UPDATE :Vortek OEM Spring for Diana

[WolfyW]

I suspect the factory spring in my Diana 34 is weakening. It now chronies slower after 2 years of heavy use. I was considering the Vortek PG2 kit, but now I see they also sell OEM replacement springs and suggest they shoot at or above original speed. My 34 is very accurate and quiet with factory spring, no buzzing. Not convinced I'd gain a lot with the PG2. Anyone install one of the OEM replacements from Vortek

[Calmark]

About 3 weeks ago I installed a regular Vortek spring into my 1981 Diana 45 (same gun as the model 34).  I used the factory rear spring guide which was not a very tight fit admittedly and for lube I used Krytox GPL 205, which is a very slippery lube and great for reducing friction.  On the outer part of the spring I used the supplied Vortek clear lube to coat everything uniformly.  After the spring replacement I am getting around 840 fps with JSB 8.4gr pellets.  I don't know the previous velocity since I got the rifle with a broken spring and it wasn't working.  It is working now, but to be honest, even with the new spring and a good lubing, its not very smooth when shooting.  Its also pretty loud compared to my Vortek PG2 HW50 and previous Diana 34 in .22 with T-06 trigger.  Its also still somewhat buzzy and harsh feeling.  I have been spoiled by using PG2 Vortek kits in my R7s and shooting my Air Arms springers, so this spring replacement was sort of a let down, though its functioning perfectly well. 

If you plan to shoot your Diana 34 a lot and keep it quiet with no buzzing, I would recommend spending a little more and going for the PG2 spring kit, as my particular rear guide wasn't a good tight fit and probably lets the spring vibrate more than it should.  I've found all of the ones I've installed to make rifles quieter, smoother, easier to shoot accurately, and at the same time tend to gain a small amount of power in the process.  I think you'd be happiest with the PG2, especially as a heavy user. 

[palonej]

Wolf!! Listen to Mark!!
Every rifle I have has a PG2 kit installed. Smooth as oiled glass while cocking and firing....very easy to hold sight pic during follow thru as there is NO buzz or twang whatsoever!
My 97 and 98 each have over 15,000 pellets thru them and bothe are tack driving lasers!! Numbers are unheard of consistent!!
Just had one installed on my TX and Pro Sport......you won't be sorry!!
Here are some numbers for the 97 I recorded a couple of weeks ago. It doesn't get much better than this bro!!

97 FTT 8.64
880.7
879.1
882.6
881.2
879.4
Hi 882.6
Lo 879.1
Avg 880.6
ES 3.46
SD 1.00

[WolfyW]

Thanks for the feedback, folks. I'll save my pennies and see what the PG2 does for me.

[g8tr45]

Anyone install one of the OEM replacements from Vortek

I bought a slightly used M48 that was twangy and buzzed.  At the time, opportunities for employment were very slim so I installed the Vortek OEM replacement spring.  (See pic below.)  No real change in fpe, but the twang and vibration was gone.  I was happy with the value for the money spent.

Work picked up and I recently installed a PG2 kit.  Gained 2 FPE with a much smoother shot cycle.  The value of the PG2 is found in the enjoyment you get when shooting.  As stated, if you plan on keeping the 34, then the PG2 would be a solid investment.

[WolfyW]

I got a good 34 in that it has excellent accuracy, and no buzz at all with original spring. Lucked out, I guess. Maybe a good guide rail fit and got one of the straigher springs   That's why I'm taking a guess that MY particular 34 won't function any worse with a Vortek OEM. But, still looking to others' experience. My 34 started out shooting around 890ish fps (.177). Down to 800 lately.

[WolfyW]

Anyone install one of the OEM replacements from Vortek

I bought a slightly used M48 that was twangy and buzzed.  At the time, opportunities for employment were very slim so I installed the Vortek OEM replacement spring.  (See pic below.)  No real change in fpe, but the twang and vibration was gone.  I was happy with the value for the money spent.

