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Thread: New FWB Sport - The good, the bad and the ugly - Part 2

  1. #1
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    New FWB Sport - The good, the bad and the ugly - Part 2

    If anyone read my first post on this rifle, this is a follow up.

    So to Part 2
    And I'm going to focus on a couple of points from the title of the thread.
    The good and the bad.

    And I'd better start with the bad. And there's a fair lump of it.

    My chance to work on the rifle that @gb2017 owned, made me quickly decide I wanted one for myself and with Geoff's help I bought one.
    It arrived on 25th April (Saturday) after what ended up being a 10 day delivery, which was forecast by SWS.
    Like a kid with a new toy, I quickly opened the box to find a badly bent / kinked barrel. From what I'd regarded as one of the world's finest gunmakers


    I had to remove the rear sight to get a straight edge across the breech top. I ended up using a short carpentry square as the "bend / kink" in the barrel was too acute to use my engineers square.

    So now I'm spitting feathers.
    SWS were informed and to their credit they simply said they'd send documentation to arrange an uplift and return at their cost and they'd refund. So in this, I can't really fault SWS (except thinking they may have checked before delivery).

    As I'd already got a communication open with Feinwerkbau, I also informed them and they responded that they attend to this when the factory repoended on 4th May.

    Now I was in a bit (well a lot) of a dilemma.
    My initial post certainly caused a bit of a stir and possibly generated a few orders which quickly saw all stocks of these depleted at SWS.

    I'd already been told by Feinwerbau they only had very small supplies of these left in the factory and I knew some had already been secured by pre orders from SWS.

    To make matters worse, it was at this point that I noticed the serial number on mine and its possible significance. Shed Tuner had figured out the numbering on these and its as follows.
    All models start with 124 (model number)
    Power level is dictated by the next 2 characters. 75 = 7.5j, 00 is 18j.
    Next 3 characters are the rifle number. Mine is number 124
    So thats number 124 of the model 124 in 7.5j spec :facepalm:
    Whatever happened with FWB it wasn't going back, because of the number.

    Production numbers are very low on both 7.5 and 18j spec and as much as an oddity as they are, they're going to be rare.

    So basically at that point, I'd decided that I'd be keeping the barrel. Aother email or 2 sent to FWB and hoping for some kind of resolve that wouldn't end up in me returning the rifle or the barrel.

    So now to the barrel. Initially it looked like a banana, but it wasn't. It was straight as a die from the front face of the breech block, but when viewed down the bore it was that bad, that the top half of the bore couldn't be seen.
    It was simply kinkied at the point where the breech met the barrel.

    So, a couple of quick emails were sent off to Dave Pice, Dave Mercer and a message sent to and an AGF member, asking an opinion of what I'd already guessed may be an impossible job.
    Two replies didn't fill me with happiness, but one from Dave Mercer at least gave me a bit of hope.
    That spurred a quick conversation with Dave and resulted in me tackling the barrel.

    The rifle was smartly disassembled and 30 minutes later after a huge effort (its a proper lump of a barrel) its straight and I mean truly straight. More on that later.

    Parts were ordered which arrived a couple of days later and the rifle was built up just as I did with the one of Geoff's.

    On test shooting the rifle with a scope off another rifle, it shot bang on at 15 yards and produced a 3 shot one hole group from a pretty lazy position leaning on a decking rail.
    So its straight and its accurate.

    I have the gun I want, in very nice fettle and its accurate so I'm happy.

    So the point of the post ???

    Well its really the reply Ive just recieved from Feinwerkbau this morning. Should I have been as shocked as I was when I read it ? Dunno.
    But I reckon anyone else considering one of their products may think very hard about throwing money at their brand name. I won't buy another FWB rifle for sure.

    Here's their reply copied and pasted from the email :

    "
    Dear Mr. Smith,





    I spoke to our technicians about your complaint. The gun was fired at our factory and it was within specifications.





    In general, barrels, whether intended for sporting or hunting rifles etc., must be straightened several times during the manufacturing process, so that the deviations of the bore axis from the ideal, straight form caused by the manufacturing process are kept to a minimum.


    However, since small, barely measurable deviations have a significant effect on the point of impact, the final and decisive straightening takes place when the weapon is fired. The condition is that the weapon must hit a certain target area with a fixed sight setting. If this is not the case, the barrel is accordingly aimed a last time.





    This is also the case with the Mod. SPORT, the last aiming takes place when the weapon is shot over the open sight. If small deviations from the manufacturing process in one direction add up, it is possible that the barrel must then undergo a slight curvature in the opposite direction.





