Diana 56TH (Hunter Target) - Initial impressions and performance

[Yogi]

  The muzzle brake fits right up to the end of the barrel and there is a rubber washer inside the threaded cap that lightly tightens down against the end of the barrel when fully threaded on. I am hoping I can loosen the allen screws and slide the brake a couple inches forward to create a void to help take more of the noise away. Does anybody know if the allen screws tighten to the round side of the barrel or is there a machined flat the tighten down on?

Nice rifle!  Think you will like the matt finish the more you use it.

The muzzle weight on my 340 N-tec Compact is held on by 2 small grub screws on the underside of the MB.  Not sure if it is the same as yours or not....
These grub screws fit into 2 small threaded holes on the barrel.  These threaded holes are only about 4 or 5 threads deep.  I took my MB off once and had a really hard time "finding" those 2 holes again.  Also, when you find one, you are not sure if it is the first hole or second hole.
The length of barrel underneath my MB is not well finished at all.   So removing it is a no go...
Since my gun is a break barrel, I use the MB as a cocking aid.  Have to really tighten down those grub screws or the MB wobbles just a bit.
Hope this helps...

-Yogi

[Smaug2]

This likely going to be my next springer. All of those pictures just confirm it. There is nothing I see that I don't like. I really like the flat finish too. I didn't expect it. Bluing just rusts, that looks like a substantial finish.

Mine spent a couple years in a damp basement. The cocking lever and top of the action, right where the Diana emblem is burned in, rusted a bit.

The reach to the trigger is a bit long, compared to every other springer I've shot, but the trigger action itself is quite good.

The barrel isn't shrouded with any kind of noise dampening, and it is just as loud as I expected a 20 FPE springer to me. The spring action was quite buzzy in mine. It was strange to have no recoil, but to still feel and hear the spring buzz after the shot.

Make no mistake, the gun is indeed a tank. Shot from a rest, it's no problem. But try shooting it offhand for more than a few shots and your spine will be screaming. Mine needed a drooper mount too; I got the UTG one. Make sure to mount it with the overhanging part over the front of the stock rail, or it won't work right.

Bottom line was that it was a nice gun, but the fit & finish weren't Weihrauch quality, it's buzzy (needs a tune) and heavy. Consider it about a $1300 purchase, all up, and you'll be happy.

[wahoowad]

Make sure to mount it with the overhanging part over the front of the stock rail, or it won't work right.

The new ones have the T06 trigger and the mount doesn't have this overhang aspect. At least the UTG DNT06 mount for this gun doesn't have it.

[Sky]

Is the powerplant the same as the 54? Anyone have both?

[straightshooter]

I have both, pretty sure they are the same powerplant.

[Sky]

So what are bennies with the 56 over 54? Seems like nicer stock.

[straightshooter]

I have not shot my 56 yet, but I have shot others and I prefer a thumb hole stock. IMO it makes the weight more manageable, but I specifically purchased it for BR. Last year I used my 54 for both HFT and BR with a 12x Scope and I really struggled seeing the Targets. I plan on putting a higher power Scope on my 56 and I believe the 56 stock will fit my front rest better and hopefully I will improve my score.

Plus with the 56, you get the better IMO trigger T-06 than the 54 in 1.77 T-05.

[Sky]

What is BR, bench rest? I was thinking of hft. But I was also thinking 22.

[Yogi]

I have not shot my 56 yet, but I have shot others and I prefer a thumb hole stock. IMO it makes the weight more manageable, but I specifically purchased it for BR. Last year I used my 54 for both HFT and BR with a 12x Scope and I really struggled seeing the Targets. I plan on putting a higher power Scope on my 56 and I believe the 56 stock will fit my front rest better and hopefully I will improve my score.

Plus with the 56, you get the better IMO trigger T-06 than the 54 in 1.77 T-05.

What distances are you shooting BR at?

-Y

[straightshooter]

Yes BR (Bench Rest), 25M USARB (United States Air Rifle Bench Rest)

HFT (Hunter Field Target) I am pretty sure you can shoot both 1.77 and .22, but since 1.77 is smaller it gets the advantage hitting the small KZ (kill Zone) easier.

BR, I have heard the advantage goes to .22 because the larger size has a better chance of hitting the bull line and the heavier weight bucks the wind better. But the Guys that shoot the FWB 300s all of which are 1.77 score at the top. I have had better accuracy with my 1.77's over the one .22 Springer that I had.

