Gecado Diana Model 5 Pistol, Fail Whale

Ahh, the day started with such promise.

I found a ball to fit the spring plunger for the trigger adjustment screw.

.125" diameter.

Fits and works.
Then I put the rest of the pistol back together in reverse order of disassembly.

Then I noticed that the spot welds on the front half of the trigger/cocking shoe stamping were all broken.

Both sides, lucky me.
Not sure how that happened. I didn't put any force on that assembly beyond clamping it in the spring compressor, and since I've done that to several other similar diana pistols I don't think that was it. Could just be that the spot welds weren't as strong on this earlier Diana postwar pistols. It could have been caused by someone before me trying to cock the stuck piston repeatedly, or by holding it in a vise by the stamping and unscrewing the end cap. But that's just guessing. In any case I need to dig out some spot welding gear, make some special tongs that extend into the tube, etc. Doubt I'll get to that any time soon...we'll see. Derrick says the pistol is my "White Whale".

I do happen to have another Diana 5 action of later vintage that's missing some parts so it may get put in place of this one.