Who makes the best air rifle?...some food for thought

[Ryan Tanoue]

Results from the 2004 Olympics, the past three world cup seasons and the 2006 World Shooting Championships.

102 total air rifle medals available (51 MAR and 51 WAR)

61 medals won by shooters using FWB (24 gold, 21 silver, 16 bronze)
16 medals won by shooters using Anschutz (3 gold, 6 silver, 7 bronze)
21 medals won by shooters using Walther (6 gold, 6 silver, 9 bronze)
4 medals won by shooter using Steyr (1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)

Current WAR world record holder:
Li Du (CHN) 400+104.9—Feinwerkbau
WC Zagreb, Croatia 2003

Current MAR world record holder:
Thomas Farnik (AUT) 599=104.1—Steyr
WCF Granada, Spain 2006

And here’s the breakdown.

2004 Olympic Games, Athens Greece
WAR:
Gold: Li Du (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Galkina Liubov (RUS)--Walther
Bronze: Katarina Kerkova (CZE)--Anschutz

MAR:
Gold: Zhu Qinan (CHN)--Feinwerkbau (OR 702.7)
Silver: Li Jie (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Jozef Gonci (SVK)--Feinwerkbau

2005 Changwon world cup, Korea
WAR:
Gold: Zhao Yinghui (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Yin Wen (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Tatiana Iouchkova (RUS)--Feinwerkbau

MAR:
Gold: Jason Parker (USA)--Anschutz
Silver: Peter Sidi (HUN)--Walther
Bronze: Dennis Sokolov (RUS)--Walther

2005 Ft. Benning world cup, USA
WAR:
Gold: Li Du (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Zhao Yinghui (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Wu Liuxi (CHN)--Feinwerkbau

MAR:
Gold: Zhu Qinan (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Peter Sidi (HUN)--Walther
Bronze: Thomas Farnik (AUT)--Steyr

2005 Munich world cup, Germany
WAR:
Gold: Wu Liuxi (CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Pavla Habartova (CZE)--Anschutz
Bronze: Natallia Kalnysh (UKR)--Walther

MAR:
Gold: Ryan Tanoue (USA)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Alin Moldoveanu(ROM)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Young Sueb Lim(KOR)--Feinwerkbau

2005 Milan world cup, Italy
WAR:
Gold: Du Li(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Wu Liuxi(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Sonja Pfeilschifter(GER)--Feinwerkbau

MAR:
Gold: Zhu Qinan(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Alin Moldoveanu (ROM)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Liu Tianyou(CHN)--Feinwerkbau

2005 World Cup Final, Munich
WAR:
Gold: Li Du(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Zhao Yinghui(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Wu Liuxi(CHN)--Feinwerkbau

MAR:
Gold: Dennis Sokolov(RUS)--Walther
Silver: Alin Moldoveanu (ROM)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Ryan Tanoue(USA)—Feinwerkbau

2006 World Cup Guangzhou, China
MAR:
Gold: Gagan Narang(IND)—Walther
Silver: Tianyou Liu(CHN)—Anchutz
Bronze: Artem Khadjibekov(RUS)—Walther

WAR:
Gold: Yinghui Zhao(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Li Du(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Batkhuyag Zorigt(MGL)—Walther


2006 World Cup Resende, Brazil
MAR:
Gold: Christian Planer(AUT)—Walther
Silver: Are Hansen(NOR)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Serguei Kruglov(RUS)—Walther

WAR:
Gold: Katerina Kerkova(CZE)—Anschutz
Silver: Pavla Kalna(CZE)—Anschutz
Bronze: Sylwia Bogacka(POL) Anschutz

2006 World Cup Munich, Germany
MAR:
Gold: Jozef Gonci(SVK)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Qinan Zhu(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Matthew Emmons(USA)—Feinwerkbau

WAR:
Gold: Elsa Caputo(ITA)--Walther
Silver: Sylwia Bogacka(POL)--Anschutz
Bronze: Svlatiana Budzko(BLR)--Feinwerkbau

2006 World Cup Milan, Italy
MAR:
Gold: Qinan Zhu(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Frank Koestel(GER)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Thomas Farnik—Steyr

WAR:
Gold: Li Du(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Lioubov Galkina(RUS)—Walther
Bronze: Yinghui Zhao(CHN)—Feinwerkbau

2006 World Championships, Zagreb Croatia
MAR:
Gold: Abhinav Bindra(IND)—Walther
Silver: Alin Moldoveanu(ROM)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Qinan Zhu(CHN)—Feinwerkbau

WAR:
Gold: Li Du(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Katerina Kurkova(CZE)—Anschutz
Bronze: Olga Dovgun(KAZ)--Walther

2006 World Cup Final, Grenada Spain
MAR:
Gold: Thomas Farnik(AUT)—Steyr (599+104.1=703.1)(FWR)
Silver: Tianyou Liu(CHN)--Anschutz
Bronze: Qinan Zhu(CHN)—Feinwerkbau

WAR:
Gold: Li Du(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Yinghui Zhao(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Sonja Pfeilschifter(GER)—Feinwerkbau

2007 World Cup USA, Ft Benning
MAR:
Gold: Qinan Zhu(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Matthew Emmons(USA)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Tianyou Liu(CHN)—Anschutz

WAR:
Gold: Yi Zhang(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Sonja Pfeilschifter(GER)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Jamie Beyerle(USA)--Anschutz

