Diana Model-60

Diana Model-60 - Hy-Score 810 

With thanks to Mike D for these pics of this amazingly well-preserved Hy-Score branded model 60, about which he says:

"It's well-known that this was the first truly recoilless spring-piston rifle to hit the market, in January 1963, beating the FWB 150 to the market by several months. This example dates from 1967.

I have always been mystified why the Diana barrel-cockers were not more successful in competition. The workmanship and finish are top-notch, especially on early model 60's like this one. The trigger and sights are very fine, the gun is utterly recoil-free--more like shooting a pneumatic than a springer--and in their day they were even quite a bit less expensive than the recoiling Walthers. I can only assume that Diana was not too good at the advertising game!

If the 60 has a mechanical weakness, it is the ball-bearing breech detent inherited from the little models 25 and 27 sporters. This can create vertical stringing problems--especially with the heavy barrel sleeve in place--if the breech is not carefully lubed and correctly tensioned.

This gun has a bit of a story--it was never sold at retail before being found in a Pennsylvania gunshop (mysteriously, sans rear sight) when the owner retired. I just missed it when it was first sold, then picked it up a year later from that first "real" owner. In the meantime, he'd had it rebuilt by RWS...how's that for dumb luck? It's about as close to a new model 60 as it's possible to get, and came with the original box, paperwork, sight inserts, and universal tool."

Diana Model-60T.

With thanks for these pics of this 'finger groove' example to James.

Diana Model-60 - M&G.

With thanks for these pics to Jochen:

Diana Model-60 

Diana Model-60T (LH) 

With thanks to Chuck.

Diana Model-60T (figured stock) 

Diana Model-60T (RWS branded) 

With thanks to Mike D.

He says:

A bit of history to begin:
+ 1963: DIana's model 60 introduced. First of their double-piston, recoilless Giss-system rifles.
+ 1968: Model 60 superceded as Diana's top match rifle by the model 65. Locked breech, heavier barrel sleeve, better stock, internal changes.
+ 1974: Model 65 discontinued, replaced by the model 66. Same action in a revised stock with more angular styling.
+ 1977: Model 66 discontinued, replaced by the model 75. Fabulous fixed-barrel, sidelever, sliding breech, 10-meter paper-punching wonder.

BUT...throughout all this, the model 60 refused to die, remaining as Diana's budget/junior match rifle until about 1983. This is a Tyro-stocked, US-import, RWS-marked very late model 60 from 1982:

I picked up this beauty many years ago at the old Roanoke airgun show. The action and stock looked great, but the seals and springs were toast, and the gun was "naked" - no sights or barrel sleeve. Over the years, and with the help of some pals, I managed to track down all the right bits. Along the way, the model 60 saw some minor changes, many being "trickle downs" from the later models.

1: The basic gun.
2: Internal rebuild by former Beeman master mechanic Randy Bimrose. 680 FPS+ with light ammo, Randy said it was the hardest-shooting 60 he'd ever seen.
3:* Correct late double-sleeved front sight from another airgun show.
4:* Correct Diopter 75 sight with English markings found on the infamous auction site. Most 60's had the earlier, more rounded Diopter 60 sight.
5: Lovely matte-finished eye disc and rubber cup, another gun show find.
6:* Weird front trigger blade, in a bag of parts I got from a German auction. This is not a double-set trigger...just a way to adjust the reach to the trigger blade!
7:* And some true "UNOBTAINIUM" - the correct, matte-finished barrel sleeve, by way of a friend's trememdous generosity. Most 60's had a blued sleeve, these late matte ones are very rare. This is the only one I've ever seen - I'm really excited to have it!

(* = late detail not seen on early model 60's)

I will save more blabbing about details for another post, but here's some pics. These old DIanas are IMHO quite underrated as collectibles - the metal finish, oil-finished wood, gorgeous checkering, and other details are just superb.

Diana Model-60 restoration (Hy-Score 810) 

With thanks to Ace of the Canadian forum airgunforum.ca and to Marty for the heads up.

Ace says:

so I recently acquired this sweet Hy-Score model 810 that's basically a Diana model 60
for those not familiar with this target springer its pretty much totally recoil-less yes! that's what i said
it has the Giss contra-recoil system....

notice the date stamp this baby is from June 1967...

