Diana 54 Air King Best caliber

[MartyMcFly]

For those of you that have one or even lust for one, what do you think is the most versatile caliber in the 54?

The .177 seems perfect in the 54 if you want to detune and take advantage of its recoiless technology. I’m guessing that it’s close to an FWB 300, but with higher power potential. The .22. version on the other hand seems like the ultimate .22 rifle for long distance sniping. Is the Airking too much gun for .177 or is it the ultimate field target gun after a little de-tuning?

If you had to choose .177 or .22 in the Air King, which would you choose and why?

-Marty

[DEAN]

Ive got the .177 tuned w/macarri zrt kit and at 60 yds it will shoot under 1 in groups easy if I do my part. Back in the late 90`s early 2000`s I did pest control on a farm with a custom mod 54 in .177 and I killed tons of starlings at 100 yds with it..I think either one would be great and dont believe you need to detune the.177 just shoot a heavy pellets to slow it down some.Very easy to shoot accurately which ever you choose.

[Motorhead]

IMO the .22 with the variety of weight, sizes & styles is best suited to overall power of these rifles.

JMO tho ...

[fwbsport]

I'd go for .22!  I just pulled the plug on a hand built D54 .20 by Hector, but the .20 is not everyone's guild here.  The .177 to me seems strictly target and I'm sure it is stronger than most .177s but the huge system inside the 54 Air King is perhaps more suited to larger calibers in order to really harness the power.

 

[truck driver]

I'm no expert and will be the first to tell you so but I do own and shoot a D54 TO1 177.
Why? Because it became available at a good price and I wanted a D48 in 177 to go with my D48 22.
Since I just recently ran some pellets threw it over the chrony I'll share them with you.
8.64 gr Stoeger/H&N 951.32 fps
AA 8.4 gr 935.97 fps
JSB 8.4 gr  934.12 fps
H&N Baracuda EX Hunter 9.57 gr  541.44 fps
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr 754.3 fps.
This is a box stock gun with only a trigger adjustment and first stage trigger screw replaced to get better adjustment.
Still trying to figure out which pellet it likes. It will place pellet on pellet at 10 m and 1/2" at 30 yds if I do my part. The main trick is to get the trigger adjusted light enough so as not to pull it off center.
The TO1 can be a challenge compared to the TO6 to get good adjustment.

[Yogi]

Ive got the .177 tuned w/macarri zrt kit and at 60 yds it will shoot under 1 in groups easy if I do my part. Back in the late 90`s early 2000`s I did pest control on a farm with a custom mod 54 in .177 and I killed tons of starlings at 100 yds with it..I think either one would be great and dont believe you need to detune the.177 just shoot a heavy pellets to slow it down some.Very easy to shoot accurately which ever you choose.

One inch groups at 60 yards will not do in Field Target Hunter Class.  Need 5/8 inch or better....

-Y

[MartyMcFly]

John, Scott, I get what you are saying. Given the 54’s power plant it seems that it’s optimized for .22. That said, I was hoping/wishing you would say that the 54 is a great gun in the 12-16 ft/lbs range in .177.

I’m probably trying to rationalize/talk myself into the 54. I already have a 52 in .22, but recently I caught the bug for recoilless. In fact I almost purchased an FWB 300s, but backed out because it tends to be a specialty gun focused on 10m target shooting, while i’d Like to have the option to stretch that out to 50 yards or more for fun or some field target work.

Decisions, decisions...

-Marty

[MartyMcFly]

I'm no expert and will be the first to tell you so but I do own and shoot a D54 TO1 177.
Why? Because it became available at a good price and I wanted a D48 in 177 to go with my D48 22.
Since I just recently ran some pellets threw it over the chrony I'll share them with you.
8.64 gr Stoeger/H&N 951.32 fps
AA 8.4 gr 935.97 fps
JSB 8.4 gr  934.12 fps
H&N Baracuda EX Hunter 9.57 gr  541.44 fps
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr 754.3 fps.
This is a box stock gun with only a trigger adjustment and first stage trigger screw replaced to get better adjustment.
Still trying to figure out which pellet it likes. It will place pellet on pellet at 10 m and 1/2" at 30 yds if I do my part. The main trick is to get the trigger adjusted light enough so as not to pull it off center.
The TO1 can be a challenge compared to the TO6 to get good adjustment.