[straightshooter]

I have not shot my 56 yet, but I have shot others and I prefer a thumb hole stock. IMO it makes the weight more manageable, but I specifically purchased it for BR. Last year I used my 54 for both HFT and BR with a 12x Scope and I really struggled seeing the Targets. I plan on putting a higher power Scope on my 56 and I believe the 56 stock will fit my front rest better and hopefully I will improve my score.

Plus with the 56, you get the better IMO trigger T-06 than the 54 in 1.77 T-05.

What distances are you shooting BR at?

-Y

25M, but there are also 75 and 100 yard matches that I have not shot yet.

[Yogi]

Sounds like fun! 
25 yard BR should be pretty easy...not surprising that many FWB 300 shooters do well.  It is one of the most accurate springers ever made!

I bet it does not do so well at 50 and 100 yards, 

-Y

[straightshooter]

Sounds like fun! 
25 yard BR should be pretty easy...not surprising that many FWB 300 shooters do well.  It is one of the most accurate springers ever made!

I bet it does not do so well at 50 and 100 yards, 

-Y

I am amazed how fun it is, I really did not think I would like it, in fact I had to force myself to get up early and make that long drive. But once I tried it I was hooked! I really wish more folks would give it a try, the more people that participate the more fun!

I look forward to the challenge of shooting longer distances, agree with the lower power of the 300s probably not doing well?

[HectorMedina]

OK, let's dispel some myths:

1.- The three part barrel assembly (Barrel core, thin liner and then sheath) was developed for the 48 to dampen the barrel's vibrations at high power. The system works. The only better system (impossible when the 48 was invented), is to Carbon Fiber the barrel in a well laid CF tube (not all the tubes are laid out for maximum longitudinal stiffness).

2.- The tabs on the barrel sheath at the stock end of the 54/56 are there to prevent debris from falling into the action while shooting in the field. Under NO account should those tabs touch the stock, they are not there to align anything.

3.- Stock screws are small because there is very little stress on them. 18 in-lbs should be more than enough. If you use more, the gun may still shoot OK, but the rubber washers that SHOULD keep some pliability under tension will not be doing their proper job, use blue loc-tite once you find what tension your rifle is most accurate at. In the 12 ft-lbs CCA version, self leveling washers are used, but then the hardware of the stock is removed and the inside of the "inletting" is refinished to waterproof.

4.- The sled system has two blocks, the front block uses ONE pin/rail, the rear block uses TWO. The space between them is where the release tension is adjusted and set. There are two possible extreme settings:
a) To make it as hard as possible but still allow the sled to release (useful in hunting guns)
b) To make it as easy as possible, but yet prevent any accidental releases (useful in target shooting)

5.- 54 and 56 are the EXACT same powerplant. The differences are the stock, the MW and the length of the shim, sheath on the barrel.

6.-The rivets are rivets, they hold the block where the barrel was inserted. Up until before the T/H line, all actions had one rivet. From the T/H line onwards and now they are manufacturing at ENSE, all actions have double rivets.

You should get 5/8"c-c groups at 35 yards OoB, tuned you can about half that.



HTH, keep well and shoot straight!





Héctor

[wahoowad]

Thanks Hector. Very helpful.

Too confirm, the trigger guard screws only hold the trigger guard to the stock. They do not screw into the rear of the action like a HW, correct?

[HectorMedina]

Thanks Hector. Very helpful.

Too confirm, the trigger guard screws only hold the trigger guard to the stock. They do not screw into the rear of the action like a HW, correct?

The REAR trigger guard screw does screw only into the wood of the stock, the FRONT trigger guard screw holds a piece of steel that holds the trigger pins in place. That piece of steel is a source of noise. When I do a 54 or a 56, I insert external retainer rings in the trigger pins



and also put some UHDPE tape on that piece to avoid noise and vibrations. In WFTF guns, that piece gets removed and replaced for a nut that is inletted into the stock.

Hope this helps

Keep well and shoot straight!






HM

[wahoowad]

If I use 18 in-lbs on the stock screws, what do you suggest for tightening this  FRONT trigger guard screw?

[HectorMedina]

If I use 18 in-lbs on the stock screws, what do you suggest for tightening this  FRONT trigger guard screw?

18 in-lbs is about as high as you want to go. It is up to you to determine where the gun shoots best.

