CAUTION: PCP Airguns are Dangerous if not handled properly. They operate at very high air pressure. PCP Air Guns must be handled with Extreme Caution and Safety at All Times. Handle any Airgun as if it were loaded. Always keep it pointed down range or away from any people. Read All Directions and Cautions Before Handling. Adult Only Ownership is strongly advised. Make sure your back stop is adequate to stop any stray rounds or flyers. Never shoot at a hard surface as your pellet may ricochet and strike someone or something unintentionally. A normal pellet trap is not sufficient to stop most PCP fired projectiles.
Above : I purchased this Diana Bandit pcp air pistol in .22 caliber from Airguns of Arizona. Good people to do business with for sure. They shipped the Bandit straight away. The packaging was first rate. And they kept me informed as to when I could expect it to arrive here in Michigan. (it arrived on time) You really can't ask for much more than that.
This is a $174.00 pcp pistol. Not exactly a surprise that the build quality is rather poor. I fully expected it would need cleaning and reassembly, and it did. I removed the barrel, which was already very loose. It was full of some nasty looking thick black crud. I had dry fired the pistol a few times with all that junk still in the barrel. I am lucky it didn't blow the loose barrel right out of the breech. The CLP did work really well. I mopped the barrel out with a well soaked flannel patch. (from the breech end with the moderator removed) Then I ran 5 or 6 dry patches through it. I repeated the process with a little less CLP, then ran 5 or 6 more dry patches through the barrel. At this point it was "good to go". The barrel is secured by 3 grub screws through the top of the breech. The middle screw is longer.
I ordered a Diana Storm Rider barrel band from Pyramyd Air. As pictured above I mounted the barrel band forward. The Bandit is designed to be a floating barrel set up. So I moved the barrel band back to just in front of the breech. I think it looks much better too. I borrowed the 2-7 X 32 Hammers pistol scope from my custom Crosman 2240. I have another scope in mind for this pistol but it will have to wait.
This group is about Plum size. Shooting distance, a little over 11 yards (34 ft). I was shooting from my shooting table using a pistol rest. The Bandit is not regulated, which for a $174.00 pcp pistol is to be expected. So far I have about $195.00 invested. (not counting the borrowed scope and rings)
Inspired by the Pyramyd Air video, I decide to go ahead and order a Diana Storm Rider Regulator. No video for the Bandit install. However the Bandit and Storm Rider components are basically the same. It was a really simple install. The regulator kit from Pyramyd Air includes everything I needed to install the regulator. Except for some silicone spray or silicone oil and a small screwdriver.
I set the regulator at 120 BAR or 1,740.45 psi. The pistol is shooting well at this setting. I do not have a Chrony so I won't venture to guess what the fps is. I am getting about 18 good shots before the power drops off noticeably.
Ok, Now with the regulator installed I will be shooting at 1" targets. It was raining, so I moved inside to my garage range. Distance, just over 8 yards. (25 ft) Position, standing, partial rest on a padded bicycle work stand arm. About as stable as an old fence that's seen better days. (it sways a little)
After a few quick windage and elevation adjustments I am shooting 1/2 " groups. Not too shabby for an entry level pcp pistol.
Without the regulator it was pointless to make any scope adjustments. It was like shooting a different pistol every time I squeezed the trigger. The regulator kit was well worth the $89.00 .
The dovetail rail on the Bandit is listed as 11 mm. I was able to remove the scope from my custom 2240 (which has a 3/8 dovetail rail) and mount it "rings and all" directly onto the Bandit. The configuration is so similar on these two pistols, the scope was almost "dead on" before making any adjustments for windage and elevation.
My .22 cal Bandit shoots the JSB MATCH DIABOLO Exact Jumbo Heavy 18.3 gr pellets very well. This is really good, because my BSA Buccaneer .22 cal pcp rifle shoots the same JSB pellets with great accuracy. I will be blogging about the BSA Buccaneer at some point down the road.
