Diana 54 Air King Best caliber

[truck driver]

After running those pellets over the chrony I decided to pull my TO1 down for inspection and to clean and lube it since i didn't know when it was last done.
Found a bent mainspring so that needed to be changed.
JM is closed so I can't order a new spring for it but I have a OEM spring out of the 430L that is just a few coils less and slightly smaller wire. ( 31 coils .125" dia wire) ( 54 spring 33 coils .130" dia wire)
Cleaned and polished what needed attention and lubed the smaller spring an put it in the gun.
Here's some new chrony numbers  from a detuned 54.
AA 8.4 gr 4.51" dia 10 shot avg 822.3 fps
H&N FTT 8.65 gr 4.52" dia 10 shot avg 787.2 fps

Bent mainspring? Were your guides too loose?

-Marty

Marty this rifle was built in 2001 and I'm the third owner. The answer to your question is yes the factory guide is under size and should be replaced or sleeved to fit the spring. That's one reason for going with a JM spring which will include 2 fitted guides as JM calls them.

[dtdtdtdt]

Haven't been posting for a while but will chime in here.

I have:

1.    .177 54 that is mostly OEM except for careful choice of pellets and lightening of trigger pull. 10.65 Kodiak Match.

2.    .20 54 Hector special  13.66gr JSB Exact Match.

3.    .177 FWB 300 with probably factory internals. 8.18gr H&N Finale Rifle Match.   I haven't seen the need to take it apart in 15+ years.

I did side-by-side comparison of groups with all three at 50' on an indoor range off a stout bench rest. 

FWB 300:  Best ever group 0.07" C-T-C. (same size as factory 10m target group sent with rifle!).
      Average for 5 groups 0.22 C-T-C

RWS 54 0.177:  Best ever group:  0.10" C-t-C.  Average for 5 groups: 0.30" C-T-C..

RWS 54 Hector Special .20.  Best ever group 0.08" C-T-C.  Average for 5 groups 0.30". Less experience with this one.  Haven't been shooting as much because of family responsibilities.

Also did a brief test at 30yds with all three.  I have lost the targets but recall that the FWB and the Hector .20 were virtually the same (around 0.3") while the .177 was a bit larger - around 0.40.

RWS 54 .177 at 50yds. 10 shot groups  best ever 0.75"  another group 1.25". at 100yds 5.5" 10 shots bad wind conditions..

Hector Special at 50yds:  Only one range session windy:  10 shots 1.25" second group 1.75". 100yds too windy to be sure but approximately 4". 

Didn't shoot FWB at 50 & 100.

[MartyMcFly]

Haven't been posting for a while but will chime in here.

I have:

1.    .177 54 that is mostly OEM except for careful choice of pellets and lightening of trigger pull. 10.65 Kodiak Match.

2.    .20 54 Hector special  13.66gr JSB Exact Match.

3.    .177 FWB 300 with probably factory internals. 8.18gr H&N Finale Rifle Match.   I haven't seen the need to take it apart in 15+ years.

I did side-by-side comparison of groups with all three at 50' on an indoor range off a stout bench rest. 

FWB 300:  Best ever group 0.07" C-T-C. (same size as factory 10m target group sent with rifle!).
      Average for 5 groups 0.22 C-T-C

RWS 54 0.177:  Best ever group:  0.10" C-t-C.  Average for 5 groups: 0.30" C-T-C..

RWS 54 Hector Special .20.  Best ever group 0.08" C-T-C.  Average for 5 groups 0.30". Less experience with this one.  Haven't been shooting as much because of family responsibilities.

Also did a brief test at 30yds with all three.  I have lost the targets but recall that the FWB and the Hector .20 were virtually the same (around 0.3") while the .177 was a bit larger - around 0.40.

RWS 54 .177 at 50yds. 10 shot groups  best ever 0.75"  another group 1.25". at 100yds 5.5" 10 shots bad wind conditions..

Hector Special at 50yds:  Only one range session windy:  10 shots 1.25" second group 1.75". 100yds too windy to be sure but approximately 4". 

Didn't shoot FWB at 50 & 100.

Dave, you sure have a unique rifle on your hands with that .20 "Hector Special"! Based on your testing it seems that a well tuned 54 can be equal to an FWB 300, and is probably more versatile if one wants to extend the range. Very useful data, thank you for chiming in.

-Marty

[dwalk]

I have a 54 in 22; also a 52 in 177.

I prefer the 22 as I have a difficult time handling the tiny 177 pellets...

