Mystery German air rifle

[lizzie]

I was in a pawn shop today, and came across a German air rifle that doesn't have a manufacturer's stamp. It has "Made in Germany" stamped on the left side of the receiver area, and 4.5 .177 stamped at the forward end of the barrel on the left side. It's a medium brown wood stock (too light for walnut), and has a red rubber stock butt pad, with a stripe of white between the wood and the rubber pad. There's no raised cheek rest, but the stock is in really good shape, and the barrel looks fairly good, but has a little surface rust. There's a serial number stamped on the left side of the barrel close to the breach point. No idea what brand it is, but I couldn't pass up the excellent deal I got it for.
Any ideas where I would start searching for possible manufacturers?

I haven't taken pics yet, but will try to post some tomorrow.

I think I have officially caught airgun fever. Shame on you guys.

[Mark 611]

Show us some pic's!

[lizzie]

Show us some pic's!

Take my word- you guys will be the first to see her.

[Toolmaker]

 It's OK, we're here for support!

 Can't wait for the pics.

[lizzie]

 It's OK, we're here for support!

 Can't wait for the pics.

Is this like a 12-step program? lol

[RedFeather]

Sounds like typical Diana marking.  Most of those are marked somewhere, though, unless they are very early.  "Made in Germany"?  Could be after reunification or even before WWII.  Pictures, by all means.  From there we can surely ID it.  Intriguing.  You've brought some interesting posts to the Gate.  A welcome addition.

PS - I used to do the pawn shops but they've been drying up here in my area.  Now it's Craigslist, etc.  DON'T start going there.  It will keep you up all night trying to "get lucky", LOL!

[lizzie]

Sounds like typical Diana marking.  Most of those are marked somewhere, though, unless they are very early.  "Made in Germany"?  Could be after reunification or even before WWII.  Pictures, by all means.  From there we can surely ID it.  Intriguing.  You've brought some interesting posts to the Gate.  A welcome addition.

PS - I used to do the pawn shops but they've been drying up here in my area.  Now it's Craigslist, etc.  DON'T start going there.  It will keep you up all night trying to "get lucky", LOL!

Thanks Red.
Craigslist is probably somewhere I shouldn't go.

Pawn shops in this area usually aren't very good, but I went to visit my parents today (60 miles away) and stopped in one on the way back just on impulse. Truthfully, I was quite shocked to find it. Most of what I've seen in pawn shops (and there are very few to begin with), are newer air rifles and about the same price as new.

[JonnyReb]

 Thats awesome Liz, like my dream find. an inexpensive vintage german springer in good shape at a pawn shop. Been asking at them for years as i look for tools and other stuff but have never come across one.    beginners luck i say 

[amb5500c]

We have several pawn shops  around here and I will occasionally stop and check one out. I have only once found an airgun of any quality that I wanted to buy. I didnt have quite enough cash on me and really didn't want to pay what they were asking for it. I really wanted the gun though, so I went back the next day just in time to see a man putting it in his truck. That was disappointing. But maybe someday I'll find me another little treasure.
Richard

[lizzie]

Thats awesome Liz, like my dream find. an inexpensive vintage german springer in good shape at a pawn shop. Been asking at them for years as i look for tools and other stuff but have never come across one.    beginners luck i say 

Most definitely beginner's luck- most likely will never happen again.
I went in the shop and asked the guy at the desk if they had any air rifles. He told me they had one, and brought over a Benjamin pump. I saw this rifle hanging on the wall, and it looked to me like an air rifle, but I couldn't see it very well. I asked him if I could take a look, so he let me handle it, and when I saw the made in Germany mark and the low price tag, I jumped at it. Lucky coincidence for me too, that as I was standing at the desk to pay, the whole block had a power outage, so the computers went down, and he couldn't run my debit card. The nice thing about that was that I asked if they could just take a check, and the manager told me no, but made me a deal for cash that I couldn't refuse.

[bradyman1]

Inquiry minds must know. What did you pay for it?

[lizzie]

I really wanted the gun though, so I went back the next day just in time to see a man putting it in his truck. That was disappointing. But maybe someday I'll find me another little treasure.
Richard

Oh man- that's terrible. I've had that happen to me in the past one too many times, so now, if I really want something, and it's at a price that I can afford, even if it's a little more than I want to pay, I go ahead and get it.  So far, I've never regretted it.

[lizzie]

Inquiry minds must know. What did you pay for it?

(Ducking to avoid airborn objects): $40.

[JonnyReb]

(Ducking to avoid airborn objects): $40.

  Jaw hangs open...

[bradyman1]

Sounds like a sweet deal. Congrats!

[lizzie]

Thanks guys. See JohnnyReb? I told you you were right about the beginner's luck.

[bart the fart]

i'd buy a rust bucket of a german gun for $40 and be smiling ear to ear.....we NEED picks lizzie....I NEED pic's lol...congrat's Bart

[s10gto]

I'm going to be glued to the GTA tommorrow waiting for the pics.  
 

[lizzie]

Pics tomorrow- promise. I just had a busy day and haven't had a chance yet.

[RedFeather]

You can start looking for it here - not at all comprehensive but it's free and available.  https://store.bluebookinc.com/InstantAccess/Category.aspx?product=4&id=72

This is set on Diana.  To look at other guns, stick a letter in the upper right corner.  Have fun!