GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => European/Asian Air Gun Gates => German AirGun Gate => Topic started by: Bad News Beeman on January 27, 2023, 02:48:32 PM
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What is the general consensus from the GTA brain trust on Diana's N-TEC platform? Seems they've put out some, but not many, models which utilize the technology such as the 340 and AM03 line of rifles. All of which have been out of stock for some time now. Curious if this is because of supply chain issues, or is Diana moving away from gas rams? For those that have an N-TEC rifle, what has been your experience?
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Diana discontinued the N-Tec line in 2020. The only guns available with that powerplant now are individual back-of-the-warehouse finds.
Gasrams in general have nasty cocking cycles and leakage issues, but the N-Tec 350 Mag is consistently reported as the nastiest production springer to cock. Also extremely loud.
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I love my Diana 340 N-Tec. When I first got it the barrel lock-up was impossible tight. It must have taked 60+lbs to cock and then another 60 lbs to close the barrel.
Easily remedied!
I also order the Pro Compact Lexus version with the beautiful hogsback stock. The very best OEM stock EVER!
Trigger is good, but not great.
The angled breech block needed some work to get pellets to seat properly.
Now it is one of my best rifles. Love it. :-*
-Yogi
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I had a 340 N_Tech. I really liked it but it was not a good rifle and I got my money back from the dealer. The barrel was badly made and the ram seemed to lose power over a short period of time.. The cocking got easier. Without detailing all the petty faults I would summarize the rifle as badly produced with a nice cosmetic finish. I see others for sale here in NZ second hand; owners wanting to dump a poor gun .
My much cheaper Gamo is far better but I do have a weakness for some but not all Gamos.
Diana's are in short supply here. That may be shipping transport problems or caution by importers because of the now exorbitant prices causing consumer to close their wallets..
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The 34 EMS as I understand it has the trigger mechanism from the N-Tec which is why it can be converted from spring to gas ram.
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Didn't realize the N-TECs were discontinued outright.
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I had a 340 N_Tech. I really liked it but it was not a good rifle and I got my money back from the dealer. The barrel was badly made and the ram seemed to lose power over a short period of time.. The cocking got easier. Without detailing all the petty faults I would summarize the rifle as badly produced with a nice cosmetic finish. I see others for sale here in NZ second hand; owners wanting to dump a poor gun .
My much cheaper Gamo is far better but I do have a weakness for some but not all Gamos.
Diana's are in short supply here. That may be shipping transport problems or caution by importers because of the now exorbitant prices causing consumer to close their wallets..
Interesting. I found the parkerization finish much inferior to HW's blueing. In salty environs it will show rust spots.
Great gun though, at least mine is...
-Y
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The NTec models presented several problems, some of them user-induced, some of them our (DIANA) fault for not educating the consumer enough.
Of all the gas springs, the NTec is probably the most efficient (unless you are dealing with the 350 NTec unit). Meaning that you get the most out of what you put in.
Of the current gas-springs, only the "re-Axis" system positions the body of the spring at the UPPER part of the architecture once the gun is set up on the rack resting on its buttpad.
This creates a problem, especially in dusty/dry environments where the seals suffer from lack of lubrication on the first 2-3 shots of every session.
They should also NOT be laid flat. That is even worse because it subjects BOTH seals to dryness/lube migration AWAY from where the lube is supposed to be. A whole containerfull of 340 NTecs had to be returned from SaudiArabia because they had laid flat in temps that went from about 32 F to 130 F between night and day for a month. All had leaked.
BUT, well cared for, it is a good powerplant, consistent and relatively insensitive to temperature changes/cold weather.
It is possible to convert the 34 EMS to NTec powerplant, it is a relatively simple procedure:
https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/an-unintended-coincidence-c (https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/an-unintended-coincidence-c)
Converting and older 34 to an NTec requires a lot more work:
https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/converting-a-spring-powered-d34-into-an-n-tec-rifle (https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/converting-a-spring-powered-d34-into-an-n-tec-rifle)
Since most of the DIANA market has decided to prefer steel springs, the NTec is "dormant". It is still available as a conversion kit/spare part, and will be in years to come to serve those guns that are in the market and want to remain NTec.
