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Ammo A shrine built for a Feinwerkbau 124 – Part 15

A shrine built for a Feinwerkbau 124 – Part 15

by B.B. Pelletier

Part 14
Part 13
Part 12
Part 11
Part 10
Part 9
Part 8
Part 7
Part 6
Part 5
Part 4
Part 3
Part 2
Part 1

Welcome to the longest blog segment I’ve ever written. This is part 15, and I’m not going to guess whether there will ever be another. This blog began as my report on a 124 I got years ago that had been preserved for the ages. After going through several tunes on that rifle, I explored the foundations of the Beeman company and the three addresses of Robert Beeman’s store. That ties into my mummified FWB 124 because it has a very rare and very early San Anselmo address.

Then, I went to Roanoke and returned with journalist Mark Taylor’s 124 that I promised to tune for him. That became Part 13 of the report. While registering a Sheridan Knocabout pistol at my local gun dealer’s. I stumbled across another FWB 124 that I showed you and tuned for you in part 14. You got to see what an original 124 piston seal looks like when it disintegrates and I tuned the rifle with a Maccari kit for you. Well, today I’ll show you the accuracy of that rifle. But first, just to remind you of what it looks like, how about a picture?


This is the FWB 124 Sport I acquired at the gun store while registering another firearm. I’ve tuned it for you, and today we’ll see how accurate it is.

Look at the scope
The first thing I want you to do is take a look at the scope that came on the rifle. That’s not an airgun scope. It’s a 4x .22 rimfire scope that holds onto the rifle’s dovetail grooves by clamping pressure alone. Usually, that won’t work unless you have BKL scope mounts that are made for it, but this little scope is so lightweight that it holds tight. The scope also slides on the top side of the clamp, so it’s double-adjustable for eye relief.


This is not an air rifle scope. It’s a cheap .22 rimfire scope, and the parallax is way off. The scope slides along the rail that clamps it to the rifle. Even with this scope, however, the 124 was accurate.

But it’s not a quality optic! It has no parallax adjustment. The way the scope is designed, I didn’t see an easy way of adjusting it with the objective lens. So, at the 25-yard range I shot, the bulls were fuzzy — to say the least.

All shooting was done on an indoor range at 25 yards off a rest. Because this is a 124, you need quite a bit of technique to shoot accurately. By that, I mean the artillery hold. I slid the rifle forward on the palm of my off-hand until the heel of my hand touched the triggerguard. That way, the rifle is muzzle-heavy, which produces the best groups.

I also broke with my tradition of 10-shot groups because I wanted to test many pellets. This time, I shot the 5-shot groups we’re all familiar with. Obviously, 10-shot groups would be larger than the ones you’ll see.

Air Arms Falcon pellets
The Air Arms Falcon pellet weighs just 7.33 grains and is a preferred (for longer-range accuracy) domed pellet. They’re tricky in wind. If the air is still, they perform well at the power level of this 124. They have good potential in this rifle, but perhaps not the best, as we shall soon see.


The lightweight Air Arms Falcon pellet grouped 5-shots okay at 25 yards. Group measures 0.626 inches across.

JSB Exact 8.4-grain pellets
Next, I tried the JSB Exact 8.4-grain domed pellets. Being heavier, I thought they might group tighter than the Falcons, and they did. Barely.


Five JSB Exact domes were also good at 25 yards with the 124. They measured 0.612 inches across.

Beeman Kodiak pellets
The Beeman Kodiaks proved downright disappointing. Usually Kodiaks do well in a 124, but this rifle wasn’t having any of it.


Five Beeman Kodiaks made this disappointing pattern at 25 yards. It measures 0.781 inches across.

Crosman Premier 7.9-grain domes
Following the Kodiak disaster, I tried Crosman Premier 7.9-grain “lites.” I figured they’d perform better in this rifle, but please remember that I was fighting the poor optics of the scope. The vertical string, though tight, tells me Premier lites are not right for this rifle.


A vertical string tells me the Premier lite isn’t the best in this 124. Although it measures 0.594 inches, the vertical stringing is cause for concern. The stock screws were all tight.

JSB RS domes
While they have performed well in other rifles, in this 124, JSB RS domes were only mediocre in this rifle. You may think they’re the same as the Falcons, but the groups prove different.


