HW97k or Diana 54 Air King

[abqjoe]

So I'm new to Air Rifles and looking to make my second purchase and am looking at the HW97k and the Diana 54 Air King. Which one? Also, any other recommendations in that price range, thanks!

[longislandhunter]

Certainly can't go wrong with either one........ however if I could only get one I'd get the 54   I"ve always loved that rifle

Jeff

[Arch_E]

So I'm new to Air Rifles and looking to make my second purchase and am looking at the HW97k and the Diana 54 Air King. Which one? Also, any other recommendations in that price range, thanks!

Does weight matter?

One is almost 9lbs; the other, 10lbs

Archie

[abqjoe]

So I'm new to Air Rifles and looking to make my second purchase and am looking at the HW97k and the Diana 54 Air King. Which one? Also, any other recommendations in that price range, thanks!

Does weight matter?

One is almost 9lbs; the other, 10lbs

Archie

No, weight doesn't really matter. I'm more interested in top shelf accuracy, quality of build, and enough power to kill raccoons and skunks.

[ssbn617]

Hey Joe, I am a recent convert to the world of springers. Let me tell you the 54 is one fantastic rifle. There are several other brands that could be considered nicer looking but in my opinion, the 54 is the best balanced. I shoot off hand with a Williams peep sight an can hold it well enough to take out chipmunks at 20 yards with out fail.
You cannot go wrong with either choice.
Mitch

[Roadworthy]

I believe the 54 is significantly more powerful but has far less recoil.  It is reputed to be rough on scopes, consider a recoil absorbing mount if you go that route.  The shooter may feel no recoil but the same cannot be said of the scope.  Of course the HW 77 is in the same category as the HW 97 but comes with open sights if you choose to go that route.

[AGEnthused2]

I have a model 48 and a model 54, I do like the Air King, but I find myself shooting the 48 more often, maybe it’s because the model 54 is so nice looking and I don’t want to mark it up just yet. My 48 has a Williams peep site on it, and I find it accurate enough to knock collared doves off of their perches. Funny quick story, I shot one such dove and as I went to retrieve it my cat snagged it and ran off. Greedy cat!
The model 54 is a very nice rifle, mine has the t05 trigger, I think if it had the t06 it would be even sweeter.

[EricFR]

Depends on your application. You want the most accurate possible airgun, go with the 54 but it's really heavy, you'll almost shoot it at the bench, the recoil system also needs the gun to be quite horizontal, if you point up 30-40 degrees or more, it sometimes doesn't stay in place and slides back, depends on the tension you give on the locking ball. Less tension, more sensible it gets and more accurate you'll be. More tension lessens this feature and you'll feel more recoil. For a benchrest shooter as said, it's the "KING".
The 97k is known for being accurate too, not so much although and with less power. If stopping power is your need and carrying around important, I'll advise you more the 48 or 52, same power as 54 but without the sliding system, it's lighter and is a short airgun.
Now for the weight, the 48-52 are the most easy to take with you, quite good accuracy, very rigid frame, built like a panzer and lot of punch, especially in .22 version, for the 97k I would go .177.
Now my likings, I can't tell you about the 97k because I don't have one, but I've its closest competitor, the Walther LGU. Although the LGU is more precise, for the hunt the best choice is the 48 or 52.

In summary, for accuracy and target shooting, 97k and 54 with the 54 more punchy.
For hunt : 48-52.

For the scope, I can advise you a Leapers one or a Hawke Airmax, they'll handle the terrible recoil quite well.

[abqjoe]

Depends on your application. You want the most accurate possible airgun, go with the 54 but it's really heavy, you'll almost shoot it at the bench, the recoil system also needs the gun to be quite horizontal, if you point up 30-40 degrees or more, it sometimes doesn't stay in place and slides back, depends on the tension you give on the locking ball. Less tension, more sensible it gets and more accurate you'll be. More tension lessens this feature and you'll feel more recoil. For a benchrest shooter as said, it's the "KING".
The 97k is known for being accurate too, not so much although and with less power. If stopping power is your need and carrying around important, I'll advise you more the 48 or 52, same power as 54 but without the sliding system, it's lighter and is a short airgun.
Now for the weight, the 48-52 are the most easy to take with you, quite good accuracy, very rigid frame, built like a panzer and lot of punch, especially in .22 version, for the 97k I would go .177.
Now my likings, I can't tell you about the 97k because I don't have one, but I've its closest competitor, the Walther LGU. Although the LGU is more precise, for the hunt the best choice is the 48 or 52.

In summary, for accuracy and target shooting, 97k and 54 with the 54 more punchy.
For hunt : 48-52.

