GTA
Airguns by Make and Model => Feinwerkbau => Topic started by: north country gal on July 19, 2021, 07:34:47 PM
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I have to confess to all my springer loving pals, here, that I've been doing a lot of shooting at 50 yards of late with PCPs, shooting for group size and, well, my beloved springers have been eating a lot of humble pie. It's had me down and a bit depressed. Mind you, I've been shooting springers and PCPs at 50 yards long enough to know what to expect from both. If we're playing that measure group size at 50 game, I don't expect the springers to match up to a high-grade PCP and they haven't. Most days, it hasn't been even close. Oh, now and then I'll shoot a lone springer group at 50 that is in the PCP ball park for size, but where the springers fall short is doing it, consistently. That's where the PCPs leave the springers in the dust.
My light weight springer favorites like my HW30 and HW50 have been really struggling at this 50 yard game. I much prefer shooting them offhand/no rest, anyway. Never have thought of them as bench guns. When I want to use a rest, then, I grab one of our heavy under levers. Our blue lam HW97K, for instance, has been my most consistent 50 yard springer for groups. Most days, I can keep groups under an inch on a consistent basis. Makes carrying that monster out to the bench worthwhile ... and the blue lam 97K is a monster and it handles like one. Ugh!
Enter the FWB Sport. Last month the scope and mount slipped back yet again, so off came the scope and on went a peep sight. The plan was to wrestle with the scope headache, later.
I went to work on the problem, this morning. I figured the solution to the Sport throwing scopes and mounts around was to go lighter on both the scope and the mount. Instead of big heavy 6-18x that I was using, I decided to try the 12 ounce light Leupold 3-9x Freedom EFR. Instead of the heavy one piece mount, I decided to try the much lighter Sportsmatch TO4 two piece setup. What's to stop the TO4 from slipping back with recoil, though, given option for using the recoil pin on the Sport? Here I used an old 3/8" to weaver adapter I had in the scope drawer as a recoil stop. One thing I like about this vintage adapter is that it uses clamps on both sides and those clamps have small teeth to keep them from slipping when tightened down. Here's a pic of my MacGyver scope stop.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dVFdR3vj/P1110085.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Nest stop, some 50 yard shooting with the FWB Sport to see how the new scope works and, hopefully, get the Sport to behave long enough to shoot some groups with the goal of consistency. After getting the scope dialed in, I started shooting groups. The first few shots were showing some good consistency and so were the next few and then the next few. Had to be a fluke right? After all this is the ever notorious FWB Sport, known for its sharp recoil. I finally called it at 16 straight shots, every one in the 2" bull on top targets with me only pulling a couple from the main group. I did dial in a few more clicks of scope adjustment between the top target and the bottom target, my last target.
(https://i.postimg.cc/XJBp664v/P1110088.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
So here we have the FWB Sport with its trim lines and weight when scoped that I can still manage offhand AND shoot off the bench from 50 yards with the consistency of my best heavy under lever. Oh, I still plan to sell off some of our springers, but the Sport won't be one of them. Just when I was thinking of disappearing over to the dark side, up steps the Sport. Can't put a price on that.
(https://i.postimg.cc/VNpkRZnP/P1110083.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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That surpasses most of PCP group shots, Miss Joanie (https://i.imgur.com/X7byqwc.gif)
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I'm glad you got the scope issue sorted out. I'm still using the factory iron sights and loving it. The factory sights are so well made as is the entire fit and finish of this dream rifle. So glad I own this winner/perfect breakbarrel.
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Thanks, guys. Oh, I've had my ups and downs with the Sport, but it sure came through for me, today and just when I needed it the most.
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The groups are great, but I really like the way you set up that mount. I was looking for an arrestor block a while back that would fit (the one by sportsmatch is too tall)and just gave up. Why didn't I think of that?
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So far, so good on that vintage weaver adapter. By the way, I've seen two versions of those, one that I used has clamps both sides, but some version have only one clamp. I figured the version with two clamps with teeth would be best, naturally.
One thing I should add about the Sport that is a bit off the topic is that now that my Sport has been broken in I used lubricant from day one on the locking lug is that it breaks rather easily and with that long barrel, cocking effort is actually fairly pleasant. I'd rate as nicer to cock than my little HW50, in fact. Of course, once you trip that trigger on the Sport there is no doubt you are NOT shooting a 50. I need to break out the chrony, but the 8.64 FTTs this Sport loves travel 50 yards, fast. I think that's a plus for 50 yard work.
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My FWB 127 uses those Sportsmatch rings made for the FWB guns. They have the arrestor pin which sits in the shallow oval notch .My scopes never moved . Why not use those and shed the ounce weight of that ring backstop. Cleaner lines too.
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Good point, thanks.
Oh, I would try the two-piece mounts, but availability is zilch. Besides, the one piece Sportsmatch mount I was using had the same arrestor pin, since it was designed for the Sport, too, and the mount slipped three times with the heavy scope I was using, despite using thread locker and torquing the mounting screws to the limit. Thought was time to try something else.
Yeah, as much as I admire the new Sport, otherwise, I don't think much of FWBs engineering for mounting a scope. It's a mismatch for the new Sport's sharp recoil. Keep in mind that this new Sport is pushing 15 fpe and it has a very snappy, quick shot cycle. Despite the label, the new Sport is in a different class than the original 124/127. I have a late 70s 124. The new Sport is quite a different animal to shoot. :)
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Excellent shooting!!! ;D
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If I could only shoot as good....sigh.
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My SPORT will absolutely SHOOT and I have no doubts between its accuracy, lock time and velocity it would do well at distance……….with somebody behind the trigger with actual skill and stuff like NCG. :).