Five JSB RS domes went into this 0.763-inch group at 25 yards.

Air Arms 8.4-grain Field pellet
And then I hit it. The best pellet! The Air Arms 8.4-grain Field pellet shot amazingly tight, even with the optical problems.


Five Air Arms 8.4-grain domes went into this tight group that measures 0.385 inches.

So, this FWB 124 is accurate, just like all of the others. Now, it has a long-life tune that’ll keep it that way for many years and thousands of shots. If the scope is replaced, we might expect to see these groups shrink even smaller.

I no longer own the rifle. I traded it for another FWB target rifle that needed an overhaul. While I can do a 124 with ease, I do not trust myself to do the same thing on a recoilless target rifle, so I sent off my vintage 150 for someone competent to do the job. When it returns, I’ll test it for you some day in the future.

One of our blog readers got the 124, and it was ready to start shooting the minute it came out of the box. If he cares to, I would welcome his report as the new owner of this classic sporter.

106 thoughts on “A shrine built for a Feinwerkbau 124 – Part 15”

  1. The Feinwerkbau 124 is a classic from any angle. I love the way everything flows from the butt pad to the crown. One day when I get a PaL (Possession and Acquisition License ) here in Canada, then I will hunt one down. Until then ,keep up the great blogs. I would also like to thank all the air gunners who wrote in giving me advice on tuning my HW85 Weihrauch. Sometimes the obvious isn’t so obvious until it is pointed out to you. What a good day it was when I stumbled upon this amazing bunch of knowledgeable people. When I was in competitive archery in the 80’s, I found the majority of people were more than willing to give advice and help to a novice. We are all novices in the beginning. Such generosity can only help the sport of air guns to grow. B.B., I consider you at the top of my list of those sharing there wizdom gained from years of trial and error. Who knows,we may Even have a chin wag in the future. Cool. Lest I wax too poetically, let me end by saying—-
    Nite all. Titus Groan

      • Blog Index for February 2011

        1. Lloyd’s report: SHOT Show 2011
        2. More about Gamo Match pellets: Part 3
        3. RWS Diana 350 Feuerkraft in .177: Part 2
        4. Air Arms S400 MPR FT: Part 1
        7. Sterling HR-81 .177 underlever air rifle: Part 1
        8. My fair Daisy: Repairing a Daisy 717 pistol
        9. RWS Diana 350 Feuerkraft in .177: Part 3
        10. BSA Stealth Tactical Dot Sight with laser and tactical flashlight: Part 1 Part 3
        11. A shrine built for a Feinwerkbau 124 – Part 14
        14. Air Arms S400 MPR FT: Part 2
        15. It’s not my Falke: Part 1
        16. It’s not my Falke: Part 2
        17. Beretta 92FS CO2 pistol with wood grips: Part 1
        18. Why airsoft guns?
        21. Air Arms S400 MPR FT: Part 3
        22. Sterling HR-81 .177 underlever air rifle: Part 2
        23. It’s not my Falke: Part 3
        24. Shooting the Falke 90: Part 1
        25. Beretta 92FS CO2 pistol with wood grips: Part 2
        28. A shrine built for a Feinwerkbau 124 – Part 15

        sorry its late

    • I bought a FWB 124 Sporter from Beemans back around 1980 of so and had it accurized by them and recently had a new piston and spring put in. The rifle chronographs at 837 and shoots 5 Beeman 9+ gr. pelts thru the same hole at 30 meter/33 ft. form a vise and using a pellet seat. Accuracy does change with a lighter pellet so I don;t use them. It was said at the time that it was thee airgun to buy. I have only shot the heavier pelts and only Beeman. The best ones have the points and the rings for better sealing in the rifling. At work so I don’t remember the name but they came in a square box. Still have the tins and boxes from my original purchase. It also has a muzzle brake and a Beeman 2-7 scope. . Nice to see and hear about this classic rifle.

  2. An indoor range at 25 yards — that sounds useful; I hope you have constant access to it, as it will make your life a lot easier. I’m glad you mentioned the difference wind can make, though. A lot of time people buy rifles and take them to their backyard or range and can’t get the groups they saw in reviews, then blame it on the rifle or pellet, when it is just different conditions. On the other hand, I wonder how many days some people on line spend shooting a rifle just to get a group that they feel good posting! My guess is lots, even though it is rare for them to admit it :).

