Recent Diana front sight element size change?

[Toxylon]

Shooting my 2015 Diana 350 Mag a good while back I managed to lose the front sight element (Tunnelkorn bead), after the knurled "element holder" had sneakily turned loose from recoil, just enough for the bead to fly away, most likely during cocking.

No problem, I'll order some more from Germany, I thought. But the Diana Tunnelkorn sight elements I got from Schneider and Gotha over a couple of different occasions don't fit in the 350 Mag's front sight. The elements are a little too large, it seems, not seating in the slot, so impossible to secure, while messing up the sight picture.

Has Diana changed the front sight element size after 2015? If so, where can front sight elements that fit a 2015 gun be purchased? I haven't seen any place selling the front sight elements with any categories based on date of manufacture. The elements are the same, simply für Luftgewehr Diana.

[Roadworthy]

Just a thought here, are the sights you purchased a good fit for your Weihrauch guns?  Diana and Weihrauch used a similar front sight but of course the sizes were slightly different.

[MDriskill]

I'm afraid I can't help with a current source. But it might help widen your search, to know that the older Diana inserts will interchange with vintage Walther and FWB ones. (The design was originally Walther's, and the other two just jumped on the boat apparently!)

[MDriskill]

Below is a pic that shows some vintage inserts I have here.

The "M" numbers refer to the thread diameter of the sight tunnel's rear securing sleeve (17, 18, and 22mm have been standards on German sights). A given sleeve thread size will interchange between brands but the inserts - which nest into a smaller shoulder within the tunnel - typically do not. Note the variation in diameters and side tab patterns.

Weihrauch inserts are proprietary and as far as I know won't fit any other brand.

If someone has one of the new Diana ones, it would be great to see a pic and get the diameter.

[HectorMedina]

Shooting my 2015 Diana 350 Mag a good while back I managed to lose the front sight element (Tunnelkorn bead), after the knurled "element holder" had sneakily turned loose from recoil, just enough for the bead to fly away, most likely during cocking.

No problem, I'll order some more from Germany, I thought. But the Diana Tunnelkorn sight elements I got from Schneider and Gotha over a couple of different occasions don't fit in the 350 Mag's front sight. The elements are a little too large, it seems, not seating in the slot, so impossible to secure, while messing up the sight picture.

Has Diana changed the front sight element size after 2015? If so, where can front sight elements that fit a 2015 gun be purchased? I haven't seen any place selling the front sight elements with any categories based on date of manufacture. The elements are the same, simply für Luftgewehr Diana.

Diana sight inserts have not changed in more than 60 years.
They all measure 15.84-15.85 outside circumference and the inside of the "tunnel" measures 16 mm's ID
The 350 version USUALLY needs some "work" because the "slots" where the asymmetrical tabs enter are cut undersized.
¿WHY? absolutely no "effing" clue. Just a reality I have found.
A little TLC with a fine square needle file and they are good to go.

HTH, keep well and shoot straight!





HM

PS.- I assume you realize that the tabs are asymmetrical for a reason.  ;-)

[Toxylon]

Thanks for the dimensions data, Hector.

Took some measurements of my front sight elements. Turns out the elements I have bought from Germany are not of the correct size for the Diana Korntunnels, even when they were sold as such! They are app. 17.2mm in outside diameter (you must mean diameter as well, and not circumference!)

The elements that came with my D54 are of the correct OD: app. 15.8mm. Unfortunately what are left are ringkorns which I have no use for, not being a target shooter.

I have a single separately bought balkenkorn element that is of the correct size. Unfortunately I don't have the original packaging for this one, and can't tell where I got it from.

You can see the size difference in the pic below: uppermost, in the original Schneider ziplock, labeled "Dianabalkenkorn 3.0mm", a too large element, on the left below it, exposed, another too large element sold as a Diana element, and on the right a correct 15.8mm element.

I have never gotten wrong parts or non-fitting parts from the German suppliers, even when dealing with minute details. I had zero reason to think the front sight elements were any different. Pretty shocking that this is so. And I'm still out of a supply.

[Roadworthy]

I have purchased genuine Diana inserts from Pyramyd.  Flying Dragon inserts for their XS-28 rifles will also fit though the sights themselves are a little different.  Chambers Airgun Spares in the UK are another source as is Omps2 in Italy.

[HectorMedina]

Thanks for the dimensions data, Hector.

Took some measurements of my front sight elements. Turns out the elements I have bought from Germany are not of the correct size for the Diana Korntunnels, even when they were sold as such! They are app. 17.2mm in outside diameter (you must mean diameter as well, and not circumference!)

The elements that came with my D54 are of the correct OD: app. 15.8mm. Unfortunately what are left are ringkorns which I have no use for, not being a target shooter.

I have a single separately bought balkenkorn element that is of the correct size. Unfortunately I don't have the original packaging for this one, and can't tell where I got it from.

