FWB 300S (top) and 600.
This report covers:
The test
H&N Finale Match Heavy — FWB 300S
H&N Finale Match Heavy — FWB 600
RWS R10 Match Heavy — FWB 600
RWS R10 Match Heavy — FWB 300S
Summary
There wasn’t supposed to be a Part 2 to this report, but several readers asked for one. They wanted to see the same test performed at 25 yards, so today I pit the FWB 300S against the FWB 600 at 25 yards.
The test
Today’s test is almost identical to the one done at 10 meters except for the distance and the targets. I shot off a bench at 25 yards with both rifles rested on a sandbag. I shot 5 shots with each pellet. The targets were 10-meter pistol targets because I was using the non-optical target sights and, when viewed from 25 yards, the 10-meter pistol bull appears almost exactly the same size as the 10-meter rifle bull at 10 meters.
H&N Finale Match Heavy — FWB 300S
First to be tested was the 8.18-grain H&N Finale Match Heavy pellet. The FWB 300S put five of them into a 25-yard group that measures 0.311-inches between centers. At 10 meters a group of five of the same pellet from this rifle measured 0.163-inches between centers. This one is just under twice that size. Over twice the distance: less than twice the size — good shooting or not? You readers didn’t think much of what the 300S did in the 10-meter test. What about now?
At 25 yards the FWB 300S put five H&N Finale Match Heavy pellets into a 0.311-inch group.
H&N Finale Match Heavy — FWB 600
The FWB 600 put 5 H&N Match Heavy pellets into a 0.163-inch group at 25 yards. At 10 meters the group size was 0.057-inches, so this one is almost three times that size. Strange! And yes, I’m aware this group measures the same size as the 300S ten-meter group. That is not a mistake.
At 25 yards the FWB 600 put five H&N Match Heavy pellets into a 0.163-inch group.
RWS R10 Match Heavy — FWB 600
Now I switched to the RWS R10 Match Heavy pellet. And the rifle was still the FWB 600. This is the one that in the 10-meter test grouped five in 0.043-inches. Today though — five went into 0.399-inches between centers! I do not know what happened. There were no called pulls; the group is just four times larger than expected. It’s the largest group of today’s test.
Looking at the group it seems obvious that there were two different aim points. I didn’t see them when I shot, but the target shows them clearly.
Shooting the RWS R10 Match Heavy pellet the FWB 600 put five into 0.399-inches at 25 yards.
RWS R10 Match Heavy — FWB 300S
Next up was the 300S. I expected to see an even larger group that the one you just saw and the final shot went off before I was ready. I would have shot another group but these five went into 0.39-inches and the group looked pretty good to me. In the 10-meter test this rifle put five of these pellets into a group that measures 0.163-inches between centers. That makes this one just a little over twice as large.
The FWB 300S put five RWS R10 Match Heavy pellets into a 0.39-inch group at 25 yards.
Summary
Well, I did the test and there are the results. This isn’t a thing I will do regularly as 10 meters is the range for these airguns. I know some of you readers like to shoot them farther and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I will stick to what they were designed to do.
Tom,
10 meters might be the limit of these guns but I’m seeing the potential of wadcutters at ranges beyond the 10 meters where they are usually used. Yes they probably will lose velocity faster than round nose pellets and tumble earlier but at the proper distance (probably anything under 50 yards) they will be good for pests and making a can tumble with authority.
Siraniko
Siraniko,
I think the effective range for wadcutters is only 30 yards. That is what I have heard anyway. Seems B.B. is not inclined to do that test….
But boy is that FWB 600 accurate!!
-Y
Quite an eye opening report isn’t it?
I apologize for my absence
.
I have been reading the blog. It’s usually 1030 or 11 at night, but I’m reading the blog.
My wife changed jobs. I’m still in the same job. We moved to a new location.
We are still in Houston.
We started unpacking and were about a quarter of the way through it when the hurricane hit Houston.
As of today, July 15th, eight days later, we are still without power.
We are using an emergency generator, and it’s working it’s behind off with the Houston Heat & Humidity
Yogi just gave me a future blog topic.
Things we have all heard over the years and has become accepted as facts (whether it’s really true or not.)
I just wanted to give everyone an update.
Happy Shooting!