    • BG,
      We wer’e looking at acerage to buy a year ago, and one piece we looked at had been a poultry farm at one time. Still standing and in good condition, and cleaned out, too, was a weather tight building with concrete floor 36 feet wide and 200 feet long. Trusses, clear span. Sigh. I came back to that place several times and just pondered.
      Deal didn’t work out.
      Lloyd

      • Lloyd,

        Too bad that deal didn’t come through. That 200′ out building would make an awesome workshop and range. I used to have a 30′ x 65′ steel shop and thought I was in heaven!

        ka

      • That would have been the bee’s-knees Llloyd!

        A friend here in Idaho built a basement shooting range 30′ wide X 150′ long. He’s a contractor and had 2 acres to play with. The main entrance is from his garage floor level. All concrete walls and floor with moisture barriers and 2 sump-pumps just in case. All painted in white enamel with HVAC, power, work benches and 3 shooting stations. Even has a “pumper” head from a marine application.

        Built his own target retrieval systems from pulleys and drill motors.

        He let loose with his S&W .40 cal pistol and I could hear nothing up on topside!

        I gotta figure out how to tunnel from my place to his!

        • Brian,
          Wow! sounds really spectacular and hardcore. My wife went to Catholic school and has mentioned the various classes of sins that she was taught about, and their severity. One was envy. Good thing I’m not a catholic or I’d be in big trouble! Or more likely, “bigger” trouble.
          Lloyd

          • Lloyd, I don’t think classical envy is what you might think it is.

            “It refers to the sadness at the sight of another’s goods and the immoderate desire to acquire them for oneself, even unjustly. When it wishes grave harm to a neighbor it is a mortal sin”

            Admiring another man’s rifle range and desiring a similar one for yourself is not evil in of itself. It’s just good common sense! I mean, after all, who WOULDN’T want a range like that???

            • Vince,

              The sadness at another’s goods IS envy. The immoderate desire to acquire them by any means is lust! Two different sins. Neither more deadly than the other.

              ALL sins are deadly and lead to hell if you do not accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and ask his forgiveness.

              Only “MORTAL” sin is failure to do the above.

              • pcp4me, Lloyd was refering to the sin of envy in the context of Catholic teaching, so I was giving him the Catholic definition. As I suggested, it’s not quite the same as the popular notion of the term.

                Lust has traditionally been associated with “carnal” desire, usually but not always sexual. While it is closely related to envy (and often mixed up with it), there can be distinctions.

                “Sadness at another’s goods” is a feeling, and thus sometimes involuntary. In Catholic teaching, inappropriate feelings are considered to be an unfortunate effect of our fall but do not in of themselves constitute a sin. Jesus never commanded His followers to ‘feel’ anything, but to ‘do’. True sins are acts of the will.

          • lloyd,

            Good news is NO sin is more severe than any other. The bible says if you’ve committed one sin you’ve committed them all. And it does NOT mean if you tell a little white lie you have killed 12 million people as Hitler did. It simply means to God, who is holy and without sin, ANY sin is as severe as any other.

            And only ONE sin is unpardonable by God, and that is rejecting him willfully and repeatedly till you die! And that is the only way to hell! And accepting Christ as your savior and master is the ONLY way to heaven!

            God made it simple and easy for us hard-headed humans!

  3. BB – some Pellet question:

    Is it normal that when I swap pellets the ballistics are so different that pellets are 8 to 12 inches off the target at 15 yards? (scoped in on JSB exacts, premier dome are low, Gamo targets to hobby are low and to the left). This is out of a new Remington NPSS. I would expect 2-3 inches low or high, but 12 and far left?

    This normal and I should expect to re-center the scope every time I switch pellets?

    • No! 8-12 inches off target, there is something more going on there then a pellet change. Is the scope loose? What pellets shoot best in the rifle and what are your best groups and consistent groups (ie 100 or more shots in a row)?

      Brian in Idaho

      • Brian,

        Scope is tight (stock center point and rails – rifle is .177) JSB Diabolo 8.4 group the best thus far, under 1 inch.

