Fwb124D (factory walnut)working for its place in the safe.
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7.2 lbs vs 8.8 lbs (R1) or 8.9 lbs (HW77), so yes roughly 80%. Very noticeable handling difference, more so if carrying out in the field.
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The FWB sport replicates the 7- 7.5lbs territory of a typical rimfire with a slim pistol grip.
It gave it an edge when compared to many….
That 1lb can make a whole lot of difference.
It gave it an edge when compared to many….
That 1lb can make a whole lot of difference.
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The 124 is a great handling and looking rifle. More so with the walnut stock.
I can't understand the unwavering legendary status that some people hold them to, however.
I can't understand the unwavering legendary status that some people hold them to, however.
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To each his own, some like chevys, fords , dodges. I personally love my many 124’s. Not so much the R1 . But love my HW50’s and 30’s . If I want magnum power I shoot my .22 rim fire.
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When I compare it to there match rifles of the same period I can’t help but think of what they “could” have produced.
Can totally understand why an experienced tuner would view it the way you do but somehow it’s become more the the sum of all its parts.
I’ll bet they did well out of it financially. Profit per unit compared to there match rifles!
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They certainly could have been exceptional. Their match guns prove that without a doubt. But they fell short in a few critical areas.
I'm sure the profit margin had to be high, considering the cheapness of the build overall.
They are still probably the best feeling spring gun ever to come to a shoulder, but that's about all the nice I can muster to say so I'll leave it there.
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Agreed. I've wanted one, the Beeman 124D, for years, since around 1983 when I discovered them. I was 14. Through the years I always considered the 124 the best of the best, Beeman's marketing really made an impact on me. It took me a bunch more years until I finally bought an R1 and the rest is history, I never did get a 124.
A few short years ago I got to talking to a tuner and reading some things about the 124/127 and learned that they aren't nearly the quality of air gun most would like to believe they are. They are a good place to start for sure, and the aftermarket offers a lot to make them a truly fantastic air rifle. But out of the box they fall way short of the hype. Nobody mentions this when it comes to slathering on the praise.
Today, I'd still really like to own a 124D that has already gone through a tuner, had the junk piston seal replaced, had the plastic trigger replaced, as well as some other improvements that good tuners usually make. Then I'd feel like I had the rifle I always thought they were and what R. Beeman's marketing told me it was. But now pricing has gone off the rails for such a low powered rifle that I can't justify it, especially if that same rifle needs work after obtaining it.
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Cutting a bunch of weight off the piston, opening the transfer port, and counterboring the breech block for pivot washers goes a LONG ways to making them their best.
Just so we know I'm not a total hater......
Just so we know I'm not a total hater......
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Not sure 40+ year owners of 124’s would agree with this quality sentiment. My 1978 and 1982 124’s shot great “out of the box” for years. The only mod ever needed was to update that piston seal, which did deteriorate but that took many years. The plastic trigger was replaced in the later models. Sounds like you’re complaining that its value has gone up too much to be worth purchasing. Hard to argue with that point, for $600-700 you can have a new HW97KT (Mundilar), or a scoped HW80, or any number of other high-quality rifles. But I wouldn’t mistake the 124 as a starter gun, far from it. As an aside, it is a very easy gun to tune. My two 124’s are shooting 8.2g at 13.8fpe, plenty of power.
Agree with others that FWB could have done more in the Sporter category, not sure why they shied away and then came back decades later with a $900 second edition sporter. Someone totally missed the mark on pricing. Love my new Sport ($600 now), kept a lot of the nice 124 attributes (weight, balance, superb barrel), and fixed the 124’s shortcomings (trigger, stock quality, upgraded components throughout). But I wouldn’t have paid $900 for it.
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There was a lot to commend it and still is, but we need to remember that when it came out, it was pretty unmatched at that time. Sleek and stylish, even the OEM sling swivels were great and not offered on any other model. The forward sling swivel cleverly mounted into the lower breech block, meaning the barrel was not levered open as is the case when swivels are added to break barrels. A perfect hunting arm to lug over the shoulder.
The general balance and handling was perfect for hunting.
There were issues. The Trigger never matched the Rekord (it was actually plastic on my Mk1) but it was better than any BSA or Webley of that time. The safety was known to occasionally malfunction but was perfectly placed and i liked its operation better than most. It was an easy fix if it failed.