Ian
Ian,
It’s good to hear from you and I’m sorry you are still without power. I live in Texas, too, and I know how hot it gets! Plus there is your fridge, microwave and other appliances that don’t work as well without power.
I hope they return the power to you soon. You are in my prayers.
BB
“As of today, July 15th, eight days later, we are still without power.”
Ian,
I’m sorry to hear that, but happy to hear that you have a generator!
Back in 2004 (in Florida), we lost power for 13 days.
On day 13, on my way to work, I saw a sign at Home Depot, “We have generators!”
Hence, I stopped in and got one.
When I got home, my wife’s like, “You bought a generator?!? The power came back on at 11:00 AM.”
Me: “Well, I bought the generator at 7:00 AM.”
Her: “You can take it back tomorrow.”
Me: “No returns once you put gas and oil in it…besides…we might need it again.”
A week later, the next hurricane hit. My wife woke up under a/c (one small bedroom unit), and I told her,
“You can microwave your tea, and there’s hot water for showers, since both wells are working…thanks to the generator; plus, the frig is powered up, as well as all the fans and the TV and DVD player.”
She decided the generator was awesome, and we’ve always had one ever since.
Now we’re in middle Georgia; there aren’t as many hurricanes, but we’ve lost power a half a dozen times since moving to the farm. “Rural” means well water; so, without a generator, we’d have no running water…most uncool. Thankfully, “Genny” runs everything except the stove (don’t really need it) and the central air (keep the doors closed to keep the cool air in and run the fans). As far as I’m concerned, Genny is worth her weight in gold. 🙂
I hope you get your power back on soon; but thank God you’ve got a generator!!!
Blessings to you,
dave
45Bravo,
I look forward to your myth
(Things we have all heard over the years and has become accepted as facts (whether it’s really true or not.)
busting!
Hope you get your power back soon.
shootski
“You readers didn’t think much of what the 300S did in the 10-meter test. What about now?”
BB,
You can color me impressed!
I remember (to the best of my not-so-fantastic memory), in one of his catalogs or articles, Robert Beeman saying that, with a scope on it, the 300S was one of his favorites for hunting squirrels.
I’m sure he was looking at accuracy over horsepower; and clearly, as you’ve demonstrated here, the 300S has the accuracy to make an ethical brain shot on squirrels at that distance.
These days, it seems many people want to “shoot stuff from far away.”
Back when I hunted small game a lot (mostly with air rifles), I was in the “get close…then get a bit closer” school of thought; headshots were the way to go; and both my Sheridan and my RWS45 had the power to do the job.
Based on your report, I’d say Dr. Beeman had a good point; if I wanted to hunt squirrels, this 300S surely has the accuracy to take them out to 25 yards; and that’s on the far end of the distance I like to use for that.
(I never like to take a chance on wounding any game animal and having it get away.)
Thank you for doing a part 2 on this classic rifle. 🙂
Blessings to you,
dave
Squirrels are game animals, shades of Beverly Hillbilly’s? How does Granny cook them up?
-Y
Yogi,
Squirrels are tasty, Google “squirrel recipes” and you’ll find lots. I harvest 12 to 18 each fall for meat and fly tying material.
The meat is like chicken in color. Keeping in mind that wild squirrels are very athletic, the young are tender but the older ones require marinating and longer cooking.
Interesting how different cultures/exposures affect our perspective. My Aunt visited from Holland and we had a barbecue. She was shocked that we served CORN because that was pig food! She did try and enjoyed it.
I like to try foods from different countries, very rare that I don’t like them.
Hank
Hank,
I personally like squirrel gravy. Slow cook them until the meat falls off the bone and then make a big pot of white gravy with the meat.
Sounds great RR!
RR
Yep,, it’s sausage gravy swapping squirrel for the pig. I love them both. In fact, I do much the same when I make chicken fried steak. It’s all about the “drippins”.
Maybe that’s why I’m fat. But I’m happy.
Ed
Old, fat, bald and happy. 🙂
Hank-
During WW2 my father in law (US Army) was assigned to a Civil Affairs unit charged with getting things (water, electric, government, etc) up and running behind the front lines. He would be billeted with local families. In Holland he ‘happened upon’ some good roasting ears of corn. His hosts were aghast when he asked them to cook ‘em up. He ended up doing it himself and they looked at he and his squad happily eating away as if they each had three heads.