    Practice shows that straightening a barrel - provided it is carried out by a specialist and with expertise - has no negative impact on the shooting performance and precision of the gun.


    On the contrary, it has the advantage for the user of the gun that he can make small corrections to the sight to bring the target and the point of impact into coincidence, or that the sighting device offers sufficient adjustment range to suit the shooter's personal circumstances (eye, anatomy, targeting habits etc.).

    It seems that its acceptable to them

    Are Feinwerkbau really the maker I thought they were ?
    I'll let others decide that.

    Ooops, I forgot the good :facepalm:

    Its the rifle I've wanted for a long time.
    Barrel is straight and the rifle is accurate. It's running right where I want it and I'm as happy with it (possibly more given the serial number) as I was when I had completed Geoffs and knew they worked well at sub 12.
    Open sights are off and bagged.
    Sling swivels will be fitted shortly and it will hopefully see some daytime rabbits when we're allowed out to play.
    I did after all, buy this to use in the field
    Last edited by robs5230; 06-05-2020 at 11:02 AM.
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  2. #2
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    I am glad you sorted your rifle.
    Not a good reply from FWB it would seem.
    Les..

  3. #3
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    I can, sort of, get what they're saying and it does seem a fairly open and honest reply. Not that it should have arrived in the state that it did.

    However, now sorted, and time to enjoy this lovely rifle and rejoice in the fact that you're one of the lucky ones able to do so.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by les allam View Post
    I am glad you sorted your rifle.
    Not a good reply from FWB it would seem.
    Les..
    Not a good attitude at all Les.

    Nowhere in anykind of Feinwerkbau advertising does it state that "please understand you may have to straighten your barrel, even though we believe its in tolerance".

    I've obviously responded with my thoughts on the matter to which I've just had a rather more considerate response.
    But only an offer of sending back (on a 3 week trip around Europe) for them to straighten a barrel thats already been straightened.
    I've politely declined.

    They knew I was reviewing this.
    They also knew I'd write about how and if they chose to reslove it.

    Last one if this brand I'll buy for sure, even though I'm happy with this.

    I;d have expected that sort of reply from HW about a HW99 and the galling issue, but not from Feinwerkbau.

    It seems the Germans are always right. Even when they're obviously not
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by robs5230 View Post
    It arrived on 25th May (Saturday)
    Are you writing this from the future ?
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by MartynB View Post
    Are you writing this from the future ?
    Seems so
    Thanks, I'll edit

    If I'd had the chance to view how this was going to pan out, I'd have likely bought a 95
    I'm actually happy with it really.
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  7. #7
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    I read their reply (which I would guess was translated from a German original so may have lost something in translation) to say that they straighten barrels several times in the manufacturing process and then a final time once assembled and live fired. In effect that they tested it as ok before they left the factory.

    Could it have been bent after it left the factory? What method and level of force did it take to bend it back?

    The last bit sounds like target shooters may like to make final minute adjustments themselves????
    Rich.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by averageplinker View Post
    I read their reply (which I would guess was translated from a German original so may have lost something in translation) to say that they straighten barrels several times in the manufacturing process and then a final time once assembled and live fired. In effect that they tested it as ok before they left the factory.

    Could it have been bent after it left the factory? What method and level of force did it take to bend it back?

    The last bit sounds like target shooters may like to make final minute adjustments themselves????
    Rich.
    No way this was bent after leaving the factory.
    Box was sealed and so was the inner.
    Rifle was happily nestled in a box that would survive being thrown off a bridge.

    Its a thick hard barrel and took some effort (many small increments) to get it straight. Hardest one I've ever done to be fair.

    The text came through just as I copied it.

    It just hadn't been inspected. Another member on here commented on my original post. Batuista I think. His was exactly the same.
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by robs5230 View Post
    No way this was bent after leaving the factory.
    Box was sealed and so was the inner.
    Rifle was happily nestled in a box that would survive being thrown off a bridge.

    Its a thick hard barrel and took some effort (many small increments) to get it straight. Hardest one I've ever done to be fair.

    The text came through just as I copied it.

    It just hadn't been inspected. Another member on here commented on my original post. Batuista I think. His was exactly the same.
    Interesting. Was his bent in the same direction as yours? If that suggests a fault with the alignment of parts/tooling when pressing the barrel into the block?