[dtdtdtdt]

Marty,

I neglected to mention that one of my friends bought a 22 RWS54 that is completely stock.  He is a hunter rather than a target shooter so don't know the details of accuracy on his BUT he shot 17 groundhogs off his property in the first summer at up to 50yds.  All were one-shot kills.  (He is really really really good at hunting style shooting!). Last I talked to him he was up to about 25. 

On the other hand, my .177 54 and I spent several summers shooting chipmunks off my back yard after they undermined a brick patio wall to the point it took $3000 in repairs to rebuild.  My grand total for the 5 year or so campaign was a bit over 400 with 150ish in one summer for the high and 3 for the last summer with the 20caliber.   HOWEVER, they are restocking so next summer might be a bit better.  I sit at the kitchen table with a Caldwell Tackdriver bag as a rest, a cup of coffee at my elbow and a couple open windows overlooking my favorite kill zone.  Minimum range is about 10yds with a maximum of about 30yds.  I try for headshots but have had a few lung shots.  Local raccoons love the meat left behind in the woods.

The only negative I see with 54s is their weight.  Hauling them around the woods would be a burden!!!   

[truck driver]

My 54 is a 177 and was running between 14-18 fpe depending on the pellet weight with a bent factory spring and still very accurate. My 48 is a 22 and peaks out at 24 fpe which is my primary hunting rifle.
I got the 54 for target shooting but when I buy a new spring for it I'll try to tune it to 16 fpe which  I think  would be a good compromise for both hunting and target shooting.

To answer your question what is the best caliber that's entirely up to what your plans are for using it. The best of both worlds would be 20 but that is a custom only option but the 177 can do both unless your looking for a 100 yd bench rest gun and then the 22 would be better due to wind bucking capabilities though I haven't tried the heavier 177 pellets above 10 grain in it and that would take a full power spring to keep the velocities up which seem to drop off quickly in 177 from what I have read. Just think of the old theory of heavy and slow verse light and fast.
Also think about when you have a 177 making under 12 fpe, the lower velocity even with a 177 will make it loopy .

[aaronc]

Marty,

I neglected to mention that one of my friends bought a 22 RWS54 that is completely stock.  He is a hunter rather than a target shooter so don't know the details of accuracy on his BUT he shot 17 groundhogs off his property in the first summer at up to 50yds.  All were one-shot kills.  (He is really really really good at hunting style shooting!). Last I talked to him he was up to about 25. 

On the other hand, my .177 54 and I spent several summers shooting chipmunks off my back yard after they undermined a brick patio wall to the point it took $3000 in repairs to rebuild.  My grand total for the 5 year or so campaign was a bit over 400 with 150ish in one summer for the high and 3 for the last summer with the 20caliber.   HOWEVER, they are restocking so next summer might be a bit better.  I sit at the kitchen table with a Caldwell Tackdriver bag as a rest, a cup of coffee at my elbow and a couple open windows overlooking my favorite kill zone.  Minimum range is about 10yds with a maximum of about 30yds.  I try for headshots but have had a few lung shots.  Local raccoons love the meat left behind in the woods.

The only negative I see with 54s is their weight.  Hauling them around the woods would be a burden!!!

  lol,......bejesus,...that's awesome!.

[MartyMcFly]

It’s looks like many of you also own a 48/52 in addition to the 54. Given that they are built on the same power plant, do you feel that the 54’s sled/rail system makes it a truly different gun than a 48/52? If you had to live with only one would you stick with the 54?

-Marty

[fwbsport]

Haven't been posting for a while but will chime in here.

I have:

1.    .177 54 that is mostly OEM except for careful choice of pellets and lightening of trigger pull. 10.65 Kodiak Match.

2.    .20 54 Hector special  13.66gr JSB Exact Match.

3.    .177 FWB 300 with probably factory internals. 8.18gr H&N Finale Rifle Match.   I haven't seen the need to take it apart in 15+ years.

I did side-by-side comparison of groups with all three at 50' on an indoor range off a stout bench rest. 

FWB 300:  Best ever group 0.07" C-T-C. (same size as factory 10m target group sent with rifle!).
      Average for 5 groups 0.22 C-T-C

RWS 54 0.177:  Best ever group:  0.10" C-t-C.  Average for 5 groups: 0.30" C-T-C..

RWS 54 Hector Special .20.  Best ever group 0.08" C-T-C.  Average for 5 groups 0.30". Less experience with this one.  Haven't been shooting as much because of family responsibilities.

