My New Acquisition

I recently acquired this little gem: the Diana model 27 pellet rifle. I am not sure when it was made, because there are very few markings on the gun. The rifle has no safety catch whatsoever, and the stock is solid wood, and the mechanisms are all steel. There isn't a serial number anywhere on the rifle that I can see. Only the markings "Diana Model 27" and "D.R.P.a." The absence of both a serial number and of the safety catch lead me to suspect that the rifle might be pre-WWII, possibly 1920's or 1930's.

The barrel and the body have extremely slight surface rust in some areas, but these little blemishes do not affect the working of the gun itself. The same is true for the wooden stock; it has a myriad of tiny scratches and bumps, but these are cosmetic issues. The rear sight is missing; there is a little "shoe" for it, but it is as if someone took it off for some reason.

I was told by the dealer that the rifle "still shoots," although he did not elaborate any further. When I broke the breech, there was a light coating of oil on the breech seal. I have yet to shoot or chronograph the gun at all. In fact, I am not even positive of the caliber. From just "eyeballing" it, the rifle appears to be .22 caliber. (The hole looks a bit big to be .177, but I could be wrong.)

When I get some spare time, I plan to shoot it a bit, and see how it's held up over the years. Until then, here are some pictures of it. Please forgive the photo quality, these images were taken with my cell phone.

My "new to me" Diana model 27 air rifle.

There is a metal "shoe" where the rear sight should be.

Closeup; you can see some of the stock's dings and scratches.

The Goddess Diana.

D.R.P.a. (I believe this is a patent declaration.)