        H&N Field Target Trophy & H&N Baracuda Power are very tight to get in and do not group well – Gamo Wadcutter & Beeman coated Wad are the ones that are the farthest off center (they are also tight).

        • MDMat,

          I understand that you have a Remington NPSS in .177 caliber that came with the one piece scope mount and centerpoint scope as a package? If I’ve read correctly, I have several things to suggest.

          1-Look at the rear of your scope mount. Many of the Remington NPSS package deals included a mount that had a rear hole for the mounting screw that was incorrectly drilled. It’s too low and the screw contacts the rail resulting not only in a loosely mounted scope but one that is canted. The solution is either a new mount or drilling that hole out to get the mounting screw up off the rail.

          2-These guns are also notorious for have a loose barrel lock up. How loose is yours? Hit the underside of the gun with your hand and pay attention to barrel movement. If it’s loose, you need to replace the spring that is behind the detent and snug your pivot screws.

          3-Check the crown on your barrel. This gun is famous for very bad crowns. The cap on the end of your shroud unscrews so you can check the crown of your barrel.

          4-Your trigger can be greatly improved by doing the A Team trigger mod.

          Get back to us and let us know what you find out.

          kevin

          • Thanks Kevin,

            I will check the mount and crown tonight, think the lock up is tight. I recall seeing what looked like some burs/rough ends at the break barrel side – what is the fix for these or issues with the Crown, light file down? On the Mounts, you suggest a 1 piece mount?

            You have a link for the A Team mod?

            • MDMat,

              When you check for slop in your barrel lockup please check for excess side to side movement as well as excess up and down movement.

              What do you mean when you say, ” I recall seeing what looked like some burs/rough ends at the break barrel side”. Do you mean at the breech or the far end of your barrel (underneath the shroud) ? Have you removed your shroud yet? There are several options for helping your barrels crown IF THAT’S THE PROBLEM. Do you have a lathe? Do you have a power drill?

              I’m not suggesting one piece mounts but rather suggesting that you look at the mounts if they came as part of your package deal. If your mounts you’re using were part of the package deal they had problems securing the rear to the rail. Check yours.

              Here’s a link to the A Team trigger mod for the npss:

              http://www.network54.com/Forum/79537/message/1251783852/Inexpensive+Nitro+trigger+mod+maintaining+the+Metal+trigger

              kevin

              • Kevin/BB,

                I un-mounted and re-mounted the scope, mounts look good to me. Does not feel like any Barrel slop, its tight in place. I took the shroud off, crown looks a bit rough as does the breech end (rifling has burs/does not look clean cut inside the lip when you look closely). Groups are a bit better when I got it all back together and ran ~60 pellets through:

                JSB Exact are 2 inches above bull, RWS superdomes are 1 inch below, Hobby’s and Gamo Match are 3.5 inches below center (but in a nice group), Beeman Hollow points are 7 inches off center down to the left and not grouped.

                How do I tell if pellets are hitting the brake (no marks seen)?

                • MDMat,

                  Are you still shooting these groups at 15 yards?

                  What is the size of your smallest group and how many shots are in that group? Would you please shoot one more 10 shot group, with the pellet that is making the smallest group, and tell me the size of this new group? Do you lube your pellets with anything?

                  Have you cleaned your barrel recently with jb bore paste and a bronze or brass brush?

                  The way to tell if pellets are clipping your brake is to look closely for missing material on the inside of the brake. Are you sure there’s no wear spots anywhere on the inside of your brake?

                  Would you please respond in the comments under todays article (“Fred tests all of his guns”).

                  kevin

      • Bullseye. Pellets clipping the shroud/brake on the npss is common. It’s typically a symptom of the typically bad crowns on these barrels. Some shrouds/brakes get canted in the cocking effort too though. These guns had (have) usually have many issues that need to be addressed but can be made into good shooters. I spent a lot of time with Curtis and his npss. We got it to shoot quarter size groups at 30 yards using jsb heavies and cph. It was a chore to shoot well since the end of the firing cycle is violent.

        kevin

  4. B.B.,
    That last group is very impressive considering the less than optimal scope. I have a tough time dealing with fuzzyness in a scope and generally don’t even try. Now I see that it CAN be done. Excellent!
    Lloyd

  5. Vince,

    You were absolutely correct– the .20 cal pellet just fell through the .22 barrel like a french fry in the Grand Canyon. (You just knew I had to try it though, didn’t you?) Fortunately, you can crack the barrel open on a 350 without cocking it, so I could put her to bed again unfired.