    Are you happy to share the method you used to bend the barrel straight. I have a barrel to straighten, entirely at my risk obviously. My first attempt ed contraption didn't have the desired affect but I may not have given it enough Welly😁
    Cheers
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    Thank you for sharing the experience. I posted earlier about waiting some time to see if a New Sport came up for sale s/h sometime in the future as it sounded interesting. It still does sound interesting but for the wrong reasons. Certainly I am not terribly impressed by the FWB attitude but maybe, as suggested, the reply lost something in translation.
    And it provides a whole new set of questions to ask a potential seller concerning the rifle for sale and its history. Also more things to check out.
    I am pleased you have got it sorted but can appreciate the experience leaves a less than euphoric feeling with you.
    Cheers, Phil

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Russell View Post
    Thank you for sharing the experience. I posted earlier about waiting some time to see if a New Sport came up for sale s/h sometime in the future as it sounded interesting. It still does sound interesting but for the wrong reasons. Certainly I am not terribly impressed by the FWB attitude but maybe, as suggested, the reply lost something in translation.
    And it provides a whole new set of questions to ask a potential seller concerning the rifle for sale and its history. Also more things to check out.
    I am pleased you have got it sorted but can appreciate the experience leaves a less than euphoric feeling with you.
    Cheers, Phil
    Hi Phil
    The feeling is only towards the manufacturer, certainly not the rifle.

    There have been 4 recorded on here with bent barrels I think (at least 4 who know they had a bent one) over some fair span of time.
    I'd say that puts it to a manufacturing / assembly fault.
    Mach-1, Poison Dwarf (sent his back), Batuista and myself. The 3 that were kept have all been straightened.

    Excepting the poor QC, they are a nice rifle. Challenges to get them to run at sub12 are there but basic, with the biggest hurdle being the unequal diameter of the factory guide and the piston bulge.

    Not sure I'd hold my breath waiting for a used one to pop up though. I'd say chances are slim.

    Mine is finished now and short of a small adjustment I need to make to the 2nd stage, its ready for a visit to the club
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  12. #12
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    You could well be right about them not coming on the s/h market.

    Bet then we all need something to look forward to / hope for in these troubled times.

    Cheers, Phil,

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by robs5230 View Post

    Excepting the poor QC, they are a nice rifle. Challenges to get them to run at sub12 are there but basic, with the biggest hurdle being the unequal diameter of the factory guide and the piston bulge.

    Mine is finished now and short of a small adjustment I need to make to the 2nd stage, its ready for a visit to the club
    Hi Rob,

    The trigger felt really nice on the ones I tried. Once you get it exactly to your liking I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the accuracy once you can get to the club. It'd be nice to hear your findings once you do so.

    Thinking back to the stats that Jon furnished us with on the original thread, the rifle has the same bore and stroke dimensions as the 80. Very similar TP dimensions. The HW35 has a shorter stroke and a longer, less efficient TP, yet can easily deliver UK legal limit power in a refined fashion. Just wondering if it would be worth further persuing a countersunk top hat or countersunk "front bearing surface" to cover up the piston rod bulge, giving more freedom for spring selection and just being able to marry the spring up to made to measure guide and top hat? Losing a little spring room I'm guessing won't be an issue seeing how the 35 can perform?
    Last edited by TonyL; 06-05-2020 at 04:53 PM.
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  14. #14
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    Glad you sorted yours, but eash, that FWB response...
    Always looking for any cheap, interesting, knackered "project" guns. Thanks, JB.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TonyL View Post
    Hi Rob,

    The trigger felt really nice on the ones I tried. Once you get it exactly to your liking I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the accuracy once you can get to the club. It'd be nice to hear your findings once you do so.

    Thinking back to the stats that Jon furnished us with on the original thread, the rifle has the same bore and stroke dimensions as the 80. Very similar TP dimensions. The HW35 has a shorter stroke and a longer, less efficient TP, yet can easily deliver UK legal limit power in a refined fashion. Just wondering if it would be worth further persuing a countersunk top hat or countersunk "front bearing surface" to cover up the piston rod bulge, giving more freedom for spring selection and just being able to marry the spring up to made to measure guide and top hat? Losing a little spring room I'm guessing won't be an issue seeing how the 35 can perform?
    Hi Tony.
    Yes I'll certainly update as time goes on.
    I think its the fact that I'm settling in with it now I just want to tweak the trigger settings a bit more to my preference. But I will admit that initially I thought I'd leave the trigger alone.

    Yes you're right with the similarites with the 80.

    I can use any spring I wish as I have indeed stepped over the bulge. Basically a flat faced plug bored through the centre for the piston rod then counterbored at the rear to accommodate the bulge. Simply a matter of choosing a spring, top hat and guide as with any other drop in kit.
    I have a few guides made up for this now so I can swap and change if I need, but its where I want it now.
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