FWB300S Junior restored, FWB150 still fun

Two years ago, I bought a FWB300S Junior; it shot well, but was somewhat battered in appearance. Last November, I finally decided to have it reblued and the stock refinished. The work was done by a local gunsmith, who had never worked on a FWB before, and who spoke no English. Between us, with a little German and a little Czech, we made the deal. As I waited to collect the rifle, I was more than a little apprehensive at what might await me: černý is definitely black, right? Not pink? No, I got that right! He did a really good job, not only of refinishing but also of rebuilding; in operation the rifle feels tighter, like new. The springs and seals are unchanged, as they were in fine condition.

For the past few days I have been shooting it alongside my FWB150 (top of photograph). As can be seen from photographs in my first post on the 300S Junior, the cylinder and cocking lever were both pitted from rust. The gunsmith has done a good job of polishing this out before rebluing. It is not perfect, but it is much better than I had expected.

As standard, the 300S Junior has a very short length of pull (the distance from butt to trigger), and I had increased this with a roughly made 3cm extension. As part of the restoration, this was discarded and replaced with a well-fitted piece of nicely figured wood. It is not a colour match, but I like the contrast.

Of my four FWB rifles, this is my favourite. It is light enough to shoot for hours without tiring; cocking requires little effort, despite the short lever; the trigger is fantastic; it is easy to hold on aim; it is outstandingly accurate. On the other hand, it is low powered, fitting into the German category of freie waffen - under 7.5J (5.5ft/lbs). From a 25 metre zero, pellet drop at 50 metres is around 40cm.

This is also the first time I have shot my FWB150 since I fitted the correct front sight. Of course, it has not made the slightest bit of difference to how the rifle shoots, but it was interesting to try the "eagle eye" magnifying lens. On paper targets at the zeroed range, I think there is a definite advantage to using the lens, but as I use these precision rifles for shooting beer cans at a variety of distances, I found it more of a hindrance; anything off-centre is severely distorted. I removed it.

My FWB150 is a little more powerful than the 300S Junior; as it was made before 1970, it is not restricted by German law in the same way. From the same zero distance, point of impact is about 25cm low at 50 metres. Still, the past few days have been quite windy, and hitting anything at 50 metres was tough, so I moved to 40 metres, as in the photograph above. At this distance, cat food tins were a fun challenge. It is not easy to judge hold-over with diopter sights, but with a bit of experimentation I managed to shoot "minute-of-tin".

A week ago, I had made up my mind to sell the FWB150. I do not have the time to shoot often, I do not have a garden of my own or a suitable range nearby, and I have recently taken up fullbore pistol shooting, so spare cash is going towards that. However, shooting it over these past few days has made me reconsider. Compared to the FWB300S Junior, it is heavy, horribly balanced, the cocking lever is long and unwieldy, the stock is not as ergonomic, and the trigger is not of the same standard. On the other hand, from the sitting, kneeling or prone positions the weight is not an issue; once you have it on target, the heavy barrel seems steadier; and the trigger is still extremely good. On top of this, it looks beautiful. It is 50 years old, and shoots brilliantly. I think it will stay with me for some time yet.

A new front sight for the FWB150

When I bought my FWB150, I didn't really know what to look out for. I was to some extent blinded by the very thought of acquiring one, so I didn't look too hard at the online advertisement, or think too hard before clicking "buy it now!". I have not been disappointed with the rifle; it's been thoroughly overhauled, and shoots nicely. A few things have caused mild irritation though. Firstly, it is in some ways too perfect. I am not one for immaculate rifles that never see use, and I like some character and age to show in a rifle. I would describe this one as "over-restored". On the other hand, the bluing has already worn considerably, and comes off on wiping with a cloth. I can live with this though.

What I could not live with was the front sight. This rifle is fitted with a barrel sleeve, and the front sight was incorrect for this configuration. It was of the type fitted to rifles without the barrel sleeve. Of course, it functioned perfectly well, and I am not a collector of perfect rifles, but the gap between sight and barrel sleeve was not attractive at all. I considered having a spacer made, but this would still have left a step down between sleeve and sight.

After over a year of looking, I chanced upon the correct sight on eGun. When it arrived in the post, I tried to remove the old sight. The screw on the right must first be removed, and then the pin carefully tapped through from right to left. 

Try as I might, I could not move the pin. I tried tapping it out, pulling it, soaking it in light oil. Nothing worked. Finally someone suggested applying heat. I was very reluctant to do this, as I am no engineer and I didn't know what effect it might have on the barrel or the alloy sight. Still, a few seconds on the camping stove seemed to do the trick, with no harm done: the pin came out with ease. The new sight was easy to fit, and uses only a cross pin rather than pin and screw. As you can see from the photograph below, it closes the unsightly gap and really looks better. I will paint it to cover up the scratches at some point.