One of my favourite guns is the Mauser AM03, they shoot well and in 0.22" they are capable Hunters and (AAFTA) Hunter FT guns.
The newer Lawrence of Arabia is a 34 EMS, so what was said above about convertibility applies.
Because the love of the gas spring is somewhat specialized, I do not think that DIANA will bring out another "native" NTec model, being that the 34 EMS can be easily converted.
Keep an open mind, if you come across a good, used gun, do not hesitate.
HTH, keep well and shoot straight!
HM
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Diana needed to sell a trombone style case so you could easily store the rifle muzzle aiming down. ;D ;D
-Y
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I think my 340 is one of the most elegant guns in my collection. The stock has beautiful lines, at the same time being ergonomic.
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I have a 350 in .22, bought new from AoA.
I have only one "complaint", and that it is genuinely difficult to cock. Clearly more so than my Hatsan 125 for comparison.
Shoots very well, great trigger, etc.
Hopefully mine loosens up as I slowly put rounds on it. It hasn't seen a tin yet. Still makes small groups.
I do have googly eyes for the 340's though.
Seems like they got just the touch from the designers.
Maybe Yogi will post pics of his so we can all drool over it!
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Brian,
just to make sure, is your 350 Mag a gasram gun or not?
When I bought my coilspring 350, it felt really quite awkward to cock - not due to cocking effort, but due to the extreme reach and the resulting wide arc that the true four-foot gun required.
With about 1 000 shots, something changed with my gun-specific technique, and I now consider the 350 the ultimate breakbarrel magnum - very smooth, easy cocking for the true 33 J it produces.
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Yep, mine is an NTEC. I like gas rams, but I find this particular rifle to be a bear.to cock, and it seems that I'm not the only one.
I'm not calling it names, just "a character builder".... 😆
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Yep, mine is an NTEC. I like gas rams, but I find this particular rifle to be a bear.to cock, and it seems that I'm not the only one.
I'm not calling it names, just "a character builder".... 😆
If you ever get tired of the gas spring, the conversion to steel spring, while not totally straightforward, is relatively simple.
HM
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I am not sure what to make of Hectors comments on the N_Tech . It disturbs my faith in Diana. They are expensive and of German origin. Once on a pedestal almost with Weihrauch . Then they produce a gun that to my mind is not fit for purpose. Every pallet of airguns I have seen , not many, have guns stacked flat. Diana's reluctance to continue producing gas rams and the Weihrauch apparent preference for steel springs must be persuasive. It has,, together with experienced made me shy of gas springs.. We haven't seen the Ems 34 here and funny things seem to be happening with our market.
Kia Ora Hector.
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I am not sure what to make of Hectors comments on the N_Tech . It disturbs my faith in Diana. They are expensive and of German origin. Once on a pedestal almost with Weihrauch . Then they produce a gun that to my mind is not fit for purpose. Every pallet of airguns I have seen , not many, have guns stacked flat. Diana's reluctance to continue producing gas rams and the Weihrauch apparent preference for steel springs must be persuasive. It has,, together with experienced made me shy of gas springs.. We haven't seen the Ems 34 here and funny things seem to be happening with our market.
Kia Ora Hector.
HW 90 uses a gas spring. Yes Diana was sold, new buyers are changing things. Weihrauch is family owned and their springers rarely change. PCP's not so much.
-Y
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I am not sure what to make of Hectors comments on the N_Tech . It disturbs my faith in Diana. They are expensive and of German origin. Once on a pedestal almost with Weihrauch . Then they produce a gun that to my mind is not fit for purpose. Every pallet of airguns I have seen , not many, have guns stacked flat. Diana's reluctance to continue producing gas rams and the Weihrauch apparent preference for steel springs must be persuasive. It has,, together with experienced made me shy of gas springs.. We haven't seen the Ems 34 here and funny things seem to be happening with our market.
