Classics versus new

[Bessa]

There really is no difference unless we start talking in terms of the very latest tuning mechanics....buttoned pistons etc.
The reason for much better accuracy nowadays is owing to pellet quality which is massively improved. Also choice to pick the best for your gun.
I remember my local gunshop having a choice of about 3....all crap by modern stds. Who can remember the dirt and pellet fragment dust in the typical tin of Bulldogs i ask....and the 3 inch groups they gave in a BSF 55.
My BSF 55 matches pretty much any modern springer with some Crosman Premier for instance and handles much nicer to boot.
Try an Airsporter fed on some Superdomes and compare with some old Bulldogs....then come back.

[Nocity]

I must agree that today’s pellets account for most of the improvement in springer accuracy, along with the ditching of Ox Springs.

That said I prefer to shoot my Prosport more than any of my other springers.

So Andy you can come and beat me senseless, but just remember the source of your classic FWB 127.

[Silent Sniper]

without getting into the my guns better than your gun row i can honestly say that though i have an AA s400 carbine which is so incredibly accurate and easy to shoot i still take my bsa mercury out on 9 out of 10 hunts its just so satisfying bowling over a bunny with a gun thats older than my kids ,,on a slightly negative note i have probably spent about twice what the guns worth making it into a gun that i would happily use against live quarry (best shot to date with the old girl 42 yard head shot bunny measured )

[Amac]

It is nice to know that many of us still prefer to use our classic guns when in the field. Last time out I used a 127 and got caught out by the .22 trajectory due to years of the smaller calibre being ingrained in my range estimations. The gun is still able to do the business though John!

I also have to admit to owning a gorgeous and brand new Pro-Sport that is also fantastic to shoot and a pleasure to own.

Talking of FWBs, quite a few members of our club have recently purchased 300s 10m target rifles for our Thursday evening competitions that are proving to be both really enjoyable and extremely popular. Not just with the over 50s either!

All in all, FWBs have helped me to enjoy my leisure time one way or another for years, and long may they continue to do so! In fact, with all this talk of classic German springers, I am going to get them all out for a Friday night "fondle".......

Andy

[skeeter]

Not a mention of the BSA SuperStar, I know some people class them as a Gamo, but I've had 3, a MK2 .177 Carbine, a .177 MK1 full length, and a .22 MK1 full length, all of them have been super smooth to cock and fire (like they've been well tuned), good triggers, and very accurate.

I still have the 2 MK1's, they are lovely rifles, but a tad leggy with a moderator fitted, nice with the open sights, unfortunately they will possibly become casulties of my big clear out.

I do wish I'd have kept the MK2, .177 carbine, even with a mod fitted it balanced just right, if I still had it, it would've become a keeper.

[Bessa]

To be fair on the old classic tools the Pro Sport is probably pushing things a bit far.
A purpose built wonder springer with the absolute state of the art internals and most luxurious stock ever fitted to an off peg Springer.

Within more reasonable limits though, my BSF 55 almost matches the accuracy of my 50s but with 55 fps more m.v.
Both fantastic vermin contol tools.....while i feel a lot more comfortable taking them into the field than the Pro Sport.

[maximus]

Is there an under 50's chapter to the FWB Sport appreciation society?

[paul4be]

Not a mention of the BSA SuperStar, I know some people class them as a Gamo, but I've had 3, a MK2 .177 Carbine, a .177 MK1 full length, and a .22 MK1 full length, all of them have been super smooth to cock and fire (like they've been well tuned), good triggers, and very accurate.

I still have the 2 MK1's, they are lovely rifles, but a tad leggy with a moderator fitted, nice with the open sights, unfortunately they will possibly become casulties of my big clear out.

I do wish I'd have kept the MK2, .177 carbine, even with a mod fitted it balanced just right, if I still had it, it would've become a keeper.

I use my Superstar a lot.
Full length Mk1 in .177. It is lovely to shoot, but my clumsy fingers still don't always find the roller breach easy for some reason.
Never-the-less, I love it.

[Rickenbacker]

Having read all 4 pages of this thread, if anybody else says FWB I'm gonna SCREAM

I've never seen such a blatant hijacking by that bl**dy society...

Fair one about the front sling swivel though... very nice design that

[Bessa]

I wasnt a massive fan myself but can see why it has the huge fan base.
It was the second most accurate sporting springer of the time and not really matched in power across entire gunmaker ranges. (a true 11.8ftlbs)
The arrival of the HW77 and 80 finally saw off its dominance as the gun to aspire too, with the 77 routinely winning most field target comps in its various tuned forms and the 80 selected as the hunter.

