Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Air Guns Diana 34

Just got an air rifle in an auction, will be interesting to see how good it is.

Diana Model 34 Pellet Gun .177 c/w Scope Made in Germany

Barrel is 19.25 inches long
Overall Gun is 45.5inches

Condition - Wood is in good condition with a few marks
Has original Iron Sights front and rear
Comes with a Bushnell Banner 22 - 4 Power Scope
Fires as it should at over 500 fps so PAL is required

The Model 34 in .177 caliber is capable of smoking the 1000fps plateau.
Though designed as a workhorse airgun devoid of extra trimmings, this rifle is still
graced with polished blued metalwork, a full sized hardwood stock and two-stage
adjusable trigger, an automatic safety,and a finely rifled barrel.

Powerful Break Barrel System
Rifled Barrel with 12 Lands for Superior Accuracy
Ambidextrous Wood Stock
Rear Sight: Open; Adjustable for Windage and Elevation
Front Sight: Fixed Hooded Iron Post
Scopable: 11 mm Dovetail Accessory Mount
2-stage Adjustable T06 Trigger

Bought a used one 16 years ago. Don't know what was wrong with it but shot very poor groups with a variety of pellets and scopes. Gave it to a young girl after a month that wanted to learn to shoot with the disclaimer accuracy was lacking. I know that is not what others have experienced but decided I was done with it and didn't want to mess around fixing what might have ailed it.


And my only other airgun since 1982 to present is a Feinwerkbau 123 in .177 caliber. It still shoots 3/8" groups at 10 m with a relatively poor 2-7 Beeman scope. Been a great airgun.

I bought a 34 35 years ago used. I seen it shoot and a friend said it was not shooting as good as it once did and offered to sell it to me. I bought it. I was shooting it one day and the barrel weight on the end fell off. Screws were stripped out. I re threaded to the next size , re installed and accuracy was great again. I later made my own weight out of stainless and it shoots great. Good luck!

I have a Diana 36, which is basically the same rifle. It is big and heavy and wonderful to shoot.

I've shot houseflies @ 30 yds. with mine. put some peanut butter on the target. Tuned by Mike Melick. Something to do on a lazy summer afternoon.

They're good guns. I have one in .22. It's not as refined as some of the other German guns, but it's still a quality rifle. I've killed a number of squirrels with mine.

^ That pretty well sums up my experiences with the RWS 34's I have owned also. The Ruger American of the airgun world.

I would agree with this analysis of the Diana 34. I used to have one of these in .177 and it was a pretty good rifle. I have since switched to Weihrauch rifles and they are a bit more finely made, but the Diana will certainly do the job.

Strike over, all the rifles will be finally on their way.

They are excellent springers.

Before you shoot it, make sure you snug up all the stock screws, both for accuracy and to protect the stock from breakage.
Use good pellets. Easiest way to get decent pellets is to buy 7.9 grain Crosman Premier Hollow Points, which can be had at any walmart. Ignore the other pellets there for now.
Load the pellets consistently flush with the breech. Don't damage the skirt.
Look at the breech seal ring from the side of the breech with the barrel open. It should stand a little proud to make a good seal. If not, shim it with something. It shouldn't be very proud though. The thickness of a thin metal ruler is good.

If it doesn't shoot well, learn the artillery hold. If you hold it like a normal rifle, it isn't going to give good results. With a good hold you should be very pleased.

Good luck!

Well have not fired it as I just got it today, but it is in nice shape and the Bushnell scope seems alright.

Shot one shot, it does not seem to be as powerful as I thought it would be.

I've had mine for 40 years. It has been a great gun and will never get rid of it!

Partsman, a good D34 will make around 13 to 15 fpe in .177, sometimes a bit more. That's at sea level - altitude makes springers struggle a bit.

By comparison, a plain Jane .22lr HV round is pushing a 40 grain bullet to roughly 1250/1300 fps. That's about 145 fpe, or about 10 times what that D34 can produce.

The pellet rifles are perfectly effective on small birds & squirrels, etc but they are not rimfires.

I do find that a good .22 cal springer really steps of terminal performance....

Shooting it through a chronograph would tell you a lot. There's always a chance with a used spring gun that the seal is damaged and needs replaced.

Good point!