Feedback on FWB P44

Popong · Post by **Popong** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:10 am

Hello everyone!

Just became a member of the forum after being a reader of the posts over the years.

I was a shooter over 20 years ago and I'm now feeling the itch to return to the sport.

I used to have a FWB Mod. 80 and I'm now saving up for a new air pistol.

I'm particularly interested in the FWB P44 and, as such, I'd greatly appreciate any feedback. I also want to know if anyone has tried the short version. I have a recurring pain in my elbow and was wondering if the P44 kurz would possibly be a good choice for me.

Popong

jacques b gros · Post by **jacques b gros** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:50 pm

Had one for a few weeks, traded for a LP@.

The first problem was that it was delivered with a Large grip, instead of the medium of the order. Turned ou that the importer (Beeman) had no medium or small grips. Since I'm here in Brazil the problem was compounded.

The real problem: it's a heavy pistol. My shoulder is 58 yrs old, and resented the weight.

The LP@ (is an Steyr with another dress. Was discontinued, I bet that the reason was the drop in Steyr's sales. A lot cheaper and shot the same.) is lighter, I removed the weights and the weight bar, adapted a @ 15g weight to the air tank.

If you already have arm problems, go for the lightest of them, exercice under supervison and be prepared to shoot well one day, lousy in the other, until the procedure is back into your brain and muscles.

As for which of them is best: any of them can outshoot a returning shooter for a long time. I would stay away from the electronic ones. The mechanical ones will outlast you an me, the others might suffer lack of electronic parts.

Enjoy your return.

Fred Mannis · Post by **Fred Mannis** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:18 pm

I am very pleased with my P44, which I have had for over a year. With small Rink grips it weighs 970 gm, which I consider light for an AP. Balance is just forward of the trigger and I have added 30gm at the muzzle.

As received from the dealer the trigger is very crisp and I have not adjusted it. It is comparable to the trigger on my LP1.

Sights are good, but do lack the adjustable notch depth of the Steyr. On the other hand, the sights - both front and rear - can be rotated to compensate for a canted hold.

The cylinder is large and holds enough for two matches.

Grip angles are fully adjustable like the Steyr pistols.

I was not aware that FWB has introduced a shorter/lighter version. I will keep that in mind as my arthritis progresses.

jipe · Post by **jipe** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 4:59 am

jacques b gros wrote:Had one for a few weeks, traded for a LP@.

The first problem was that it was delivered with a Large grip, instead of the medium of the order. Turned ou that the importer (Beeman) had no medium or small grips. Since I'm here in Brazil the problem was compounded.

The real problem: it's a heavy pistol. My shoulder is 58 yrs old, and resented the weight.

The LP@ (is an Steyr with another dress. Was discontinued, I bet that the reason was the drop in Steyr's sales. A lot cheaper and shot the same.) is lighter, I removed the weights and the weight bar, adapted a @ 15g weight to the air tank.

If you already have arm problems, go for the lightest of them, exercice under supervison and be prepared to shoot well one day, lousy in the other, until the procedure is back into your brain and muscles.

As for which of them is best: any of them can outshoot a returning shooter for a long time. I would stay away from the electronic ones. The mechanical ones will outlast you an me, the others might suffer lack of electronic parts.

Enjoy your return.

As Fred saye, the AP44 is not an heavy pistol, its weight is similar if not slightly lower than most of the other AP (my LP10 is about 980g).

About the LP@, it is indeed the same as the LP10. Its weight complete (with the bar for the additionnal weights) is higher than the LP10. When it is removed, I guess that it will be slightly lower than the LP10.

The LP@ light (I know this one very well, it is the pistol used by my wife) is much lighter (the one of my wife is at 780g with a small grip). If you look for a lightweight pistol, go for this one. If you later find it too lightweight, you can always add additional weights.

From what I heard, only the LP@ light is discontinued, not the regular one what I find a little stupid from Anschutz since the LP@ has no real advantage compared to the LP10 while Steyr has no equivalent for the LP@ light (the LP2 has a different frame/mechanics).

From a price point of view, in Europe, the LP@ is more expensive than the LP10 and there are few LP@ sold. Most gunshops in Germany have the LP10 in stock while they have to order the LP@.

Popong · Post by **Popong** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:37 pm

Thank you Jacques, Fred and Jipe for your inputs. I will keep them in mind when I finally make my purchase.

Jacques, I have size XS hands and I might have a problem similar to yours as the P44 doesn't seem to be available with an XS grip. That's something that I have to think about. BTW, thanks for the training tips.

Yes, Fred, FWB has a short version of the P44, which I discovered on their website. Unfortunately, it seems that the pistol is not yet available in the U.S.

Jipe, the LP@ seems to be a fine gun but it is no longer in production in any of its versions. As an alternative I was thinking of the LP2 or the even lighter LP2 Junior in case I decide against the P44. What do you think?

jipe · Post by **jipe** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:22 pm

I think you have some chance to find a LP@ light in stock in one of the German online shops. Here some links:
http://www.klingner-gmbh.de/
http://www.stelljes.de/
http://www.allermann.de/index.asp
http://www.holme.de/schutzenbedarf.html
http://www.schiesssportausruester.de/
http://www.schiesssport-buinger.de/
http://www.schiess-sport-breuberg.de/
http://www.stopper.de/
http://www.schiesssportausruester.de/
http://www.schiesssport-vogel.de/

There are also regularly LP@ on www.egun.de

I wouldn't go for the LP2, its less featured than the LP10 more an AP for beginner.

