D54, Diana Bullseye ZR Mount & Scope?

[MP44]

My D54 in .177 is scheduled to arrive today but unfortunately, the Diana mount will not be here until this coming week so it will be set up with regular mounts for testing this weekend

1) With the rearward sliding of the action of the 54, should the ZR mount be installed "backward" ( spring to the front) compared to what is pictured for a regular spring-piston rifle?

2) Are the Bushnell 3200 Elite scopes known to hold up on SP rifles? My plan was to purchase a Leupold 3-9X33 EFR Freedom ( above average quality and easy to get a replacement from Leupold if needed ). I own, and like the Bushnell Elite, 7-21X40AO Mil-Dot, better but unless the Elite has a stellar reputation for holding up on SP airguns, I am not going to risk it and will order the Leupold.

[Yogi]

Contact Bushnell about the strength of the scopes.
Why should a ZR mount be mounted backwards on a D54?

-Y

[MP44]

Contact Bushnell about the strength of the scopes.
Why should a ZR mount be mounted backwards on a D54?

-Y

I imagine Bushnell will SAY they are airgun rated.

Due to the sliding action, the 54 action snaps straight back. The videos and pics of the mount when on a regular SP rifle, show the spring to the rear, on the 54, wouldn't the spring need to be forward?

[Artie]

Do not reverse the ZR mount. It also compensates for droop and recoil is in the same direction regardless.
I say careful with any scope and the 54 without the ZR mount. The gun can be just as relentless with good glass as it can cheap glass. Before I installed the ZR I mounted a brand new Hawke scope on my brand new 54. The gun destroyed the scope in the first ten rounds. That was with me using a torgue wrench and alternating between screws during the installation.

[MP44]

Do not reverse the ZR mount. It also compensates for droop and recoil is in the same direction regardless.
I say careful with any scope and the 54 without the ZR mount. The gun can be just as relentless with good glass as it can cheap glass.

Thank you!!

[Yogi]

Contact Bushnell about the strength of the scopes.
Why should a ZR mount be mounted backwards on a D54?

-Y

I imagine Bushnell will SAY they are airgun rated.

Due to the sliding action, the 54 action snaps straight back. The videos and pics of the mount when on a regular SP rifle, show the spring to the rear, on the 54, wouldn't the spring need to be forward?

Why do you say that?
 If it is, they will warranty the scope if not-you are taking your chances .

Do you feel lucky?  Well do ya...

-Y

[Toxylon]

Yogi,

Life ain't that easy. There are NO scopes that would withstand powerful springer recoils 100 % of the time. No matter what the scope makers say. And when the time comes to get a new scope that will stay together, off the manufacturer's warranty, many people have had quite a bit of trouble getting there, and not because of their own doing.

[HectorMedina]

Hmmmmm

Let's start by repeating here HOW the ZRmounts work to protect the scope, and let's make it simple:

The ZR mounts "Float" the scope while the piston and the spring are having their "jitterbug".

In doing so, the scope is "insulated" from the shock, and MORE IMPORTANT, the vibrations. Modern scopes are destroyed by vibrations, not by shock.

There is no "dampening" element and the spring ONLY returns the mount to "battery" position, that is all it does.

HTH





HM

[Yogi]

Hmmmmm

Let's start by repeating here HOW the ZRmounts work to protect the scope, and let's make it simple:

The ZR mounts "Float" the scope while the piston and the spring are having their "jitterbug".

In doing so, the scope is "insulated" from the shock, and MORE IMPORTANT, the vibrations. Modern scopes are destroyed by vibrations, not by shock.

There is no "dampening" element and the spring ONLY returns the mount to "battery" position, that is all it does.

HTH





HM

Any reason to mount it backwards?  Stop laughing.

-Y

[HectorMedina]

Hmmmmm

Let's start by repeating here HOW the ZRmounts work to protect the scope, and let's make it simple:

The ZR mounts "Float" the scope while the piston and the spring are having their "jitterbug".

In doing so, the scope is "insulated" from the shock, and MORE IMPORTANT, the vibrations. Modern scopes are destroyed by vibrations, not by shock.

There is no "dampening" element and the spring ONLY returns the mount to "battery" position, that is all it does.

HTH





HM

Any reason to mount it backwards?  Stop laughing.

-Y

Actually, yes!

One of my LGV's has such a serious "anti-droop" that I had to mount it "backwards", meaning that the base was turned 180°, reversing all the other parts, because the registering cone should always be in front, and the spring always at the rear.
ZR mounts allow you to do that.

So, yes, perhaps not "normal" but we all know that there are all sorts of strange things in airguns   ;-)


Keep well and shoot straight!




HM

[Sky]

Hmmmmm

Let's start by repeating here HOW the ZRmounts work to protect the scope, and let's make it simple:

The ZR mounts "Float" the scope while the piston and the spring are having their "jitterbug".

In doing so, the scope is "insulated" from the shock, and MORE IMPORTANT, the vibrations. Modern scopes are destroyed by vibrations, not by shock.