Kia Ora Hector.
Kia Ora Hugh!
Even M&G is struggling with the NZ situation.
Yes there are looooong distances, but in all honesty, once something is put onto a container ship, it does not really matter if it is delivered in the next port or 3/4's of the way around the world.
I would tend to think that it is a chicken and egg situation, where the size of the market does not allow for full containers and then the logistics are a nightmare. But these are just assumptions.
Keep well and shoot straight!
HM
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All the insight has been illuminating, thanks guys! I picked up a AM03 the other week that's supposed to be arriving soon. If all goes well with delivery and the rifle survived (never a guaranteed thing), I'll take it out for some testing and relay my experience.
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All the insight has been illuminating, thanks guys! I picked up a AM03 the other week that's supposed to be arriving soon. If all goes well with delivery and the rifle survived (never a guaranteed thing), I'll take it out for some testing and relay my experience.
Good choice!
The AM03 was a necessary and unavoidable step in the evolution of the 34 to the 340 to the EMS.
The excellent design of the stock is evident in that the stocks in DIANA's line of PCP's is based on the AM03 stock
Will it ever be available for the EMS? I doubt it. What may be in store in the future is the EMS synthetic stock with the adjustable cheekpiece of the AM03.
AM03 are notoriously robust.
But still...
They do have a few "quirks":
1.- The grip cap fit is not always what it should be, if it comes loose, glue it. There is no purpose to that cavity.
2.- The screws that affix the rear sight settings are REALLY small, you need to put some vibra-tite once you have found a good setting for the windage and then finalize the sighting in.
3.- The front sight is adjustable for elevation. There is a tiny ball under the wheel that adjusts the elevation, so do NOT remove the blade unless you are trying to completely remove the front sight.
4.- The front sight is adhered/glued (and screwed). Best way to remove it is to freeze the barrel-block assembly with the screw removed and then tap it sideways.
5.- Whenever possible, for long term storage, it should be muzzle down. If you cannot do this then plan a few minutes before any shooting session after a long hiatus to break slowly the gun and make 3 or 4 full cocking excursions (without latching) before commencing firing.
6.- The cheekpiece screw adjustments are ambidextrous. If you need to shoot left-handed, remove the screw covers on your off-side and change over the thumbscrews. You will also need to Vibra-Tite these settings. You MAY opt to put some opposing screws instead of relying only on the side tension to hold the cheekpiece in place.
7.- The pillars for the cheekpiece adjustment MAY be a bit short if you use a very large optics device in there, the pillars are easily changed.
8.- Glue a flat washer at the bottom of each forend screw well, and then use Nord-Locs for those two locations.
At full power, the AM03's I have made shoot real well the GTO pellets.
If you have the time read these:
https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/the-mauser-am03-and-shooting-the-reconstructed-original-field-course-in-delaware-co-pa (https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/the-mauser-am03-and-shooting-the-reconstructed-original-field-course-in-delaware-co-pa)
https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/second-round-with-the-diana-mauser-am-03-shooting-at-difta-on-cinco-de-mayo (https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/second-round-with-the-diana-mauser-am-03-shooting-at-difta-on-cinco-de-mayo)
https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/mandarins-to-oranges (https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/mandarins-to-oranges)
https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/archives/08-2020 (https://www.ctcustomairguns.com/hectors-airgun-blog/archives/08-2020)
Congrats again and keep us posted!
HM
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Thank you, thank you, thank you Hector for all the tips and tricks for the AM03. Particularly the details about the sights and the small bits within them to keep an eye on. Last thing I'd want is to loose the world's smallest irreplaceable set screw or ball bearing through innocent ignorance.
I received the rifle earlier this week and upon unboxing was immediately struck by the balanced heft to it and handsome lines. Didn't waste any time in rubbing it down with some Ballistol and stowing it away upside down which is how it'll remain for a few more days to ensure the gas spring is properly lubricated before I had my first test shots. Can't wait!
