Diana 34 pron

[timegoat]

Finally got a chance to take some pics of Dorina and Mori together.

Enjoy!

[Progun]

Cute couple!

[dk1677]

Nice ones!

[Lochlainn]

Beautiful rifles! Drools...

[s10gto]

Awesome! Got to love the 34's.

[shadow]

Beautiful ladies you have there. Ed

[timegoat]

Thanks guys. Had to show 'em off. They shoot as good as they look.

- Mark

[Lochlainn]

How do you like the Pro Compact ? I am thinking about buying one. How is it in the accuracy department ?

[timegoat]

Lochlainn, the accuracy is pretty good, but I'm still getting used to it. Rested, I'd say I'm averaging 0.75" - 1.0" groups at 30yds, once and only once I've managed to put three shots in a row in a 0.5" group. It's a bit on the heavy side with the muzzle brake and 3-9x scope, but all in all I like it. She does seem to prefer heavier pellets... H&N Baracudas to be exact, but I've still got a lot to learn about it.

Having said that, if I had to choose just one, I'd pick the basic 34 over the pro compact... but I've had the basic 34 since '05 and am just more comfortable with it. Only had the Pro Compact for a few months.

- Mark

[timegoat]

p.s. I should add that I've been shooting the pro-compact with the scope at 8x or 9x. Gonna back that off to 6 or 7 and see if that tightens things up or not. I think my biggest problem is the scope itself and all the movement at higher magnification is messing with my head.

[only1harry]

Another happy 34 owner   Nice pics of the beautiful sisters! 

I love my 36 which is better dressed 34

[PA1911]

Nice pics of the kids!

thanks for posting

Shawn

[timegoat]

Harry and Shawn, thanks! I love my girls.

Lochlainn, I just wanted to show you what the pro-compact can do when I'm doing my part. The pics below were shot while sighting in for the 25 meter USA Benchrest match. I was using H&N Baracuda Hunters and I have installed a JM spring. Ignore my previous assessment of grouping.

- Mark

[only1harry]

1/3" of an inch CTC!  Very nice. 

Now if you want those shots touching to give you a clover leaf group @ 25yds, send it out to a tuner to get a custom spring guide, top hat, polish, trigger work, etc. and you might be the winner at these matches   My 36 practically shoots itself without a lot of effort  
But that's still a great group with just a spring replacement and nothing else!  Can you group them like this consistently?  Great shooting!

[timegoat]

Harry, I've gotten groups like that only a couple times. Usually I'm shooting just under an inch. But that fact that it can be done at all tells me... it can be done! The trick, of course, is doing my part. She seems to like a real snug shoulder hold and no hesitation on the trigger squeeze. I posted some targets for the new USA Bench match and about 60% of my shots were inside 3/4". Got a couple goose eggs, but all in all I'm really happy with how we're shooting.

Mori is now my dedicated scope rifle since I've put the aperture on Dorina. After a lot of experimentation I've finally settled on their roles. A full tune would be sweet, but I'm gonna stick with what I can do on my own... next on the list is the JM kit that comes with the spring guides. Might make that happen sometime next year.

For now... things are better than I ever expected with just new springs. Shooting life is good!

- Mark

[Lochlainn]

Thanks for the update Timegoat I thought about getting the basic 34 but I am a lefty so the raised cheek rest would kind of annoy me being on the other side of the stock. I like the ambidextrous stock on the Pro Compact and Panther models (although I like the hardwood the best). I'm pretty happy with my new Storm XT that I upgraded with a GRT-III trigger, gamo buddy sling, one piece accushot mount and a Leapers 3-9x32 but I would like to have a very well made German gun at some point. Is the machining and tolerances A LOT better on the RWS's in comparison to the Chinese manufactured guns ?

[timegoat]

Lochlainn, unfortunately I can't tell you a thing about the tolerances. My air rifle experience is limited to the 2 Dianas in my stable. I bought the first one 5 years ago and when the spring broke early this year I bought the pro-compact. I figured I go with what I already knew, and if either of them broke in the future I'd already be familiar with the repair process.

What I do know is they're both great, they shoot well, and are pretty easy for the inexperienced to work on. I had no idea about the basic Diana having the cheek piece on only one side until I read your post, and sure enough, you are correct, sir! I'm a righty, so I didn't even give it a second thought.

They do have a bit of a break in period, I'd say the pro-compact started settling in after around 1,000 pellets. The spring on the basic 34 died after 5 years of owning it, shooting a lot, and doing things with her that I know not to do these days. She was dry fired, used the RWS lube, dieseling, etc. All out of my own ignorance till I found GTA and then felt like a fool.  Now that I've got her fixed and lightly tuned, she's forgiven me and is shooting better than ever.

I can tell you that the Pro-Compact ate the 1-piece RWS scope mount that came with it in short order. The scope also slid in the rings on the mount and suffered a little surface damage. I picked up a flat UTG mount and the Leapers, Space Age, Low, weaver mount rings and everything seems fine and dandy. There was no need for the droop compensation mount for the Pro-Compact. I'd recommend picking up something along those lines. Those UTG mounts are great.

At the moment the basic 34 likes the 8.xxgr pellets and the Pro-Compact seems to prefer 10.xxgr. I don't know why that is, but I still have some more experimentation with the Pro to do. I'd prefer to shoot the 8.xx through her, but she's gonna make that choice, not me.

Think that's all I can tell you about my experience with it so far. Only a couple months in, so who knows what the future holds?

- Mark

[Onebaddj]

Thats a great looking set of guns.

[Lochlainn]

I can't stop looking at that Pro Compact! Such a nice looking rifle!

[Joshua A.]

nice pics, I saw a 34 in person at a gun show for the first time last week I was very impressed. the pics you see on ag store sites just dont do them justice, these pics on the otherhand do! nice AGs and NICE PICS. you should be very proud!