There is no "dampening" element and the spring ONLY returns the mount to "battery" position, that is all it does.

HTH





HM

Any reason to mount it backwards?  Stop laughing.

-Y

Actually, yes!

One of my LGV's has such a serious "anti-droop" that I had to mount it "backwards", meaning that the base was turned 180°, reversing all the other parts, because the registering cone should always be in front, and the spring always at the rear.
ZR mounts allow you to do that.

So, yes, perhaps not "normal" but we all know that there are all sorts of strange things in airguns   ;-)


Keep well and shoot straight!




HM

So it still floated the scope, but pointed up not down?

[HectorMedina]

Hmmmmm

Let's start by repeating here HOW the ZRmounts work to protect the scope, and let's make it simple:

The ZR mounts "Float" the scope while the piston and the spring are having their "jitterbug".

In doing so, the scope is "insulated" from the shock, and MORE IMPORTANT, the vibrations. Modern scopes are destroyed by vibrations, not by shock.

There is no "dampening" element and the spring ONLY returns the mount to "battery" position, that is all it does.

HTH





HM

Any reason to mount it backwards?  Stop laughing.

-Y

Actually, yes!

One of my LGV's has such a serious "anti-droop" that I had to mount it "backwards", meaning that the base was turned 180°, reversing all the other parts, because the registering cone should always be in front, and the spring always at the rear.
ZR mounts allow you to do that.

So, yes, perhaps not "normal" but we all know that there are all sorts of strange things in airguns   ;-)


Keep well and shoot straight!




HM

So it still floated the scope, but pointed up not down?

Yup!

In  here we need to remind everyone that there have been FOUR generations of ZR mounts.
The original one that didn't work too well, so change of manufacturer, then a second generation that is the most plentiful in 1" rings that worked very well, was very nicely made, but suffered from lack of quality in some of the early aluminum extrusions that make the base, so change of manufacturer, and then a 3rd generation that finally polished most of the previous items but was somewhat expensive to make because of the finishing of the rails, and then a 4th generation that only change by rail finish.

In the 1st and 2nd generation, the "lockdown" or short range compensation (it is NOT a droop in reality), was made in the rings, in subsequent generations the lockdown is in the base. So, if you reverse the base, you are actually forcing the scope to have an "upwards attitude" when the shot is released. Which is what this particular Walther needed (it is also the reason why I could buy it so inexpensively), LOL!
Since then I have made a base that incorporates that quirk, but allows the use of Picatinny rings. Problem solved!

;-)

BTW, the Chinese "knock-offs" of the mount have "variable" degrees of lockdown, so if you go that route, pay attention to starting with an optically centered scope.

Keep well and shoot straight!






HM

[phoebeisis]

I would not put a good scope on ANY springer without my ZR mount/

I got the ZR mount from Hector in 2016-Hector did some magic-milled the deck to the BULGE on the scope cleared it-and something else I think)

It has been on 2 VERY POWERFUL .22  Diana 460 magnum     .177 Diana 350  springers-shooting VERY LIGHT (.177  4.2   5.2    5.7   6.6    .22  8.6  9.5) PELLETS.

And on the .177 TX200 with full power- maybe 16 or 17 FPE spring and now with a weaker spring

The scopes-one HUGE cheap($40 BSA 30MM tube 44mm or maybe 50mm front lense  4x16-heavy scope)   

and one pricy(for me) $200 Nikon made in japan 3x9  1" tube-much lighter scope

The scopes took the pounding-currently on the TX200

The ZR works-you do have to be careful ti not OVERTIGHTEN IT(I stripped the mounting hole on my first one-not a Hector-ed one)

better to under tighten it and perhaps have a little movement-the aluminum strips easily if you are heavy handed and impatient(me)

Don't use an expensive scope on a powerful springer without it


As Ilimakko  (Duke) suggests  powerful springers can eventually break even a good scope-


I had a wrestling  coach-corny OKIE saying     "Never a horse that ain't been rode  Never a cowboy who ain't been Throwed"   

One of life's truisms-

Get  Diana ZR mount-use it with your most expensive-or best- scope-it is worth the weight penalty(maybe 100 grams more than a normal mount)

[L4z4r0s]

MP44, did you get your D54??

If so, how do you like it?

[MP44]

MP44, did you get your D54??

If so, how do you like it?

Yes
It is not for me. I am going to sell it or trade it for something I need/want.

It is accurate and powerful which is what I wanted but it is not going to be able to replace my PCPs like I had wanted.

[ER00z]

MP44, did you get your D54??

If so, how do you like it?

Yes
It is not for me. I am going to sell it or trade it for something I need/want.

It is accurate and powerful which is what I wanted but it is not going to be able to replace my PCPs like I had wanted.

If you care to disclose, what put you "off" about the 54? The gun is different, I will say that. The loading procedure/ergonomics isn't for everyone. There are other options that might suit your needs better. Seems like there's almost an airgun for every situation, just finding the right one may take time. Wish you the best in your search.