[Rocinante]

About 42 years old and looking and shooting real good.

Lots of dead crows, starlings, squirrels, rabbits, feral housecats taken over the years.

This is the only air rifle I've ever had and the only one I've ever needed.

It has always done everything I need even though it's not a powerhouse.

I found the scope in a Cabela's Bargain area and it worked out well.

I did a search here and didn't find much. Must not be many of these around.

Anybody own one like this? Were these made by Diana and then stamped RWS?

How has yours served you?

 

[Kestrel4k]

My Diana M27 here also comes from the exact same time; my father purchased it and enjoyed its use. I now have it, and it is my favorite 'walkabout' airgun.

Its favorite pellet is the wonderful Crosman Premier Light RN.

I also have an older 'barn find' M27; I haven't had the opportunity to do much with it, but did have its internals worked through, and I also had the euro sight dovetails milled out to the US spec. A project in wait of more time, I'm afraid.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=449632

Edit: In my thread above, I linked to the /outstanding/ Pyramyd Air blog - 9 parts on the M27's:
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2009/05/diana-27-part-9/

There is also an excellent thread on the history of the M27's - well worth reading, and amazing historical pics:
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/post-war-diana-air-rifles/diana-model-27-2/

 

[1Rudedawg]

That's a dandy for sure.:bthumb:
Yeah RWS was the importer; I have a couple of 34 T06 Classics, love those Diana's.

 

[Rocinante]

My Diana M27 here also comes from the exact same time; my father purchased it and enjoyed its use. I now have it, and it is my favorite 'walkabout' airgun.

Its favorite pellet is the wonderful Crosman Premier Light RN.

I also have an older 'barn find' M27; I haven't had the opportunity to do much with it, but did have its internals worked through, and I also had the euro sight dovetails milled out to the US spec. A project in wait of more time, I'm afraid.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=449632

Edit: In my thread above, I linked to the /outstanding/ Pyramyd Air blog - 9 parts on the M27's:
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2009/05/diana-27-part-9/

There is also an excellent thread on the history of the M27's - well worth reading, and amazing historical pics:
https://forum.vintageairgunsgallery.com/post-war-diana-air-rifles/diana-model-27-2/

Thanks for all that info........I'll be reading for a while.

 

[Rocinante]

That's a dandy for sure.:bthumb:
Yeah RWS was the importer; I have a couple of 34 T06 Classics, love those Diana's.

So Diana made them and stamped them RWS and then RWS sold them.

I thought about getting a Model 34 or 36 if I needed more power, but I never got around to it.......never needed more power.

 

[Shorty123]

Very nice looking rifle.:bthumb: I am sure it has served you well. I know my 34 has.

 

[Kestrel4k]

Good luck and please keep us posted - I love reading anything on the M27's.

I thought about getting a Model 34 or 36 if I needed more power, but I never got around to it.......never needed more power.

After many years of enjoyment with this M27, I purchased a mid-generation M34 for a friend, based on the many good reports on them.
It is 'OK' I guess, but inevitably less smooth and more unwieldy - I wouldn't trade my M27 for two M34's.

I ended up getting my 'power' fix with suppressed .22RF's - which can also be petite & quite handy in the field, with far better killing power than any M34's.

But for woods walking & plinking (my favorite being hunting pine cones), nothing matches my M27. :bthumb:

 

[Kestrel4k]

Just uploaded a 10-pic album to my DropBox folder, if you are interested in the pic comparisons;

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/c1308uj88yxmf2o/AACXTlIJM7BeVZjxLdeA_PJya?dl=0

The newer one that my father purchased, has an October 1976 manufacture date.

Although my general preference would be to keep the 'barn find' M27 stock; with both the front & rear sights having issues, I decided to open up their euro dovetails for US-spec sights. Am going with the Skinner brass blade for the front, and a Skinner aperture-type replacement for the typical rear ramp type.

 

[Kestrel4k]

Checking my records, I found these pellets to be the better performers out of qty.20 different types;

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-field-hunting-177-cal-7-4-grains-pointed-500ct?p=120

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/crosman-premier-light-177-cal-7-9-grains-domed-1250ct?p=118

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/gamo-match-177-cal-7-56-grains-wadcutter-500ct?p=183

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/rws-meisterkugeln-rifle-177-cal-8-2-grains-wadcutter-500ct?p=217

Choosing between the above, I settled on the Crosman Premier light RN, due to their excellent & consistent reputation and superior ballistics compared to the two wadcutters.

Hope this helps,

 

[Rocinante]

Lots of good replies and info. Thanks.

The literature with mine said it was 660 feet per second.

Probably varies with the pellet.

Probably not as fast now that it's old.

I know I'm not.

 

[Chickenhater]

Yes, the pellets will make a difference in velocity. Swapping out the leather seal for synthetic will increase velocity and accuracy. I converted an old Anschutz 335 from leather to nylon and it went from 625fps, to 715fps and accuracy was improved significantly. Just something to consider next time the old gal needs an overhaul.

 

[dgeesaman]

They’re great guns. I have a Model 34 from about 1995 that I’ve had almost that long. I had mine overhauled my John Thomas of Thomasville PA (aka John in PA) using Vortek parts. They can be tuned for more or less power and always for smoother shot cycle. The 34/36 is a bigger more powerful powerplant but otherwise the same thing.

I’m impressed your scope has held up. Spring piston airguns are pretty good at breaking ordinary scopes. Many scopes can handle it but most don’t.

My model 34 is labeled RWS/Diana. RWS imported them and Diana made them in (West) Germany. It likes lighter diabolo style pellets like Crosman Premier Lights and JSB 8.44gr. Some pellets it simply hates, even if the pellet design and specs are basically the same.