Thanks Rodger - that’s  good data to have for my decision making.

-Marty

[Scotchmo]

John, Scott, I get what you are saying. Given the 54’s power plant it seems that it’s optimized for .22. That said, I was hoping/wishing you would say that the 54 is a great gun in the 12-16 ft/lbs range in .177.

I’m probably trying to rationalize/talk myself into the 54. I already have a 52 in .22, but recently I caught the bug for recoilless. In fact I almost purchased an FWB 300s, but backed out because it tends to be a specialty gun focused on 10m target shooting, while i’d Like to have the option to stretch that out to 50 yards or more for fun or some field target work.

Decisions, decisions...

-Marty

For .177, the D54 is great at 18-20fpe. I shot one in AAFTA Hunter Division with an attached bipod, back when attached bipods were allowed. No other piston gun shoots good from an attached bipod, especially at that FPE level. And I later used it successfully in  AAFTA Open Division. Not quite as accurate as the 12fpe piston guns, but those 12fpe guns couldn't touch t for the 40-55 yards shots in the wind.

[ssbn617]

 Marty, 
    I live in Marlborough and have a .22 tuned by John in Pa, as well as “the pride of the fleet” a CCA / Hector Medina built .177.
Anytime you want to shoot them let me know.
Mitch

[Motorhead]

John, Scott, I get what you are saying. Given the 54’s power plant it seems that it’s optimized for .22. That said, I was hoping/wishing you would say that the 54 is a great gun in the 12-16 ft/lbs range in .177.

I’m probably trying to rationalize/talk myself into the 54. I already have a 52 in .22, but recently I caught the bug for recoilless. In fact I almost purchased an FWB 300s, but backed out because it tends to be a specialty gun focused on 10m target shooting, while i’d Like to have the option to stretch that out to 50 yards or more for fun or some field target work.

Decisions, decisions...

-Marty

Indeed ... but that takes going inside and modifying it to reduce power.  Unless you go exotic and do a short stroking mod, gun still has the swept volume of a Magnum and will "Recoil" accordingly.

[truck driver]

I'm no expert and will be the first to tell you so but I do own and shoot a D54 TO1 177.
Why? Because it became available at a good price and I wanted a D48 in 177 to go with my D48 22.
Since I just recently ran some pellets threw it over the chrony I'll share them with you.
8.64 gr Stoeger/H&N 951.32 fps
AA 8.4 gr 935.97 fps
JSB 8.4 gr  934.12 fps
H&N Baracuda EX Hunter 9.57 gr  541.44 fps
H&N Baracuda Match 10.65 gr 754.3 fps.
This is a box stock gun with only a trigger adjustment and first stage trigger screw replaced to get better adjustment.
Still trying to figure out which pellet it likes. It will place pellet on pellet at 10 m and 1/2" at 30 yds if I do my part. The main trick is to get the trigger adjusted light enough so as not to pull it off center.
The TO1 can be a challenge compared to the TO6 to get good adjustment.

Thanks Rodger - that’s  good data to have for my decision making.

-Marty

Your welcome Marty. With those velocities your looking at 17.35 fpe to 13.45 fpe. Shoot a medium weight pellet and you will be pushing 842 fps and around 15.04 fpe.
One good thing about the big guns is you can tune them down to where you want them or up to 20 fpe but with the 12 fpe guns that's all you get and can only go down. The 177 54 will do all you want and more.

[MartyMcFly]

Marty, 
    I live in Marlborough and have a .22 tuned by John in Pa, as well as “the pride of the fleet” a CCA / Hector Medina built .177.
Anytime you want to shoot them let me know.
Mitch

Wow, thanks for the offer. I just may take you up on it one of these weekends. I’ve always wanted to check out a professionally tuned rifle vs. stock.