2007 World Cup Sydney, Australia
MAR:
Gold: Yun Lin(CHN)--Feinwerkbau
Silver: Mario Knoegler(AUT)—Walther
Bronze: Peter Sidi(HUN)—Walther

WAR:
Gold: Li Du(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Yinghui Zhao(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Olga Dovgun(KAZ)--Walther

2007 World Cup Bangkok, Thailand
MAR:
Gold: Peter Sidi(HUN)—Walther
Silver: Alin Moldoveanu(ROM)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Jozef Gonci(SVK)—Feinwerkbau

WAR:
Gold: Yinghui Zhao(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Siler: Yi Zhang(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Barbara Lechner(GER)—Feinwerkbau

2007 World Cup Munich, Germany
MAR:
Gold: Tino Mohaupt(GER)—Anschutz
Silver: Thomas Farnik(AUT)—Steyr
Bronze: Qinan ZHU(CHN)—Feinwerkbau

WAR:
Gold: Sonja Pfeilschifter(GER)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Sylvia Aumann(GER)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Olga Dovgun(KAZ)--Walther

2007 World Cup Final Bangkok, Thailand
MAR:
Gold: Qinan Zhu(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Peter Sidi(HUN)—Walther
Bronze: Tino Mohaupt(GER)—Anschutz

WAR:
Gold: Li Du(CHN)—Feinwerkbau
Silver: Barbara Lechner(GER)—Feinwerkbau
Bronze: Katerina Emmons (CZE)--Anschutz

[Ryan Tanoue]

yes i do keep track of this stuff, and yes i was bored today....enjoy
ryan

[pdeal]

Very good! Any way to know how many the FWB P70 has won? I have a hunch it may have more than any other.

[Ryan Tanoue]

Took a bit of work looking at pics, but i got what you were looking for.

Feinwerkbau 700: 23 medals (11 gold, 6 silver, 6 bronze)
Feinwerkbau P-70: 38 medals (12 Gold, 15 silver, 11 bronze)

Anschutz 2002: 11 medals (2 Gold, 5 silver, 4 bronze)
Anschutz 8002/9003: 5 medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze)

Walther LG 300: 21 medals (6 Gold, 7 silver, 8 bronze)

Steyr LG 110: 4 medals (1gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze)

ryan

[Joe66]

Thanks Ryan! I always like to know stuff like this.

Do you think the new FWB P700 are just as well made as the old FWB Air rifles?

[Ryan Tanoue]

I definitly believe so. When comparing it to the P70, FWB made some changes to the loading mechanism, the way the barrel clamps to the action and of course the stock. Cosmetic changes to the outer barrel sleve, addition of built in risor blocks etc. But overall they are very similar. Build quility as you would expect from any of the top companys is top notch. I went from a P70 to a 700 so of course i think they are the best out there.

ryan

[peepsight]

This must be purely subjective, an Anschutz owner, Walther owner, Steyr owner and Hammerlie owner will probably all tell you that they are using the best air rifle. Its what works best for you that can only be the criterior used as judgement.

From marketing statistics, there are far more FWB's in use round the world than the other makes. This is more probably due to the historics of FWB marketing strategies. Once there is a monoply in the market place of a particular make such as FWB they are by the law of averages going to win more often than the other makes. This phenomena then snow balls as more and more shooters see FWB winning thus they also buy a FWB on the back of its shooting record.
I happen to believe that the FWB P-70 and 700 models are one of the best air rifles ever made, but in the same breath i think that Walther, Anschutz and Steyr are just as good, there's just fewer people using them.

Peepsight

[Ryan Tanoue]

your perspective is right on about the other models being just as high quality. Sorry if it seemed otherwise but what i meant was that the feinwerkbau is the best rifle for me.

I also agree that FWB is the rifle shot the most world wide and yes this should equate to more medals on the world stage. I just decided to put my findings up here becuase i see about a post a month trying to get opinions about which air rifle is the best out there.

It is a fact that the shooter behind the rifle is the most important aspect of a winning score, but there must be a reason why a good portion of best shooters in the world choose Feinwerkbau.

just my 2 cents
ryan

[acetan]

Even different models from the same make can be different. My favorite among laminated stock models was P-70, but the FWB700 alu absolutely didn't feel right. I'm now settled on an Anschutz 9003 and love it but didn't do well with the 2002's. A Steyr LG10p doesn't feel very well but the Steyr LG100 is ok. I don't think one can say with authority who makes the best rifle as it depends on the shooter. Quality-wise, I think the current models are more precise while the older generations like Anschutz 380 and FWB 300s have more charm.

Off topic: Hi Ryan, I ran into coach Harvey last week. Are you still in town here in Reno?

[pdeal]

Anybody tried a new P700 with the laminate stock? Does it feel like a P70 with Laminate stock? I ask because I have a P70 wood stock and love how it fits. The P700 has some nice features so it would be nice to upgrade someday but I'd hate to loose what seems to me to be a great fit.

[Ryan Tanoue]

I do believe that the 700 wood stock is nearly identical to the p70 wood stock. It would feel slightly different from the p70 though. I think (but am not positive) that the stainless barrel on the 700 makes it a bit more front heavy. otherwise i do belive the stocks are the same.
ryan

off topic: acetan, only in reno for a few more days before i move out to the OTC

[acetan]

Enjoy Colorado and best of luck in Beijing.