Valuation please, Feinwerkbau FWB 124

[coburn]

Good thread this, not a great fan myself but very interesting info on one of the top break barrel rifles of all time. I just think their period at the top was too short lived and whilst cutting edge in 1978 the FWB had lost out to the Original 45 and HW80by say 1982.

Or am I wrong?

[OLD JUD]

Good thread this, not a great fan myself but very interesting info on one of the top break barrel rifles of all time. I just think their period at the top was too short lived and whilst cutting edge in 1978 the FWB had lost out to the Original 45 and HW80by say 1982.

Or am I wrong?

Dr Robert Beeman tested all the top European air rifles in the early 80's, and the FWB was every bit as powerful and a little more accurate compared to the Original 45.

[Muskett]

Its a weight thing. The 45's are heavy, weight forward and just not as pretty. Fat boy HW80 and even then they don't shoot any better.

Then next rifle with best ergonomics, point-ability, looks and the right weight was the Omega. Its these other things that add to the package...

[Garvin]

Further to what Muskett said, I think in some respects the Original 45 and HW80 are superior to the Sport (which first came out several years earlier, in about 1973) but in other respects are inferior. It's a personal choice thing. The Sport has flaws, most small and correctable as Hsing-ee says, but as a complete package there's nothing quite like it.

Some time ago I posted up a list of pros and cons of the Sport and was surprised how many minor faults or gripes it was possible to come up with. Despite these, most people who own a Sport find they love it and prefer it to its bigger, heavier, more rugged rivals.

The list, drawn up with input from other owners, is:


Good points:

Lightweight
Easy cocking
Nicely balanced
Max power achievable at sub-12 ft/lbs
Great accuracy once correct hold established
Highly tuneable
Excellent external metal finish
Excellent internal parts finish
Match quality barrel and cylinder
Ease of home servicing (with spring compressor)
Good availability of service parts (ie. Maccari metal trigger, spring/seal kits)
Still competes with more recent guns nearly 40 years on
Illustrious brand name
Holds market value

Not so good/bad points:

Barrel breech ball detent lockup wears over time
Barrel pivot bolt needs to be kept tight/checked regularly
Trigger not as good as HW Rekord
Plastic and later alloy triggers can snap
Safety slide 'wings' are fragile
Safety slide can become ineffective
Rearsight is plastic/elevation adjuster crude
Hardened steel mainspring retaining bolt screws into mild steel trigger block
Some stocks weak at pistol grip
Trigger guard is stamped steel
Long FWB spring needs compressor to remove
Scope grooves have no stop screw holes, only shallow depressions.
Some parts now hard to find or unobtainable

[mallyally]

Further to what Muskett said, I think in some respects the Original 45 and HW80 are superior to the Sport (which first came out several years earlier, in about 1973) but in other respects are inferior. It's a personal choice thing. The Sport has flaws, most small and correctable as Hsing-ee says, but as a complete package there's nothing quite like it.

Some time ago I posted up a list of pros and cons of the Sport and was surprised how many minor faults or gripes it was possible to come up with. Despite these, most people who own a Sport find they love it and prefer it to its bigger, heavier, more rugged rivals.

The list, drawn up with input from other owners, is:


Good points:

Lightweight
Easy cocking
Nicely balanced
Max power achievable at sub-12 ft/lbs
Great accuracy once correct hold established
Highly tuneable
Excellent external metal finish
Excellent internal parts finish
Match quality barrel and cylinder
Ease of home servicing (with spring compressor)
Good availability of service parts (ie. Maccari metal trigger, spring/seal kits)
Still competes with more recent guns nearly 40 years on
Illustrious brand name
Holds market value

Not so good/bad points:

Barrel breech ball detent lockup wears over time
Barrel pivot bolt needs to be kept tight/checked regularly
Trigger not as good as HW Rekord
Plastic and later alloy triggers can snap
Safety slide 'wings' are fragile
Safety slide can become ineffective
Rearsight is plastic/elevation adjuster crude
Hardened steel mainspring retaining bolt screws into mild steel trigger block
Some stocks weak at pistol grip
Trigger guard is stamped steel
Long FWB spring needs compressor to remove
Scope grooves have no stop screw holes, only shallow depressions.
Some parts now hard to find or unobtainable

and its got the X factor as far as i am concerned

[coburn]

I re read my 6th edition Beeman airgun guide last night and of all the sporting rifles the FWB did have the smallest group ctc at 25ft. It was only beaten by one other recoiling rifle which was the HW55. I consider that to be a very good performance. One correspondant claimed his Sport was doing 822fps with Silver Jet which works out to 12.7ftlb a very credible performance for a .177 Rifle in those times.

Of course it was Beeman himself who helped sow the seed of the Sports demise by helping to create the R1/80 which effectively killed FWB's North American market.

