New Diana 54 Air King Pro - Factory Lube

[Nitrocrushr]

I recently picked up a new Air King Pro in .22 caliber.  As with all of my new air rifles, I tested it over the chronograph before beginning the tuning process.  It was generating 37fpe   It was detonating and despite trying to shoot through it, it was in no way taming down.  A quick disassembly revealed the source of the problem, EXCESSIVE Lube!! In the pictures below, you can see the amount of lube that was applied at the factory.  I also attached pictures showing the comp tube after it was cleaned up....hopefully images will post ok

Before







After





For anyone who might be purchasing a new Diana in the near future, do not continue shooting it if it continues to detonate and produce excessive energy levels.  On any new springer it is normal to have a few high velocity shots like this out of the box, but they should quickly settle down.  In this case it was not settling down, and continued shooting would not have been good for the gun.  I just wanted to get this out there as a safety awareness.

Steve

[Denby95]

I had this happen with a D460 I bought in 2020 from Umarex. It just kept dieseling, I kept shooting through it figuring it would eventually stop. Kept cleaning the barrel with patches hoping that would also help move the lube out of the system faster. It didn't. My breech seal eventually stopped sealing correctly (deformed/melted) and it lost about 200 FPS. Did a full tear down, stripped of all lube, replaced it sparingly with krytox, and a fresh breech seal and all became right.

I should have done something sooner to fix it rather than being lazy that it was just going to go away.

[Cslinger]

My 54 made the Exxon Valdez look like a Jiffy Lube oil change. I mean seriously I’ve "dang" near had rifles packed in cosmoline that were easier to deal with.

When you work through all the little Diana “undocumented features” they can be incredibly good and accurate guns but all of my Diana’s out of the box needed some kind of work or another.

[Roadworthy]

Thanks for sharing, Steve.  I've not run into excessive lube on any new Diana rifle but it's good to know it's possible.  That would indeed be something to watch for.

[Novagun]

I have had that with a new DIANA. I want another one just because it is a Diana. The reality for me is that my money is better spent on Spanish or even Chinese. Abit of fettling and off I go. Rockin all over the maize field.

[Toxylon]

New Weihrauchs, too, have way too much of the wrong kinds of lube in the wrong places. None of my German springers have ever stopped dieseling on their own, no matter if they have seen 2 000 pellets down the bore.

Spanish, Chinese and German went to a bar...the thing in my experience is: with the Germans (outside Walther) you need to figure the gun is semi-finished when you get it. But once you degrease, deburr, reseal and relube the guns, they just keep getting better and better, from year to year, for untold thousands of pellets. So, in the big picture, it doesn't mean a thing that there was rust-preventing grease in there for the shipping.

With the Spanish and Chinese guns, in my experience they start breaking down at the stage when the Germans start to sing. So, unless you want to buy new guns on a permanent plan, you are better off buying quality.

[cjtamu]

New Weihrauchs, too, have way too much of the wrong kinds of lube in the wrong places. None of my German springers have ever stopped dieseling on their own, no matter if they have seen 2 000 pellets down the bore.

Spanish, Chinese and German went to a bar...the thing in my experience is: with the Germans (outside Walther) you need to figure the gun is semi-finished when you get it. But once you degrease, deburr, reseal and relube the guns, they just keep getting better and better, from year to year, for untold thousands of pellets. So, in the big picture, it doesn't mean a thing that there was rust-preventing grease in there for the shipping.

With the Spanish and Chinese guns, in my experience they start breaking down at the stage when the Germans start to sing. So, unless you want to buy new guns on a permanent plan, you are better off buying quality.

And aesthetics matter to some of us. I’ve yet to hold a Spanish, Chinese, or Turkish gun with fit and finish the quality of HW, Diana, or AA. I’m willing to pay the surcharge LOL.

[Yogi]

And aesthetics matter to some of us. I’ve yet to hold a Spanish, Chinese, or Turkish gun with fit and finish the quality of HW, Diana, or AA. I’m willing to pay the surcharge LOL.

Amen, yet most people want the cheapest least expensive anything.

-Y