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

[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.

[gtfreight]

I emailed SWS when this issue became apparent asking them to check my "pre order" gun when they receive it and they have promised me that they will.
So, fingers crossed, hopefully mine will be ok when it eventually arrives.
Thanks Rob for taking the time and effort to write down your findings.

[maximus]

Still no news on my order, guess they are struggling to find a straight one!

[jackal1]

Still no news on my order, guess they are struggling to find a straight one!

If it was straight you would never hit anything.

[maximus]

If it was straight you would never hit anything.

Ha, you're probably right, hows your old 127?

[jackal1]

Ha, you're probably right, hows your old 127?

Sweet as a nut.

[maximus]

Sweet as a nut.

It was a lucky find!

[gk10]

Can someone who has one please confirm the actual weight of the FWB Sport?
Numbers quoted on Websites are sometimes incorrect.
I've seen 3750g quoted so this means its the same weight as a HW35?

[Muskett]

Its a discussion so take my comments with a grain of salt. I'm a FWB fan.

Do you want a rife to hit the mark, or just be an engineering marvel of straightness?

I've shot a good few Sports over the years and many another air rifle. Many have banana barrels. At the velocities these air rifle fire at then accuracy rarely are effected and its best to have them at least shoot to the sights. Air rifles were generally fitted with open sights so thats where the barrel needs to point to hit.
Air rifles are basically made to a price and pretty basic. Sure modern laser manufacturing shouldn't need the wooden mallet of old but they are still not made to the precision of firearms. Only the top Olympic target rifles were made to real tolerances that might equate to firearms, but most were at best "agricultural".
Recently the likes of Air Arms have taken springers to a higher level. With new manufacturing techniques, machining, and materials new air springers are slightly truer. Though some would say the new HW aren't much better than those of old and some say the older ones were better made??
Looks like this new FWB has a bit of both new and old mallet. The rub is its expensive for what it is.
I don't read anything bad from FWB reply other than it doesn't match the customers expectations. Its a bit too truthful.

What is great from this story is someone has a one off fab new Sport that is straight and can hit the target, and a brill Serial Number. With rifles that give joy its the little stuff that matters. A nail driver, a piece of walnut, there is something that some rifles have that give them a tad more joy. Sounds like this one has "it" in heaps with a story to tell. Nice one.

I won't be buying one as the Sport to me was of its time 1980's. I like the old stuff, and have a few. If I want modern then thats going to be something Air Arms or a PCP. Well something modern and no retro mallet, sadly FWB tried to be too retro.

[Big Seth]

Its a discussion so take my comments with a grain of salt. I'm a FWB fan.

Do you want a rife to hit the mark, or just be an engineering marvel of straightness?

I've shot a good few Sports over the years and many another air rifle. Many have banana barrels. At the velocities these air rifle fire at then accuracy rarely are effected and its best to have them at least shoot to the sights. Air rifles were generally fitted with open sights so thats where the barrel needs to point to hit.
Air rifles are basically made to a price and pretty basic. Sure modern laser manufacturing shouldn't need the wooden mallet of old but they are still not made to the precision of firearms. Only the top Olympic target rifles were made to real tolerances that might equate to firearms, but most were at best "agricultural".
Recently the likes of Air Arms have taken springers to a higher level. With new manufacturing techniques, machining, and materials new air springers are slightly truer. Though some would say the new HW aren't much better than those of old and some say the older ones were better made??
Looks like this new FWB has a bit of both new and old mallet. The rub is its expensive for what it is.
I don't read anything bad from FWB reply other than it doesn't match the customers expectations. Its a bit too truthful.

What is great from this story is someone has a one off fab new Sport that is straight and can hit the target, and a brill Serial Number. With rifles that give joy its the little stuff that matters. A nail driver, a piece of walnut, there is something that some rifles have that give them a tad more joy. Sounds like this one has "it" in heaps with a story to tell. Nice one.

I won't be buying one as the Sport to me was of its time 1980's. I like the old stuff, and have a few. If I want modern then thats going to be something Air Arms or a PCP. Well something modern and no retro mallet, sadly FWB tried to be too retro.

Well put. I guess its all about timing. I don't think spring powered airguns have progressed much in the last 30 years





.

[Muskett]

Air Arms in their TX and Pro Sport certainly make a high end springer. There are a few that are well made mousetraps. The top performers have most of the ingredients to make the most of the system and taken note of what has been learnt over the years. Still even then some will tweak them further. Really what can you do with a twisting power plant but make it smooth and have some heft to take all the physics that have to go on?

In truth the gasram straight push was the best answer found over the years for a moving piston.
Shortening the barrel to get that pellet away from the gun was the other fix. And then add a few lbs just to dampen it all down.

Or just go PCP....But where's the fun in that

[gtfreight]

I have just received a message from SWS stating that my Sport is about to be shipped, so hopefully in a week or so I should have my new gun (hopefully with a straight barrel).
When it arrives I'll post the serial number Rob.
Their website is also showing a small amount in stock.

[TonyL]

Great news, Gary.

Enjoy once you receive it, sir.

[gtfreight]

So do I Tony.
At the moment I feel like a kiddy waiting for Christmas but there is a little anticipation with the issues several others have had with theirs.