At this point I'm getting close to $300.00 invested n the Bandit. As far as the shot count goes, I usually top off after 14 shots. (2 mags) Although 21 shots is not a problem if I start with a max fill. The investment so far has paid off, because the Bandit is shooting 100% better with the regulator. Now I would like to talk about some of the Bandit's components.
The air gauge is located forward under the barrel's muzzle. I definitely need to use extreme caution whenever I am looking at the gauge. Making sure the airgun is unloaded, decocked and the safety is engaged. The color coding on the gauge makes it quick and easy to check the air pressure. I always angle the pistol so I can not see down the barrel when checking the air gauge. I'm also not a big fan of the air gauge location. But it is not unusual for Euro style pcp air guns.
The Grip! There is a lot chatter online about the BIG Grip. Yes it is Huge. However it is wood and wood can be sanded or carved. Having large hands, especially my palms, the Bandit grip fits me fairly well. But I have noticed a few problem areas. On the right side (front) of the grip where my fingers wrap around, it feels like a corner. It could definitely use a little re-shaping. Also the back or backstrap area feels a little buldgey . (is buldgey even a word?) Anyway, I do plan to take that down a wee bit too. But this is all part of the fun of "making it my own". I think this pistol has the potential to become very popular with the air gun customizing subculture. I believe the Bandit could be on the same level of customabelity as the Crosman 2240. Maybe at some point I will ship the grip across the pond to Martin Hird (HirdHawks Design). Martin makes beautiful custom wood grips and stocks. If you see this Martin, I'm thinking Glossy Black with Blue :) Ok, let's move on.
The single Shot Tray. One little problem, the magnet that holds the tray in place could be a little stronger. Other than that, it is fine. I have already adapted my hold to make sure I don't accidently push the tray out the left side when loading from the right. It isn't really an issue. But I did notice it. So there it is.
Above: The single shot tray in place. It is really a nice looking piece!
Above: The multi shot magazine. Also a lot of chatter about this piece. Ok it's not perfect but it does work. Once I got used to the loading procedure, it's really not that bad. But just like the single shot tray, the magnet is weak. One thing I think really helped is, when I reinstalled the barrel I did this with the breach closed. I think the probe helped me line up the barrel with the bolt or probe. That was suggested in one of the youtube videos I watched before purchasing the Bandit.
One positive, this magazine (above) is reasonably priced at $19.99 Today I can purchase two Diana Bandit magazines and one Diana Bandit Single Shot Tray for $50.00 US . One BSA Magazine costs me $49.99! Shame on You GAMO BSA USA. Seriously Guys, That's really a bit too much.
Above: The Left side Bolt Action cocking set-up for the right handed shooter. Lots of buzz online about this bolt cocking handle. Not sure how many, but some Bandit owners have reported these can break off, right where the bolt handle screws onto the probe. Now this scares me a little. I noticed on a youtube review they mention a fixed moderator on the 1st gen Dianna Bandit. Mine has a threaded barrel and the moderator is removable. Sooo, I am hoping mine is a second generation Bandit. I am hoping as well that DIANA has corrected any bolt handle issues. But I'm not counting on it.
Above: The bolt action cocking handle. Trying to avoid breaking the cocking handle, when I pull back I am using two fingers. This hopefully puts less stress on the connection point. I don't find the two finger method uncomfortable at all. It has already become second nature for me to cock it this way. Also I applied a little silicone chamber lube to the probe. So far so good. I really do like the bolt action located on the left side. Anything that speeds up the reloading process can only be a good thing.
Above: When I close the bolt action breech I use my thumb and keep it as close to the breech as possible. The idea is the same, I am trying to minimize the stress on the connection point. The only preventative I can try is to cock it this way. Also when the magazine is empty the bolt will not close, so I do not try to force it. And as I mentioned, before I did try different pellets. Some pellets will cycle smoother than others. And going back to removing and cleaning the barrel, I think closing the breech when I was sliding the barrel into place really helped. The better everything is lined up the smoother it should operate. I think I got lucky, mine cycles pretty smoothly. If your breech is really hard to open and close you might want to return it right away.
