I have an early Diana break barrel and Im trying to learn if its aa 25A or one of the other similar models.
It aappears to be made during or before the war.
It is marked Diana 25
Marked Made in Germany (not West Germany) and has the huntress engraving. It appears to have a screw aand round nut with a slot at rear of receiver. I assume it fastens the end cap.
Stock has grooves on forend and butt has cross grooves.
Front sight is mounted on a dovetail with aa knife edge. rear sight is simple and elevation is changed by screwing in a wheel to raise the rear sight.
The connecting link between barrel and pistol seems to be made of a pressed tin not a billet piece of steel.
it also came with an interesting tag "German pellet gun sent to me by uncle ben Parker from LaHarve France in 1944 with a pair of black German boots"
Very intersting simple rifle no caliber marking.
Does it sound like a 25A or another variant.

Any suggestions Diana experts?

Doug Law
dlaw1940@yahoo.com

Hi Doug,
I stand corrected but are they not very similar to the model 27? Same era?
Not a lot to go on I know, but it might jolt some memories.
All the best,
David.

Doug it's hard to tell too much without photos, but sounds like a postwar gun to me.

If it was made before or during WW2, it should have the letters "DRP", for Deutsche Reichs Patent, stamped somewhere on the receiver. "Made in Germany" is seen on postwar guns, it was a few years before they added the "West" to this.

If you will measure the overall length and barrel length, you can compare to the descriptions in Hiller's book (or post them here of course). The stamped cocking link also sounds like a postwar detail.

This photo shows three model 27's which should be similar to the 25. The gun on the left is pre-war, has DRP on the left rear receiver, solid cocking link, and slider-type rear sight. The gun in the middle is from the mid-1950's--note the slightly different breech block shape and stamped cocking link, but the wedge detent and rear sight are nearly identical to the older gun. The rifle on the right is from 1981, note improved rear sight, ball-bearing detent, and bigger rear sight.

Mike thanks very much or the info on my diana 25. I agree it looks like a 1950s Diana 25. rear sight is simpler. barrel, is 15 1-2 long, 38 inch overall which matches a diaana 25 in Hiller book dating from early 50s. My gun has no drp markings or daate stamp on butt I could find.
also the cocking link is not solid but bent sheet metal, likely a early 1950 era gun, If someone will send me an email address Ill send some pix.
Doug Law
dlaw1940@yahoo.com