Also did a brief test at 30yds with all three.  I have lost the targets but recall that the FWB and the Hector .20 were virtually the same (around 0.3") while the .177 was a bit larger - around 0.40.

RWS 54 .177 at 50yds. 10 shot groups  best ever 0.75"  another group 1.25". at 100yds 5.5" 10 shots bad wind conditions..

Hector Special at 50yds:  Only one range session windy:  10 shots 1.25" second group 1.75". 100yds too windy to be sure but approximately 4". 

Didn't shoot FWB at 50 & 100.

Okay so you have another 54 in .20--is this one out of 3 in the world built by HM?

[dtdtdtdt]

"Okay so you have another 54 in .20--is this one out of 3 in the world built by HM?"

Yes, Hector built it.  The serial number is #29 out of 30.  So there are few more out there!!!

I believe that the 20 caliber is a good compromise for velocity, energy, wind-bucking, and performance compared to the .177 and .22.  In addition, it has the ZR scope mount, his harmonic stabilizer (if I am calling the correct name) and a Sightron recommended as a less busy version of Hector's favorite scope.   Wasn't cheap by any means but is doing its job  for me.

Over 50 years ago, I was introduced to the recoilless features of the FWB 300 marketed by Daisy and always wanted one! My first "modern" air rifle was a Walther Force 1000 break-barrel that I had poor success with.  I didn't "get" the artillery hold I guess.  It led me to the FWB 300.

My daughter, who shoots a lot, met a former member of the British National Team who had hurt his back and couldn't shoot rifle any more.  He sold me his "personal" FWB 300 and shipped it to me from England.  It caused a bit a stir in the US postal system because he shipped it in a regular rifle case festuned with range stickers and a security seal from the Royal Mail.  When my mailman delivered it early Monday morning after it having been shipped Friday afternoon from Heathrow in London (where he works in their security section!).  The mailman told me that it had been x-rayed multiple times and was viewed with suspicion.  He was a immigrant from Pakistan who told me he had been on the Paki army rifle team and was curious to see this air rifle.  I immediately opened it and showed him all the lovely toys.  He left and I saw him stop and talk to two guys in "suits" in an unmarked car.  I figure if it weren't an air rifle I would have been visited by the ATF, Postal Inspectors, and FBI swat!!!!

When I got the chipmunk infestation, I needed something quiet and accurate to lead them to Nirvana.  I didn't think the FWB would have enough power so I bought the .177 RWS54 used because it had the recoilless system.  That led me to this forum, that led me to Hector, and as they say the rest is history!

I bought a lifetime supply of 20 caliber JSB pellets (20,000?) and have be happily popping away since.  Family issues have cut my shooting time quite a bit so I am behind on experimenting with the Hector special.  Only a few dozen sessions to gauge accuracy and any needed tweaking.  The very long trigger pull of the 54 was more than I could take so I put a take-up screw in the trigger to shorten the pull and a light spring that puts the trigger pull in the 8-12oz range near that of the 300.  That's all I have done to it.  When weather moderates, I hope to spend quite a bit of time on the outdoor 50 & 100 yd range to wring it out in comparison to the .177.  I will shoot them side-by-side to minimize environmental effects. 

cheers!!!

By the way, note the short list below.  My personal theory on shooting is to select a small group of high quality arms, tune them and shoot each a LOT!!!  I don't have a huge stable of any kind of guns but cycle through them regularly to keep my skills up. 

[MartyMcFly]

Unrelated topic, but for those who love .20 there is a Theoben Eliminator/Crow Mag in .20 listed on airguns.net right now... Aside from the HW90 I think this is one of the very few .20s available in gas ram.

-Marty

[fwbsport]

Dave and .20 interested, the 54 and the .20 came together quite separately but inevitably.

Having the 97K .20 I saw the .20 working in an accurate manner but not quite enough power so I shelved the .20 project in a barrel break design going to heavier calibers like .25.

I got here and HM was here, but before Hector I had already been scouting two rifles from Diana for their popularity, the D34 and the D54.  The recoiless design had fascinated me as a way to really focus on shooting without any kick at all even though the kick of a pellet rifle isn't that bad in the first place, but I had shot recoiless through PCP knowing THAT feature made shooting more consistent.

So I wanted a 54 over the other options mostly because of the recoiless feature.  Holding and shooting Hector's cigar smelling leathered buttstock 54 and shooting it offhand gave me a strange feeling of feeling I could manage this side lever....and then the rest is history to date.

I'll sell firearms before any of my air rifles now, and there are a lot but I can already envision the day I will tend to them by taking them all apart like so many around here do.....