So when I finally received the Hyscore I was like a kid at Christmas...
I knew from the get go that it wasn't working but i also knew that i could get her fixed and running again,
or so i though i could...
when i started do dissemble it i found out right away that I had a problem I wasn't expecting,
the trigger weight that sits on the top of the trigger had snapped off....
here is a pic...

here it is epoxied back together you can notice the hairline crack...but i managed to save it

before removing the back cap there is a (clock) or lock set screw placed there from the factory you need
to remove that first...then you can remove the back cap
the back cap was a real pain to remove probably one of the most stubborn rear cap's iv'e encountered
I did not want to force or damage anything so i was supper careful but man was it on there tight... 
surprise #2 when i removed the cap i quickly noticed no rear dummy seal...i could be wrong but from all the info
i gathered before i started this rebuild i read and was told from someone there are two seals in these rifles
one real seal in the front piston and dummy seal in the rear piston...
here it is removed no seal...

rear piston out and spring being removed

Spring was very dirty and tired...

Look at the old lube and crumbled old seal material

Front piston with its disintegrated old seal...yuk

Old spring beside new one...quick note there are three springs in total
one main spring with two internal springs...

The old spring was a little over an inch less then the new spring
that's a tired spring alright

front and rear piston's just full of gunk and nasty...

Main tube was no better...

Look at that old stuck on hardened seal...and plugged transfer port

pistons all cleaned up ready for some molly

fresh new seal installed...

notice the little notch in the rear piston from the rear cap set screw hole set from factory...

piston main tube all cleaned up...

side gears and caps all clean

pistons and springs ready to be installed...

this molly lube is incredible I lubed every metal to metal contact point on this
rifle including sprigs and pin's... (very light coat)

this is the spacer that sits in the rear cap...it's very important for the timing setup
notice the lip

spacer cleaned removed the center crusted ring with some fine sandpaper...

rear cap notice the little set screw lock hole on the side...

this is the back spacer up against the tube...
notice that the lip on the spacer sites inside the tube

rear piston with seal on

front piston installed make sure gear teeth are pointed upwards

piston and seal with a very light coat of molly

this tube resides in the middle of the two inner springs

here it is with the two springs installed on it

note: the springs must butt up against the ridge in the middle of the tube...

when you compress the springs into the tube you must use a spacer, i used a brass one
you can use a socket or something with a hole in the middle...

also when you compress the spring you must leave a small space for the rear cap spacer...
do not compress to far just enough for the little lip that i mentioned earlier on the spacer

notice I used a brazing rod to align the springs and inner tube also drilled
a hole in my spring compressor to allow the rod to travel through

this is what the rear piston should look like after its been installed look at the space
left for the rear spacer you may have to play with this till you get the spacing right
or the side gears will not line up and drop in its right location for the timing very important ...

side gears must line up centered to the side cap holes...

notice the space after the back spacer is placed in the tube to check the clearance
just a thread diameter gap could be a hair less...

all back together and ready for its install in the stock

so it went from shooting 0 fps when i got it to 536 fps...
and after running about 20 pellets through it she settled
down to a consistent 525/526 fps...little disappointed at first because i thought i would have gotten
around 560ish ballpark fps but i'm happy with what i got, maybe one day i'll see if i
can mod for more fps... 

so here is some accuracy testing...please keep in mind i haven't did any shooting
in a very, very long time let alone open sites...so this is @ 35 feet stuck my hand in the bag
pulled out the first pellets i could find crosman premium pointed
pellets, this is standing target shooting position... i could barely make out the target lol....5 shot group

second attempt...5 shots

third attempt after adjusting the rear site a bit...5 shots

last attempt i decided who am i kidding...arm was starting to fatigue, hence not enough shooting
so let me move in a bit closer  ... moved up to 25 feet...5 shot group, i'm good with that outcome consider
i'm in standing position with open site and haven't shot in a long time...

its a great springer never knew these old Diana's were this good...  
lots of work but i'm very pleased..

Diana Model-60T 

With thanks to Marty.