As I'm new to this forum forgive me if this request has been posted before.

I've just been given my father in law's Original 35 and cannot find any info about this airgun. I think he bought it late '70s / early 80s and could have been made by Diana.

It's a right hand gun and though I am left handed I' managed to get reasonable hits on a target at 70feet, but not acceptable or consistent by today's standards or by mine.

Can some one tell me how to setup this gun-or should I take it to a gun shop ?

Can I use a telescopic sight with it for more accuracy if it can be mounted, which one would be suitable and what sort of groups could be achieved and at what distance ?

Thanks in anticipation

Yes, it's a Diana model 35. "Original" was the brand name they used in the UK. The gun is one of the all-time classics, still popular and beloved to this day.

Other brand names seen on Diana-made guns include: Beeman, Beeman's Original, Geco, Gecado, Peerless, Condor, RWS, Hy-Score, and Winchester.

If the gun was made after the early 1960's, there will be four small digits on the left rear receiver indicating the month and year of manufacture (e.g. "04 72" = April 1972).

I'm not sure what you mean by setup of the gun. If it shoots well and there are no obvious problems (missing breech seal, loose or missing parts, etc.) there may be little that needs to be done. The leather piston seal could probably use a few drops of silicon oil if the gun has not been used in some time.

This picture shows a Peerless-brand Diana 35 made about 1958 to 1960. Later versions of the gun have a cheekpiece, checkered grip, different sights, and a blued rather than silver trigger.

Thanks for your reply and confirmation about manufacturer.

Re "setup" what I meant was that being a left hander I'm not sure where the gun is shooting and therefore not able to align the sights for consistent shooting as the gun was used for right hand shooting.

It does have a cheekpiece but obviously not of much use to me and doesn't appear to have a serial no. However it does have the two sets of numbers on the left side, rear of the receiver and these read as "01 68" or 69' not sure as it's difficult to read. The rear sight is over the break of the barrel and the fronl sight is a tunnel shape with a home made upright in the centre. The finish is blued and all in keeping with your description.

The rubber shock absorber at the end of the stock has some perishing at the end edges.

The rifle has been stored for some years so the advice on lubricating the piston sealis useful to know. Other than that there aren't any parts missing visibly and the gun does work though it's not comfortable to hold becauce of my lefthandedness.

When I work out how to upload pictures I will post some.

Thanks once again for your advice.

Mr Surita, sounds like a very nice rifle.

It should be a fairly straightforward matter to adjust the sights. Simply fire at a target and adjust the rear sight as necessary. You are quite right, it will shoot differently for you than for a right-handed user. But the sights have a wide range of adjustment and should work for you.

The red buttplates on guns of that era was apparently a rather unstable form of rubber! They usually deteriorate over time. If you can find a supplier of parts, you may be able to obtain a replacement one, probably in black rubber.

Thanks again Mr MDriskill for your reply which has given me the incentive to percivere and maintain this gun in good condition.

Your thorough knowledge of the marque is most appreciated and I hope you will allow me to call again on you for advice should I need it.