The sight arrived fitted with a post element and a small lens mounted in a brass ring, fitted on the target side of the element. It is uncoated glass, and appears to magnify the target slightly. I have never encountered one of these before, but I am told it is called an "eagle eye", and while it is not permitted in ISSF competitions, it is permitted in some target disciplines, mainly for use by shooters with defective eyesight. 

I have yet to try it out, but I will report back when I have done. While I can see that it might give target shooters an advantage, I am doubtful that it will increase my ability to hit corks at 25 metres!

The FWB300S

I have owned airguns since I was 12 years old, starting with a Harrington Gat push barrel pistol and progressing through most of the 1990s range of BSA spring rifles. As a patriotic and brand-loyal teenager, these BSAs - the Meteor, Supersport, RB2 Airsporter, Goldstar and Superstar - represented the height of precision engineering. My eyes were opened somewhat when I spotted a second hand Air Arms TX200 in the rack at the gun shop, and for the next few years I was an Air Arms man, following it with a TX200HC and a Pro-Sport. Eventually, owing to lack of a place to shoot and lack of funds, I sold the rifles and had just a TAU 7 target pistol hidden away in a dusty cupboard. I had given up shooting, and lost interest in airguns. Then a few years later, working abroad with a lot of time for daydreaming and a little spare cash in the bank, my thoughts returned to shooting. I toyed with the idea of a Weihrauch HW35 fitted with a diopter sight, then my eye was caught by an advertisement for a second hand FWB300S. I knew nothing at all about these rifles, other than that they were highly respected for build quality and accuracy. So I bought it, and a few weeks later the seller knocked on my door and delivered my first Feinwerkbau.

This example was made in 1976. The general condition is very good, but there is some scratching to the top of the cylinder, probably the result of a clumsy attempt to remove light rust. My first impression was one of perfect quality. The BSAs of my youth were well made, and the Air Arms even better, but the FWB300S is in a different class. The excellence of the trigger, the effortlessness of cocking and the infallible accuracy have all been mentioned in my earlier post about the FWB300S Junior, so I will limit this post to a few other observations.

The above photo shows the short scope grooves. These are not sufficiently long to properly fit the Sportsmatch OP22C mount made for Feinwerkbaus, so I would recommend a set of two piece double clamp mounts if you intend to fit a scope, or maybe a one piece design without an arrestor. Later rifles like my 1982 300S Junior had longer scope grooves, so this would not be a problem.

I found the length of pull just a little too short, and so I added a 10mm spacer to the butt. This feels perfect for me. Any extra, and I think longer screws would be required - I used M5 60mm slotted cheese head machine screws when I extended the butt of my 300S Junior.

Note the black plastic grip cap that splays out slightly to support the hand. Later rifles have a straight cap, following a change in the rules of competitive target shooting. I suppose anyone considering using a 300S in competition now would have to remove this type of cap. The stippling on the grip was originally untreated wood. This rifle spends long periods stored in a cabinet, and several times it has developed green mould. No matter how I tried to ensure the cabinet was free of moisture, and how I treated the wood, the mould returned. Finally I varnished the stippling. It still feels nice and grippy to the hand, and while the mould problem persists, it is not as bad as it used to be.

There we have it. The rifle that got me hooked on Feinwerkbaus. If you have never handled one, find one and I am sure you will be impressed.

Airgun Collector magazine issue 2

Thanks to Garvin of AirgunBBS, along with many other knowledgeable collectors, the second issue of Airgun Collector magazine is now online, free to download. Of interest to Feinwerkbau enthusiasts is an article on the FWB65 pistol.

Links to download:

 

https://issuu.com/garvin3/docs/airgun_collector_issue_2

 

https://jumpshare.com/b/F32lMnOBYYSePlwz4h1b

High resolution, if you would like to print:

https://jumpshare.com/b/qqce1BkB8AjMAGfxog4L

Thanks to all involved in producing this wonderful magazine.

 

D R Hughes' handbook for the FWB124&127 Sport

D R Hughes imported Feinwerkbau airguns into the UK in the 1960s and 70s. He is something of a legend in British airgunning circles, being one of the first to see a market for German craftsmanship in a country where the BSA Airsporter and Mercury ruled supreme.

Not just a businessman, but a genuine enthusiast, he wrote several handbooks to accompany his rifles. Perhaps the most well known of these are for the HW35 and the Feinwerkbau Sport, but he wrote one for the Original/Diana 35 and maybe also for the BSF 55. The handbooks themselves are collector's items now in their own right, and rarely seem to come up for sale. Recently however, Mr Hughes himself found several copies of the FWB Sport handbook in his attic, and sold them on eBay. I bought one. 

