GTA
All Springer/NP/PCP Air Gun Discussion General => European/Asian Air Gun Gates => German AirGun Gate => Topic started by: UnderPressure on May 23, 2023, 11:24:43 PM
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My favorite so far is the Diana 340 Ntec Pro Compact. Shown in the picture below is the Premium version which has a nicer stock than the classic version.
The barrel appears to be very short, but what looks like a moderator is really just a thickened plastic portion wrapped around the end of the 15.6" long barrel.
Tbh, I actually like the looks of the classic version of the 340 Ntec Pro Compact better but I couldn't find a picture with the correct length barrel on it. Both version are supposed to have the same length barrel but the picture I found of the classic had a much longer barrel on it.
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I think I am with you, from the newer generation Diana's, the Diana 340 Ntec Pro Compact is definitely the best looking German airgun.
And since I am more of a Diana fan anyway, from the older generation, I really like the looks of the Diana 52. That's for me the archetype of how a classic airgun should look like. Compact and a classic hunting style stock with a nice check piece. Also the breech transitions nicely into the action, that gives a nice solid look.
(https://www.mialls.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/diana_0000_p_s-mod52_1.jpg)
I like the looks of the Walther LGU and Weihrauch HW90 as well.
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My favorite so far is the Diana 340 Ntec Pro Compact. Shown in the picture below is the Premium version which has a nicer stock than the classic version.
The barrel appears to be very short, but what looks like a moderator is really just a thickened plastic portion wrapped around the end of the 15.6" long barrel.
Tbh, I actually like the looks of the classic version of the 340 Ntec Pro Compact better but I couldn't find a picture with the correct length barrel on it. Both version are supposed to have the same length barrel but the picture I found of the classic had a much longer barrel on it.
Yes, the most attractive airgun that I have ever seen. The hogs back stock is AMAZING.
A Walther 55 in a stock should be on the list too....
-Y
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Only one I took a shining too was the Mauser K98 ;)
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The newer FWB Sport by far. The Walther LGV Competition Ultra (God rest her soul) is a close second.
They both happen to be the best performing in recent years as well once the small issues have been taken care of. That is only my opinion of course but I stand by it.
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HK98 for a break barrel. 56th and 470th are nice looking also.
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Nothing out of Germany approaches the looks of a Walnut TX200.
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I have the 340 N-Tec Luxus. That means curly walnut stock. Wow! Best of the best. My second best is FWB Sport. Both are just great.
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I am completely biased to the HW95L.
(https://i.imgur.com/iJ647Wsh.jpg)
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I would say the best looking Diana break barrel would be my #27 .20 LW 34k rifle. Handles like a dream and the furniture is lovely.
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Lots of nice looking break barrels here. My most accurate German break barrel is also my best looking break barrel, LOL; a Winchester 333.
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My 1984 R1 ……
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The D34 premium being sold on AOA site was a handsome rifle.
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Not sure how but the 35E hasn't been mentioned yet. That girl absolutely belongs on the list.
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Not sure how but the 35E hasn't been mentioned yet. That girl absolutely belongs on the list.
Yep
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I favor sporting riles but I do have a couple HW55's. Why aren't you guys mentioning any of the target rifles with highly figured walnut stocks?
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I favor sporting riles but I do have a couple HW55's. Why aren't you guys mentioning any of the target rifles with highly figured walnut stocks?
Because all the German BB's made in the past 30-40 years have had pretty boring OEM birch stocks. The HW 98 and the premium walnut stocks of Diana and HW are not usually highly figured/barely figured at all in most cases.
-Y
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Currently in production I say a HW35. Out of production would be the older 10M rifles like the HW55.
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Had to get a custom stock for my HW50.Even thought the original wasn't really too bad. Quarter sawn beech shows medulary rays and flecks that I don't usually care for. This one was plank sawn and looked pretty nice. Stingray stock looks good. Attractive guns
(http://)
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Just get some Webleys, ok? They weren't so stingy with the walnut.
(http://)
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The HW 98 is my favorite.
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My 1980's R7 is the most beautiful beech Weihrauch stock I've ever seen
(http://)
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Karl,
Beautiful stock on the R7 8).
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The FWB600s are not bad.
This is a 601..
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Currently in production I say a HW35. Out of production would be the older 10M rifles like the HW55.
+1 8)
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Karl,
Beautiful stock on the R7 8).
Thank you. Weihrauch on occasion, Gamo Royal series, and BSA Stutzen used to put out some very nice quarter sawn beech stocks. I don't see it anymore.
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Well the Diana 50 underlever is hard to beat! But since you specified break-barrels - my three nominees, in no particular order...
Walther LGV target rifle with "Olympia" stock. A classic pre-war shape re-interpreted with clean and perfectly proportioned lines:
(https://i.postimg.cc/R0WbnDW0/IMG-0712.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
The uber-classic Weihrauch HW 35E. There's a reason they've made these for 70 years:
(https://i.postimg.cc/3N7K8fQS/877-B1-B8-F-55-C0-4-AE6-AF68-C639-BD3-B1956.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
And I can't believe no one has yet mentioned the Weihrauch HW 55 T. Works as either an air rifle or sculpture:
(https://i.postimg.cc/PJVwZ2pt/IMG-0411.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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1. D34
2. D350
3. Diana k98
Weihrauchs are all ugly, sorry. All have too thick stocks, too short barrels... maybe except old HW35s.
