GTA
Airguns by Make and Model => Feinwerkbau => Topic started by: Smackey54 on June 22, 2011, 08:24:20 PM
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Just picked up a Feinwerkbau Sport 124 from a guy on Craigslist. Barrel and receiver have some rust, so I will have to get it stripped down and reblued, but the gun just had all seals and a new spring installed. Work was done by Beeman less than a year ago. I have the paperwork for it, but no manual or parts diagram.
I am not sure what variation it is, but the receiver is stamped with the San Rafael address. By that, I am assuming it was built sometime in the 1980s. There is no butt plate, checking, or end plate on pistol grip. It does have the aluminum trigger, and shoots well. I will run a few pellets through my chrony and take some pictures of the "as is" condition. Stock has a few small scratches and dings, so this will be a project gun for me.....to got with my 1967 vintage HW35. This 58 year old man I bought it from said it was his uncle's and it was left to him. Serial number is: 36203.
Anyone have any idea what vintage the gun may be?
Thanks in advance!
Forgot to mention.....I paid $75 for it. Good deal....Yea or Nay?
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Yea! :P
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wanna double your money? Send me a PM lol $75 ...you did good....correction, you did GREAT!...Bart
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gracious- you guys probably won't believe this, but I just logged on to ask you about the exact same model, which I acquired today as an "instinct" buy. I was going to ask what's the good, the bad, and the ugly about this gun, and if there's anything I really need to beware of or cautious about. :o
I forgot to mention, I paid more than 75$ for it. ;D
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Their nice guns and very saut after, nothing really bad about them but they can use some improvements like in the trigger dept, other than that they should be a really good gun, they like the JSB pellets and should make a good all round medium powered .177cal springer :P
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Thanks Mark:)
What's JSB?
Your description sounds like about what I wanted. Medium powered, and I'm hoping accuracy is good. If so, I'm good. The gun "looks" pretty old as far as model goes (to my untrained eye), but it's in immaculate condition from what I can tell.
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Pellets, and those guns are quite accurate with these JSB pellets 8.44gr! :P
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Wow- this is a comment I came across on the yahoo.answers site:
Feinwerkbau is German - Beeman is the American company that imported this rifle.
Feinwerkbau = Fine Workmanship
FWB builds the finest air guns in the world. Usually FWB's sweep all Olympic air gun medals
I also have an FWB 124D -
On the right side of the receiver is stamped
Imported by Beeman Precision Arms Inc.
Santa Rosa, California 95403
On the Left side of the receiver is stamped
Feinwerkbau-Sport 124-Cal.4.5 .177
Made in Germany XXXXX*
*serial number
I have the FWB 124D or deluxe version
The rifle is the same, the location of Beeman is the only difference.
http://www.feinwerkbau.com (http://www.feinwerkbau.com)
The FWB 124 is the most accurate sporting air rifle that I have ever heard of. Olympic match grade accuracy is .04 c-t-c(1/25th of an inch) , the average FWB 124 will shoot .08 c-t-c - the best I know of from any other sporting air rifle is .15 c-t-c(which is remarkable in itself, that's about 1/6th of an inch)
Total maintenance for this rifle calls for one drop of oil after the first 6 million rounds.
IMO the FWB 124D is one of the finest rifles of any type ever
I think I can live with that, lol.;D
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What does JSB stand for? Is it a brand that I will have to order, or is it something that I could find at a sporting goods store?
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Lizzie, go to https://www.pyramydair.com/ (https://www.pyramydair.com/) and you'll find many pellet options, JSB included.
Richard
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Thanks Richard- will do!
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Hi, Lizzie.
JSB stands for (forgive my spelling) Josef Schulz Bohumin.
It's a Czech firm, they make outstanding pellets. When I lived in Teplice, CZ, I had 100's of pounds of these in my closet :)
-Joel
(https://www.pyramydair.com/images/JSB-1000007.jpg)
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Thanks Joel- the Czechs seem to have a tendency toward good craftsmanship. I used to do alot of Indian beadwork, and the Czech beads were the ones I wanted to work with due to their uniformity.
