-Too late to edit-So, the plot thickens:(From the last link provided by Rob):-Kurt, a former long-time employee of Mayer & Grammelspacher, says D48 didn't come about until 1987. -A German shooting magazine Visier (3/2002) likewise lists Diana 48 production starting in 1/1987.So, it seems the current Diana website history is indeed off by years, and neither 1980 NOR 1983 were correct. And, especially to Yogi: yes, this time the company website statement proved to NOT be the horse's mouth.
So, as a form of closure, Diana replied to my query:"The DIANA Mod. 48 was produced from January 1987 till October 2002."Wonder why the cutoff at Oct. 2002? End of T01 or somtn.? The gun is still in production, after all.
Yogi,Do you actually read the threads you reply to? The evidence to the contrary is forming a pretty big mound as we speak.Three hours before your last reply ("I would suggest you contact Diana directly"), in the post directly preceding yours, is where I tell how Diana answered my query, one that I sent as I started this thread.
"Ask the company", they said. "Look at the Horse's Mouth", they said.Well, guess what: Tom Gaylord is still refuting what a) the Diana website, b) the Diana representative, c) The Visier Magazine, and d) the Blue Book of Airguns say.He remains adamant that the D48 came out in around 1983. He bases this on his memory of the early 80's, as he has no proof, unlike the pretty long list of cites (from the Horse's Mouth, no less!) behind the Jan. 1987 date.All this basically proves that asking the company means next to nothing. Who'd thunkit? Ask around airgun forums / blogs, and you might get somewhere, after a couple dozen to's and fro's. How neat it would be if someone here came up with a D48 from pre-1987?