It covers the specification of the rifle, basic maintenance, recommendations for scopes, and stripping/servicing. The Sport isn't the easiest of rifles to strip, the spring being under considerable pre-load, so detailed instructions and helpful photographs are provided.

Everything covered in the manual is now pretty much common knowledge among FWB Sport owners; detailed information on disassembly is available on any airgun forum online. For me the value of the handbook lies in the care and attention to detail that went into it, in an age when such knowledge was not so easy to share. Keep your eye on eBay and you might find one (mine is not for sale!).

 

The FWB65

I bought this Model 65 four years ago. I paid £250, which is a typical price for an example in good condition. Looking at the serial number and design, it appears that it was probably made in 1973.

A quick look into the breech showed a brittle, perished seal; probably the original. The pistol shot well, but fearing for the condition of the piston buffer inside, I sent it off to a specialist in the UK for servicing. It came back four weeks later feeling tight and shooting like a pistol fresh from the factory. It still shoots that way today - not bad for a 40 year old air pistol.

Before owning this, the only other target pistol I had used was a Czech TAU 7. That was well made and extremely accurate when shot from a bench, but try as I might I couldn't shoot it off-hand. I could barely even hold it steady on target, and I began to lose heart in pistol shooting. My confidence was restored on handling the Model 65; the grip size, shape, and angle suit me much better, as does the balance. As a result, while I'll never be competitive, I can pull off the occasional good bit of shooting. The Model 65 was available with a variety of grips, from plastic sporter types to the adjustable type seen here, in a range of sizes. I think this has a medium grip, but I am unsure; it is stamped "H" on the base.

As with Feinwerkbau's target air rifles, the 65 has a sidelever-cocking action mounted on sliding rails to absorb recoil. Early pistols were fitted with two springs, counter-wound, in order to eliminate the twisting recoil that can sometimes be felt in airguns. I believe this was dropped later, and a single spring was used. The photograph above shows the sidelever latch. You can also see the new breech seal, and beneath that a new damper, the small white plastic protrusion. To cock the pistol, the sidelever must be pulled back quite far, which can be hard for those with weaker hands. It is secured in this stroke by a ratchet, to prevent the breech closing on your fingers while loading. When the breech is closed again, the damper pushes against a catch, unlocking the trigger mechanism (I think, although I stand to be corrected - mechanics are not my strong point).

The front sight element is interchangeable, with a variety of widths available. Simply loosen the screw above the muzzle and slip out the element. Some pistols are fitted with a barrel sleeve which adds weight to the front and alters the point of balance. This one is not, and I am happy with the balance is it is. On the later Model 80, the sleeve was replaced by three weights that could be fitted under the barrel.

The rear sight is adjustable for width, as well as windage and elevation. Early pistols had a more basic sight, with replaceable elements, while that fitted to later pistols was wider. The sight picture is excellent, but if I were a competitive shooter I think I would appreciate the wider rear sight of a later pistol. Another difference between this and later examples is the distance that the frame, or tang, extends back over the shooter's hand; it extends a little further back on later pistols. These variations, and others, are discussed in detail on the American Vintage Airguns forum here.

The trigger blade is wide and comfortable. A groove is cut across the face, which helps to align the finger consistently. It is adjustable for both weight of pull and travel, but the blade cannot be adjusted for angle. The pistol is relatively easy to hold on target, and the trigger is excellent; no excuses for missing the bull. Although the Model 65 uses the same recoil-absorbing mechanism as the 150/300 series rifles, the shot is not completely devoid of "feel"; trigger control and follow-through must be perfect, and poor technique will still show up on the target.

In addition to the normal trigger adjustments, there is another. By pushing this switch on the underside of the receiver forward or back, the trigger weight can be varied from 500g (the minimum permissible for 10 metre match) to 1360g (for use in training for centrefire pistol matches). The recoil-absorbing sledge can also be locked by screwing a small plate into the hole in the receiver just below the barrel.

The FWB65 is an accurate, superbly engineered air pistol. It is robust, and with basic maintenance will last more than a lifetime. It was arguably the best air pistol of its day, and even today I would take one over any other spring powered pistol. While more modern PCPs give a small edge to the very best competition shooters, I think the Model 65 is still capable of impressing most.

 

The FWB127 Sport

I have been working away from most of my collection for the past year, but for the next couple of weeks I'm back at the old house and can play with them.

