"Best" can vary depending on what you want out of a gun.
But I don't disagree with you. For a while they were the top of the heap for a sporting springer.
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FWB Am I the only one who can't shoot a FWB 124...?
- Thread starter razor62
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But I don't disagree with you. For a while they were the top of the heap for a sporting springer.
When you say cheaply made, I think you need to think of the era in which they were made. In a few months I will have had mine for 50 years and still prefer it over many others that I have since accumulated. The only other break barrels I can compare it to are a couple of HW38e guns , a Hw 98 and a newer FWB sport. The others are a bit more sophisticated, better triggers and the newer sport has a safety that puts all of them to shame. I will be the first to admit the safety on the old 124 seems crude,being a piece of stamped sheet steel, but it works and like the HW guns when it is off , it is off until the gun is recocked. I like the resettable safety on the new sport much more than any of the others. Accuracy, it's right there with any of the break barrels. After I first got it from ARH in either late 74 or early 75 I put a williams reciever sight on it and it would really shoot accurately then, A few years later one of the Beeman blue ribbon scopes and that stayed on about 40 years, When I had the gun rebuilt a couple of years back, I went back to the receiver sight and find it much easier to shoot than with the scope. All things considered, lets all remember it is a sporting gun, not a bench rest rifle, although if you can shoot it will turn in some tiny groups off a bench. I find it much more fun in a plinking mode, actually preferring to shoot mine offhand .
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Not sure why anyone is giving the time of day to anyone who downs the FWB124.
Here's an airgun that hasn't been produced for 45 years yet is still being bought and sold, loved and used by many....myself included.
For those who insist on the downing, show me an airgun produced today that produces 800 plus fps with only 19 pounds of cocking effort. Or a sport model with such a fine barrel.
It's easy to criticize something by pointing to any weakness it may have. Show me better!
My 2 cents.
Here's an airgun that hasn't been produced for 45 years yet is still being bought and sold, loved and used by many....myself included.
For those who insist on the downing, show me an airgun produced today that produces 800 plus fps with only 19 pounds of cocking effort. Or a sport model with such a fine barrel.
It's easy to criticize something by pointing to any weakness it may have. Show me better!
My 2 cents.
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I always answer this kind of stuff with this question:
If they were so badass, why did they quit making them?
Weihrauch still makes and sells their HW35....
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Notice in this thread, like all the FWB124 threads, everyone talks about "back in the day" or "at the time" and not in the present time.
And then claims of great accuracy, but with talk of peep sights and offhand shooting?
A person singing it's praises in this very thread sold me one of my 124s. It came in a nice Maccari stock, and they told me how great it shot and how good the accuracy was like all their 124s.
The stock screws were too long and bottoming out against the detent wedge when I got it. So the action was loose in the stock. How do you think that did for accuracy?
And then claims of great accuracy, but with talk of peep sights and offhand shooting?
A person singing it's praises in this very thread sold me one of my 124s. It came in a nice Maccari stock, and they told me how great it shot and how good the accuracy was like all their 124s.
The stock screws were too long and bottoming out against the detent wedge when I got it. So the action was loose in the stock. How do you think that did for accuracy?
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IMO
The best thing you can do for for a 124 running at full power is to add a bit of weight to it.
I find that FOR ME, the rifle is a smidgen on the lightweight side of things, and affected the results that I could achieve with it.
Other than sussing out the trigger, that is my only complaint with the platform.
With that said, I am a 6'1" 225 Lb. dude and of course your findings may be the polar opposite.
The best thing you can do for for a 124 running at full power is to add a bit of weight to it.
I find that FOR ME, the rifle is a smidgen on the lightweight side of things, and affected the results that I could achieve with it.
Other than sussing out the trigger, that is my only complaint with the platform.
With that said, I am a 6'1" 225 Lb. dude and of course your findings may be the polar opposite.
