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

[robs5230]

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.

[averageplinker]

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

[Phil Russell]

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

[robs5230]

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

[Phil Russell]

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,

[TonyL]

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?

[Shed tuner]

Glad you sorted yours, but eash, that FWB response...

[robs5230]

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.

[tacfoley]

Sounds like what we would term 'a crock of shit'.

Happy that YOU and a pal or two seem to have solved it. Barrel straightening IS part of the manufacturing process, and can be seen a gazillion times on Youtube as the workers, with the barrel on a wheel with handles, pull and twist the barrel in the clamp to make it straight

However, you, the end user, should NOT be able to see a bend in a barrel, let alone one that is as you describe.

My days of buying stuff from FWB are long behind me, but this saga of yours would give me serious concern about spending money in their direction in the future.

[TonyL]

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.

Excellent! Enjoy.