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Air Guns The FWB 300S versus the FWB 600: Part Three

The FWB 300S versus the FWB 600: Part Three

300 and 600
FWB 300S (top) and 600.

Part 1
Part 2

This report covers:

  • The test
  • 300S with Benjamin Bullseye
  • 300S with Air Arms 8.44-grain domes
  • 300S with JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes
  • 600 with Benjamin Bullseye
  • 600 with Air Arms 8.44-grain domes
  • 600 with JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes
  • Discussion
  • Summary

Today we look at the accuracy of the FWB 300S against the FWB 600 when shooting domes from 25 yards. I know these target rifles weren’t designed for that, but you readers asked for this test. I’m surprised someone hasn’t asked Feinwerkbau to make a belt-fed full-auto target rifle yet!

However, I did learn something today that you readers wondered about. I will disclose it at the end of what I think will be a surprising test.

The test

I shot the FWB 300S and the FWB 600 off a sandbag rest at 25 yards. I shot three different premium domed pellets. I shot at 10-meter pistol targets so the bullseyes would look the right size through the sights. I shot five-shot groups with every pellet. And today I shot the FWB 300S with all three pellets first and the 600 was shot last.

The 300S can be cocked and loaded without leaving the sandbag. The 600 has to come off the bag because the pump lever moves so far forward.

300S with Benjamin Bullseye

First to be tested was the 10.5-grain Benjamin Single Die dome that I call the Bullseye. The 300S put five of them into a group that measures 0.409-inches between centers. Yes, it looks like four are in a smaller group, but I can’t be sure that it is four shots or three.

300 Benjamin Bullseye
The FWB 300S put five Benjamin Bullseyes into a 0.409-inch group at 25 yards.

300S with Air Arms 8.44-grain domes

The 300S put five Air Arms 8.44-grain domes into a group that measures 0.304-inches between centers. These were the domes with 4.52mm heads. Once again it looks like four shots went through the same hole.

300 AA 8.44 dome
The 300S put five Air Arms 8.44-grain domes into a 0.304-inch group at 25 yards.

300S with JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes

The last target the FWB 300S shot at was with five JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes. Five went into a 25-yard group that measures 0.407-inches between centers. Once again four pellets seems to have hung together and one did not. But perhaps there are two pellets that went through the upper left hole; it’s difficult to tell.

300 JTS 8.7 dome
The 300S put five JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes into a 0.407-inch group at 25 yards.

That’s it for the FWB 300S — for now. There is one more thing about it that I will touch on at the end of the report.

Stock up on Air Gun Ammo

600 with Benjamin Bullseye

Now I switched to the FWB 600. The first 25-yard group of five Benjamin Bullseyes measures 0.497-inches between centers. 

600 Benjamin Bullseye dome
The FWB 600 shot five Benjamin Bullseyes into a 0.497-inch group at 25 yards.

600 with Air Arms 8.44-grain domes

The FWB 600 put five Air Arms 8.44-grain domes into a 0.659-inch group at 25 yards. That was the largest group of the test, and I may know why. I’ll tell you in a bit.

600 AA 8.44 dome
The FWB 600 put five Air Arms 8.44-grain domes into a 25-yard group that measures 0.659-inches between centers.

600 with JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes

The last group for the FWB 600 was five JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes. They made a 0.461-inch group at 25 yards.

600 JTS 8.7 dome
Five  JTS 8.7-grain Dead Center domes made a 0.461-inch group at 25 yards.

Discussion

The results of today’s test are the reverse of the previous 25-yard test with wadcutter pellets. In that one the FWB 600 was clearly more accurate than the FWB 300S. Today, with domes, the 300S triumphed. And I think I know why.

Do you remember me complaining about the peep sight on the 300S coming back and hitting my glasses with each shot? The sledge anti-recoil mechanism does that. A clever reader asked why I didn’t mount a rubber eye cup on the 300S peep and I had no good reason, other than I don’t have one for each of my target rifles. Well, after shooting two groups with the 300S I could see that this was a problem, so I found a rubber eye cup on another rifle and put it on the 300S peep. The results were dramatically better and I re-shot those first two targets! I didn’t even bother measuring or photographing the first two targets that were shot without the rubber eye cup because of this change.

When I shoot the 300S now I can still feel it come back at me, but it’s much softer when the rubber eye cup pushes on my glasses.

On the other hand, something I predicted also came true. The wadcutters shot in Part 2 of this report clearly out-grouped the domes I shot today. So there!