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These pellets shoot very good out of allot of guns and everybody I know who has had a FWB 124 has said these are the pellets for this rifle! :P
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Many people think the 124 was/is the best springer ever produced. Ideal weight, size, power and great accuracy. I had one many years ago and regret getting rid of it more than any other gun, air or otherwise.
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Congrats on acquiring a fine shooter, FWB124. I found one a few years back and have enjoyed it ever since. The overall build quality impresses me the most from the bluing, stock fit & finish, and even the safety (you'll know what I mean)...they definitely don't make them like they use too.
Enjoy your new rifle and be sure to post some pic's.
I posted a pic of my rifle in the German picture thread.
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Congrats on acquiring a fine shooter, FWB124. I found one a few years back and have enjoyed it ever since. The overall build quality impresses me the most from the bluing, stock fit & finish, and even the safety (you'll know what I mean)...they definitely don't make them like they use too.
Enjoy your new rifle and be sure to post some pic's.
I posted a pic of my rifle in the German picture thread.
Where's the German pic thread? I'd love to take a look.
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Thanks very much! I took some initial pictures of the blue and stock condition. I hope to renew both of them. With HW35 I got, I emailed Weirauch with the serial number and they told me when the 35 was born. I will try to do the same with the FWB 124.
Thanks for all the comments!
Congrats on acquiring a fine shooter, FWB124. I found one a few years back and have enjoyed it ever since. The overall build quality impresses me the most from the bluing, stock fit & finish, and even the safety (you'll know what I mean)...they definitely don't make them like they use too.
Enjoy your new rifle and be sure to post some pic's.
I posted a pic of my rifle in the German picture thread.
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That would be the true "sporter" model, judging by the stock. What is the s/n? I might be able to give you a ball park estimate of when it was made/sold. FWB now charges something like $60, depending upon the exchange rate, to look them up.
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That would be the true "sporter" model, judging by the stock. What is the s/n? I might be able to give you a ball park estimate of when it was made/sold. FWB now charges something like $60, depending upon the exchange rate, to look them up.
Thanks RedFeather. The Serial number is: 36203.
The butt of the stock has ribs cut into the stock itself.
Thanks again!
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http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,9151.0.html (http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php/topic,9151.0.html)
German pic thread!!!!! added to frequently!.step right up and add your pics!!!!!...........some SWWEEEEET lookers in there!...cheers Bart
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I am glad to hear that many who've experienced the gun, fell in love with it. Thanks!
Many people think the 124 was/is the best springer ever produced. Ideal weight, size, power and great accuracy. I had one many years ago and regret getting rid of it more than any other gun, air or otherwise.
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Per the factory, 34476 09/01/80 and 37900 04/01/81 (MM/DD/YY). So your assumption of circa 1980 is pretty good. I would say right on the bubble between the two years. Christmas gun? Santa's German, ya know.
The ribbed butt is standard for the "base" or "sport" model. Same as on many European guns of the period. If you get her all dolled up and purty, check out JM's custom stock offerings at Air Rifle Headquarters. She'll slip right into that new dress. Or just enjoy it for what it is. A fine rifle.
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Redfeather....thanks for that info.
My NTM,(new to me) 124 is very close to Smackey's.
The seller repesented #359xx as a late '70s.
Probably came over on the same boat... 8)
Sure would like to find one in this price range Good find... :o
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Redfeather....thanks for that info.
My NTM,(new to me) 124 is very close to Smackey's.
The seller repesented #359xx as a late '70s.
Probably came over on the same boat... 8)
Sure would like to find one in this price range Good find... :o
I would love to have found one in that price range, but I've been looking at values and prices today, and now I don't feel so bad about what I did spend. It could have been much worse.
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I bought my FWB 124D new in 3/82 it has a S/N# 350XX.
Most 124's for sale now days are missing the front and rear sights so if you can find one complete with sights you've done very well.
I still have my 124 but don't shoot it very often especially since I've shifted to PCP's.
