FWB Thrust piece 17483461

The firm of Feinwerkbau Westinger & Altenburger GmbH was founded after the Second World War by engineers Karl Westinger and Ernst Altenburger, becoming a registered company in 1951. In the early years, up to 1960, the company's main source of income was the production of precision parts for other well-known companies. This period witnessed the development of the electro-mechanical calculator, at the time a very advanced product, and this was produced in large quantities by Olympia Werke in Wilhelmshaven. Right up to 1975, all Olympia calculators were developed in Oberndorf for serial production in Wilhelmshaven. Following the establishment of the German Shooting Union in 1956, the founders of the company - both experienced gunmakers - developed the first competition air rifle, which featured a side-lever cocking mechanism, fixed barrel and patented recoilless action. This revolutionary product was a sensation in the early Sixties and won enthusiastic acclaim from all target shooters. Within a short period of time, almost all existing records had been shattered and targets were made smaller, but Feinwerkbau rifles still produced consistently world-beating results. This success was repeated in 1965 with the introduction of Feinwerkbau air pistols. Thanks to these advances, Feinwerkbau was responsible for a dramatic improvement in the standards of high-precision shooting across the globe, and the enormous demand which was generated for Feinwerkbau target arms enabled the company to expand massively into the world of high-precision sporting arms. The ensuing years saw the production of spring-piston airguns, CO2 rifles and pistols, pre-compressed air-guns and most recently the development of compressed-air guns. The addition of a small-bore pistol, the AW93, and a complete range of small-bore target rifles complete the range of Feinwerkbau sporting guns. To this day, Feinwerkbau still manufactures high precision parts and limited editions for other famous companies, thereby encouraging and maintaining the highest level of quality on the part of both management and staff. The company employs some 130 people at present and is managed by Michael Westinger and Manfred Kötzle.