Solve a mystery about the new version of the FEINWERKBAU Sport air rifle

[Toxylon]

I've wanted a Sport for as long as I've known about them. They are above the present competition in many ways. Some years back, member Tsujigiri off GTA wrote a detailed side-by-side user comparison of his R9 and his Sport, and the FWB blew the Weihrauch out of the water, point by point. Just at another level.

With regards to the twang and the iffy piston seal, these are standard issues to correct pronto in most every Weihrauch springer, like in the two I've had.

 

[crowski]

I really like the sport. It’s the only rifle I have 2 of.They are just great shooters for me. Bought one new and one used. Crow

 

[jkingrph]

I held off buying one for a long time, that angular shaped trigger guard just turned me off. A long time, almost 50 years, FWB 124d owner, I finally broke down and bought one and am glad I did. The trigger guard shape still does nothing for me, I wish someone would offer a more classical rounded shape after market model, but do not see that happening as that is cosmetic only. As for shooting combining ease of use and accuracy it is above everything else I have, a bunch of HW models, both breakbarrels and under levers and a couple of Air Arms under levers. I thing that finely machined, resettable safety is one of the nicest touches, along with that excellent rear sight.

 

[Keene]

Forgot to mention....

Serial # 12400398.

 

[crowski]

My serial no. are 12400387 and 12400059.
I think the FWB was my first .177.
I was green as grass when I bought it. I loved the looks. Their PCP’s looked so spacey, and looked like they were serious about target shooting, thinking their only break barrel has to be good.
Got at start of Covid and impossible getting it here, but was worth it. My second hand one came on the market. Owner lived 40 min. car ride, couldn’t resist. Wish it was made in .20 cal. Crow

 

[PaulK62]

My serial no. are 12400387 and 12400059.
I think the FWB was my first .177.
I was green as grass when I bought it. I loved the looks. Their PCP’s looked so spacey, and looked like they were serious about target shooting, thinking their only break barrel has to be good.
Got at start of Covid and impossible getting it here, but was worth it. My second hand one came on the market. Owner lived 40 min. car ride, couldn’t resist. Wish it was made in .20 cal. Crow

You've got the lowest serial number I've heard of so far. Since there's a 300+ SN spread between your two Sports, and considering FWB made less than a hundred a year, they have to be at least 3 years apart in production. Have you noticed any minor differences between the two?

BTW, mine is SN 12400552.

 

[jkingrph]

Mine is 12400627

 

[crowski]

You've got the lowest serial number I've heard of so far. Since there's a 300+ SN spread between your two Sports, and considering FWB made less than a hundred a year, they have to be at least 3 years apart in production. Have you noticed any minor differences between the two?

BTW, mine is SN 12400552.

Like two peas in a pod. Crow

 

[PaulK62]

New info on the FWB Sport production numbers has come to light on a British forum. Here is a screenshot of the correspondence I had with the FWB employee who supplied me with the numbers I posted earlier:

And here is a screenshot from a correspondence with a different FWB employee started by Andy in the UK four months later:

So, the totals look like 133, not 120, for the 7.5J variant, and 663, not 607, for the 18J variant. Also, the 7.5J variants begin with 12475, while 18J variants begin with 12400.

The slightly larger production numbers make more sense since the highest known SN for a 7.5J variant is 12475133, and the highest for a 18J variant is 12400635.

7.5J
12475014
12475024
12475050
12475061
12475065
12475068
12475080
12475123
12475124
12475125
12475130
12475132
12475133

18J
12400059
12400131
12400160
12400387
12400391
12400398
12400405
12400504
12400552
12400627
12400635

Then again, maybe both correspondences are correct. The latter only provides the last serial numbers issued for each variant, while the former gives explicit totals. Perhaps there were gaps in the sequencing and/or certain rifles that never made it to retail due to QC issues.

 

[zrman27500]

This is awesome! Glad I snapped up my sport when I had the opportunity! The craftsmanship is second to none!

 

[Richely]

The slightly larger production numbers make more sense since the highest known SN for a 7.5J variant is 12475133, and the highest for a 18J variant is 12400627.

 

[PaulK62]

View attachment 473572

Excellent. I'll update the info in my last post. Thanks!

 

[MartyMcFly]

Those of you that snapped them up consider yourselves lucky! Can’t believe the production numbers were so low. FWB must have made no money on it and may have even lost some.

This is guaranteed to be the last new production German springer. HW only recycles their old designs and Diana is moving to the relabeling business model. Sad days…

-Marty

 

[Steveoo]

There was no up-take for the new version in the UK where a lot of the gun forums and some of the biggest shot shows show case products for the world market.
The reason was 2 fold.
The first reason is due to the UK market largely having accepted the fixed barrel of either the TX, or the 97K or Diana Airking variants for the FT circuit and secondly the price.
Even FWB knew they would not sell many running £200-£300 more expensive than the competition, especially with it not being a fixed barrel design.
Almost none of the UK shops imported them...

It is good a rifle however, with a much more solid lock up than the 124 but I'm not feeling that big angled. Breech block...would have looked better flat.

 

[Chuck-in-Ohio]

There was no up-take for the new version in the UK where a lot of the gun forums and some of the biggest shot shows show case products for the world market.
The reason was 2 fold.
The first reason is due to the UK market largely having accepted the fixed barrel of either the TX, or the 97K or Diana Airking variants for the FT circuit and secondly the price.
Even FWB knew they would not sell many running £200-£300 more expensive than the competition, especially with it not being a fixed barrel design.
Almost none of the UK shops imported them...

It is good a rifle however, with a much more solid lock up than the 124 but I'm not feeling that big angled. Reach block...would have looked better flat.

That breech block turns me sour on it as well.
If it was flat, I would lose my impulse control, but I am just not a fan of that angular gizmo.

With that said, I have never shot one that has been sorted, and performance could possibly cause me to overlook certain design features.

 

[Steveoo]

They seemed to have designed in a lot of angularity. Trigger guards never looked more graceful, or purposeful than the one fitted to the 124...so what was the thinking here....possibly the ugliest ever.
Also the garish white imprint of the makers name on the left side of the stock...
It's as though manufacturers have run out of ideas and make changes for the sake of change...

A reintroduced 124 with stronger lock up and a rounded forend hiding the pivot pin would have took the market by storm....keep it simple..