124 Feinwerbau - new spring

[IOWA DON]

Here is a photo of my old FWB-124 (26 years plus). The scope is a Leupold 2.5X Compact.

A couple months ago or so I sent it to Mac1Airguns and had the spring. plunger and seal replaced. The old seal went bad. The new set-up was advertised as giving 900 fps. I was concerned that the extra velocity would also produce more vibration and I always thought the 124 was difficult to shoot consistently because of vibration. I was told not to be concerned about that because the new parts would fit more precisely and thereby reduce vibration. Prior to this work the velocity was about 775 fps according to my chronograph, with the regular weight H&N match pellets. Now the velocity is 822 fps, about a 50 fps gain. Maybe it would do 900 fps with a lighter pellet, or maybe the velocity will increase as the new seal breaks in. But it doesn't give 900 fps for me now. It seems there is less vibration. That is, it seems easier to get good accuracy from it now compared to before from both with and without a forearm rest. I've shot at 9 squirrels on my bird feeder since getting the gun rehabilitated. Of these 8 were head shots and all died quickly and one was a shoulder/lung shot and it also died quickly. My bird feeder is only 10 meters from where I shoot, so these were not difficult shots, but 9 out of 9 is better than I would have expected. I think the better accuracy and slight increase in power has mad it a much better squirrel rifle. Previously, I was disappointed in the 124's performance on squirrels and switched to using .22 shorts. Now it seems to be a fine squirrel rifle, at least at close range. Anyway, velocity is not as expected, but the old 124 performs better than ever. Also, the rifle appears in near new condition on the photo and that is because it in in very good condition in spite of having shot many thousands of pellets, mostly at backyard pest birds.

[Brithunter]

Hi There,

     Hmmm I was surprised by your comments on vibration, you see I have a Model 127 sport and have had since 1979 when I brought it new from Streatham Armoury in south London. I also brought an ASI branded japanese 4x32 scope which i fitted in a Rhino one piece mount. Now the scope got swopped and it now wears a Rhino 4x40 scope in the same mount. I also had to have the seals and spring replaced some years ago although I cannot complan as I used to shoot over 500 pellets a week through it at oen time before tailing off when getting into cartridge rifles. Never noticed bad vibration even though spring powered air guns need a careful follow through but then I grew up shooting other springers includign a BSA Meteor Std in .177. The Model 127 is of course .22.

    I was also very surprised to see the pistol grip on your stock as mine and the others I have seen are all capped and have rubber recoil pads. Mine is more accurate than I am so no complaints on that score.

[IOWA DON]

Brithunter - When about 13 years old I had a Sheridan .20 cal pneumatic and now have had a 300 FWB match rifle for over 25 years. So compared to them, the 124 vibrates a lot and that is somewhat annoying to me. It seems to shoot to different points of impact depending on whether the forearm is on a solid or soft rest. However, I think it has improved after the new spring, seal and piston were installed. I wish I had gotten the 127 (.22 caliber) model instead as I think it would have been better for killing power. Also, here in the USA there were two models available for either the 124 or the 127. The lower cost model like mine had a plain stock (not walnut) and the higher price model had a nicer stock (possibly European walnut) with checkering on the pistol grip. Also, I wish I had bought the model with a nicer stock, but I was much younger then and was raising children and had a general lack of money. I think that in the USA air rifles are not nearly as popular as cartridge firearms and especially in the past, few people were willing to pay for the cost of a quality air rifle. I suspect it was with that mindset that the lower cost model with the plain stock was made available. I know several people, who are not hunters, who want to buy an air rifle to shoot pest rabbits and birds in their yards. They are very reluctant to spend $100 for an air rifle with a scope sight. My 124 FWB with its scope sight cost about $300 when I bought it 27 years ago or so. In today's money considering inflation that would probably be most of $1,000 and these people would probably consider me crazy.   It would be possible to replace the existing stock with a custom one made from a fine grade of walnut. I have thought about doing that many times. I think there is an air rifle shop in the USA which can supply such a stock. Since I am very careful with my guns it does not bother me to hunt with guns with stocks of nice wood. After rehabilitation I get 0.3-inch groups at 20 yards from a rest. Possibly it would be better with a scope sight of higher magnification, but it works OK for the shooting I do. - DON