Hello
I am playing with my new condition Diana 48.
I installed a 20 ft lb spring from Vortex and it is shooting at 16-17 ft lb or so . I have been shooting 10.3 and noticed they were a little loose in the breech. So I did some testing.
Going to shoot this weekend to test accuracy. Do you think 10.3 with 4.52 mm pellets would be a good choice or should I go to 12 ft lb spring and shoot the 8.4 with 4.52 size pellets.
@racer-x
Let the barrel tell you what is best.
In GENERAL, pellets do not fly very well much above 875 fps. It's just a question of their shape and the extremely high rotational momenta they achieve.
Depending on what you want to do, it MIGHT be a good idea to test the 9.56's (H&N or QYS), apart from the 10.3's (JSB), and the 10.6's (H&N).
Depending on the date of manufacture, DIANAS can like pellets from 4.50 head size to 4.53, and there is neither rhyme nor reason. Each barrel is different.
So, for a full test, you will need:
H&N BFT 9.56 4.50
H&N BFT 9.56 4.51
JSB 10.3 4.51
JSB 10.3 4.52
JSB 10.3 4.53
H&N Bar Match 10.6 4.50
H&N BM 10.6 4.51
H&N BM 10.6 4.52
I know it is a lot of testing, but this will give you a really good idea what the barrel likes.
Test at least 3 groups of 10 shots at 25 yards, discard any that do not fall ALL within the same hole, then test the remaining ones at 45 yards, discard those that do not make a group of less than ¾", then test at 55 yards.
Remember to use a SOFT rest just under the forearm screw and a soft trigger hand grip.
Best of luck! Keep us posted.
HM
Thank you
I will start testing it for accuracy. I have most of those pellets on hand and will order some more anyhow.
The 4.50 fall out trying to load. The gun is a 2012 model
i have been using the artillery hold. Propping my arm on a bag rest and supporting the stock in my palm. There is a stud for a bipod. I always put my hand behind the stud so I can feel it is in the same place.
The Diana has a lot more recoil than my TX but I enjoy shooting it. I have an Aeon10-40x56 scope on it currently.
Good!
Once you find which pellets the barrel likes better, then you also need to try lubed vs unlubed pellets. Some barrels like Pledge (baked), some barrels like T-9, again, only tests will tell you what to do. The MAIN advantage of lubing pellets is that you do not have to worry about accuracy falling off a cliff over time.
AND, after that, you may want to try different holds. From the bench it is not complicated to perform the artillery hold. From the FT position? it is a whole different can of worms.
Good luck and keep us posted!
HM
I found two tins of 4.52 pellets and will be testing them tonight. 10.3 and 10.6 gr with the larger size.
I have given up on the whole pellet washing drying and lubing process. I have everything. I just stopped doing it. Once I get the pellet it likes it will be interesting to see how lube goes.
I use the power pellet lube
Of the choices I have in stock the 10.3 and 10.6 are very good. Interesting note. The AA 4.52 fit nice. Better than the 4.2. But the Barracuda Match are 4.5 and fit tighter than the 4.52 from Air Arms.
Saturday will be a lot of shooting from the bench.
Updating this thread. 17 months ago I purchased this Diana 48 new in the box with one or two pellets through it.
I intended to use it for field target. So I removed the open sight and added a scope. For the front sight I added a clean Air Venturi muzzle break and it looks and fit fantastically.
Then for over a year I have been trying to find the right pellet for this rifle. I have a lot of airguns and this gun has never shot very well. It first was kicking like a mule and shooting 22 ft lb. After a lot of other activity building a field target club and repairing a couple PCP rifles I decided to try one more time to get it to work. I need loaner guns for my FT club. I spent all weekend changing springs and pellets and different velocities for lower and higher power. The pellets at 10-15 yards looked like a shotgun.
And at one point I shot ten shots at 20 yards aiming at the bullseye. I was so frustrated because the pellets flew around the point of aim I pulled out my TX 200 and shot five shots through the POA and gave up.
I decided to just put the open sight on the gun and sell it. Guess what? That muzzle break I added at the beginning was causing all the problems. I put the scope on with the original front sight in place and it one holed a POA from 15 yards for the first time ever.
barrel harmonics at work.
Yeah! You're the man!
Aren't you glad you solved the mystery?
😉
Springer shooters need a drop of masochism in their makeup because we never give up, we never surrender.
Thanks for the update, hope you enjoy the gun now that it is shooting.
Keep well and shoot straight!
HM
It keeps getting better. I also have a troublesome Beeman Underlever. I added a moderator to and again spent too much time trying to find the proper pellet and power setting. I tried different holds and trigger adjustments all of it. Actually gave up.
Then after seeing the Diana’s improvement I took the decorations off the barrel and what do you know? Again it went from a scatter shot at ten yards to a dime size hole at 20 yards.
Now I have more of a verity of guns I can lend to people that join my airgun club.
When I receive my Sentry it's group looked like a shot gun pattern at 30 yards. I took the factory installed ldc and my group shrunk to around 2 inches. The barrel was drilled crooked starting at the breach end and ended up centered at the muzzle.