About the grip for the P44, some shops sell this pistol without grip. So you could buy it without grip and then buy a Rink grip these are very good ones and available in many sizes www.formgriffe.de. By the way this is valid for almost all AP's.

Finally, the Morini 162 short is also a very good pistol and has the ubique advantage to be short and to have a sight line as long as a full size AP.

edster99 · Post by **edster99** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:35 pm

I wouldn't go for the LP2, its less featured than the LP10 more an AP for beginner

At what level of shooting do you think one would notice the benefits of an LP10 if one is using an LP2?

cheers

Ed

jacques b gros · Post by **jacques b gros** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 8:06 pm

edster99 wrote:
I wouldn't go for the LP2, its less featured than the LP10 more an AP for beginner
At what level of shooting do you think one would notice the benefits of an LP10 if one is using an LP2?

cheers

Ed

That's a damm good question!!!

Funny is that, nowadays, you can shoot with the best gear in the world under 2k US$. The cheaper guns also shoot decent, but then the difference is something around 700 US or so. Squeeze your belt a bit more and you're ready to shoot records!!

Ed, that pict was not taken less than 8,000 miles of England. Unless the summer fell on the same day the water was clear...

cheers

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:40 am

Fred Mannis wrote:I am very pleased with my P44, which I have had for over a year. With small Rink grips it weighs 970 gm, which I consider light for an AP. Balance is just forward of the trigger and I have added 30gm at the muzzle.

I own both, a new LP10 (w/ ball bearing at trigger axle), and a FWB 44, and use both regularly. Both wight in at about 1000 grams: my LP10 1030 grams, my FWB 44 990 grams, both less extra weights/rods.
Balance of FWB feels unusual: some weight has to be added up front. Available FWB weightrod w/sliding weight will not help much, as they are mounted to close to initial balance point. The recommendable sliding barrel weights of Morini design cannot be used on the FWB barrel, because air sylinder is to close to the barrel.

Fred Mannis wrote: As received from the dealer the trigger is very crisp and I have not adjusted it. It is comparable to the trigger on my LP1.

My LP 10 and FWB 44 both have good triggers. (And trigger reach is redused much from previous models. That is good news!)
Trigger blades are good, and smartly adjustable.

Fred Mannis wrote: Sights of the FWB 44 are good, but do lack the adjustable notch depth of the Steyr.

Yes. I think FWB have to add this feature in the future.

edster99 · Post by **edster99** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:44 am

yep that pic was taken in the Seychelles...

I have an LP2 and i'm into the 560s, but I know I can shoot more with it. However, sometimes the inconsistency of how my hand / grip reacts to the (minimal!) recoil can have an impact on shot position. I'm thinking of getting to 570 before I buy an LP10. A nice incentive :)

David Levene · Post by **David Levene** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:44 am

edster99 wrote:I have an LP2 and i'm into the 560s, but I know I can shoot more with it. However, sometimes the inconsistency of how my hand / grip reacts to the (minimal!) recoil can have an impact on shot position. I'm thinking of getting to 570 before I buy an LP10. A nice incentive :)

Have we seen you at any of the major UK matches. You certainly wouldn't be embarassed shooting scores like that.

jipe · Post by **jipe** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:47 am

edster99 wrote:
I wouldn't go for the LP2, its less featured than the LP10 more an AP for beginner
At what level of shooting do you think one would notice the benefits of an LP10 if one is using an LP2?

cheers

Ed

Its a question of taste, the LP2 doesn't have the absorber some likes it some other not. If I remember well the sights and trigger blade adjustement are more limited on the LP2.

Also the price difference is not so big (at least in Germany) between the LP10 and LP2: the LP2 list price is lower but it is sold with only one cylinder, no spare while the LP10 comes with two cylinders. If you add the price of the second cylinder, prices become very close.

edster99 · Post by **edster99** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:58 am

David Levene wrote:
edster99 wrote:I have an LP2 and i'm into the 560s, but I know I can shoot more with it. However, sometimes the inconsistency of how my hand / grip reacts to the (minimal!) recoil can have an impact on shot position. I'm thinking of getting to 570 before I buy an LP10. A nice incentive :)
Have we seen you at any of the major UK matches. You certainly wouldn't be embarassed shooting scores like that.

Well i shot that at the Devon County Pistol / LSR last week but I hope to be doing the same at some of the bigger ones - i've entered the surrey open, welsh open etc for this winter

Fred Mannis · Post by **Fred Mannis** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:25 am

Anonymous wrote:Balance of FWB feels unusual: some weight has to be added up front. Available FWB weightrod w/sliding weight will not help much, as they are mounted to close to initial balance point. The recommendable sliding barrel weights of Morini design cannot be used on the FWB barrel, because air sylinder is to close to the barrel.

I added 30 gm right at the muzzle using small cylindrical rare earth magnets - 3gm each, five on each side of the sight holder/compensator.

TargetTalk