-Marty

[MartyMcFly]

John, Scott, I get what you are saying. Given the 54’s power plant it seems that it’s optimized for .22. That said, I was hoping/wishing you would say that the 54 is a great gun in the 12-16 ft/lbs range in .177.

I’m probably trying to rationalize/talk myself into the 54. I already have a 52 in .22, but recently I caught the bug for recoilless. In fact I almost purchased an FWB 300s, but backed out because it tends to be a specialty gun focused on 10m target shooting, while i’d Like to have the option to stretch that out to 50 yards or more for fun or some field target work.

Decisions, decisions...

-Marty

Indeed ... but that takes going inside and modifying it to reduce power.  Unless you go exotic and do a short stroking mod, gun still has the swept volume of a Magnum and will "Recoil" accordingly.

Valuable information - I had not thought about the piston mass in this gun. Likely a good candidate for sleeving too...

-Marty

[HectorMedina]

Marty;

It all depends on what YOU want.

Want a hunter? Choose a 0.22" and try to tune it for the 0.22" GTO's. Flat shooting and deadly accurate. THOUGH REMEMBER: Airguns kill with precision, not power.
Want a target gun? then choose the 0.177". Yes they are like 300's on HUGE steroids.
What Rodger says is true, you can downtune a full power gun and it will be a stable, well tuned machine. IF you try to wring out more from smaller machines you will end up with a highly strung, unstable machine.

Wait till Steve posts the results of his experiments in the SAGA of the 56, that will give you more information about the two powerplant design philosophies.

Keep well and shoot straight!






HM

[MartyMcFly]

Marty;

It all depends on what YOU want.

Want a hunter? Choose a 0.22" and try to tune it for the 0.22" GTO's. Flat shooting and deadly accurate. THOUGH REMEMBER: Airguns kill with precision, not power.
Want a target gun? then choose the 0.177". Yes they are like 300's on HUGE steroids.
What Rodger says is true, you can downtune a full power gun and it will be a stable, well tuned machine. IF you try to wring out more from smaller machines you will end up with a highly strung, unstable machine.

Wait till Steve posts the results of his experiments in the SAGA of the 56, that will give you more information about the two powerplant design philosophies.

Keep well and shoot straight!






HM

Once upon a time I thought I needed the larger caliber to kill critters, but I think I’ve realized that I’m more of a target guy. Unfortunately, I think I like targets that are hard to hit - usually far away.  So that being said, I guess the .22 is not out of the running given it’s utility in a powerful gun, but the Air King will definitely not be a woods walker gun in my hands, for that I’ve got the HW50 and 95.

As usual, thanks for the good advice - I will wait for the next installment of the 56T/H saga to get more insight.

-Marty

[fwbsport]

IMO the .22 with the variety of weight, sizes & styles is best suited to overall power of these rifles.

JMO tho ...

I agree but it isn't because I'm an expert on Diana 54--I just shot one in .20 feeling THAT was the ticket.  Look at the velocity figures for the .177 10.5 grain Barracudas, how FAR below usual .177 velocity in other springers while the .20 has over 800 fps using its regular weight over the .177 10.5grainers.  I already KNOW what a .20 does that is tuned. 

On the other side is the .22 long range hunter HW80K, just took that out AGAIN when I thought I'd spend more time with other rifles like the .25 HW80.  So now the .22 w/Can is out and there are now at least 5 squirrels I have to tag before one of my dogs gets one!

Point is after shooting the HW80 .25 going back to the .22LRH I can't tell the difference in SLAM at the steel.  Both guns hit the steel discs so hard they flip up and flip the flipped up ones from lighter power back down like the target disc that releases the four paddles back down.

I have bricks (backstop) getting chewed apart with these HW80s in .22 and .25.  The HW80 .177 doesn't have the strength to do that; I think because the .177 is a bit too small for that plant and the "power rush".

[Scotchmo]

My D54 shot .177 AA 10.3gr at 900fps. That's near ideal velocity for that pellet. I never found another piston gun that could do that as accurately as the D54.

[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

[MartyMcFly]

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