Diana ar8

Length: 1235mm with moderator
Weight: ? Not as light as a gamo, not as heavy as hw97 blackline. Its very easy to carry around for a few hours.
Fps at muzzle: 794 ( 18.13gr pellet)
Fpe at muzzle: 25.41
Shouldering: very comfortable, get good cheek wield, sits naturally no adjusting head to get sight.
Balance: approx center of forestock. For me its just a tad too far forward in weight for free standing because it causes a slight downward pull when resting elbow into body, in this position due to where hand sits closer to trigger. Any other position its fine.
Accuracy: affected by 30/30 scope but are hitting targets at out to 90m (pellet cans) though not with accuracy i would like at 80 to 90m, but think that is due to scope retical and lack of defined aim points not gun.
Trigger: adjustable and just as good as hw. Has small amount of creep after first stage but is smooth and pradictable,probably able to adjust out. I've had no need to adjust it as very happy with it.
Saftey: at rear and very convenient to push with thumb. Doesn't require any effort and can be done with eye to scope.
Build. Haven't had apart but it feels solid. Smooth and solid action cocking.
Has stippling pistol grip and fore stock which works well even when hands wet.
Thin rubber cover where cheek wields.
Butt stock pad basic,hard.
Barrel pivot. Solid and tight. No movement. Locks tight with reassuring click into place.
Kick back. It moves. Noticable after shot as jumps from poi enough to need to realine on target center, though not enough to take off target.
Rear stock screw kept loosening and needed blue locktight in the end. Front stock screws would loosen but eventually gripped without locktight. Moderator vibrates loose at both front cap and where body screws onto the barrel mount for it, over time. This is still an issue and i just make sure its tight before i go out. Dont want to locktight it.

Overall. Very happy with this gun. Its a power house and drops rabbits/hares with authority. Even a slightly off poi shot causes enough damage to stop a critter. If I go out for a couple of hours plus, the weight isn't an issue and its not got a sling. The fore stock grip is well designed and very comfortable allows me to use a torch in the same hand im holding it with. Thats a huge bonus as it doesn't affect poi.
I took a 100m shot at two hares (using guestimate when first got it) pellet landed between the two and it kicked up dirt!
Quick to shoulder and get online. Gas ram as per usual is a god send in the field. Allows for extended periods of stalking the gullies and rock strew fields, scrub edges for hares without having to decock or cock the gun.
This gun has rapidly replaced the HW97 as a hunting gun.
This is not a gun I regret buying. Once I get a better scope and make sure its grouping accurate at extended distance the hw will probley be retired or sold. The benifit of gas ram,power,weight,ease of loading quickly, shouldering make it vastly superior hunting gun in my view.
I'm about the hunting.






Edited by kruzaroad - 2 hours 21 minutes ago at 9:39am