First blood for Diana 34K .20

[only1harry]

I was thinking this morning what gun has not had a kill yet, as I was giving a couple of my guns a good cleaning, and inspecting some others.  It then occured to me that the Diana 34K Premium custom has not had an opportunity to prove itself   I only acquired it in March after a 1yr wait to arrive from Germany (special order), and it was the off-season so I put it away and forgot all about it!

So I cleaned the 34K's shorter 15" long Lothar Walther .20 barrel, and tried some Predator Polymags 13gr this time, after I realized I never opened the tin to test the 34 with them.  It was shooting a ragged hole at 20yds and nice clovers at 25, very close to the Beeman FTS copper plated and Kodiak Double Gold's accuracy.  The Vortek Black Ops kit was giving me a great shot cycle with the Preds, and the gun didn't seem loud at all either (for a mid-powered Springer), typical of most Vortek'd Springers.  I then put 10 Predators through the Chrony and it averaged 685fps with only a 2.6fps SD and 7.3fps max. spread.  13.5fpe - good enough for me.  I had this 34 detuned with a softer Vortek spring but it still gets 14fpe with the domed pellets.  Now to put it to the test with a bushy tail and the Preds!

I had dumped about a pound of black oil sunflower seed on the ground last night and spread it out between 20 and 25yds out in the back.  Today I was checking the windows about ever 20-30min. to see if I can attract a squirrel because it's been about a week since the last one..  The last 3 were all gone, and the freezer needed some more meat.  Shortly after Noon a Gray arrived and went straight to the sunflower seeds. I slowly opened the window and took position with the 34K leaning on the sill.  I carefully adjusted the A/O of the CenterPoint 3x9x40 and it came out to 21-22yds. The nutter was mostly broadside and as soon as it put its head up again I placed the crosshairs at the very top of its left eye (since I was on the 2nd floor) and squeezed.  It dropped with a good amount of kicking and twitching for 7-8 seconds, but no death dance.

The Predator had entered 1mm above the left eye and exited at the back of the right eye popping it out.  I did not expect that kind of damage on the exit wound.  The Predator must have expanded and caused more damage that I thought. It also hit a major artery and it bled out fast.  I will let the pics tell the story.  So that was my 34K's (K = Kurtz in German or "short" for the shorter barrel) first kill.  I love this little 34 and the T06 trigger!  It feels like a carbine and is very well balanced.  The trigger feels like it's around 1 to 1.5lbs max, the way I have it set up. The checkering on this 34 Premium (not exported to the US) is oustanding and deep, almost like an Air Arms.  I will never fall out of love with my Springers





Exit wound


Entry wound above the eye.

[1377x]

nice shooting!

[SquirrelSniper25]

Very nice shot!

[BenjiHunter]

That is good shooting.

[only1harry]

Thanks guys.  I really enjoy shooting this 34 "shorty"   I can shoot it all day with the softer spring.  With the "standard"/power Vortek spring it was harder to cock because of the shorter barrel.  With this new softer spring it's a pleasure to cock.  It's very consistent too.  It's amazing what 13.5fpe can do.  I don't miss the 1-1.5fpe loss at all.  I used to take squirrels with my 12fpe 850 .22 to 25+yds, and Groundhogs with the 13.8-14fpe Diana 36 .177, so I never doubted the 34K and its squirrel harvesting capabilities  

I also think .20cal is a really good caliber for squirrel, and for the 1st time in a long time, I do NOT feel like I am using excessive power like I have been "accused" in the past  
Who needs a Condor?

[ShakySarge]

Nice shooting! I love the windmill setup for sure!

Matt

[only1harry]

Thanks Matt.  That miniature windmill actually works.  My wife picked it up a few years back for decoration.  It's the only thing that's wood that I could rest the gun on for pics, other than a tree which are at an angle on the hill and difficult to balance a rifle.  I was praying that the wind wouldn't start blowing, because it could start spinning and knock the 34 to the ground but you need at least 15mph wind, and we had nowhere near that today. 

[ogre8472]

Lol. Nice. Im glad to hear she did welk on her first hunt.

[dk1677]

Nice shot Harry! You could put a motor in the windmill and targets on the blades 

[thekid]

Great shooting with the 34K.
Good pic's. Gotta love a good springer.

[lastedtiger]

congrats Harry,and i am not talking about the kill ;but for not being overgun for the first time in a long time lol!you always shoot critters with over 90fpe.....lol!
Now ,nice shoot !i always enjoy your stories,specially when they involve a condor or a ground hog!

[only1harry]

Thanks guys!  Dave, that's a great idea, shoot moving targets going round and round

Did someone say G-hog?   I spotted one on my lawn yesterday late afternoon!  I got the Condor .22 out (not the .25 because that's too much power, right? hehe) but the neighborhood got busy with people arriving home from work, so the G-hog went back under and never came out.  There is always tomorrow   Although I think I might only have a very small window, since another one came for 1-2 days and left, a couple of weeks ago.  This one might do the same in search of other G-hogs.  They like to den close to each other during the winter, so they don't have to travel far to mate in March/April.  I will get up early just in case he decides to feed and take off.  They usually travel early in the morning.

[grizzlyadams]

harry, why is that gun outside!!!she's too beautiful to get a scratch on! bring it back in! your making me twitch!lol

[longislandhunter]

Great shooting Harry and that is one sweeeeeet rifle......  Ya got yourself a great custom hunter there 

Jeff

[only1harry]

Thanks guys.  I am terrified too when I put the 34K down anywhere besides the gun case   I thought I was going to head into the woods with this 34 but it is too nice for that. 

So now I am trying to work out all the issues with the NPSS so I can take that to the woods. When the barrel is not moving on the NPSS .22, it can be very accurate and a great hunter shooting in the low-mid 700's with 14.x pellets.  Either that or a 350, but I like the 350's too much to get them scratched too   So the NPSS wins with its synthetic stock, and the 34K will remain a "cabinet queen" shooting out the window occasionally
Harry

[longislandhunter]

I think you should send that 34K to me  Harry..   I hunt a section of woods that is just perfect for that rifle,, there are nutters galore, the trees are spaced widely apart and there's very little in the way of bushes or underbrush.  I'll give that rifle the  deep woods hunt it deserves on some real wild nutters that will do the rifle justice  and you won't have to worry about it getting scratched    

Jeff

[only1harry]

Sure thing Jeff.  Just send me 1 of your R9 Goldfingers (or double-Gold?) in .20 if you have it (I think you have .20 and .22cal R9's?) while I send you my 34K .20, and we can both take them to the "deep scratchless" woods where they will come out unscathed

Actually an R9 is the best gun I can compare this 34K to

Harry

[longislandhunter]

Yeah, I didn't think you'd go for it but I had to try.  Honestly though, both of my R9 GF's have plenty of deep woods hunting time on them, heck, I even take my TX200 squirrel hunting, and they don't have 1 single scratch   

Jeff

[only1harry]

I forgot you have a TX200!  I 'll trade ya  
Do you wrap a small blanket around the forearm and most of the barrel when you head into the woods?  I have thought about doing something like that.. tape together some kind of protective camo material to avoid scratches.. hehehe

[shadow]

Great shoting and pics brother and good to see you giving your springers some harvest love. Ed