The Mysterious East!

A place to discuss and share pictures, reviews, of your pistols.
RobinC
Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by RobinC » Fri Dec 06, 2013 12:06 pm

Now the secret is out! Its a Huanqui built in the Sichuan provence of China as a clone of the Feinwerkbau 65 match pistol initialy in the late 80's and continued into the early 90's.
There were upwards of 5 different factories in China who had a go at making a 65 copy, initialy those were from Shanghai at the instigation of an American company. Some were not so good and the Shanghai versions were in that category but the Sichuan versions were reputed to be as good as the FWB ( we shall see!!)
The version I have is a Sichuan built Huanqui comisioned by Titan Devlopments of Birmingham, now demised, I bought it non working but the faults were not so much Chinese faults as from idiot gunsmiths who had no understanding of the working principles and had modified (bodged) the mechanism, that and that it had been well used and abused, so had the same ravages that a 65 would have had had it been equaly abused. The whole thing has been passed to Graham for his expert attention.

Visualy it looks no different to a FWB 65 other than it had Chinese script, the grip is very similar to the FWB anotomical grip but I believe was produced by Titan and carries the Titan mark.
It came with what was once a nice case and that has also been restored by Graham, I also have a copy of Guns Review from when it was new with a test from them, reading it I gather the tester is not much of a target pistol shooter but the test is quite favourable. I also have a test from the USA which is similar.

I don't consider myself a collector, my so called collection is the rifles and pistols tha my wife and I have used over our 40 year shooting career (and still going), we just mostly kept the guns we used when we moved on to newer and better, so we have a history of what we have done.
I shot a FWB 65 in the UK and abroad, I bought mine new and I still have it, when the Huanqiu was new I would have sneered at it as cheap copy, now I'm fascinated to see how it shapes up to the real thing. Graham is working on the restoration, and when its all complete Bob will test it and photograph it for Bobs airguns site. I have foolishly promised that I will shoot at least one round of the MPL with it, so best I get training, but then if I shoot rubish I can always blame it on the Chinese copy!

zooma
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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by zooma » Fri Dec 06, 2013 12:22 pm

I think it should hold together long enough for you to complete all of the next seasons MPL series.

6 cards per month January to June total 36 cards with 5 shots on each = 216 shots. It should be able to cope with this workload and if you get the cards shot on time we can all meet in July on the Daffodil in Liverpool to give it a fitting send-off :whistle:

..............it would be a shame to waste all of that boyancy foam !
Feinwerkbau P40 Tricolour wanted.........still !
http://www.bobsairguns .com - proud to host the RMTC site since April 2011.

RobinC

Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by RobinC » Sat Dec 07, 2013 10:04 am

I expected the jokes to follow the Chinese take away line, very satisfying to shoot but an hour later you need to do more?
This was built actualy in a time when the FWB had been super ceeded so they did miss the boat and probably why FWB did not seem to be concerned about it. The request for them came from the US and the UK and I wonder if they had a home market?
I'm interested in modern shooting, and the Chinese and other orientals are now really into it in a big way and making a big impact in World Cups, Olympics, and World Championships, which means there will be massive numbers competing in their own countries, currently they use European equipment but I'm sure the time is nigh for them to build their own modern state of the art pistols and rifles.
An article I found on the world wide thing on the replica's is

http://www.ihmsa.org/tom/techarticles/Axelrod%20Air.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's a bit American, and some of the info is wrong but its a guide.
Robin

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zunmik
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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by zunmik » Mon Dec 09, 2013 2:41 pm

Seems like they had some interesting versions in New Zealand of the Titan!, M. :think:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=131
WALTHER LP3],Etc[/b], G0JVB ex G6MUI.