Work picked up and I recently installed a PG2 kit.  Gained 2 FPE with a much smoother shot cycle.  The value of the PG2 is found in the enjoyment you get when shooting.  As stated, if you plan on keeping the 34, then the PG2 would be a solid investment.

Very interesting!  Also, when you installed the OEM replacement what seals did you go with? Do you order extra seals for each spring change, for just in case?

[WolfyW]

SO an airgun techie family member has the rifle dissected as I type. Turns out the spring is broken and there is a bit of damage to the spring guide as well.

I ordered, and received, a Vortek kit this week. Good thing I did, considering the damaged spring guide!

[WolfyW]

Shot her with the Vortek in this afternoon. Silent cocking, just like a gas piston. A nice sharp crack when it goes off, but quieter. And no metallic "shlang" at the end of the cycle like before. Gotta like it !

[Mulby]

They are great kits. I've installed 7 of the PG2 kits in my guns and every one performed beautifully, and continue to perform, most of them for over a year and many shot cycles. My 34 was a different gun after a tune and the install of the kit. I was surprised to find that my 22 HW95 had crept up in power since my last test from 705fps to 730fps. That's an entire fpe and then some.

[TooJung2Die]

About 3 weeks ago I installed a regular Vortek spring into my 1981 Diana 45 (same gun as the model 34).  I used the factory rear spring guide which was not a very tight fit admittedly and for lube I used Krytox GPL 205, which is a very slippery lube and great for reducing friction.  On the outer part of the spring I used the supplied Vortek clear lube to coat everything uniformly.  After the spring replacement I am getting around 840 fps with JSB 8.4gr pellets.  I don't know the previous velocity since I got the rifle with a broken spring and it wasn't working.

Mark,
Your '81 Model 45 is doing very well with 840 fps and 8.4 gr pellets! RWS claimed 830 fps making the .177 Model 45 a Magnum air rifle in its day. I have an '81 Model 45 in .177and the RWS catalog for that year. I installed a Maccari spring and made no changes to the guides. I replaced the leather seal with a Vortek O-Ring-28 conversion kit. It clocks 840 fps with 8.3 gr Superdome and 900 fps with 7.0 gr RWS Basic. Are you using the original leather piston seal?

This thread is a great endorsement of the Vortek PG2 kits! I personally dislike using spring tar. My Model 34 is less than a year old and there is no compelling reason to change anything about it. It will get a PG2 when the time comes. Too bad there isn't a PG2 kit for the 45. There may be one that will fit though. The Vortek o-ring conversion kit wasn't made for the 45 either but it fit perfectly.
Jon

[Calmark]

Great news to hear your 34 is performing so well with the Vortek PG2 kit in it.  It was a good idea you had to get a few opinions before ultimately deciding on the full kit. 

TooJung2Die,

My Diana 45 is the transitional model and has the curved trigger guard just like the model 34.  That makes it pretty much exactly the same as the 34, apart from the name.  Mine had a piston with a synthetic piston seal and because it was in great shape, I didn't replace it with the spare I ordered from Vortek.  Since your 1981 Diana 45 came with a leather piston seal, it must have been put together just a short time before mine.  The two of ours appear to be right at the transition point from leather to synthetic.  Even so, your old girl is doing quite well with the leather seal! 

[rws45user]

Mark will you check your date on your 45  gun it might be a 91 instead of a 81 . . I have a 1987 and it has  the leather seal  and I'm pretty sure they  changed to synthetic in 88 . yes it was 88 I found this , read this  . They stumbled with the piston and breech seals. By making them leather instead of synthetic, they gave away 150 f.p.s. Within five years, Diana (now called Diana everywhere and distributed by RWS) would bring out the models 34, 36 and 38. Each more powerful than the 45 and all, except for the walnut-stocked 38, far less expensive. It’s difficult to sell an 850 f.p.s. rifle for $300 when you’re also selling a 1,000 f.p.s. model for $100, which was the case with the Diana 45 and 34 in the mid-1980s. They added features like front sight inserts and walnut stocks. Until the 45 got its own synthetic breech and piston seals in 1988, it was an uphill battle. Here is the articular.   https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2008/04/rws-diana-45-a-bridge-to-the-past/. 

