TargetTalk

If I can get a good FWB 80 (FWB 65 with better trigger) and IZH 46m for the same price, which is a better buy?

Which would be more reliable? FWB 80 has steel piston that would last for "50 years"? Which pistol is better built?

For backyard shooting, which one is more quiet?

Classic recoil-less springer vs classic SSP, which would you prefer to have?

Shot by the same person, pound for pound, which pistol would give you higher score?

FWB 80 is an FWB 65 with a better trigger? I would say the opposite. In my experience the 65 trigger is better than the 80. The 80 was only produced for a short time, the 65 out lived it for a reason.

If it was me, I would take the IZH over the FWB 80. That's just my personal choice as the "twang" factor would annoy the crap out of me! I also don't like loading the FWB spring pistols, I find that they twist out of my hand when I pull back the lever whereas the IZH the compression stroke it pushing one hand to the other which (to me) feels more natural. I believe I would shoot better and enjoy shooting the IZH more.

That said, the FWB will be better build quality and will last a lifetime if you want it to. It is also an example of fine German engineering (don't tell them that though, it'll give them big heads). The IZH is "rough around the edges" and has a rubbish grip from the factory (something thats easily fixed with a dremel!).

I've never shot an FWB 80, so I can't compare. I am a huge IZH-46 fan. The compression lever is extremely easy to use and the IZH could and has taken serious shooters to the 580/600 range --if you wanted to build the strength and endurance to do so.

The IZH is heavier and tends to put a lot of that extra weight out front.

I can say that generally, spring-based compression usually takes 2nd place over pneumatics. Springs tend to be a little inconsistent and lose their springy-ness over time. They will also lose some spring if held under compression for a while without releasing the shot.

But in the same vein, if you really like how the FWB 80 feels in your hand and it feels more natural, get it! If you're planning on getting really good with one of those pistols and decide to shoot at a higher level, you'll be upgrading either one of those anyway. Alternately, if you just plan on having some fun and plinking, you should be able to use either one of those for a lifetime.

Let's see.....$1200 vs. $300. I wonder which is the better quality...

Having owned two FWB 65s and a FWB 90 and wanted a 80, I may be a little prejudiced.

I'm old enough to remember when the FWBs were "the" only gun on the line. Can't beat 'em...still competitive today.

I can't believe some people can't cock them.

Time for me to show my ignorance:
Is dry fire possible with the FWB 65? If not, what happens when the trigger gets weighed by equipment control? Does a brave soul have to hold his thumb over the muzzle to prevent the piston from bottoming?

I had forgotten that.

No, there is no dry fire capability. Yes, you hold your thumb over the muzzle. Shooting it a few times w/o pellets doesn't seem to hurt anything. If you buy a used one you can be sure it's happened a few times.

You could dry fire the Model 90 endlessly just pulling the trigger since it doesn't need to go through the whole firing cycle.