For the scope, I can advise you a Leapers one or a Hawke Airmax, they'll handle the terrible recoil quite well.

Thank you for your input! Application will be for backyard pest control mostly, and target shooting when bored. I get skunks, raccoons, and a pesky bird known as the curved bill thrasher that I have to deal with (the Thrashers tear up my Bonsai tree's and dig up my Lilies). With the Thrashers, yes, the gun will be pointed upward occasionally. I'm not real concerned with weight because I'm kinda like an old piece of farm equipment anyway, middle age and strong as an Ox:-) My main concerns are accuracy, quality of build for longevity, and power enough to do the job easily.  Right now my only Air Rifle is a Webley Vulcan in .177. It's very accurate but I'm needing more power for the raccoons and skunks.

[abqjoe]

Thank you everyone for your input!

[Mark 611]

If it were me I would buy either the 97k which would be my first choice!!! or a Diana 460mag! in .22cal, if you want a powerful spring gun in .22cal that's shoots 21 to 23ftlbs out of the box that's a shoot able rifle, the 460 is a better choice over the 54!! if u want super quality the 97k in .20cal is the best choice IMO but if you get a 97 in .177cal the 10.5gn pellets work good on small game! the 54's are to expensive and have to many issues with the rail system and they are scope eaters! just my 2ct!

[triggerfest]

You can't go wrong with either of them and it will come down to personal fit and brand + cocking system preference.

My personal preference would be up to 50yrds the 97 and beyond 50yrds I would tend to go for the 54. Especially once you go .22 caliber.

[Louis Loria II]

I own both the 97K and D54. For raw power and tunability, go with the 54 in .22. For super accuracy and tunability, go with the 97K in .177. Personally, they are two different breeds. My 54 would be great for HFT, but it is heavy when mounted with a Hawke 8-32 Airmax. From a bipod the D54 will shoot 1/2" groups at 50yds easily. The 97K is mounted with an even larger 10-50X60 Hawke ED, but is a WFTF contender even as heavy as it is. The 97K will also shoot 1/2" (often better) at 50yds. The T05 trigger is as good as the Rekord with some work, the Rekord is better out of the box. My guns are well tuned also, that would require some work on your part. Either way, don't go cheap on optics. The D54 will eat cheap scopes, mine has done so. Just my opinion, personal preference in the end.

[Yogi]

For killing racoons and such, get whatever in .22.
What you are giving up in range, you are making up in energy delivered on target!!!

-Y

[Franklink]

Ask yourself if you like nice things (aesthetically pleasing, pleasant to shoot, finely finished, nicely blued) or raw power (crude energy, stick of dynamite going off in your hands, painted metal parts, utilitarian finish).

The HW is the nice things and the Air King is the raw power.

If you're looking for a wonderfully enjoying and relaxing afternoon shooting a high quality springer get the HW.

If you're looking for an adrenaline-filled hold my beer, "let's blow some stuff up," my jaw hurts, "what'd you say?" "think this springer can kill a 40lb boar coon?"  experience, than buy the Air King.

HW for long shooting sessions. Air King for "dang this things got power!" but you don't want to shoot it more than five times per outing.

Now that I've had my fun, I should add that the only enjoyable to shoot recoiling Diana (52,54,56, etc?) that I've shot was considerably detuned and modified by Hector Medina for, I'm guessing, a princely sum.

[EricFR]

Franklink, the 54 is blued too and not painted.... The 56th is instead parkerized.

[Franklink]

The ones I've handled looked like there were painted parts, not the whole gun, but parts of them.

[Yogi]

The ones I've handled looked like there were painted parts, not the whole gun, but parts of them.

Do you know what Parkerization is?

-Y

[Franklink]

I figured my opinions on Diana guns would get people worked up.

Place any of the sled system Diana's next to an HW and you'll have a hard time convincing most people that the Diana is better to look at than the HW.

If I'm paying north of $500 for a gun, I expect a decent bluing job. Simply my expectation for that price point.

I've had a few handguns Cerakoted, and I wish I would have left them blued. Yes, Cerakote in it's application is more paint-like than the chemical process of parkerization, but the end result looks pretty similar.

I'll reiterate that the Diana guns produce more power than the HWs and the trade-off is that they aren't as finely finished.

Again, if your priority is power, get the AirKing. If you like pretty things that are pleasant to shoot, get the HW97.

[ssbn617]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I, for one traded a Daystate Royal for a Diana 54 and never looked back, matter of fact just bought another in 25 , dedicated for peep sights.
To each their own.
Mitch