Vana2,
Yup, PIG FOOD
is the reaction my parents had when we first came to the USA from Austria. Once they had some corn on the cob they became aficionados of Silver Queen.
shootski
LOL! Yep, as Hank, RR, and edlee say below, they are pretty tasty! 😉
Yogi,
There are states in the US where there are squirrel seasons, legal methods of take, and bag limits.
shootski
In Cali there is no season for ground squirrels. They are considered a nuisance and are available to harvest year round.
-Y
Yogi,
WP is messing again!
Anyway the squirrels most folks eat are tree squirrels Grey and blacks usually.
https://squirrelenthusiast.com/can-you-eat-ground-squirrel/
I have heard not to eat squirrels, of any kind, in the summertime for health reasons.
shootski
Dave,
My FWB 300S is scoped and sees more duty as a plinker and pester than paper puncher. It’s ideal for sparrows and chipmunks.
My 603 (peep sights) is primarily for 10 meter target work but sees regular use plinking spinners.
Hank
You can have the 603. I would druther have the 300S. I am still waiting on that pistol of yours. 😉
RR,
I’m liking the P8x as a PCP but find that the charging cycle of the 100 – open, load, close, etc. – helps to mentally prepare for the next shot. SSPs are cool!
Hank
“My FWB 300S is scoped and sees more duty as a plinker and pester than paper puncher.”
Hank, I think that’s pretty cool. 😉
One of my favorite tests, congratulations! Great grouping. Wadcutters can be very accurate – I think 30meters is the max range.
BB
Have you tried JSB pellets? Like Exact Express? They have higher BC and can be very accurate at long distance.
Tomek,
No, I have not tried JSB domes. I haven’t tried any domed pellet — as I remember.
Oh, boy. All you readers seem to want more with these two rifles. Okay, I will try some domes.
BB
BB, that would be great!!!
BB,
I used to scope my FWB 601 and shoot out to fifty yards.
You remember it. It was the air rifle Mac and I did the Tarantula Dance over. I ended up with Mac’s Talon SS that you had built.
BB,
With my springer and SSP airguns I will use wadcutters for pesting at close range (<15 yards) but will usually default to domes when shooting outdoors.
I'd be interested to see a 25 yard test with domes as well.
Hank
BB
Count me in as being really interested in testing the 300/600 with domed pellets.
By the way great shooting. For me there is a pattern that at 25 yards the groups are doubled, more or less. So one can figure out easily his potential according to what he wants to shoot. We will wait for the 25 yards test with domed JSBs for the final decisions though…
BB
Like tomek I’m a fan of JSB Express domes (AA Express domes also). They are the most accurate pellets in several of my air rifles including my FWB300S. I do enjoy these airgun comparison tests. I almost bought a 601 a few years ago but the price was a little too steep. I’m inclined to believe the accuracy differences have more to do with individual barrels on these fabulous oldie match rifles than models. But your 603 performance is quite impressive. Or is it a 600?
Here’s to your improving health sir!
Deck
B.B.,
What domes but NO bullets?
I think you should try, to break out of the always done it that way mold, some of the lightest H&N (slugs) just for fun ;^)
shootski
JSB 8.44 4.52mm’s be very accurate in my LG 380 on low wind days from 30-50 yards. But it’s shooting pretty hot at 650 fps.
Brent
Thanks for the interesting report. I find this type of rifle/shooting to be most interesting. I am trying to figure out the possible reason(s) for the split group and apparent two aim points in the results for the FWB 600/RWS R10 test. Just looking at the photo at the top of the page, the FWB 600 rear sight appears to not include the soft rubber eye cup. Do you think that an possible inconsistent distance (from the aiming eye to the peep hole) due to not having a cup to butt up against could be the culprit?
Elmer,
Not having an eye cup could be the reason for the group split.
BB
BB,
I myself have had two FWB 300S’s and an FWB 601. I would really like to get another FWB 300 to live here at RidgeRunner’s Home For Wayward Airguns. It has been my experience that a rebuilt FWB 300 is a tad more powerful and better shooting at longer ranges than the FWB 600 series.
