Milbro Diana post 1971 catalogue and the G79 · 7/9/2015 · Of course the German M&G Diana, which surviv ed until very recently as a family firm, lasted a lot longer than the Milbro

22/12/2017 Vintage Diana Talk: Milbro Diana post 1971 catalogue and the G79

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Milbro Diana post 1971 catalogue and the G79July 8 2015 at 4:00 PM

Oliver (Login ogilkes)

Like a number 11 bus, you wait for ages for one to arrive and then they all arrive simultaneously. Here is another Milbro/Diana catalogue, this one from 1971 or shortlyafterwards. It’s interesting as this was the one were the name Diana was reintroduced for the new Series 70 rifles.

The catalogue, some 72 pages, includes all of Milbro’s ranges, imports and own manufacture. Here I have scanned and uploaded only the airgun relevant sections andthe price list.

One thing that is clarified here are the arrangement of Milbro model numbers. I had once thought that the model number referred to the year of introduction of aparticular model, but it seems most likely that except for a few (the underlever G55 may well have been introduced in 1955 and made to look like the Original 50 whichwas introduced 1952), it is simply a continuous series of consecutive numbers with blocks reserved for particular types of product. The air rifles of course set thissystem themselves, as early models simply copied the numbering of the Mayer and Gammelspacher products from Rastatt. What the ‘G’ stands for I do not know,perhaps ‘German’?

While the 1960s range of rifles remains in production, or at least on sale, bar the G46 ‘Targetmaster’, the new boy on the block is the G79 – and the Series 70designation is surely a tribute to the new shining era of the 70s.

I have always liked the G79, elegant, uncomplicated, simple and generally reliable, one the best efforts Milbro made, and it seems from what one reads here they madesome investment in its production. That is to say Milbro may well have seen it as a new beginning. It was made alongside the simpler and cheaper G78.

One puzzle yet to be resolved is how the high-quality Series 70/Model 71, with the nice stock and other fine features, relates to the G79. It’s not in this list and so Iwould say it is a later development, part of the ’aluminium trigger’ era, perhaps Milbro trying to maintain the momentum with an even nicer model, which did notperhaps sell. Hardly surprising as it does not seem to appear in any adverts.

Anyway, here is the catalogue:

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This message has been edited by Afrikane on Nov 24, 2017 12:31 AM

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Garvin (Premier Login Garvin2)

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Thanks for the scans July 9 2015, 2:15 PM

of that brochure, Ollie. Very interesting, despite the rather disconcerting pheasants-eye view on the cover photo'!

I would have thought I'd died and gone to heaven if somebody had bought me a purpose-made shoulder holster for my G10 as an 11-year-old!It would have made my 'quick draw' practice so much easier...

I'm sure you're right that 'series 70' is a reference to the date and a marketing effort to capture the 'newness' of the decade. After all, the 1970sstarted with a determined effort to shake off 'old practices' that had gone before (ie decimalisation).

I had an email after your last scans asking why Milbro should find a place on this forum, since its connection with the Diana of M&G is tenuous.

I have to say it's a fair question, but I'm unapologetic in welcoming fine contributions such as this thread. Those of us who grew up in the UKhad as much, or more, to do with Milbro than the German Dianas, and the two companies are inextricably linked in the range of guns that theysold, especially in the earlier postwar years.

I think of Milbro as a continuation of M&G's designs, heading in a different direction after a fork in the M&G road after the War.

In a way, this circa 1971 brochure reveals Milbro - which let's remember existed as a successful airgun distributor (but I think not amanufacturer?) before the war - as a more mature manufacturing company, having shaken off much of its M&G heritage.

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Of course the German M&G Diana, which survived until very recently as a family firm, lasted a lot longer than the Milbro company - although theMilbro brand was revived. There was the recent Milbro Metisse air rifle and Mibro pellets, catapults and darts apparently still being marketed -although I vaguely remember reading that the trademark owner went into liquidation earlier this year?

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Oliver (Login ogilkes)

Diana and Milbro July 9 2015, 5:16 PM

I am very happy not to post, if its annoying purisits. But, Diana/Milbro used the same machinery as M&G for a long while, made the samedesigns, and were clearly part of a big carve up of the spoils together with Webley after WW2 (I am on the track of some very interestingpapers regarding the reparations committees in the National Archives regarding this and will post when the research is over) and theystamped at least some of their products with the the logo of Diana the Huntress. Fine, they may not be M&G Ratstatt made, and so while asideshow, they are as much a part of the history of that company as was the buying back of the trademark when Milbro went bust in 1982.Sounds relevant to me.

Sadly your info about Milbro redux is correct. Now in liquidation, along with the pellet business, and perhaps awaiting a buyer. The lasttenuous link now is Milbro Ireland, still trading as an importer of shooting products.


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Milbro Diana post 1971 catalogue and the G79 · 7/9/2015 · Of course the German M&G Diana, which surviv ed until very recently as a family firm, lasted a lot longer than the Milbro