[Pellet Fun]

For the historical record I'd like to add that my date stamped RWS Diana 45 reflects 10-88 (Oct 1988) and it came equipped with a Leather Seal. Since this was so late in the Diana 45 production run all I can assume is they had left over leather seal assembly's and just used them up before switching completely over to the synthetic seal assembly's. Maybe in 1988 some had Leather and some had the new synthetic seals?

[WolfyW]

Been awhile and forgot I posted this thread. That PG2 spring is now down to 820ish fps after only about 2500 rounds and never left cocked for long periods.
I see a JM spring in my future 😁

[TooJung2Die]

For the historical record I'd like to add that my date stamped RWS Diana 45 reflects 10-88 (Oct 1988) and it came equipped with a Leather Seal. Since this was so late in the Diana 45 production run all I can assume is they had left over leather seal assembly's and just used them up before switching completely over to the synthetic seal assembly's. Maybe in 1988 some had Leather and some had the new synthetic seals?

The synthetic seal 45 is a very different air rifle; mostly a model 34 in a 45 style stock. The leather seal 45's are unique. Be glad you have one. They have a unique trigger assembly and different compression tube. Synthetic seal 45 parts don't fit in a leather seal 45 or conversion to synthetic would be simple.
Jon

[Pellet Fun]

Thanks Jon for the clarification. And yes, I am glad I have one. Did they produce some of the 45's with the 34 action in 1988?

[beachgunner]

Been awhile and forgot I posted this thread. That PG2 spring is now down to 820ish fps after only about 2500 rounds and never left cocked for long periods.
I see a JM spring in my future 😁

What was it shooting after you first installed the Vortek kit? I've heard that PG2 kits are great for noise/vibration reduction and smoothing out the shot cycle. However, there seems to be a common thread of their springs, even the OEM spec ones, not lasting nearly as long as the factory springs. I shoot a lot. Nearly 10K a year down a HW95.

Considering Macarri or an HW export that Tinbum can supply in one of their kits.

Anyone else having a short lived spring life who shoots a good bit? Thanks

[WolfyW]

Originally mid to high 890s at the muzzle. I expected it to settle down a bit. The rifle shot 25 yard repeatable cloverleafs with, believe it or not, CPHPs. And almost as good with the tighter boxed Premier Lights. Considered myself lucky, as I hunt also.
I will add that I had not chronied in awhile, then took a medium size groundhog with one headshot at 20 yards. A week later I checked the speed and it's 12 fpe. Long story short, despite the drop, I can't complain about the results.
I may be wrong, but I think I  saw past posts claiming the Maccari springs are dropping speed less dramatically and lasting longer.
"Nced"  posts come to mind.

[beachgunner]

Originally mid to high 890s at the muzzle. I expected it to settle down a bit. The rifle shot 25 yard repeatable cloverleafs with, believe it or not, CPHPs. And almost as good with the tighter boxed Premier Lights. Considered myself lucky, as I hunt also.
I will add that I had not chronied in awhile, then took a medium size groundhog with one headshot at 20 yards. A week later I checked the speed and it's 12 fpe. Long story short, despite the drop, I can't complain about the results.
I may be wrong, but I think I  saw past posts claiming the Maccari springs are dropping speed less dramatically and lasting longer.
"Nced"  posts come to mind.

As long as it is accurate and repeatable, there's nothing more needed, right? Sounds like you have a good rifle there.

Yup, NC Ed has been through a good many springs, and I think he does favor the Marcarri's for their longevity. He did say the Weihrauch OEM springs from Weihrauch are his preference, but it is a matter of getting them.

I think maybe Tinbum out of the UK may have access to them.

Thanks for the info.