Hi guys...

[karandheer78]

Hello fellow shooters INC have just newly joined the forum & look frwrd to exchange views on air rifle shooting.

Though new in the forum, am not entirely new to the air rifle shooting experience (was lucky enough to have a 0.177 in my 7th standard & also a 0.22 Crosman pistol in my 9th...both are my dad's ofcourse!) Have been fascinated with them & recently went on a buying spree of assorted air rifles (bought a UTA brand 0.22 cal, totally local!, a 0.177 IHP & a 0.22 IHP, gifted to a friend) In all these endeavors, realized:

1. It's MIGHTY impossible to lay your hands on a new imported 0.22. Had a fascination for the Crosman TAC 1 Extreme but after going thru various reviews, discared it as a purely aesthetic gun. Continued with my tribualtions & finally came across a brand new Diana 350 MAGNUM. Have not bought is but am going thru the reviews currently. What buck should I pay for this? It's a 0.22. Pls advise.
2. Is is really so difficult to get imported air rifles here in India? During my initial tribulations, I came across a Webley Patriot (the guy quoted 75k & i disappeared from there with a 1500 fps move!!) . Shud a new Patriot cost that much? When I went online & checked the prices...it feels as a total RIP OFF!!. Second hand Weirhauch's command 35k!!!? The new ones come in at that price in USA!!!

Anyways..seriously contemplating taking the DIANA 350 MAGNUM. It's without a scope & quoted at 47k. But atleast it's new!

Do let me know.

[hamiclar01]

hi karan, welcome to the group.

we totally share your sentiments on the state of guns, both air and powder in india. 75000 for a patriot does seem a rip off.

we have had a discussion on the merits or otherwise of the diana 450 magnum, so i would refer you to the older forum posts. sift through them and you will find a wealth of information

p.s. : second hand, customised , tuned, broken in weirauches can be costlier than new ones, even in u.k. so don't be surprised

[hellfire_m16]

welcome aboard Karan.

[shahid]

A Diana 350 mag in .22 is heavy, very long for an average bodied Indian unless fitted and not easy to handle. DIana 35, 45 , 68 or similar are much better.

Scope - is too vaig a word for an air rifle. It must be an air rifle scope, or it will shatter after just a dozen shots maybe.

Such a rifle in .177 is out of question because it will attain supersonic velocities and the trajectory will go astray.

[karandheer78]

Hi Hami, hellfire, shahid & ...yep...thanks for the welcome & suggestions. I guess I will go on & buy the Magnum 350 after all. Gun is not too heavy & balances beautifully. Let's see how much I can negotiate & get the price down!

[archer]

hey,
I checked with an arms dealer in mumbai ...he has a diana model 52 and a 350mag in stock(both new)...the model 52 is for 35k and 350 mag is for 42k ( i checked abt 2 months bak... i think those were the rates quoted) .... i am not sure how old they were.... but on observing them, there were no damages that i noticed.....

all the best for your gun search, i thought this information could be useful....

regards
parag

[karandheer78]

hey,
I checked with an arms dealer in mumbai ...he has a diana model 52 and a 350mag in stock(both new)...the model 52 is for 35k and 350 mag is for 42k ( i checked abt 2 months bak... i think those were the rates quoted) .... i am not sure how old they were.... but on observing them, there were no damages that i noticed.....

all the best for your gun search, i thought this information could be useful....

regards
parag

[hamiclar01]

I guess I will go on & buy the Magnum 350 after all. Gun is not too heavy & balances beautifully.

best of luck. though if you are planing to spend big money, go over a few dealers and shoot a few imported guns to see which feels better, before you finalise. if you sift thru older posts you will find that dianas have not been too popular amongst us.

[karandheer78]

Hey Archer...thnks buddy...any name / number to make the search a bit easier?

[karandheer78]

Hi Hami..hmmm...u sure r right abt tht...but then looking at the measly choices tht I run...which one do I take? btw, I fired a few shots from a second hand Weirauch today. Was scope mounted but then as is the case with buying a 2nd hand imported air rifle, the man selling it diplomatically says "I have taken it from a fellow gunner on faith & hope u will buy it too on faith (in context to my asking him: fps, accuracy etc)."

Well well...if I have to pay 35k for "faith"...thts a hell lot to pay for !!

[biking3819]

hi karandheer,
first of all welcome to the forum and its wealth of information and gurus,
i would suggest you go through all related posts on airrifles and then decide to put in your money to buy one.

besides in pune,my hometown,the 350 is in the range of 43k and 54 for 46k,both +/- 2k,depending on market conditions,also the hw97k arnd 46k,all brand new without scopes.
besides a friend of mine has some hw 90k's(gas ram's=popeye forearms) for 65k each ...lol,so those are the exorbitants u need to pay here in india to get them,i wont say the hw's suffer from any kinda quality probs,since i cudnt trace any,although as sahid bhai says the diana 350 is too bulky, besides unnecessarily made popular in india to be the best airrifle ever( my personal impression towards the 350) at those prices the wiehrauch's definitely has edge over the dianas.
regards sanjiv

[Mack The Knife]

The Diana 350 Magnum isn't bulky, it is merely front heavy due to the full length barrel.

[archer]

magnum arms.... cant recollect the number ...it is available in the dealer section.... he is situated at grant road (E)....place called kherwadi..... railway building ..... u can contact Mr. Darius Kanavara

[karandheer78]

Hi Sanjiv...hey...thts cool...I m gonna be in Pune in somedays time...can I have some contact details for the Weirauch 97k person? Also, wud it be a 0.22 cal? Naah...65k for an air rifle wud be a tad expensive but still...no harm in checking them out. I was quite inclind to go in for the Diana 54 too but then heard that it develops a loosening play (since the internal mechanism is made in a way tht absorbs the recoil). Therefore once again focussed on the plain n simple 350 Magnum. The 350 surely has got brute power. Accuracy is something which I need to buy & know.

Thank you Mack The Knife...yep..the gun is surely longer than the regular ones..my last bit of "bargaining" has resulted in him asking for 45k.

Hey Archer...thanks...the name & co-ordinates is enough to search the shop. I'll touch base with him in the coming week & let u know.

[Mack The Knife]

Thank you Mack The Knife...yep..the gun is surely longer than the regular ones..my last bit of "bargaining" has resulted in him asking for 45k.

I wouldn't buy the 350 if he was selling it at half that price and I wouldn't pay more than 30 for the HW77K or 97k.