You can see the size difference in the pic below: uppermost, in the original Schneider ziplock, labeled "Dianabalkenkorn 3.0mm", a too large element, on the left below it, exposed, another too large element sold as a Diana element, and on the right a correct 15.8mm element.

I have never gotten wrong parts or non-fitting parts from the German suppliers, even when dealing with minute details. I had zero reason to think the front sight elements were any different. Pretty shocking that this is so. And I'm still out of a supply.

Sorry, I meant that the measurement was made across the outer circumference. Yes, you are right, it is the OD of the circular part of the insert.

I just purchased these two (Beads are available in 1.5 and 2 mm's.):
https://www.waffencenter-gotha.de/shop/ERSATZTEILE-Spare-Parts/LUFTDRUCKWAFFEN/HERSTELLER-MODELL/DIANA/Diana-36/Perlkorn-verschiedene-Groessen-fuer-Korntunnel-mit-auswechselbaren-Koernern-DIANA-36::4800.html

There are 11 posts available (from 1.8 to 3.6 mm's) here:
https://www.waffencenter-gotha.de/shop/ERSATZTEILE-Spare-Parts/LUFTDRUCKWAFFEN/HERSTELLER-MODELL/DIANA/Diana-36/Balkenkorn-verschiedene-Groessen-fuer-Korntunnel-mit-auswechselbaren-Koernern-DIANA-36::4623.html

I too like a fine bead for some purposes (especially the "barleycorn" bead), though I am experimenting with an interesting concept that mates a triangular notch at the rear (open) sight and a truncated triangle at the front.
Truly interesting, accurate and fast.

Write to Alex, at WCG on my behalf, and explain what you want. These are listed under parts for the D36 in their website.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance.





HM

[MDriskill]

The larger inserts in the bag are Anschutz ones. The asymmetrical, off-center tabs are the giveaway (an ingenious design - ya can't get it upside down or backwards!), and they are designed for the slightly larger M18 tunnel.

[MDriskill]

As noted in the photo I posted above, Diana's insert pattern is shared by older Walther and FWB guns (Walther actually designed them, and the other two followed suit; in spite of FWB's use of the bigger M18 securing sleeve). This widens your search field, and increases the number of possible insert patterns available for these rifles.

This pic is an FWB tunnel on the left and a Diana one on the right, with identical beaded post inserts.

[Toxylon]

Thanks Mike for the diagnosis.

Blows my mind that Schneider would have Anschütz elements in their Diana parts box, labeled as Diana. But fit they do not.

I guess the Anschütz Tunnelkorn sights are somewhat available, and maybe even switchable with Diana Tunnelkorns, to make use of brand new front sight elements.

I've begun to have a hard time seeing the thinner, beadier front sight posts sharply, so I need the blockier posts.

The front sight elements aren't expensive, but placing an order at the German / Italian parts suppliers, the S&H is such that I need to accumulate a need for a real bundle of parts before placing an order, lest the elements be REALLY expensive. That usually takes a good while, especially now that I've dialed down my new gun purchases.

[MDriskill]

On older match guns, with the front sight grooves about 8 or 9mm apart, an Anschutz tunnel will usually fit HW or Diana. Anschutz's sliding "foot" mount is more forgiving of small groove space variances than the other two, which attach by flexing the mount's base slightly.



I have found the infamous auction site a good place to hunt sight stuff. BUT - it pays to be up on what the various brands look like, as they are often mis-labeled by sellers (many think everything is an "Anschutz!"). And again, knowing that the old Diana Walther, and FWB inserts will interchange helps a bit.

[HectorMedina]

I've begun to have a hard time seeing the thinner, beadier front sight posts sharply, so I need the blockier posts.

Have you tried a TruGlo?



They are REALLY cheap, but VERY workable and "adjustable" in the sense that you regulate how bright the fiber optic dot is.
From a VERY sunny day:


To a dark/overcast day:


The dovetail is a combination of aluminum and plastic, so it is easily adaptable to almost any dovetail.

Let me know if you want one, the "korn" itself is US$10.00, so I am sure that duties will not pose too much of a problem. Shipping may be a bit expensive though.

HTH, keep well and shoot straight!





HM

[Toxylon]

Thank you Hector, again!

Nifty, that TruGlo adjustable fiber optic. A real eyesore, esthetically, but that is secondary. We'll see if I go that route. Appreciate the offer.

FWIW, I used to do all my airgunning with fiber optic sights, and did well with them. Only later would I learn that real airgunners hate them, and you aren't supposed to hit a thing with them, unless the thing is a tin can inside 20 yards.

Sure enough, I would find that iron sights, when the target is well-lit, are more accurate than the fiber optics, punching paper. But in the woods, the target almost never is well-lit, and with sufficient muzzle energy and pellet size, you don't need to hit tiny targets. You just need to hit a target the size of a matchbox...card deck...tin can, with one pellet per target.