Maybe I am just prejudice. I so regret having traded both of those FWB 300’s off many years ago.
RR
There is a slight possibility for my 300s Junior to emigrate in the States with Roaming Greco when he has the opportunity to visit Greece. Maybe he ends up not liking it so you can have your chance.
Bill,
Right. He is not about to let go of that if he gets his grubby little paws on it. I would really like to see it come live here, but I will not be holding my breath. 😉
RR,
I think that it’s hard to get SSP’s above their designed velocity because the compression chamber is fixed. There is more latitude with springs in spring-powered 10M rifles. That’s why I got a spring/powered 10 rifle over an SSP. I was waiting for the Webley Paradigm, but it never materialized.
Brent
Brent,
I also was hoping for it. Webley went belly up before it became. I did track down the designer and he was willing to build them if he had enough orders, but that did not seem to happen either.
The truth is it was a kind of a hybrid between a SSP and a sproinger. It had a pretty complicated firing mechanism. It is probably just as well it did not happen.
I have had both and much prefer the old sproinger ten-meter air rifles over the SSPs. Those “old gals” were usually a little more powerful than the SSPs to begin with. My experience has been they were more accurate past twenty-five yards.
RR
All I know is I thank you much for the 300’s.
I still have the one I modified and sorry I have 2 lists of air guns. One list is for keepers the other list is airguns to let go.
You can guess what list the 300 I have still is on.
Wish I could help you get another 300. The only thing I know is Buldawg could still have the other one I got from you. Maybe something could happen there?
I have heard less from him than you. If you should move that to the other list, let me know. 😉
RR
I will let you know for sure. But as the saying goes.
Don’t hold your breath.
Believe me, I won’t. In either case.
BB
Holey smokes!
That’s some fine shootin!
rk
To be honest I’m quite impressed how the 300S did the 25yards. Great schooting BB!
Now I get those stupid thoughts to give my 300S a scope…
BTW guys – I put a red dot on my FWB800 basic. I realized how difficult it would be to put a scope on this rifle because of the cocking leaver. It is not adjustable as it is in the FT design. But I knew that… Just to make it a fun to shot rifle I tried this red dot. I was so surprized how accurate it shoots! Amazing. And the best part – I can shot with both eyes open. I’m so impressed! I can see clearly the dot on the target and the left eye does not have no issues. Red dot is Diana made – pretty robust, not expensive (1x30mm). It has 11 stages of how bright the dot is. Very easy to zero it.
Tomek
I don’t think there’s a better red dot for the price that is sold, rings included, in Europe.
Bill,
I was amazed. 55EUR… all included. Price-performance like a hammer. Most important – it is damn accurate and easy to zero it.
Plus the long shade cap…
And microfibre towel, and hex wrench. But – WITHOUT 2032 battery.
tomek,
I do not know if it is available for your 800, but I was able to get a short loading port for my 601 and then put a scope on it.
RR,
Thank you for information. I think it is available. Even when not – I can customize it. I was aware about that and to be honest there is no plan for scope at the moment. 10m diopter or fun to shot red dot. I will not try to force this rifle to 50yards, there will be relaxed shooting at 30 – 35 yards. At the moment I’m very excited with this red dot performance. In two weeks there will be full range program to test 🙂 We are going to visit family in PL for 3 weeks. I take 5k pellets with me.
This morning RRHFWA was under siege. Every window I looked out this morning were deer. They were everywhere.
It is not unusual for there to be a large number of fuzzy-tailed tree rats in my front yard. There are typically over a dozen of them around and under our bird feeder and stealing our apples.
You would think that with all of the airguns here, I would not have this issue. Mrs. RR will not let me shoot any of these critters. I am to the point in life I would rather watch and/or photograph them anywho.
RR
A new business opportunity! You could open a petting zoo and call it Ridge Runner’s Home for Wayward Animal Groups! RRHWAG!
Brent
Brent,
Have you ever tried to pet a squirrel? I have caught them and I would not recommend doing such.
A few years ago I attempted to see if a squirrel would eat a piece of bread out of my hand. It tried to. But it also very suddenly jumped onto my arm in order to try to get to the bread. I instinctively slung it off of my arm and it’s claws bloodied my arm as it tried to hang on to my arm. This was in a public gardens facility where the squirrels were not the least bit afraid of people. Live and learn…
The hard way.