    Ah well, now let me see if I can cram that .20 into my .177.

    Kidding of course.
    AlanL

  6. Morning B.B.,

    Is the finish on its stock as flawless as it appears in these pictures? Another beautiful interesting gun.

    MDMat,

    No something is wrong. Did your gun shoot the first pellets you shot to the same POI after the others went 8-12 inches off?

    Bruce

  7. I have a FWB 124 that was my Dad’s. It’s from the mid 1980’s. When did they change the seals to a type that would not break down? This one is still working. I was wondering if it is on borrowed time.

    Mike

      • I also recently had a 124 sport from my father.
        Probably 1980-1981, the serial number is in the 44,000s.
        He did not use it much.
        It has behaved very well until I had put 3 or 4 tins of pellets through it, since when, it sometimes grinds on cocking for a few shots and then is OK for a few more.

        I’m pretty sure that the seal is falling apart, though it still puts out 10.5-11 ft lbs.

        I’ll be on the market for a new seal, but I was hoping to see how BB got on with the red ones.

        Mark

        • Mark,

          With a serial number in the 40,000 range your gun was made in the late ’80s or early ’90s. If it doesn’t have a palm swell and does have a silver trigger, it’s a very late gun.

          As for the red seals, read Part 13. That’s where I tested the red seal.

          B.B.

  8. To All; Re Williams Peep Sight on a Benjamin 392 or 397?

    I have seen many comments on line about the Williams Peep Sight not having enough “travel” in elevation to adjust for shorter distances such as; 10 or 15 meters when mounted to the Benjamin 392 or 397 rifles. So far, all I can derive from the comments is “grind something”.

    Looking to buy the 397 and peep sight soon and would appreciate any, more detailed info as to what to grind or machine to make capable for 10 and 15 meter type distances but, not so much material removal that 40 and 50 meters suffers (travel/elevation).

    Any other 392 and/or 397 comments or Williams peep sight comments would be welcome too! Thanks

    Brian in Idaho

    • Brian in Idaho,

      I bought my Williams peep sight from PA, and didn’t have any problems with my 397P at 10 meters. Remember that you have a front post sight that you can position anywhere within your sight picture (low, middle, etc.). Also, since it’s a pumper, you can choose how much power you want. At 10 meters, I don’t think that I ever went over 4 pumps. It’s possible that I didn’t have any problems because I was shooting at paper targets, with the top of the post centered to the target and rear aperture, and I was only using 4 pumps. I’ll see if I can find some time this week to test it out again. I removed it for a scope, and then back to the original sights. Also, some pellets shoot much higher than others. So the reason for the varying experiences with this peep sight is likely a function of these details. One last thing, the aperture that comes with the sight was WAY TOO BIG for my eyes, and PA doesn’t sell the individual rear apertures, so I had to order a smaller one from directly from Williams. I’ll bet most customers would prefer the smaller aperture. On the other hand, for hunting, the larger one will help you acquire your target faster. It’s just too bad that we don’t have a choice when we buy. I wonder (wish) PA could offer a choice.

      Victor

  9. Brian in Idaho.
    Go ahead and get the Williams sight for your 397. If you need it to sight a little lower for ten meters, it’s an easy fix, just file down the flat area on the underside of the top section doesn’t take much. I usually don’t shoot that close so I probably didn’t need to file mine. But I did and she adjusts to any yardage you want. I also filed a notch in the rear of the front sight so my old eyes won’t have to look at that slanted back edge. Guess that ruined the collector value if there ever would be any.
    Yes and you can also get any size aperature you would like from Brownells.
    PS get some sight black for that front sight
    Loren

  10. B.B., nice shooting. It looks like you have persevered through the toils of the problem and solved it with the right pellet.