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Thanks to all for the information! I will look into JM's offerings, Redfeather. Thanks! I've got some blue work to do, and will see what I can do with the beech. I do a little word working and am in the final stages of refinishing (oil) my HW35, which has the walnut stock and dressings like the 124D, including the cheekpiece. I promise to get pics of both up as soon as I can.
I can see from the posts that many orignal buyers of this gun have hung onto it and are still in love with it.
Thanks again to all!!
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There is a current discussion on the older guns over on the Vintage forum. I just posted that the 124 might have been the pinnacle of hunting guns from the late-mild/early-magnum era. FWB seems to have gone for a more powerful gun but one built like the older fine sporters. Target grade barrel, long spring to make it easier to compress and classic styling. Nowadays the 124 is no longer considered of sufficient power to do anything more than take the occasional field mouse or two. (Come on, it can't even break 900 fps, fer gosh sake! You call that a magnum? Why my over-sprung Chinese clone will....) I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well your old bargain performs.
And to those who say that guns of this power level are no longer competitive, I simply ask "Hold out a finger." :P
PS - Tap, PM me with your s/n and I will add it to the list I've been accumulating to help ID build dates. Also have a section for buy dates.
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Nowadays the 124 is no longer considered of sufficient power to do anything more than take the occasional field mouse or two. (Come on, it can't even break 900 fps, fer gosh sake! You call that a magnum? Why my over-sprung Chinese clone will....) I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how well your old bargain performs.
;D
I'm guessing that a field mouse and a house sparrow are about the same size. As long as it will take care of that, I'm good.;D
On a more serious note, I was wanting something in the 800-900 fps range. I bought a Gamo Big Cat a couple of months ago, and it's a little more than I needed.
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Thanks Redfeather. I have a Chinese .22 (Beeman Walmart RS2 thingie), but I have dropped more of the darned tree rats with my .177 HW35....which I get about 795 fps with (Original Leather piston seal). Many have been "through" impacts....! I also have another Chinese cheapie....Crosman Phantom that gets about 940 with CPHPs and Gamo Hunters. It shoots pretty well too, but not anywhere the sweetness and accuracy of the HW35 (got that for a steal, too! .....$125...made in 1967). Iron sights on the HW and the FWB are superb!
The other point about the field mouse.....not alot of guns will shoot consistently or accurately enough to bag a field mouse!
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Perhaps you ought to break that ole girl out a little more often?? Just for the fun and pleasure!
I bought my FWB 124D new in 3/82 it has a S/N# 350XX.
Most 124's for sale now days are missing the front and rear sights so if you can find one complete with sights you've done very well.
I still have my 124 but don't shoot it very often especially since I've shifted to PCP's.
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gracious- you guys probably won't believe this, but I just logged on to ask you about the exact same model, which I acquired today as an "instinct" buy. I was going to ask what's the good, the bad, and the ugly about this gun, and if there's anything I really need to beware of or cautious about. :o
One thing to look out for is if it still has the original factory piston seal, it will need to be replaced because the original seal would disintegrate with age. You will know if it has one if you start seeing small white bits of plastic shoot out with the pellet, or if you get low power or erratic velocities and POI.
AFAIK these came in two grades, standard and deluxe. Deluxe has the sling loop at the barrel pivot and nicer looking stock with whiteline spacer and buttplate. Standard has no butt plate, just bare wood at the butt.
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gracious- you guys probably won't believe this, but I just logged on to ask you about the exact same model, which I acquired today as an "instinct" buy. I was going to ask what's the good, the bad, and the ugly about this gun, and if there's anything I really need to beware of or cautious about. :o
One thing to look out for is if it still has the original factory piston seal, it will need to be replaced because the original seal would disintegrate with age. You will know if it has one if you start seeing small white bits of plastic shoot out with the pellet, or if you get low power or erratic velocities and POI.
AFAIK these came in two grades, standard and deluxe. Deluxe has the sling loop at the barrel pivot and nicer looking stock with whiteline spacer and buttplate. Standard has no butt plate, just bare wood at the butt.
Thanks Bobri-
My gun has the checkering on the stock and the butt plate, and the sling loops. I'll be on the lookout for the white stuff and pressure differences.