Walthers? Nothing interesting. Maybe except old 55 with Tyrolean stocks.
FWB only 124. All their recoiless looks like transformers from old comics magazines.
All imho.
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1. D34
2. D350
3. Diana k98
Weihrauchs are all ugly, sorry. All have too thick stocks, too short barrels... maybe except old HW35s.
Walthers? Nothing interesting. Maybe except old 55 with Tyrolean stocks.
FWB only 124. All their recoiless looks like transformers from old comics magazines.
All imho.
Yeah, but their "too thick stocks" make them shoot better! ;)
-Y
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The 34 is a great gun but I wouldn't call it good looking by any means. Its literally my go to truck gun because of how great it shoots and bland it looks. I couldn't care less if it got dinged up.
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Well the Diana 50 underlever is hard to beat! But since you specified break-barrels - my three nominees, in no particular order...
Walther LGV target rifle with "Olympia" stock. A classic pre-war shape re-interpreted with clean and perfectly proportioned lines:
(https://i.postimg.cc/R0WbnDW0/IMG-0712.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
The uber-classic Weihrauch HW 35E. There's a reason they've made these for 70 years:
(https://i.postimg.cc/3N7K8fQS/877-B1-B8-F-55-C0-4-AE6-AF68-C639-BD3-B1956.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
And I can't believe no one has yet mentioned the Weihrauch HW 55 T. Works as either an air rifle or sculpture:
(https://i.postimg.cc/PJVwZ2pt/IMG-0411.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
[/quote
Mike what is the rear sight brand/model?
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The HW 98 is my favorite.
The fore end is too thin. Love the rear of the stock, just now the front. :-[
-Y
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Weihrauchs are all ugly, sorry. All have too thick stocks
The HW95L actually has a too thin stock. All that weight-saving thinning and tapering makes it hard to use an artillery hold on the front stock, while also making it prone to splitting. My 95L stock split in two places with the first 300 pellets.
Taking the stock off, I was shocked at how little wood is left on these at critical, high stress junctures. My woodworker's sense tells me it's a recipe for failure. And it was.
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Weihrauchs are all ugly, sorry.
+1 ;D
They're nice shooters, but exactly this.
Only the HW90 looks good imho, albeit it is half a Theoben ;)
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Mike what is the rear sight brand/model?
The LGV has a Walther sight. This was an all-steel upgrade model for airguns, fairly rare I think but was on the gun when I got it.
The HW 35 has a Weihrauch sight from the mid-1950's. It's all steel, with a "turret" style vertical component. The rifle is from 1966 and has 13 mm scope grooves; the old sights actually had a slightly narrower dovetail, but this example has been carefully milled to fit perfectly on this newer gun.
The HW 55 is from 1969 and has its OEM Weihrauch sight. Also 13 mm dovetail, which remained until the late '70's.
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I think the Diana 350 must be mentioned. There's a handsome, robust break barrel in my opinion. It balances well and stock dimensions seem just right.
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The HW77k. Mine is an old one and is the closest looking thing to a real life cowboy gun. Winchester 44 . Not the best airgun I have and I do not use it a lot but sometimes I put on my Texas cowboy hat and give it a run.
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shoot better! ;)
-Y
Who cares about shooting? TS needs best looking! :D
I forgot about another model of the most beautiful German rifle - Oskar Ville. Once I had a chance to take it to my collection, but I missed this chance because I was with my wife and she did not approve of the purchase of "another piece of iron". I still regret it.
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The HW95L actually has a too thin stock.
I think HW95 has a too thick neck of the butt. Very uncomfortable to reach the trigger by a finger. The butt comb is really very thin and not comfortable for any of my friends... except me - my cheekbone somehow lies right on the comb. But I do not recommend anyone to buy my favorite rifle :D
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KWK,
That is a really pretty stock.
As has been said there are lots of really pretty out of production guns. That said, I've always liked the "lines" of the HW35e.
(https://i.imgur.com/w8VmKoxh.jpg)
I am also kinda partial to my restocked HW95
(https://i.imgur.com/GhBUQ1Sh.jpg)
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that's drool quality!
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Mike what is the rear sight brand/model?
The LGV has a Walther sight. This was an all-steel upgrade model for airguns, fairly rare I think but was on the gun when I got it.
The HW 35 has a Weihrauch sight from the mid-1950's. It's all steel, with a "turret" style vertical component. The rifle is from 1966 and has 13 mm scope grooves; the old sights actually had a slightly narrower dovetail, but this example has been carefully milled to fit perfectly on this newer gun.
The HW 55 is from 1969 and has its OEM Weihrauch sight. Also 13 mm dovetail, which remained until the late '70's.