 

 According to D R Hughes, who imported Feinwerkbau guns into the UK in the 1970s, the Sport was first released onto the US market in late 1973, and arrived in Britain around the summer of 1975. It was manufactured until 1989. The basic variations familiar to British shooters are the 124 (in .177/4.5mm calibre) and the 127 (.22/5.5mm). There are several other variants in existence, including the 121, fitted with a more basic stock, but they are less common, at least in the UK. I first read about the Sport on AirgunBBS, and was immediately interested. A light, quick handling, accurate and simple sporter, made to a standard rarely seen on sporting airguns - what's not to like?

Well, quite a few things, it seems. The more I read, the more little quirks seemed to come out about this rifle. Talk of spongy triggers, failing safety catches, fragile stocks, weak barrel lock-ups, harsh recoil and hold-sensitivity put me off buying one for several years. Why put up with such failings when a HW35 or 95 does the same job with a Rekord trigger and no issues? I asked on the forum, and the resulting discussion laid to rest some of the negative impressions I had gained, but more importantly highlighted just how great a rifle many people consider the Sport to be, despite its faults. I resolved to have a Sport of my own, but it was three years before one came up at a price I could afford: the slightly battered example you see in these photographs. On receiving the rifle, I immediately saw why it is held in such high regard. It comes to the shoulder easily and balances perfectly. Despite worn bluing, a cracked stock and a few knocks to the metalwork, a high standard of workmanship is evident. A nice touch, which I am disappointed to see has been omitted from the new version, is the sling swivel fitted to the breech block. As a Model 127, this is in .22/5.5mm calibre.

My rifle lacks its original open sights, so I fitted a Nikko Stirling Platinum 4x32 scope. A bigger scope might aid accuracy, but I wanted to keep the weight down and preserve the elegant lines. I think the scope dates from the mid-1990s, so it's not contemporary to the rifle (this one was made in 1979) but I think it suits it well. I chose a Sportsmatch OP22C one piece mount, which includes a horizontal pin which fits into the grooves atop the cylinder in order to prevent the mount from shifting back under recoil. Some people don't like this system, as there is potential for the pin to dig into the cylinder and cause damage, but I have taken the risk and all seems well so far. The photograph below shows the underside of the mount, with the cross-pin (fitted to a different scope).

 

Cocking effort is light, and this ease of use is one of the factors that makes it such a joy to shoot. The breech is secured by a ball-bearing and pin/nipple arrangement, which seems solid enough on mine but has come in for criticism by other owners. It seems that in time the pin or nipple on the front of the cylinder can wear down, resulting in a weak lock-up. I have greased mine, perhaps a little too much, to prevent this wear.

On cocking, an automatic safety catch is activated. It is positioned at the back of the cylinder, where my thumb falls naturally. One should never rely on a safety catch, and this goes for that fitted to my Sport more than any gun I've owned - this one does not work. I suspect it is due to a worn part, and it is a very common problem. Fortunately the trigger is reliable, and is unaffected by the defective safety catch.

The trigger is best described as adequate for a sporter. It is not in the same class as a Rekord, but it is not bad. Being a Sport Mk.I, my rifle is fitted with a plastic trigger blade, but I believe this was changed to aluminium on the Mks.II and III. Many owners have also fitted after-market metal trigger blades to their Mk.Is. There is a limited amount of adjustment, but I have left mine alone. Pull on this is about 1kg. It is possible to modify for a more precise two stage release, according to this post on AirgunBBS.

Recoil is noticeable but not excessive. I am used to the recoilless FWB300S so have been spoilt a little, but the Sport is not too bad for a light, full powered (12ft.lbs/16J UK legal limit) rifle. There is some vibration, but again, this is not excessive and I suspect anyone who knows a little about tuning could eliminate it.

I shot this target recently. The group measures 13mm centre to centre, and although 20 metres is not really far enough to show true accuracy, I have no doubt that with care the same could be achieved at 30 metres (maybe with different pellets; while great at close range, flat-headed RWS Hobby tend to spread past 20-25 metres). Although an all-out sporter, the Feinwerkbau Sport does have some competition heritage: the first Field Target competition in the UK was won by a shooter using a 127.

A frequent problem with the Sport is cracked stocks. As you can see, mine has a crack running from behind the trigger guard across the pistol grip. This has been repaired and feels solid, so I am not worried by it. A common fix is to remove the grip cap and insert a bolt through the base of the grip, making it stronger than ever.

 

Another issue is that over time the rubber butt pads deteriorate. I will replace mine, as it does not provide any grip on my shoulder.

It may seem that this article is full of negatives: faulty this, worn out that. It is true that the Sport is not a perfect rifle, and mine is far from a good example, but I must emphasise this: it is much more than the sum of its parts. Handling and shooting it are a simple pleasure. If my limited experience does not convince, read this article by Richard Welham, a competitive shooter who was involved in tuning Sports in the 1980s. Mine is a keeper, one I will never sell.

As always, comments and corrections are welcome.