[red bob]

this comparison has been up before judge and jury a while back;im lucky enough to have had both for years ,i only keep that which delivers the goods long term for my open field hunting needs in all weathers and conditions;this will normaly expose any shortcomings .and quite simply the wiehrauchs are excellent tough workmanlike but for all the reasons mentioned and more eloquantly put than i could emmulate the fwb followed by the 45 are in the gun rack ready for action night or day;with the fenman he for close work[still being evaluated but looking good so far]the orig 45 is a little longer a bit heavier ;trigger unit [in my opinion] not so light ;im not a paper puncher but i shoot confidently to maximum hunting range with the fwb,its relative lightness and size against other options was a big plus add on accuracy which doesnt always follow with a springer and its a complete [self contained]package.on the pcp side my professional vermin control collegue uses the latest electronic pcp, its truely a masterpiece of modern tech but it broke down in the field and took 2 weeks to have fixed and is not self contained.the fwb is 20 yrs down the road and i can fix it in the kitchen.

[slug-gun]

I had about 5 or 6 'Sports in the late 70's and early 80's, starting with one of the 121's with the plain stock, no.15000 or so, bought from The Airgun Centre in 1978.
Great rifle as everyone has said, easily tuneable, and very, very accurate.
Stayed with them until 1990 when I considered that Theoben had got as good as they were going to get with the Sirocco Classic, at which point I bought one.
The Theoben was/is more accurate than the 'Sport; had a faster 'lock time', had a miles better ergonomic walnut stock; was more consistent; was fitted with a silencer and was as well finished as the FWB.
Simply overall a better air rifle, good as though the Sport was, but then the Theoben was a great deal more expensive so perhaps not a fair comparison?

[mallyally]

the latest theoben gas ram air rifles are not as good as the old stuff
try comparing a sport with a modern evo and you will get a different result
i ve had two classics and now own a countryman .
i bought a thumb hole evo and had it a month still got four FWBs though
not disagreeing though the EARLY theobens did give the FWB a run for its money and were in some ways ( barrel lock up / scope mounting system ) BETTER did i just say that

[RustyBuzz]

Pre HW77

FWB Sport - 4 field target national titles
Original 45 - 1 field target national title
HW80 - 1 field target national title
Theoben - 0

Which rifle is the best is clearly a matter of opinion, but some hard facts are hard to ignore.

[mallyally]

Pre HW77

FWB Sport - 4 field target national titles
Original 45 - 1 field target national title
HW80 - 1 field target national title
Theoben - 0

Which rifle is the best is clearly a matter of opinion, but some hard facts are hard to ignore.

cant say more than that can you
and i still have my mastersport

remember the poll on here about a year ago / cant argue with that either

[Muskett]

Upgraded to Theobens a long time ago. Upgrade? Not really; went through two (bent barrel syndrome). Had a few since/recently and they aren't anymore forgiving than anything else. Now I'm back to Sports as my preferred field air rifle. I've had most of the rifles that I dreamed of owning when younger. The Sport comes up tops because it works on all fronts and is very accurate.

Having said that Sorts are still not that easy to shoot straight (pcp) and you do have to do all the right things. However, for standing unsupported they seem to guide that pellet home. Most spring, or gasram for that matter, just don't get it if you change your position or do something different. The heavy weight HW77 is the other spring driven tack driver but try shooting that standing unsupported when all scoped up

[coburn]

On the strength of this thread I went out on Saturday morning and bought a Sport from my local gunshop (GT Shooting of Coulsdon), to be honest I didn't need much incouragement

I must say I am very impressed and can see what all the fuss is about with these rifles. The last time I used one was about 1985!

Can anyone date it (serial no 144XX) and mine also has the wrap around foresight with the interchangable elements.

Is slightly down on power so now I am off to the spares people for a mainspring, piston washer and breech seal.

Oh and the best bit, its a 124..

[Muskett]

Doing all the right things today coburn Bought the right rifle, right calibre too.

I like the new school Marcarri kits, which both my 124's are fitted with (no spring compressor needed). If you do put an order in do get the tar and paste. All his bits are good, trigger, safety spring and rear sight blind (hides the holes) but it does end up quite costly. Don't put a huge scope on it and nothing cheap. An old 3-9X40 Tasco would be perfect. Sportsmatch one piece medium/low mounts or Apel steel work well. I like no moderator as there is little advantage and you're not helping the excellent balance. Lastly Superdomes work great.

Enjoy.

[coburn]

Thanks Muskett.

I was a bit concerned about the need for a spring compressor and the delicate looking wings on the safety catch.

Scope wise it came with an old Rhino 6x32 with a pointed post reticule, but I've got a one inch tubed Tasco 4x20 with a 30/30 reticule which is lovely lightweight scope which i may fit.

Its currently running at 8.5 to 8.8ftlbs with velocities around 750 with Hobbies and 680 with Superdome so its only about 70 to 100 fps down. The spring does feel a bit springy and creaky on cocking.

The amazing thing is how consistant it is, variation of only 10fps with various pellets.