I now see I need to rerun the Part 2 test with wadcutters again — with the rubber eye cup mounted on the sight of the 300S. Golly, this is turning into a series!

Summary

Today you got to see what happens when you change things in midstream during a test. And I have continued to show the groups enlarged so you can see the fine details. I can’t do that when other airguns shoot larger groups because the photos will exceed the largest photo size permitted in WordPress. But for tight groups like these I think seeing this level of detail is great.

author avatar
Tom Gaylord (B.B. Pelletier)
Tom Gaylord, also known as B.B. Pelletier, provides expert insights to airgunners all over the world on behalf of Pyramyd AIR. He has earned the title The Godfather of Airguns™ for his contributions to the industry, spending many years with AirForce Airguns and starting magazines dedicated to the sport such as Airgun Illustrated.

34 thoughts on “The FWB 300S versus the FWB 600: Part Three”

  1. “The 300S put five Air Arms 8.44-grain domes into a 0.304-inch group at 25 yards.”

    BB, great stuff! That makes this a 25-yard squirrel gun, for sure. 😉
    Thanks for this test.
    Blessings to you,
    dave

    • Dave and anyone else
      I wonder what the remaining power would be at 25 yards. After all we are talking about 5 fpe out of the muzzle. And my understanding is that squirrels are tough. Or not?

      • Bill,

        If you hit them in the head, it does not take that much. They do have a rather tough hide, so a body shot with this air rifle would not do. You smack it side the head though and its skull will likely be crushed and the brain is not going to like that very much. The best spot would be halfway between the eye and the ear.

        • Thanks, RidgeRunner!
          Bill, as RidgeRunner said, “If you hit them in the head, it does not take that much.”
          I’ve taken squirrels at 10 yards with a pistol with only 3.3 fpe of muzzle energy.
          Yet the squirrels were instantly dispatched, as they were head shot with a very accurate pistol.
          Yes, as you correctly stated, squirrels are tough little critters.
          Hence, body shots with such low-powered airguns? Forget about it…inhumane.
          Blessings to you both,
          dave

  2. BB,

    nice shooting and interesting detail about the 300’s recoil mechanism. I can absolutely see how the expectation of the rear sight hitting you might throw you off.

    This once again shows how different shooters are. When I’m shooting my 300s, I never get so close to the rear sight or scope that there’s any risk of it hitting me on the way back. I do have a rubber cup, but it makes very little difference to me whether it’s installed or not.

    Stephan

  3. Thanks for the excellent report. I think I was the one who asked about the rubber eye cup. It is interesting to see the difference that it apparently made. A short while ago I had read an article that explains some of the finer details regarding the use of peep sights. The section that shows the recommended correct sight picture (figure A on page 28) when you have the distance between the eye and the peep hole correct is what I had in mind when I asked the question. It seems to me that the rubber eye cup might help one to be consistent with that distance, especially if placing glasses or your face against the cup results in the recommended sight picture. Here’s a link to the article:
    https://www.issf-sports.org/getfile.aspx?mod=docf&pane=1&inst=166&iist=45&file=1997%2002%20Reinkemeier%20Aiming%20Head%20position.pdf

  4. It has been my personal experience that at ten meters the FWB 600 series will indeed outshoot the FWB 300 series. Now as the range increases, the FWB 300 series becomes the more accurate air rifle. I believe this is due to the 300 series having a little more umph.

    Many moons ago, I mounted a BSA 3-9X40 scope on the FWB 601 I had. Laying on my belly on my front porch and laying the FWB 601 on my shooting bags, I shot a ten-shot group at fifty yards using domed pellets. I believe they were JSB 8.44 grains, but I cannot recall this many years ago. I did not touch the air rifle except to pull the very light trigger. I vaguely remember the pellets dropping a considerable bit at that range. Also, the group opened waaaay up.

    Although the FWB 600 series is the much better ten-meter air rifle, I’d druther have a FWB 300 series
    come for a stay at RRHFWA and RRHHMM. 😉

  5. BB

    The ability to cock and load the FWB300S without removing from the bag rest is a clear advantage for me. I shoot either 10 shot or 25 (5×5) shot groups.

    The enlarged target photos are a winner. The possibly 4 shot “Robin Hood” with AA 8.44 is too.

    Deck

  6. I have some questions concerning the upcoming Olympics in Paris. Will the French enforce the rules against doping? In the Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese did not enforce the rules with the Chinese. Will Uncle Xi’s gang get away with it this time?

    What is the point of even participating? It is supposed to be non-political but has proven to be such time and again. Hitler had his Olympics. Why is Russia considered a pariah? Is it because Uncle Vlad has scared enough political leaders around the world?