    BG_Farmer, you sound like quite a serious fisherman. On the general subject of fish, it was my understanding that carp is always terrible because it is too oily. All the descriptions of cooking sound very good. On my one time doing serious camping, I was agreebly surprised that the myth about the savor of camp food turned out to be true (“hear that bacon sizzling in the pan/Makes you feel mighty grand” sang one of my Disney records when I was a kid.) I wonder if eating food that you have hunted would taste even better in camp. Kevin, did you guys every cook up your kills or save them for preparation by a butcher?

    Victor, did you do real analysis or complex or both? I understand that complex has somewhat more applications to engineering. It was very beautiful and geometric but tough for me. Whatever happened to the Star Wars program anyway? There is talk of a missile shield now but no laser beams shooting down missiles yet that I know of. Hopefully, at least some basic research was filed away that will prove useful. Star Wars for me evokes Ronald Reagan and Qaddafi whom Reagan called “the mad dog of the Middle East” in one clip that I saw. It’s nice to see Qaddafi being called to account finally. I agree with what you said about problem-solving and the need to persevere when it seems like nothing is happening. It is said that for the game of Go, the Japanese version of chess, that it takes many years to master and that most people quit after four years or so just when they are starting to get good. I believe it would be very educational for any person to go through a learning process that really tests them and reveals how long it takes to get good at something and how good you can be. I’ve had a version of this experience with martial arts and one other area and it is quite instructive, and you can see how it can be applied to everything.

    On the subject of thinking out of the box, I agree, but the martial arts example does raise some paradoxes and dangers. While the goal is a deep and versatile mastery, one must commit to a long and difficult learning process that is very particular, like a particular style. So, the question is how do you know you’re studying the right thing? The problem is that this choice must be made at the beginning by novices who are least able to know. I’ve worked with some advanced people who found that their stuff was not working, and got very upset. As my teacher told me, people like this have their whole personalities committed at a deep level and when their orthodoxy comes up short, they get unhinged. That must be one of the worst of experiences to find out that what you have worked on for years turns out to be a waste. So we should acknowledge the impulse to stick with what seems certain and familiar. The land outside of the box is scary.

    I had a productive weekend shooting by forcing myself back to procedure which includes thinking about the priority of the trigger squeeze over the wobble. Like secret sin, the desire to snipe and react to the target creeps up on you without you being aware. I have a question about the sitting position. Is the official smallbore position to sit cross-legged? I believe that for field target there is some kind of support extending down from the rifle so that you can hold the rifle while resting the elbow on the knee. Otherwise, the knee does not come up high enough. How does that work?

    B.B., how goes the research on the Beretta handgun and what turned your attention there? I thought you and Edith were happy with the Glock as a self-defense weapon. I have been moved to take a closer look at the Beretta. I had high hopes for this other official American sidearm since the AR-15 design is pretty much up the spout for me. They may have finally got it right with the 6.8 piston driven modifications but overall a deeply problematic design it seems to me. Anyway, I’m afraid that I came away disappointed with the Beretta. If one of the virtues of the 1911 is its slim profile then the very bulky grip of the Beretta must be a disadvantage unless one’s hands are truly enormous. Also of concern is some part called something like the “lock block” that serves to secure the slide in recoil since the barrel does not tilt like the 1911. This lock block apparently needs to be replaced every 5000 rounds which seems too frequent and bites into the reliability of the gun. You might want to look at the SW M&P which gets sterling reviews in all categories.

    If it is fair to say that killing people is the driving force behind the development of firearms technology, then it seems to me that the AK-47 design represents the summit in its capacity to deal out the most damage in the widest array of combat scenarios. I know you have a Garand and an SKS in your collection. Do you have an AK too? If so, what brand?

    Matt61

    • Matt61,

      Never had a tenderloin make it back for processing. That’s the only fresh meat we ate in camp since everything else has to be frozen to last in the field. I can make tenderloin medallions quick fried in a cast iron skillet with onions and a cognac sauce that you would kill your best friend to eat.

      kevin

    • B.B.,

      Once again, this Feinwerkbau 124 is proving itself to be a real gem. I have a question, don’t know if it’s been asked, or what the answer was… What is the closest available air rifle to this FWB 124, if you know?

      Another thing I was wondering about this weekend is, does anyone make a .22 caliber precision class-like rifle that could also be used for field target or hunting? Something with power (~900 – 950fps) and outstanding accuracy?