Remember Working on your own air gun will no doubt Void Your Warranty. So returning the air gun to the seller right away might be your best option.
After a short while I noticed the pistol felt loose cradled in the grip. I worded it that way because the grip is also like a stock on this pistol. All I did was tighten the screw (circled with red arrow) and that was that. I wish all problems were this easy to fix.
Above: The Safety. I don't mind where the safety is located, on the upper rear part of the trigger. I don't even mind what type of safety it is, a manual push type. But, It is more than a little sticky. And I do mind that. I am hopeful that it just needs to be broke in. So far I have not tried to lubricate it or anything else. So no real final thoughts, except I hope it gets better.
Above: The Moderator, Fill Port and Front Sight. The moderator works really well. Much better than I thought. Just for kicks I dry fired this pistol outside with the moderator removed. Wow! it was really loud, gotta be north of 100 db easily. My barrel is threaded, so the moderator is definitely removable. It looks good too.
The moderators outer shell appears to be plastic. Although with the flat black finish, you really have to get close to notice it. Even up close it looks really good. The fill port is located up front. My comments on that is "it'a a fill port". I should mention the Diana Bandit is not equipped with a fill port cover, I purchased my fill port plug on ebay, for about $9.00 or $10.00 .
Above: The Front Sight and Fill Port Plug. At first I really didn't like the front sight. But recently I noticed it looks like a Sharks Fin. That's cool! It is tall, because it has to be tall. Your sight line needs clear the suppressor. So for now, I'm ok with the Sharks Fin front sight. I had an idea for a fill port cover. But the material is 19.95, and I'm not 100% sure it will work. Also, so far I haven't been able to find it in black. So maybe down the road I'll pursue that further.
Above: The included probe is really sweet. Why? Because it is machined to fit a Foster Quick connect female air hose connection. With other Euro probes (like my BSA) you have to purchase an adaptor. very nice touch especially for a sub $200.00 pcp pistol.
Above : Shown just above the front sight is a thread protector. This will protect threads on the barrel when
the moderator is removed. The people at Diana Air Guns have really done a fantastic job getting this affordable pcp pistol on the market. And a nicely outfitted pcp pistol kit to boot!
Above: Not included. This is the aftermarket Fill Port Plug. You should be able to find these on ebay. It comes in several colors. It is important to keep the fill port clean as possible.
Above: The Diana Bandit comes in this beautiful padded carry / storage case! Not a heavy duty soft case. but it is included.
Above: That is some really thick foam. The Bandit pistol fits in there real snug. You will see what I mean when you try to remove it for the first time.
Final thoughts. The DIANA BANDIT is a very affordable pcp pistol. And it gets the new pcp shooter started without breaking the bank. The Bandit's smaller onboard air tank means the Bandit can be filled with a hand pump. But be aware the build quality is poor. Your new Bandit will most likely need to be taken down cleaned and rebuilt. To get the most out of your Bandit, you will need to install a regulator. And the regulator with the install tool and some spare O rings will run you about $90.00 US. The grip may need to be sanded down to fit your hand. I wear a men's size L glove. I can shoot with the grip as is. I will be doing some reshaping to suit my preference. I did not mention the rear sight. It does come with an adjustable rear sight which also will need a little work (bigger spring and longer screw). Because of my poor vision, I never use iron or fixed sights. So I did not review the sights. But they are included.
In closing, Working on this pcp pistol has been lot's fun. And it's been educational too. Honestly, there is no other pistol (air or powder) in my collection that I enjoy shooting more than I enjoy shooting the Diana Bandit. If you have the skills (or finances) to do the work. I would highly recommend this pcp pistol. Shoot Safe!
Cheers, Hugh