Me....i didnt like the angled back forend and the very long cocking slot compared to the BSF 55 and 50S but nothing BSA or Webley matched a Sport at that time.
Vulcan, Osprey, Tracker, Viscount, Mercury, Airsporter S all coming up short really.

[Amac]

Sorry, I just cant resist saying "Feinwerkbau Sport" for the hell of it!!!

Maximus, feel free to kick off the under 50's chapter of the Feinwerkbau Sport (there, Ive said it again) Appreciation Society.

Talking of Feinwerkbau Sports, I gave my brace a run out at the indoor range this evening and both remain a pleasure to shoot. Problem was that Mr Jones has kindly loaned me a couple of his own classics, an HW 35E and a BSF 55, and the Rekord trigger unit once again proved its superiority over the not so good FWBs. Its a pity the trigger unit on my 300s cant be grafted into the 124s internals. Now that would make a positive addition to the already fantastic rifle that is of course the ------Feinwerkbau Sport! (I now make that 4)

Andy

[Bessa]

Id heard back in the day, that Fwb had used the same match quality rifling machine for the Sport .177 ...it was sublimely accurate once run in.
Always less bulky and more sporting firearm looking than the HW bunch.
Ive known plenty work on the triggers too but youll never beat a Reckord to be fair to it.
It absolutely trounced its main competitor of the time though...The HW35 despite the Reckord trigger.
Try as you might this great beast was only ever a 10.6ftlb rifle at best and needed big mods to get it as smooth as a sport.
The Sport had long slim swept volume which is the ideal ratio and only matched by the BSF cylinder. Everything else came up short in reg this vital ratio.
The mark 1 stock with plastic butt pad was the best, with later mks having very uniteresting wood.

[TopDog]

Id heard back in the day, that Fwb had used the same match quality rifling machine for the Sport .177 ...it was sublimely accurate once run in.
Always less bulky and more sporting firearm looking than the HW bunch.
Ive known plenty work on the triggers too but youll never beat a Reckord to be fair to it.
It absolutely trounced its main competitor of the time though...The HW35 despite the Reckord trigger.
Try as you might this great beast was only ever a 10.6ftlb rifle at best and needed big mods to get it as smooth as a sport.
The Sport had long slim swept volume which is the ideal ratio and only matched by the BSF cylinder. Everything else came up short in reg this vital ratio.
The mark 1 stock with plastic butt pad was the best, with later mks having very uniteresting wood.

Interesting postulations:- "The Sport had long slim swept volume which is the ideal ratio and only matched by the BSF cylinder. Everything else came up short in reg this vital ratio." I have tabulated the dims I measured from a series of strips done this year for a variety of models and there are many models with very very similar parameters to the Sport in the Swept Volume and Stroke/Bore ratios. The firing cycle peculiar (if it is) to the Sport is likely more to do with the stored energy derived more from pre-load than stroke and a less stiff spring than others which, when taken along with the piston weight etc accounts fo the difference. Maybe we should try a Sport style spring in another model! e-mail me for the data and if the figures I have are erroneous, please advise then I can correct the records!

ATVB
David

[Bessa]

I was really talking from the time that the Sport led the Sporting springer world.
Many guns variations since have similar set ups but not at the time.
Dont forget there were none of the HW variants which were all set up similarly to the Sport such as the HW85 through to the 80 which slightly improved on it. Its main competitor was the HW35 which was set up all wrong, with bigger dia cylinder and relatively shorter stroke. BSA had similar dia pistons to the Sport but with shorter stroke and springs.
Webleys had shorter strokes and springs and inferior break barrel designs and horrid stocks.
5 Years on saw the arrival of lots of models to match Sports from most of the top gunmakers but the legend of the Sport is that it did it 5 years before, while it can still compete favourably with many today.
The challenge to it came in the form of the BSF55/60 which was massively underrated owing to its plain looks. Tuning a 55 needed care as they could stary the legal limit. Mine routinely hits 855 to 870 fps with some pellets and the triggers may have had the slight edge on the Sport.
This model does pretty much match the swept volume of the Sport as you suggest.
Just have to accept it....the Sport was fein.

[Rickenbacker]

... Talking of Feinwerkbau Sports, I gave my brace a run out at the indoor range this evening ...

hehehehe... back to the OP's original question:

Yes, I believe Feinwerkbau sports are very nice.

Phil