      • Victor,

        Many people feel the R9 is close to the 124. But why substitute? A good tuned 124 is cheaper than a new R9.

        As for a precision class .22, what about the benjamin Marauder? Are half-inch 5-shot groups at 50 yards good enough? And the AirForce Talon, Talon SS and Condor will all do the same.

        B.B.

    • Star Wars only evokes Jedi’s, talking robots, light sabers and space ships.
      I think it’s one of the first action movies I got to watch as a kid.
      Can’t for them to come out on blueray.

      J-F

    • Matt,

      Edith and I are happy with the 1911 as a defense gun. She carries a Glock, but she’d rather have a 1911. In fact, she’s been hinting that she wants a compact one to replace the Glock.

      The Glock has a DAO trigger pull so it’s just never going to shoot like a 1911. Good for gangstas but not for pistoleros, I guess. After shooting a nice 1911 it’s hard to warm to anuy other platform.

      That said, the Beretta will just be a room gun inside the house. In that role, it’s fine. Haven’t gotten to the point of buying one yet, but they are all around for under $500.

      B.B.

    • Matt61,

      I studied both real and complex, but mostly real. Yes, complex analysis extends real world mathematical applications. For example, the domain space of the Laplace versus Fourier transforms. The realities of the original “Star Wars” technologies were eventually understood by everyone except Ronald Reagan himself. That was a great source of frustration for Casper Weinberger.

      Regarding martial arts and “studying the right thing”. – You know you’re studying the right thing if you understand what you’re studying, and why. There’s nothing wrong with questioning what you’re studying. My sensei explained that the original Okinawan masters use to go around from dojo to dojo, challenging other sensei’s to a fight. Modern day sensei’s just hold tournaments. This is better for seeing what works and what doesn’t. Again, the hard work that you apply towards form is critical, but separate from certain practical details. You need both Kata and Kumite. Go to tournaments and you’ll see what works and what doesn’t work. Once, and only once, I saw a group (team) of fighters take the fancy jumps and high kicks, that you see in Hollywood movies, to a tournament. The results were disastrous. Some of them got hurt, requiring emergency medical attention. If you think that you can jump against someone who’s entire training is for maximum efficiency, then you don’t have a concept of what it means to be practical in a fight. Flying leaps look great in film, but not against someone who actually knows how to end a fight in seconds.

      In NRA 4 position, there are 2 sitting positions, neither of which can be assisted by some kind of support; sitting cross-legged, and sitting with your legs extended out, but bent. Which you use is personal, and usually depends on your body type, and/or condition. If you have a strong pulse, then crossing your legs might introduce a huge jump in your sight picture.

      Victor

    • Matt,
      I used to fish more (twice a day sometimes for years during the summer) than now, but I still like it, just have a lot more things taking up my time. I wouldn’t say I’m a serious fisherman or ever was, I just like the pace and fish is easy to clean and cook.

      Everything does taste better when camping out — maybe that explains the grilling and barbecue craze.

      • Brian in Idaho:
        Yes I have had the peep sight on the 392 since I got the rifle allmost a year ago. I’m a little far sighted so I got a good pair pair of 125 diopter reading glasses at Wallgreens so I can see the front sight clearly now and the target is slightly blured. Works great and sometimes I enjoy shooting with peeps more than scopes. I also have a Williams on my IZH 60.

        Loren

        • I also have a Sheridan blue streak with a Williams, but I recently removed the upper part of it so I could try the Air Venturi scope mount on it. This works fine also ,very solid mount but a little high for that stock.

          • Victor

            Yes I did file the underside of the slide but it is an easy mod. And it doesn’t show. If I had it to do over again I would probably use it as is, since it’s not a ten meter rifle.

            Loren

  11. I just came across this series of articles regarding the FWB 124 D. I actually have one purchased sometime around 1980 from the Beeman Company. It is completely orginal with a Beeman Aperture sight. I was looking for a scope for it and came upon your website & blog. Until I read your article I had no idea I own a Classic airgun. The fact that I was shooting it in the basement the other day has now given me pause after reading your articles.

    This gun has original seals and everything and I am wondering if I should be shooting it though it works fine and I have kept the chamber oiled over the time that I have owned it. If I wanted to have it checked out can you advise where I could have someone work on it.

