[ AIRGUNS ] Pete Wadeson tests the flagship semi-recoilless ...

[ airguns ]
The Diana 56 TH Target Hunter is a very accurate rifle but one
you’d not want to have to tote around a shoot for too long...
Diana has long been known for their
well-made, rugged and reliable
spring-powered sporters. Often rifles
with ‘presence’ but they also have carbines
and a few slim line lightweights. However,
the semi recoilless Diana 54 Air King was a
rifle I knew well. Hunting with one for many
a moon until I gave in to join the emergent
wave of PCPs.
My memories are it was a beast of a
gun with incredible accuracy due to its
using a ‘sledge system’ not dissimilar to
the much missed Air Arms TX200SR. The
Air King is a man’s gun in every sense of
the word, big, chunky and a real handful.
The 56TH is classed as a Target Hunter,
this version having a much more ergonomic
yet dominating thumbhole stock needed for
the weighty ironmongery it holds.
36
SHOOTING SPORTS MAGAZINE
Successor To The Throne
beastie boy
When you consider what the stock has
to handle on firing you’ll understand
and accept why the rifle is such a
meaty beastie. The dark brown stained
beech stock has a well proportioned
fully ambidextrous and well defined
cheekpiece. The thumbhole is generous
in size (as is everything on the gun)
whilst the steep drop down pistol
grip has twin panels of fine, well cut
chequering. This follows through on
the forend as twin panels set towards
the front of the lengthy woodwork.
The front strap of the pistol grip has
two inward curves, very nice for the fingers
to grip and the sliding rubber butt pad is
just the job for setting your sightline for
whatever scope you decide to fit.
Pete Wadeson tests the flagship
semi-recoilless springer from Diana
and reckons its close relative the
Air King has lost its crown...
The top of the neck is broad but needs
to be, to allow the action to perform its
movement on firing. From the grip the
forend is very deep, reaching down almost
to the level of the underside of the metal
trigger guard.
At the lower position the stock flares
out to produce recesses to aid grip. Also
the underside is emblazoned with ‘DIANA’
deep cut into the wood and is flat as befits
a target rifle. Approximately a third of the
way back from the angular tip it curves
upwards to form the rest of the forend,
which is still quite deep and holds those
twin sets of adjacent chequered panels.
on the pull
I opted to fit a Nikko Stirling 4 - 16 X
44 Targetmaster scope with LRX reticle

onto the short, raised rail, also as the
scope has a lot to contend with during the
firing cycle I fitted a Sportsmatch Dampa
Mount. It proved the perfect companion
for the rifle as I was soon to find out.
To cock the rifle, grip the rubber-covered
end of the side-lever, which is located on
the right and pull it out and back. The
cocking stroke is long as the lever rotates
about 150° front to back, though it draws
relatively easily. Like the now discontinued
Air Arms TX200SR an extra little ‘tug’ is
required at the end of the travel to fully
engage the trigger mechanism, which can
be felt as it engages with a click. A further
indication of the action state is the rear
positioned auto safety moves out another
stage to show a white circle indicating it’s
definitely on.
catch & release
Like the Air King 54 the TH has a large
ratchet system that keeps the under-lever
in check as you pull it back clicking over
each one in turn, with the sliding breech
moving back opening up to expose the
roomy loading bay. Pretty much an anti
bear trap system! Once you’ve thumbed a
pellet directly into the breech, to return the
side-lever push down the under-lever-locking
mechanism, which is little more than an
outward bent piece of metal situated, on
the left of the action next to the breech.
It’s basic but ideally positioned to be
operated by the thumb of the left hand.
When this is depressed it pushes the
ratchet system back down into the floor of
the cylinder to allow the side-lever to be
swung back to its original position where it
locks up positively back alongside the
compression cylinder. Talking of which,
thanks to the large swept volume of the
cylinder (in other words it’s big!) the rifle is
a prime candidate for up-rating to FAC
power levels.
t06 unit
The adjustable 2-stage trigger is the new
TO6 unit the company has upgraded to
on many models and has a metal blade.
On the test rifle it was perfectly adequate
for both target shooting and hunting.
This trigger aided by the sliding action
which makes the rifle virtually recoilless,
produced excellent results. Using H&N
Field Trophy’s I was soon making very
tight 1/8” groups at my 30yd zero using
the .177 test rifle which opened up
to a ¼” ragged hole out to 50yds.
As you cock the rifle you’ll notice the
action falls forward in the stock and does
actually feel loose. This is nothing to be
alarmed about as this is all part of the
floating mechanism that facilitates the
The safety visually indicates it’s engaged – note white circle and sledge area
The beech wood stock has a well proportioned, fully ambidextrous and well defined cheekpiece. The
thumbhole is generous in size (as is everything on the gun); whilst the steep drop down pistol grip
has twin panels of well cut fine chequering – note the sliding rubber butt pad
From the grip the forend is very deep,
reaching down almost to the level of the
underside of the metal trigger guard. At
the lower position the stock flares out to
produce recesses to aid grip
37

[ airguns ]
Like the Air King 54 this rifle is based on, a
large saw-tooth ratchet system keeps the
under-lever in check as you pull back clicking
over each one, the sliding breech moving back
opening to expose the wide, roomy breech
loading bay as you go
gun’s semi-recoilless effect. In fact after the
56th has fired the action slides back
approximately 3/8 of an inch in the stock.
With the discontinuation of the Air Arms
TX200SR, there’s not a big choice for those
looking for of virtually recoil-free springer
without having to tread the path towards the
expensive but unique Whiscombe or go PCP.
Many shooters are still hesitant to go
pre-charged so to find a gun manufacturer
who makes a semi-recoilless spring powered
rifle as capable as the Diana 56TH or 54 or
54K Air King at such an understandable
price is no mean feat in itself.
Add to this the fact the rifle handles
surprisingly well seeing it measures 44.75”
38
SHOOTING SPORTS MAGAZINE
The Diana 56 TH Target Hunter is just that and if I was
sitting out watching an area on a summers evening I’d
be happy to have this with me to bring back something
for the table
from butt to muzzle with a
17.3” bull barrel. Incidentally,
this ends in an 8” muzzle weight
that sleeves back over the tube.
However, the rifle has such a dampened
report you’d be forgiven in thinking it a
moderator. Accuracy is stunning and
the build construction has the
appearance of a rifle that’ll stand being
run over by a tank. The major problem
is the weight being 11lbs before a
scope is fitted but personally if I was
sitting out watching an area on a
summers evening I’d not say no to
having this with me to bring back
something for the table.
we reckon
n One of the prettiest guns on the
market for the price
n A little on the large
and heavy side
n The only commercially produced
semi-recoiling springer
Technical SpecificationS
n name Diana 56TH Target Hunter
n Type Side-lever, ‘semi-recoilless’
spring & piston
n Single Shot
n Stock Beech thumbhole sporter
with sliding rubber butt pad
n Barrel 17.3”
n Weight 11lbs un-scoped
n Trigger 2-stage, adjustable
n Safety Automatic
n calibre: .177 (on test) .22 also available
in .25 calibre
n Price: Approximately £780
n contact: RUAG Ammotec (UK) Ltd,
01579 362319
www.ruag.co.uk