TargetTalk

Hi folks

Just a quick question for those more more knowledge than I.

Anschutz, Walther, Bleiker and Feinwerkbau all seem to make good barrels and actions. Yet, when you look at the photos on the ISSF website, few, if any, Feinwerkbaus feature in world cup prone finals. It's Anschutz, Walther and Bleiker all the way. Feinwerkbau don't get a look in.

I've heard great things about FWB barrels. In fact, the range record at Eley's batch testing facility was held by Raymond Debevec's his FWB at one point. So why are they so unpopular amongst elite shooters?

Cheers

Steve.

Well I personally dont like the feel of the stock. But parts can be harder to find.
matt

Some use them, although yes they do seem less popular. Barbara Lechner (2010 3x20 Wold Champion) uses one, as did Sonja Pfeilschifter until the World Cup Final last year, and Eva Freidl, although the later two now use Walthers. Amongst the men Niccolo Camprianai uses a 2700, as does Debevec. Jozef Gonci used a 2602 for several years, but now has a Bleiker.

I am going to latch onto 'Grizzly's comment about parts for the FWB being harder to find.

In general, I belive that to be true. At least in the US Anschutz is the dominant target rifle so if you need an Anschutz accessory, pretty easy to find.

When it comes to service parts for older rifles FWB has Anschutz beat. In reworking two older air rifles I was able to get all the necessary parts to rebuild my FWB 601 from FWB. It took several weeks but I could get them all. Note these were genuine factory FWB parts! I hear you can do the same for a FWB 300 and those go back to the 1970s.

At the same time I have an Anschutz LG 380 (vintage 1983) that is a pile of parts looking for a piston buffer. Anschutz does not service this part, or any of the other soft parts for the 380 anymore. This is more than a little annoying as the hard parts are in good shape and rebuilt this would make a fine air rifle for a new junior or just a nostalgia trip. Instead, it sits as a pile of parts that could be an air rifle.

I have run into similar issues getting bit parts for older Anschutz smallbore rifles (14xx series) as well.

OK, I hijacked this thread, which was kind of a smallbore question and tossed an air rifles into the mix, sorry. : ( This just my little soapbox on older service parts.

Grizzly has another very good point, regardless of how mechanically good a rifle is, or whether or not you have to wait a bit for a part or accessory, it has to be comfortable and fit the shooter.

'Dude