Incredible shooting. I wish I had a small bit your skill distilled. :)
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Thanks, again, folks for the nice comments. Yeah, the Sport is one very interesting break barrel. Hey, love our HW break barrels and always will, but the Sport has a character all its own.
Now, please, I don't want anyone to rush out and buy a Sport based only on what I report. I already have enough of a rep as a FWB Sport enabler. Do your homework. Plenty of posts from the Sport owners here describing the many trials and tribulations of shooting the Sport. I've had as many bad days as good days with the Sport, same as other Sport owners. For sure, the Sport is my most challenging springer to shoot, but when everything clicks, it's also my most rewarding springer to shoot. That's part of the Sport mystique.
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Great shooting Joannie. Whenever i have one of thise days where im just a bit off for some reason or another, the HW30 and the FWB Sporters always seem to bring things back into order. One day I may glass my Sport as well!
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Thanks. I really like shooting the Sport without glass, too. I like the slightly muzzle forward balance of the Sport and the trim lines. Love the factory open sight setup.
I am very pleased that going with the light Leupold preserves some of that Sport handling and balance. That big scope and heavy one-piece mount that I was using turned the Sport into just another heavy springer. Hope to get this scoped Sport out for some offhand/no rest shooting, soon. May even grab the shooting stick and give it a try with this Sport.
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If I could only shoot as good....sigh.
You can do it when the weather gets better, Greg sir (https://i.imgur.com/X7byqwc.gif)
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Agree. We know you can shoot the Sport, Greg.
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Agree. We know you can shoot the Sport, Greg.
Or close to it ;D
Women are hard to beat when it comes to precision, ha!
A contractor friend of mine, an engineer, in the Philippines hires his usual female welders when the welding job requires utmost rigidity and beauty.
They are not as fast as their male counterparts but their pattern (or whatever you call it) is just so much better.
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Much respect Joanie. You = one bad aazz lady........did you live a past life as one of those famed Russian Snipers? ;)
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:) :) :)
Hard to say. My father's side of the family has some Cossack blood in their family tree.
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Really nice shooting.
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Joanie does it again!! It’s a great feeling when everything just clicks, and those groups prove it.
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Thanks NCG for another bit of nice shooting with a good story. I'm still only shooting off the bench - challenging enough for me ;).
Yeah, I've been pretty much shooting ONLY my RAW HM1000x LRT sine last October.
My Springers are collecting dust as I try to navigate consistent 100 yard shooting.
- I've joined the local gun range :D.
Between the wind, my poor eyes and tweaking the gun it's been quite a challenge
to get MOA shooting - everything's got to be working together or accuracy sufferers.
I'm glad you've brought that feisty "Sport" under control 8).
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Kirk, I've been doing a lot of PCP shooting at 50 yards and have learned a lot in the process, too. Contrary to what some believe, PCPs don't shoot themselves. Definitely require their one technique, though, of course, quite different than springers. It's been fun trying to bring my various springers to be at least somewhat competitive with the PCPs as far as consistency. Took the Sport out for another 50 yard session, today, and went 25 shots in a row with all shots in the black on those 2" bulls I've been using. Even had a couple sub one inch 5 shot groups. Very gratifying. Then I started getting fatigued with the cocking effort needed with the Sport and shots started to stray. Definitely a factor with springers in the Sport's class for target work.
Also finished with a little steel shooting at 50 yards with the Sport. Whoa! The Sport smacked some of the reactive targets so hard, they actually reset themselves. What a hoot.
Good news is that my DIY scope stop is working. No slipping of the mount or scope, so far. That's also much appreciated consistency.
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Great minds and all that....Although my shooting is nowhere near NCG's!
I have high BKL mounts on the FWB and similarly had the scope walking backwards 3 or four times. I recently added this
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/sportsmatch-scope-stop?a=7860 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/sportsmatch-scope-stop?a=7860)
And no more movement.
Oh! And five in one hole at 20 yds ;D
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Great minds and all that....Although my shooting is nowhere near NCG's!
I have high BKL mounts on the FWB and similarly had the scope walking backwards 3 or four times. I recently added this
https://www.pyramydair.com/product/sportsmatch-scope-stop?a=7860 (https://www.pyramydair.com/product/sportsmatch-scope-stop?a=7860)
And no more movement.
Oh! And five in one hole at 20 yds ;D
Yeah, hard to beat the lady’s skill.
I can do that at the same distance with a PCP but never with a springer ;D
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Thanks, again, guys.
That scope stop was going to be my next solution, Chris. So far, my homemade scope stop is working fine, though.
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What a great essay!
Thank you!
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You are very welcome, Matthew.
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Not wall hanger class, but shot a few more groups this week with the FWB Sport to make sure the Sport and I were still in sync as far as consistency. Had to make a couple clicks of adjustment on the scope, but no big deal. Took a lot of work to get this kind of consistency with the Sport, but it's been so worth it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/90nNrSjm/P1110097.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
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Not wall hanger class, but shot a few more groups this week with the FWB Sport to make sure the Sport and I were still in sync as far as consistency. Had to make a couple clicks of adjustment on the scope, but no big deal. Took a lot of work to get this kind of consistency with the Sport, but it's been so worth it.
(https://i.postimg.cc/90nNrSjm/P1110097.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Outstanding, Joanie! If I could shoot that well, I'd have to find some other challenge.
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Thanks, Greg. I'm trying to make my springers keep up with my PCPs. Given what my PCPs do for group size and consistency at 50 yards, that's probably mission impossible, but that's the challenge and I suspect it will be all the challenge I'll ever need. This FWB Sport is keeping us both in the game and I'm loving it.