ballast in the form of lead shot and epoxy under the grips. Both easy tasks. Shoots surprisingly well for a $50 plinker if you don't mind doing a little tuning.

View attachment 402725

View attachment 402724

My buddy has a Tempest and loves it. I need to get him to bring it with him next time he comes around so I can play with it.

 

[Ievgen721]

 

[MDriskill]

View attachment 402848

This is just TOO COOL. Wow - would love to see some more detailed photos of it!

Where might a fellow obtain one of these?

 

[Keene]

Crosman Mk1. pre 1975, and very well used.
Pumps .22 pellets around 420 FPS.
It's a gasser, the only pistol I own.

 

[kingfisher61]

There's about a zillion nifty springer pistols out there these days, but the two I will never be without are the Webley Tempest and the Feinwerkbau model 65.

The Tempest is cute, compact, the inheritor of a century of Webley's barrel-over-action tradition, built like a tank, and just a ton of fun - the ultimate plinker. It competed in the market with your Diana 5 for many years so would make an interesting "bookend" for ya, ha. Its size and rearward recoil make it an ideal practice piece for firearms, too.

The FWB 65 is arguably the best spring-piston pistol ever designed, and inarguably history's most dominant target air pistol...if you won a high-level match between about 1965 and 1984, you were shooting a 65, period! The Diana Giss double-piston guns (models 6 and 10) are also awesome; the 10 is a true work of engineering art, and the only other springer that could legitimately go toe-to-toe with the FWB's. But the 65 is more durable, a little lighter, and most prefer its fixed barrel, sidelever-cocking action to break-barrel architecture. Its trigger, sights, and accuracy are all fabulous.

View attachment 402596

Mike
Love my Tempest too. I use it to shoot mice. Rarely miss.
What is your opinion of the FWB 80 and 90?

 

[Pale_Rider]

you are right Mike but some were so cheap what should i have done and i have been doing this for a while

you know a springer no one mentions is the Cometa Indian, the easiest to cock but the sights are so-so, the trigger is not real good and loading can be interesting but it is a well-made pistol

The cometa Indian is one of the most underrated pistols. Extremely easy to cock considering it has the same power as pistols twice it’s size. Excellent build quality. As you mentioned it’s Achilles heel were the awful sights. It’s as if they hired they best engineer to design the pistol and then let the janitor design the sights. The absence of elevation adjustment and being plastic are the only reason I sold it.

 

[MDriskill]

Mike
Love my Tempest too. I use it to shoot mice. Rarely miss.
What is your opinion of the FWB 80 and 90?

These are two I'd like to have more experience with! I've never had a chance to shoot a model 90 with the electronic trigger, and I've only briefly shot a very used model 80...owned by someone who had mis-managed the trigger adjustments down to a graunchy single-stage pull.

The major advantages of the 80 are the positionable trigger blade, and ingenious adjustable weight system, solid improvements over the 65.

But in the Totally Irrelevant Department, I gotta say the grumpy old architect in me never warmed up to the "squared up" styling of the later models, to me the 65 is also a classic in the looks department.

 

[kingfisher61]

These are two I'd like to have more experience with! I've never had a chance to shoot a model 90 with the electronic trigger, and I've only briefly shot a very used model 80...owned by someone who had mis-managed the trigger adjustments down to a graunchy single-stage pull.

The major advantages of the 80 are the positionable trigger blade, and ingenious adjustable weight system, solid improvements over the 65.

But in the Totally Irrelevant Department, I gotta say the grumpy old architect in me never warmed up to the "squared up" styling of the later models, to me the 65 is also a classic in the looks department.

The later grips are definitely function over form. So I agree with the looks. However, the square grips are much better IMO for shooting.
Btw....the electronic trigger is amazing! But...it requires very careful maintenance or it will be a problem.

 

[Duckfish]

The cometa Indian is one of the most underrated pistols. Extremely easy to cock considering it has the same power as pistols twice it’s size. Excellent build quality. As you mentioned it’s Achilles heel were the awful sights. It’s as if they hired they best engineer to design the pistol and then let the janitor design the sights. The absence of elevation adjustment and being plastic are the only reason I sold it.View attachment 406284

I’ve just acquired an Indian. What did you find was a good pellet for it?