Thanks Mike. You are the Guru
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For me, looks wise a keen sporter always wins. The REAL Goudy stocked custom Beeman even though I'm not really an R1 fan. Goudy made neat straight comb stocks.
(http://)
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Not sure how but the 35E hasn't been mentioned yet. That girl absolutely belongs on the list.
Here Here! The 35E's with the checkered fore stock just hit me as right - I felt that the grove of the past was anachronistic - so I bought one! And I got lucky - after a pro- Mccary tuning it is the best shooter of my 5 HW's
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For me, looks wise a keen sporter always wins. The REAL Goudy stocked custom Beeman even though I'm not really an R1 fan. Goudy made neat straight comb stocks.
(http://)
Looks like a toothpick to me. You need a bit of wood to dampen the vibrations that springs give off. :D
-Y
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I think the H W 35 long barrel is the best looking of the H W'S.
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Nothing new to add, but it looks like I accidentally killed my Weihrauch HW 55 T image above, so here it is again.
(https://i.postimg.cc/W1mwCqgP/55-B-0313266-T.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rDm4tmfh)
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Another rifle I've always liked is the humble Diana model 27. Very simple form - no cheekpiece, checkering, or even a buttplate, but elegant lines and nice proportions. One thing I like about the traditional German fore end finger grooves, is that its middle is always the gun's balance point. Grabbing it here makes it easy to carry; sliding your fingers to the rear of the groove when shooting gives the perfect, slightly muzzle-heavy "hang."
(https://i.postimg.cc/tgjKGX0w/IMG-1369.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/18vCp13r)
A particularly nice detail is how the breech block blends into the overall lines of the gun. Its top and bottom surfaces are curved, making it look like a flat-sided extension of the receiver tube.
(https://i.postimg.cc/SxWPrwXr/IMG-1914.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
When viewed from the side, the front of the breech block and cocking link blend into a curved form that mirrors the stock fore end. On most barrel cockers these pieces are random-looking shapes and sizes, but all are cleanly integrated by Diana.
(https://i.postimg.cc/J4bw6yvZ/IMG-5962.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/nCcwMLHh)
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The HW 98 is my favorite.
Sexy aren't they. :-*
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Not break barrels but the Diana 58's were so beautifully made. First released in 1915. Most likely reverse engineered from the Lincoln Jeffries/BSA underlevers. The BSA Military Pattern in particular.
(http://)
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/pre-war-diana-air-rifles/diana-model-58/
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/pre-war-diana-air-rifles/diana-model-58/#post-2509
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No argument there! The Diana 58 is one of the uber-classics. I have its little brother, the model 45...
(https://i.postimg.cc/zBp01sdP/Diana-45-UL-01.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/477z6SRz)
...which was the gun more or less copied to create the Webley Mk 3, which has its own sort of lean, mean, form-following-function sort of aesthetic (though I doubt the Webley guys ever intended to create a "pretty" gun LOL)...
(https://i.postimg.cc/QMQff9cD/Webley-Mk3-STPH-01.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7CL16LBt)
...all of them of course descendants of the amazing BSA's!
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No argument there! The Diana 58 is one of the uber-classics. I have its little brother, the model 45...
(https://i.postimg.cc/zBp01sdP/Diana-45-UL-01.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/477z6SRz)
...which was the gun more or less copied to create the Webley Mk 3, which has its own sort of lean, mean, form-following-function sort of aesthetic (though I doubt the Webley guys ever intended to create a "pretty" gun LOL)...
(https://i.postimg.cc/QMQff9cD/Webley-Mk3-STPH-01.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/7CL16LBt)
...all of them of course descendants of the amazing BSA's!
What is that thingy that is hanging underneath the barrel? ??? I ruins the lines of the guns. :-[ Love the rear end of the gun though...... :-*
-Y
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Diana 340 NTech Pro Compact (.22) would be my choice if I could only have one.
Bill.
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Diana 340 NTech Pro Compact (.22) would be my choice if I could only have one.
Bill.
Yes! With the hogsback stock and walnut, GORGEOUS. :-* :-*
-Y
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Mine! Why, because it's mine! 😁
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With my experience of the Diana 340 NTech I would say you Are lucky not to have one
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98 hands down. My BSF c60's kinda' cute.
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Mine! Why, because it's mine! 😁
No Doubt and I second that emotion
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With my experience of the Diana 340 NTech I would say you Are lucky not to have one
Mine is great. When I got it the barrel bolt was way too tight, took just as much effort to close the barrel as it did to cock it.
The barrel leede on mine was so tight that it clipped pellet skirts. A little JB and alot of rubbing. Now she is perfect! Pretty too! :-* :-*
-Y
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There are too many fine German break barrels for me to choose, though the Weihrauch rifles come to mind first and some of the Diana's like the 460 and the 340 Lux. I do like the looks of the FWB 124 and the new Sport though they are quite different. And you could make a nice calendar from all the LGV, FWB 300, etc target rifles. Ha ha!
Here's one that I'm partial to (though its an underlever) - a Beeman branded 77k.