    We laud our athletes when they are victorious, as we should. Are they cheating? There is an awful lot of money involved.

    I had best get off my soapbox now. I am certain what I have said will not sit well with some folks out there. Perhaps it should not. I for one will not be following what is going on in Paris.

    BB,

    If you delete this, I will not be upset. I will understand.

    • RidgeRunner,

      Remember SNL’s “All-Drug Olympics”?

      “Athletes are allowed to take any substance whatsoever before, after, and even during the competition. So far, 115 world records have been shattered.”

      A Russian weightlifter attempts to break the World Record with a lift of 1500 lbs: He’s been taking “anabolic steroids, Novocaine, Nyquil, Darvon, and some sort of fish paralyzer.”

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAdG-iTilWU

      Michael

    • RR

      Good idea. I seem to remember Gunfun1 has one he souped up for longer shots. That may or may not be your intent. Like Weihrauchs one can’t have too many Feinwerkbau airguns.

      Deck

      • Deck
        Love my souped up fwb 300s.

        It’s a amazing gun.

        I learned something a long time ago about the 300 that I been reluctant to post because I figured the long time 300 owners would give me flack. But it was big find as far as I’m concerned.

        On day I picked up my 300 that I had leaning up against a window seal for some time. When I picked it up the outside of the barrel that is inside like a shrouded barrel kind of let a puff of dust out. I said no way did I just see that.

        The true barrel just moved inside the outer shroud. I checked everything and it seemed ok. So here is the tabu part. I put a drop of thin CA glue between the outer shroud and barrel.

        Oh my gosh the gun became so accurate I couldn’t believe. Yes my modified 300 was shooting nice groups bench resting out at 100 yards.

        You all let me know if your 300 barrel wiggles in the shroud.

        • Gunfun1

          The barrel in mine seems steady as a rock but you said “I checked everything and it seemed okay”. Not sure what you are referring to in that comment. Could you feel or see the barrel moving in the shroud?

          Very impressive long range shooting. Do you recall the velocity you were getting?

          Deck

          • Deck
            My FWB 300s is making 670fps with 10.34 grain pellets. And you say impressive 100 yard shooting?

            I only said it was getting nice groups at 100 yards. What it will do repeatedly is hit a 12 oz. beverage can at 100 yards. For me I’m very happy with that. Don’t know how much fpe it is making at 100 yards bit it will go through one side of a aluminum can at that distance and occasionally both sides. So it will take care of a starling but a sparrow is kind of small and probably not quite strong enough for a rabbit or squirrel at that distance for a quick kill. But I’m happy that it takes care of cans at that distance.

            And I wanted to make sure the barrel wasn’t wiggling at the breech also. It wasn’t. And just a note I put a thin piece of plastic shim between the outer barrel and inner shroud and shot it to see what happened before I did the more or less perminet CA glue. I couldn’t recall if my other 300 barrel wiggled at the muzzle end. I don’t have the other one anymore so i couldn’t check. Thought maybe it was suppose to float for accuracy or something. In my case with the wiggle gone it got more accurate.

            That’s the best I can say. Have a good one Deck. 🙂

  7. When I shot my FWB 300’s I installed adjustable iris’s. Not so much because the rearward action of the sledge system bothered me but rather because when you adjusted the aperture opening larger it allowed me to move my head rearward and create a more comfortable cheek weld AND because the adjustable iris’s had the ability to adjust focus on the front site better than my old eyes alone could.

    The gehman adjustable iris’s had a focus ring on the iris itself, but the vintage hensoldt wetzlar iris’s had a silver “neck” ahead of the adjustable iris that rotated for focus. I much preferred this feature on the hensoldt wetzlar’s since you had a larger area to grab in order to focus on the front site.

    Very rarely did I use an eyecup. Only when shooting outside and the sun was at an angle that caused flare did I use an eyecup. Entirely personal preference.

    ps-I know that it’s sacriligious for B.B. to shot domed pellets out of a 10 meter gun but I tried a lot of domed pellets in my FWB 300’s. Almost without exception they shot well with JSB RS or Air Arms Falcon pellets.

  8. I was on a camping during weekend and miss some good stuff! Thanks BB!
    When I’m shooting the 300S I do not hold my eye so close to the diopter. I also wear glases.

    But the rubber eye cup changed the rules.

    Now you have to do wadcutters one more time!!! 🙂

    Interesting, the domes are not better at this distance. How about to check the 35 yards? 🙂

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