On the front trigger guard screw just get it snug. And snug means less than 10 in-lbs.
You would have to have a somewhat sophisticated torque wrench to actually measure a lower number.

HTH


HM

[wahoowad]

Dangit. Why do I have to mess with everything? 

I started today with a nice plinking session with the 56TH, smashing everything and picking my shot placement at ease. The little steel chickens were flying everywhere and I'm hitting dime size targets repeatedly. After 100 shots I took a break, then decided to remove the action from the stock and apply some moly to the spring guide. I did this using a toothpick through the smallish inspection hole. I did what I could, just small dabs as it did look dry, then spent a few minutes looking at the sled components which looked as expected from the other posts and pictures I've seen.

The sled washers fell out when I removed the stock, so had to guess at the order when I put it back together. On the rear I put on a metal washer, then the rubber one between it and the stock. On the front I sandwiched the rubber washer between the 2 metal washers. Was this correct? I then torqued the 2 stock screws to approx. 16 in-lbs, and only snugged up the trigger guard screws as I learned they do not go into the action anywhere.

Accuracy was terrible when I resumed shooting. I shot groups as usually a small readjustment of the scope is needed anytime I reseat an action back into the stock. I went from a PCP-like stacking/cloverleafs of pellets at 35 yards to 1" and 1.25" groups. At times it seemed like 2 groups kept appearing within each 5 shot group. I rechecked everything, checked my scope screws, quickly cleaned the barrel, still shooting poorly.

The sled action feels as it did before, which seems to be working as per all the things I've read. I didn't fool with it when I had it apart, looked lightly oiled, all the parts working.

So any tips on this 56TH? I removed the trigger guard as I thought I needed to. But upon disassembly it appeared that was not needed.  I put the trigger guard back on and screwed the front screw into that plate so the stock and plate were one unit, then dropped the action back in and torqued the 2 front stock screws to the 16 in-lbs. This seemed right as the action can't be bound to the trigger guard or the sled wouldn't move.

Anything else to check? How about the order of those washers?

[HectorMedina]

Dangit. Why do I have to mess with everything? 

I started today with a nice plinking session with the 56TH, smashing everything and picking my shot placement at ease. The little steel chickens were flying everywhere and I'm hitting dime size targets repeatedly. After 100 shots I took a break, then decided to remove the action from the stock and apply some moly to the spring guide. I did this using a toothpick through the smallish inspection hole. I did what I could, just small dabs as it did look dry, then spent a few minutes looking at the sled components which looked as expected from the other posts and pictures I've seen.

The sled washers fell out when I removed the stock, so had to guess at the order when I put it back together. On the rear I put on a metal washer, then the rubber one between it and the stock. On the front I sandwiched the rubber washer between the 2 metal washers. Was this correct? I then torqued the 2 stock screws to approx. 16 in-lbs, and only snugged up the trigger guard screws as I learned they do not go into the action anywhere.

Accuracy was terrible when I resumed shooting. I shot groups as usually a small readjustment of the scope is needed anytime I reseat an action back into the stock. I went from a PCP-like stacking/cloverleafs of pellets at 35 yards to 1" and 1.25" groups. At times it seemed like 2 groups kept appearing within each 5 shot group. I rechecked everything, checked my scope screws, quickly cleaned the barrel, still shooting poorly.

The sled action feels as it did before, which seems to be working as per all the things I've read. I didn't fool with it when I had it apart, looked lightly oiled, all the parts working.

So any tips on this 56TH? I removed the trigger guard as I thought I needed to. But upon disassembly it appeared that was not needed.  I put the trigger guard back on and screwed the front screw into that plate so the stock and plate were one unit, then dropped the action back in and torqued the 2 front stock screws to the 16 in-lbs. This seemed right as the action can't be bound to the trigger guard or the sled wouldn't move.

Anything else to check? How about the order of those washers?

Wad! You broke it!

Now you will have to send it to me!  LOL!

Just kidding. Your washers seem tobe in the correct order.

Lubing the guide is a sure way to alter the harmonics of a gun.
Unless you are planning on re-tuning, it is not a wise thing to do.

So,    I would look into the MW. Make sure it is not loose and the front screw in end is as tight as it was before.

Then experiment with the stock screws. Start at just snug and tighten front, then back shooting a group at each setting.
Remember I told you 18 was as high as you could go, but it didn't mean that you should start near the top.
Start low and experiment.

HTH





HM