winchester model 425 She has been refinished now!

[Ddgrego]

Just got her in today!Original finish which looks terrible and has runs.The varnish is so old you can pick it off the stock.Minor blemished on the gun and nothing a good cleaning wont get rid of.The Gentleman that it came from said he cant remember if he ever shot it or not.I shot it ounce as soon as it got here and she shot pretty well!.Its a model 425 in a .22 caliber with no plastic anywhere.Ghost ring sight up front and full metal sight in rear.Cant wait to clean her up and refinish the stock.

[lizzie]

Very cool gun! Is it a 435 or 425- couldn't tell from the title and the first post.  In the pix, I'm thinking it looks more like a 425.

[northern lights]

The 425 is a nice plinker in 22cal I have a daisy 250 which is a clone of the diana 25 very fun little gun will shoot 22cal daisy wadcutters 440 fps with very good accuraccy. When you hit a spinner at 25 yd,s it spins its pretty good also have the diana 25 in 177 but for pure plinking pleasure I like the 22cal better. The little 425 is a lot smaller the 435 Which are also fun to shoot .

[Ddgrego]

435 in .22 and i have original book on it also.

[Ddgrego]

Hi liz this is the gun i was talking about awhile back.i almost forgot about it and then it showed up!

[Crosshairs]

Nice looking springer. 
                             Mike

[RedFeather]

My guess is the finish is not original.  I have yet to see an old (or new) Diana with the runs as you describe them.  Crazing maybe, but not sloppy runs.  These are the hallmark of someone who just slopped on a new finish.  I would strip and refinish.

[Ddgrego]

I already have refinished it.Soaked leather seal and it seems OK.Am looking for a few minor parts just to have it complete.Anyone have any ideas where to go for a few parts for this gun?It matches up perfectly to a Diana model 25d.Adjusting trigger housing is broken and i want to replace it along with a few other minor pieces.I have most all the diagrams and part numbers for the older Dianas just didn't want to order over seas if i didn't have to but looking like i may have to anyway. And the wood turned out great after i stripped it and refinished it.Stained it with Mahogany first then went over with Black stain.Looks very nice.It has 6 coats of type of clear varnish now so after 3 or 4 days i will Sand it down with 1500 grit and then buff out the finish.Should look great! Thanks for any help with getting parts.And yes the finish was just slopped on with runs . It was very hard and brittle so it has been there awhile but came off easily.

[RedFeather]

To my knowledge, it is a 25D, just rebadged Winchester.  You might ask on the Vintage forum if any other model's trigger guard will fit.  I will bet the 27's will, although finding any guard will be hard without buying the whole gun.  Someone there might have an extra laying around, though, from their cannibalizing.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/405945/

[Ddgrego]

OK got her all done and refinished the wood also.I did not re-blue barrel because that's the history of the gun to me and give it an nostalgic look to me and besides its in pretty good shape for as old as she is.Got her shooting 465-470 right now with new leather seal so may get a few more fps when she settles down a bit with a 14.6gr H&N pellet.Will sight her in later this week.She cocks very smooth and is very easy to cock also.very little effort.Trigger is very good for the time.A bit long first stage but you can feel when the second stage hits and is about to let go.In my garage at 15 feet shes dead on but i want to take her out to 20 yards and see how she does.

[airnutz]

Very cool gun! Is it a 435 or 425- couldn't tell from the title and the first post.  In the pix, I'm thinking it looks more like a 425.

Yep, a later model (after 1970) 27, as the "F" is visible.  The butt plate(?) on the shaft is missing. All 35's had one from the beginning.

But please excuse, I think a Diana 35 is a Win. 435. I am new here and do not have the full knowledge of Dianas in USA.

[lizzie]

Very cool gun! Is it a 435 or 425- couldn't tell from the title and the first post.  In the pix, I'm thinking it looks more like a 425.

Yep, a later model (after 1970) 27, as the "F" is visible.  The butt plate(?) on the shaft is missing. All 35's had one from the beginning.

But please excuse, I think a Diana 35 is a Win. 435. I am new here and do not have the full knowledge of Dianas in USA.

Yes, that is my understanding. My gun is a Win 435, reportedly the same thing as a Diana 35, and it's a late 70's model. Wonderful shooting gun.

[Ddgrego]

My bad i changed it as its a model 425 in a .22 cal not a 435. ooopps

[airnutz]

ddgrego,

I think you have about the coolest avatar that I have ever seen.

PS: Put a spring in and freshen that old Diana 25 up, and raise Cain.  If you are bored with it, give it to me, okay?

[dwerg85]

Sorry for waking up a dead(ish) thread, but you guys seem way more knowledgeable about these Diana's. The dovetail for the front sights, are they 11mm / 3/8s? I'm asking because my gf has been giving an old Diana 25 that i have been cleaning up, but it doesn't have front sights, and for the love of me i can't seem to find any online that isn't from a pretty expensive British store. I'd rather leave that as a really last option. If they happen to be 11mm or the imperial equiv. that means i can probably just buy any dovetail front sight i can find / like instead of hunting the original part.

Thanks in advance.

[robert w]

when you get bored with her just send me a pm and i will give you a pickup box , she would look great beside my other 6 dianas . great old gun you have there and its a long lasting gun too