RR,
I was talking about the deer! Never tried to catch a squirrel because I knew better! But I did have a pet chipmunk, and when he/she wasn’t happy, sometimes he’d grab my thumb and give it a nip
Brent
The deer around here will not sit still that long around here. Too many hunters.
There has also been a black bear seen around here a few times in the last couple of years. He/she has fortuitously “mauled” my apple trees this past fall. I now only have two granny smith trees instead of three and they are not happy.
Mrs. RR calls it “Boo-boo” and says it needs to eat also.
RidgeRunner,
I don’t know if you want to share this with Mrs. RidgeRunner but a “distant” relative of Boo-boo had an unfortunate end near the Pentagon just a month ago:
https://www.arlnow.com/2024/06/15/new-bear-struck-by-car-and-killed-on-i-395/
shootski
RR,
Yeah, restrictions here as well, any critter with a name is off limits. Fortunately, my wife doesn’t like squirrels so I’m OK there. 🙂
My property (and the area for miles around) is a diverse mixture of trees, brush, marsh, open areas and beaver pond. Consequently we have amphibians, reptiles, birds, bugs and mammals of all types. In the time to drink a coffee you might see a couple of dozen birds of several species. Our “bird list” is over 60 species ranging from hummingbirds to turkeys.
Lots of deer here. The other day a fawn had the “zoomies” and was running circles around me while I was weeding the garden. Fun to watch them.
Mrs. RR likes all furry woodland creatures. Since I have not had to hunt for quite some time, I let her get away with it. If I get hungry, all bets are off.
Funny thing, Casa FM has not been besieged by obnoxious reptiles since the last trespasser was taken by either your former Max .22 or FM’s Hunter version, same caliber. That was on Sept. 1, ’23. The only ones in evidence now hang around on the next-door neighbor’s roof; yesterday he had six iguanas sunbathing under the fierce Florida sun. They would be such easy pickings, even for FM…but they must know that roof is their sanctuary. 🙁
Wonder how tolerant Mrs. RR would be of them; Mrs. FM sheds no tears when they’re made to disappear.
FM,
I have no idea how tolerant Mrs. RR would be with my shooting iguanas, but I suspect that it would also not be allowed. Now she has no complaints when the dog kills anything around here. Goselyn’s latest victims have been the myriad little lizards around here. She would likely have a serious impact on any iguana infestation we would likely have.
You need to talk with your neighbor.
Hey Guys,
I just finished my data analysis for work and came down to basement, first shot with this red dot and 😀 big smile. I don’t know what it is. I think I’m not able to shot so good with the original diopter (which is now high end on the 800 system).
Nice!
I think the phrase “you can only shoot as good as you can see” has a lot to do with the group sizes at 25 yards. I think BB was doing his job but you just cannot see tiny changes in direction with open sights that you would notice with a scope.
So, if BB needs another shoot at-home blog he could do a 25 yard group with both rifles using the same scope.
David Enoch
My FWB 300S likes JSB 7.87 pellets better than wadcutters. I’ve tried RWS Meisterkugeln, both pistol and rifle, R-10 and other pellets of various weights.
BB is not fooling me. You may have noticed he is good at shooting out to twenty-five yards, but not too much for fifty and one hundred yards. Those longer shots require he go outside to the range. At twenty-five yards or less he is still inside his air-conditioned home.
When he does go to the range, he likes to set up before daylight. Once the sun comes up, it is too hot to be there. Wind? Yeah, right. I have been in central Texas in the summer. Phew!
It was ninety-five in the shade here today. I was going to do some shooting today but decided against it. Mrs. RR told me to wait until the sun went down some. I can only imagine what it is like in Texas.
RidgeRunner,
Why wonder?
Humidity 35%
Wind Speed SW 14 G 23 mph
Barometer 29.94 in (1012.5 mb)
Dewpoint 67°F (19°C)
Visibility 10.00 mi
Heat Index 104°F (40°C)
Last update 15 Jul 2:53 pm CDT
;^)
shootski
I am not wondering.
I put a Diana post in the front sight tunnel of my FWB 300s and a bipod underneath using an adapter on the hand stop rail.
It is great fun in that configuration for microsniping off a bench.