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Thank you, thank you, thank you Hector for all the tips and tricks for the AM03. Particularly the details about the sights and the small bits within them to keep an eye on. Last thing I'd want is to loose the world's smallest irreplaceable set screw or ball bearing through innocent ignorance.
I received the rifle earlier this week and upon unboxing was immediately struck by the balanced heft to it and handsome lines. Didn't waste any time in rubbing it down with some Ballistol and stowing it away upside down which is how it'll remain for a few more days to ensure the gas spring is properly lubricated before I had my first test shots. Can't wait!
Please keep us informed. And how you like the trigger. The weakest point IMHO.
-Y
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I don't know Yogi...
NTEC might stand for Not Too Easy to Cock, but from a user's standpoint, the T06 in my 350 NTEC is outstanding.
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I don't know Yogi...
NTEC might stand for Not Too Easy to Cock, but from a user's standpoint, the T06 in my 350 NTEC is outstanding.
A real T06 is a center latch trigger. All gas ram guns, that I know of anyway, have a side latch trigger. They call it a "modified" T06, BS! >:(
The barrel pivot bolts on my gun when new where very very tight. That is what made it hard to cock, now no problem...Yes a 340 vs a 350 not apples to apples.
Check your barrel pivot bolts! 8)
-Y
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Brian's comment on the inordinate cocking effort of the 350 Ntec jibes with most owner's experience.
There are a couple of 350 Ntecs, one with a spiffy walnut hogsback stock available second hand right now locally to me, but I ain't bitin'.
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Brian's comment on the inordinate cocking effort of the 350 Ntec jibes with most owner's experience.
There are a couple of 350 Ntecs, one with a spiffy walnut hogsback stock available second hand right now locally to me, but I ain't bitin'.
Best OEM stock ever!
Beautiful walnut.
-Y
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Brian's comment on the inordinate cocking effort of the 350 Ntec jibes with most owner's experience.
There are a couple of 350 Ntecs, one with a spiffy walnut hogsback stock available second hand right now locally to me, but I ain't bitin'.
If no one's biting, then perhaps you should see the other side of the boxwall:
Get one for cheap and send it over to the US!
;-)
HM
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A real T06 is a center latch trigger. All gas ram guns, that I know of anyway, have a side latch trigger. They call it a "modified" T06, BS! >:(
-Y
The T-06 and the NTec T-06 share ALL parts except THREE (not counting the housing). So, they are essentially the same trigger.
It is also, measurably, the FASTEST trigger in all of the industry (from moment of sear break till the moment when the piston starts moving).
So, for MANY applications, it is better than the steel-springed/stemmed-piston T06 trigger.
So much so that the EMS is heading in the direction of using exclusively that trigger.
If you feel your T06NTec is not measuring up to the T06's you have, there should still be some room for adjustment, or even changing the "upper lever" for a better feel.
Keep well and shoot straight!
HM
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A real T06 is a center latch trigger. All gas ram guns, that I know of anyway, have a side latch trigger. They call it a "modified" T06, BS! >:(
-Y
The T-06 and the NTec T-06 share ALL parts except THREE (not counting the housing). So, they are essentially the same trigger.
It is also, measurably, the FASTEST trigger in all of the industry (from moment of sear break till the moment when the piston starts moving).
So, for MANY applications, it is better than the steel-springed/stemmed-piston T06 trigger.
So much so that the EMS is heading in the direction of using exclusively that trigger.
If you feel your T06NTec is not measuring up to the T06's you have, there should still be some room for adjustment, or even changing the "upper lever" for a better feel.
Keep well and shoot straight!
HM
Hector,
My 340 really has no second stage. It is a long trigger pull and about 2/3 of the way through it breaks. I know know when it will break, but still would like a "back wall".
FWIW-I have messed up a trigger by trying to mess with them. I do not mean just turn the screw the other way, messed up! ;D ::)
-Y