It looked like a classic safari full bore….not much came close on that score.
It won many an early FT shoot, but the arrival of the HW77 saw it demise.
I never liked the 77, the extra weight of the lower lever to lug about, the finger crop loading access…
If its all about firing manners….then sure, the Sport is not the best.
The general balance and handling was perfect for hunting.
There were issues. The Trigger never matched the Rekord (it was actually plastic on my Mk1) but it was better than any BSA or Webley of that time. The safety was known to occasionally malfunction but was perfectly placed and i liked its operation better than most. It was an easy fix if it failed.
It looked like a classic safari full bore….not much came close on that score.
It won many an early FT shoot, but the arrival of the HW77 saw it demise.
I never liked the 77, the extra weight of the lower lever to lug about, the finger crop loading access…
If its all about firing manners….then sure, the Sport is not the best.
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Well the HW35 had sling swivels in the 60s.....and it also had a decently solid breech lockup and pivot shim arrangement well before that. Two things that the FWB never had in it's entire lifespan. They (FWB) had to put the swivel on the block because of the cheesy weak ball lockup.
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I'm not sure cheap stamped steel parts, plastic triggers, a fragile pressed in detent wedge that's prone to working loose, a safety that basically just kinda works, flimsy springy breech block shims, a pivot bolt that constantly works loose, and a PLASTIC rear sight can be considered "high quality" by anyone that has owned any other make of German built break barrel.
Be honest here....
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Thumper, i also had the HW35 and still consider it one of the best air rifles all time, preferring it to the 50 and 95 of today, due to its lock up and aforementioned sling swivels, finger grooves and Walnut stock.
(before they changed it for the new stock)
No problems there, but for all that, I still preferred the handling of the sport and and at that time, when the 35 was on Leather seals, the extra 2 ftlbs of power a Sport could make.
With the newer seal, an old stock version 35 making maybe the same power on a good day, might just choose the 35 for the more solid lock up ..no strong argument.
(before they changed it for the new stock)
No problems there, but for all that, I still preferred the handling of the sport and and at that time, when the 35 was on Leather seals, the extra 2 ftlbs of power a Sport could make.
With the newer seal, an old stock version 35 making maybe the same power on a good day, might just choose the 35 for the more solid lock up ..no strong argument.
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My two 124’s have never had detent problems, the plastic trigger on the first copy works as well as the metal trigger on the second copy, and the breech block shims required no maintenance other than a once or twice a year screw tightening. Being honest, the gripes you’re noting are part myth and part truth, but the gun’s performance and accuracy are legendary for a reason - because the gun is as accurate as any springer sporter ever made, and has lasted just as long as the prettier HW‘s. Sure, would have been nice if FWB spent more in the areas they eventually upgraded in the newer Sport, but I wouldn’t trade my 124’s for an HW35, old or new. Seems a lot of the 124 bashing comes from urban legend. You think Maccari would have poured decades of parts/builds/tunes into the 124 if it was a dud? Don’t think so.
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They were both tuned by a Bellfower, CA outfit called Air Ventures, maybe long gone, using factory springs and updated polymer seals. Recently, I took apart one of the two and dropped in a Titan XS No. 1 spring, and power shot up to over 14fpe. I backed off that spring by 1 turn I think (don’t have my spreadsheet handy), to drop it into the high 13’s. Personally, I’m ok with the higher energy but if a really benign shot cycle is your thing, knocking it down to mid-high 12’s/low 13’s is a better spot for many. The newer Sport has a bigger power plant so is perhaps better suited to the 14fpe range, without stretching its limits. Also keep in mind I’m quoting 8.2g wadcutters… energy varies a fair amount with pellet weight (1-2 fpe). The 124 energy drops off a bit more than the newer Sport with the heavier pellets, not surprising.
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The best power I get is with the AA 8.4 gr pellet @ 807 fps . All the AA pellets seem to
produce higher velocities than the JSB's of the same weight. Mine has a stock spring
and ARH Mongoose piston seal. Oh !...the same weight JSB 8.4 gr hit 797 fps.
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My barrel pivot bolt does come loose over time but not a big deal. I prefer the barrel style detent over
the ball type but like you, I've never had any problems with it.
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