RobinC

Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by RobinC » Mon Dec 09, 2013 3:11 pm

Hi Zunmik
The problem was there were several diferent Chinese companies that made 65 replicas's, so its a bit difficult to determine which were which, and as they were only marked in chinese script, and some were crap and fell apart, this one the Huanqiu made in Sichuan was requested and imported by Titan. I know from reports that the real bad ones came from Shanghai so its hopefull this is one of the better ones.
From the research I did it looks like Titan produced back engineered drawings from stripped FWB's and had parts made first as FWB spares and then complete guns.They put it to 5 compainies before they found one who could work to satisfactory standards and tolerances so it will be intersting to see how it shapes up. I did not do much before I lost interest and realised it needed a detailed rebuild but it looked to me to be a reasonable quality and I'm a bit fussy. Graham says its close enough to use original FWB parts but it will be interesting to see what he thinks when he posts the comparison of parts.
The bodge ups on this one were from a UK "gunsmith" who did not realise it was suposed to slide! He would have done the same to a FWB65!
I only bought it as I started target in '72 with a FWB65 which I still have so it was of interest and it is a bit different. I promised Bob I'd shoot it in the MPL so I hope it works well, although I've not shot pistol for three years so I'm stacking up my excuses!

zooma
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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by zooma » Mon Dec 09, 2013 5:29 pm

It will be more than good enough for you to use in the MPL once Dr Graham has finished with it. ;)
Feinwerkbau P40 Tricolour wanted.........still !
http://www.bobsairguns .com - proud to host the RMTC site since April 2011.

Ian58
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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by Ian58 » Mon Jan 18, 2016 7:54 pm

Hi all
Questions for Robin and graham
new here,
I collect tomorrow a Chinese fwb65,
How do you recognise which version it is
Is there anywhere in the UK that stocks the seals etc
Did you eventually use it and how does it compare to your original fwb
Thanks ian

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zunmik
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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by zunmik » Tue Jan 19, 2016 12:53 pm

Ian58 wrote:Hi all
Questions for Robin and graham
new here,
I collect tomorrow a Chinese fwb65,
How do you recognise which version it is
Is there anywhere in the UK that stocks the seals etc
Did you eventually use it and how does it compare to your original fwb
Thanks ian
I shall follow this thread with interest as i always wanted one in my shooting days,also it makes a change from folk talking about those dodgy old Wobbly's that i would consign to the melting pot, mike. ;) :lol:
WALTHER LP3],Etc[/b], G0JVB ex G6MUI.

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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by Ian58 » Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:02 pm

Hello all ,
I now have the pistol in my clamey little mits,

I got knowing it didn't work, on checking it over it is jammed,
with the lever slightly out and the breech is open by 5 mm
I have read the article on airgunbbs "inside the fwb 65"
It looks as if some one has taken it apart but has taken out the screw in the sight rail which holds in the spring,
Before removing the cocking lever or thought that was the c/l screw

Anyway after removing from the grip frame what do you think I should do next ?
I think that the cocking lever screw is also holding the spring
What do you all think ?
Cheers ian

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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by Ian58 » Fri Jan 22, 2016 9:44 am

Well ,it is a titan,same marks as the one in the us article by axel rod
It was as I surmised ,put it in the spring clamp ,tightened and replaced the retaining screw,
I then dismantled it ,and as with the others all three plastic parts had turned to a sticky goo
Looking at the piston inside the sleeve..very little wear on the metal seal indicates little use.
Waiting for seals now
Will let you know how it goes
Thanks ian

zooma
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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by zooma » Fri Jan 22, 2016 10:02 am

Wonkey Donkey was the guy who ended-up fixing Robin's Titan for him as he had all of the parts that were needed in stock and had the experience to get it back together and working successfully again.

Not all FWB parts (the seemingly obvious first place to check for spares) fit this pistol so this may be helpful.

You could try asking him for parts or advice if you get stuck or contact Robin directly by email or PM.
Feinwerkbau P40 Tricolour wanted.........still !
http://www.bobsairguns .com - proud to host the RMTC site since April 2011.

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Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by Ian58 » Sat Jan 23, 2016 3:38 pm

Hi
Thanks for the replies,
Can't find wonkey donkey on here?
I have seen the follow on post re sending it back to Robin .c
Can't find details of the rebuild and which parts fit
Or the face off between the fwb and titan
But really confused as to who repaired it with parts they had
Should I order a service kit from Germany containing ....3 seals 1600 1223
1253
1243
And the steel ring with a new spring ?
Or can I get them here easily ?
Cheers

RobinC

Re: The Mysterious East!

Post by RobinC » Sun Jan 24, 2016 11:10 am

Hi Ian
PM sent please e mail.
regards
Robin

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