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I too have a 40 year old FWB127D. It cost me a fortune back in the day, somewhere around $280 with Blue Ribbon scope. I paid extra to have one selected for minimum droop and it was absolutely accurate. Many a head shot turtle or snake, or dove in season. However, when the seal crumbled and I replaced both the breach seal and the piston seal I had issues with barrel droop and it took three piston seals from two vendors before I finally got one sized correctly and got my velocity consistent, and accuracy back. Mine loved the Beeman Silver Jets, but I get just as good accuracy from JSB or AA 8.4gr pellets (larger head size). HN FTT and Barakudas are not far behind in accuracy. In the last few years I have also acquired a Beeman R9, R7, and HW50S Hunter, with the fabulous Rekord trigger, and I recently purchased a refurbished Diana 34 Classic with T06 trigger, but my FWB 124 metal trigger is not that far behind the Rekords, and close match to the T06.
I am going to try the breach seal sizing trick listed above to see if I can get rid of some of the barrel droop. I have tried thinning the thickness before, but that didn't work, so reducing the diameter may be the trick. I am currently using a Macarri spring, that I think may be a bit too harsh, so I may try his softer spring, since I have better air rifles to hunt with now.
I am going to try the breach seal sizing trick listed above to see if I can get rid of some of the barrel droop. I have tried thinning the thickness before, but that didn't work, so reducing the diameter may be the trick. I am currently using a Macarri spring, that I think may be a bit too harsh, so I may try his softer spring, since I have better air rifles to hunt with now.
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I have a few and have nothing to complain about. It’s the old Ford vs Chevy vs dodge . I like all of those also!
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HW35?????? The 124 stole that 35s thunder 50 years ago. 35 requires twice the cocking effort to produce 100 fps less power. Plus the 35 is long and cumbersome in comparison.
Go back to Bambi Thumper!!
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Yes, out of all the airguns I have, save a couple of HW 57's and a FWB 300s, , the 124 is the easiest to cock. I suspect FWB suspended manufacture because the chose to direct their production to a different area. Look at all the match grade guns they have been making lately, all seem to be PCP types and most look like something out of star wars. Too expensive for me and not to my taste. I am glad I have my 124d, my 300s and the newer sport along with a pair each of the 63 and 90 pistols. all spring air types. I don't understand why the Sport did not go over better, possibly price. I bought mine after production ceased and price had dropped and honestly wish I had bought a couple more so I could have give them to my son and grandson.
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I’m thankful that I did buy an extra sport, inspected it and shot it once and packed it up. Thinking of the kids and grandkids might enjoy it later . Should have both tuned for them but my shooter is very accurate with twang.lol
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I bought two 124's last year and both shoot extremely accurately . easier to cock and shoot .
Actually i bought both so i can choose the "better one " but they are both "better "
Actually i bought both so i can choose the "better one " but they are both "better "
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Just wanted to shout a thanks for all of the input. Just to be clear, I wasn't bashing the 120 series FWBs. My question was genuine. I'm having difficulty getting the kind of groups that folks seem to getting with theirs. I've owned four of them with plans to purchase a 5th (only because I'm a lefty and the rifle is a 124D in a factory left hand stock.) . I'm absolutely certain that my shooting style is the issue as all of the 124s & 127s that I've owned so far have not performed well for me. I'm just looking for tips on how to extract the kind of accuracy that other people seem to be getting.
Thanks again, folks for all of the feedback. It gives me some new thing to try.
Thanks again, folks for all of the feedback. It gives me some new thing to try.
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My 124 D is a delight to shoot. Bought it in the early 80's and avoided most of Beeman's propaganda however did add the 3x Blue Ribbon scope bought at gun store in Chalmette, La. 25 years ago. I'm on 2nd piston seal from 13 years ago so will check here when it goes again. My latest chrono and target at 20 yards on bench. I always shot prone or back to tree when my back was new. Took squirrel offhand, last week, raiding wifes sunflower plants .
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