    If I had to evaluate it I would say it is in excellent to perfect condition.

    Al

    • Al,

      As long as it keeps shooting I wouldn’t do anything to it, other than what you have always done. But your rifle does have the seals that will decompose in time. So watch it closely and be looking for waxy brown particles that are thrown off of a piston seal that is breaking up. You will start seeing them inside the rear of the barrel.

      When that happens, Pyramyd AIR who owns this website can fix it for you, and will most likely be the least expensive. They have their own seal that they have made for them.

      The airgunsmiths who specialize in 124s charge over $200 to tune them, while the parts cost about $40-60. They do a wonderful job, but so does Pyramyd AIR.

      B.B.

    • Steve,

      The prices range from very low ($35) to very high ($3,500), but a 124 deluxe in excellent condition with the open sights and a plastic trigger will retail for around $300-400. If you have the box, and an aluminum trigger, add $50. If it’s a standard rifle, subtract $50-100.

      B.B.

  12. I found my old fwb124 sport Cal 4.5 .177 SN 4324 while cleaning out the attic has no sights and a Bushnel Scopechief IV 1.5/4.5. It was “re sealed “by Beeman in 1990 and gave up the ghost after about one year of shooting. Is there anywhere to send it to get this baby back up and spitting lead?

    • Don,

      There sure is! And the piston seal material is now a lifetime material instead of the old FWB material that dry-rotted.

      Call Pyramyd AIR 888-262-4867, and ask to speak to the Service Department. They will tell you how to send your rifle in and what they can do for you.

      B.B.

  13. I recently inherited a 124 sport and I have shot it a few times lately to kill some pigeons that have been crapping all over my balcony… Anywho it is far superior to any air gun type I have ever seen and would like to keep it that way. I am about as new as you can get in the air gun world so I would appreciate any help or advice in keeping this thing awesome. I have the same exact one in that picture but my gun has a San Rafael, California 94903 address. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks for the already acquired info. cheers.

    • Tyler,

      First bit of advice — DON’T OIL YOUR AIRGUN! Those old 124s have piston seals that deteriorate in the presence of oil.

      But they also dry-rot over time, so you do need to plan on replacing the seals at some point. This 15-part report goes into all of that in great detail, so read it completely.

      B.B.

    • Phillip,

      Welcome to the blog.

      Yes, your piston seal is shot. That always happens to the original seal that Feinwerkbau used in the 124 and 127.

      So, you need a new seal. And while you are getting that done it is a perfect time to check the mainspring for kinks plus lubricate the rifle properly so it will last for many years.

      Pyramyd AIR can do that work for you. Just call them at 888-262-4867 and ask to speak to someone in the tech department.

      If you don’t live in the U.S. you will have to find someone in your country to do the work. Or you can do it yourself. This report contains the complete instructions of how to do that, plus I tuned a rifle that had the same problem your rifle has, so you can see how I got the old seal out of the gun.

      B.B.

  14. Just purchased at auction a FWB 124 (with Hakko scope) circa 1982 in excellent condition. Thank you for your very informative blog on these rifles….I am enjoying it immensely!! By the way, would you know if the Robert Beeman web site is active as he has manuals available for this rifle which I would love to obtain. Many thanks.

  15. Hi B.B.,

    I one section of this report you state that the old pellets were in a plastic bag and that is not sufficient as a vapour barrier. What is sufficient as a vapour barrier. 2 of my guns remain at the sea side. I only use them 6 months a year. I wipe them down well with ballistol, and put some silicon gun oil down the transfer port. I leave them is their soft cases. What else can I do, should I do, to prevent rust and oxidation?
    Thanks in advance,
    -Yogi

  16. Hi to all,
    I have a FWB 124 D. Bought in 1979 at Air Rille HQ, in W.Virginia.
    MontCarlos stock, super tuned with micro sights.
    I replaced the breech seal & piston seal in mid 2006 from a guy in Canada .
    Went thru a fire in 1987, as a result barrel is skewed, but was corrected by a hi quality air rifle scope.
    I would like to find some one to TUNE it up, fix barrel & refinish.
    Any help appreciated.
    Steve mccull

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