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Spending some time with my new Walther LGU

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bberg7794

bberg7794

Member
Feb 22, 2021
85
34
New York State, only minutes from the Canadian bor
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In early April I purchased what I believed to be the second to last .177 Walther LGU that Krale had in stock. This rifle started life as a 23 Joule Varmint model with the composite thumbhole stock. When I bought this rifle, I was actually looking for the Master Pro version, but they were nowhere to be found in .177. Luckily, I was able to obtain a perfect LGU Master stock from a forum member here and also a trigger guard with screws from Airgun Spares, so I ended up with the rifle I was looking for. While swapping the stocks, I took the opportunity to disassemble the spring mechanism and removed the excess grease. Since I want to be able to shoot HFT with this rifle, I purchased a SWFA 16x and mounted it in BKL rings. After a couple of range sessions, I found that I didn't have the cheek weld that I like and wished that I had ordered lower rings, so I ordered a pair and installed them today while at the range. I originally ordered the high rings because I was concerned about being able to actuate the safety with my thumb, but I took the chance with the lower rings and now my cheek weld is much better and I still can actually move the safety both directions.

Safety clearance in high rings and low rings:

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I had read several places online that some folks are stripping certain BLK rings on installation. BLK sends cap screws with these rings that have been blunted so the screws can be used to spread the rings (without damaging the end of the threads) to fit onto the dovetail, if necessary. I replaced the provided cap screws with unmodified cap screws, which allow the fastener to grip an additional couple of threads, hopefully preventing any tendency to strip. So far, so good. The high rings survived a couple hundred shots without moving before I replaced them with the lower rings.

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The trigger is stock, but I have a trigger from AGN member Eric Pianori waiting to be installed. I hope to find time to do this soon as I am used to the triggers on my smallbore match rifles, which vary between 4 and 6 1/2 ounces. This trigger really isn't very heavy in the world of triggers, but since I am used to such a light trigger, it seems like I am really pressing on this trigger to release the shot. I will be happy if I can have a trigger that breaks at around a pound.

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View down to the target 50 yards away.

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On my first range outing, I put around 70 pellets down range. This was my last and best group of the first outing. I didn't get 10 shots in because another member of our club had to come and check out my air rifle.

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These are the targets from my second outing. I averaged 1 1/8 inch groups with AirArms Diabolo Field 8.4 grain pellets. Six ten-shot groups with three groups under 1 inch-the smallest at 5/8 inch center to center. With the H&N Field Target Trophy 8.64 grain pellets, my groups averaged 15/16 inch. Six ten-shot groups with four groups under 1 inch-the smallest at 3/4 inch.

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Even though my cheek weld is better with the lower rings, I didn't shoot as well as I did last time. I had two ten-shot groups at 1 inch with the Air Arms pellets, but no groups were below one inch this evening. My average group size was 1.15 inches with the Air Arms pellets (4 groups of 10). I averaged 1 1/8 inch with JSB Exact 8.44 grain (5 groups of 10) and 1.475 inch with the H&N FTT pellets (5 groups of 10). 
 
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Thanks everyone! I am happy I picked this rifle up when I did. I began looking for a springer late last year-read a lot of threads here and elsewhere. I wanted something I could target shoot with outdoors that would offset some of my smallbore and high power shooting. I also wanted something that would be suitable for Field Target. After a lot of reading, an LGU in .177 sort of rose to the top of my list. When I began looking for one, it was clear that they had stopped production and almost everyone was sold out. I feel lucky to have this one. I probably would have been happy with either an HW97 or a TX200, but several folks mentioned the larger and more vertical grip of the LGU(in the wood stock), and that was what pushed me to this rifle. The size, weight, and vertical grip of this rifle feels similar to my other match rifles, which is a good thing.

@Crow-The closest field target club to me is just outside Prescott, Ontario. I hope to make it up there for a few matches someday.

BB
 
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Good thread. Made me break out my LGU from the back of the safe where it has rested far too long. I had a great time smacking things on my plinking range I really enjoy that rhythm of cocking and firing a springer, especially this LGU.
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Thanks! I enjoy the rhythm of loading you mention too, though the loading cycle presents a challenge in that the shooter has to break position every single shot. Having shot only PCP and powder burners for many years, I find the shot cycle or recoil of this rifle "interesting."

BB,

Nice rifle and good shooting! .

FYI, other than Canada, there are still matches left this year in Binghamton and Rochester if you want to take a day trip on a Saturday sometime. There is usually at least a couple of us using LGUs. 

Enjoy the new toy and also welcome to the world of Field Target!
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Thank you! I will consider it. Both clubs you mention are around 3 1/2 hours away. I think the drive to the club near Prescott, Ontario will be about an hour or possibly less. I have to allow for a longer border crossing with the air rifle since Canadian Border Services will be required to inspect it.

I have to get some different pellets coming to test and learn to shoot this springer. Then I will attempt shooting from Field Target positions. Looking forward to it!


 
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I recently read Hector Medina's airgun blog (22 July, 2021, chapter 8) about removing the muzzle cap and cocking lever latch to improve accuracy in the LGU, so I thought I would give it a try. I brought home a couple of neodymium magnets from work and taped them to the alloy muzzle tube with electrical tape (to secure the cocking lever), then removed the muzzle cap and lever latch. This made cleaning the barrel with a PatchWorm much easier. I suspected after my last range session, which wasn't as satisfying as my first two in regards to group sizes, that my barrel could use a cleaning so I took care of that yesterday.

Upon arrival at the range, I knew that I needed to shoot some pellets to season the bore and sighters to check my scope setting after removing the weight from the muzzle. But first, there were a couple club members who were very curious about this LGU and one of them sent the first two pellets of the evening toward the target. After firing a few pellets myself, I shot a group and discovered my rifle was putting the pellets 3 1/2 inches left of the point of aim at 50 yards. Either this was because of removing the weight from the muzzle, or my windage knob was turned without my knowledge (doubtful). I ended up shooting around 30 pellets before trying my first 10-shot group.

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First group.

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Five 10-shot groups of JSB Exact 8.44's averaged just over 1 1/16 inch, though a couple flyers were definitely my fault. Also, during my first few groups of the JSB's there was some breeze and I was trying to shoot during the lulls. Next-three 10-shot groups of Air Arms Diabolo Field 8.4's averaged 3/4 inch (13/16, 9/16, and 7/8)! I'm not yet sure if these Air Arms pellets perform that much better of if I was finally settling in with some consistency behind the rifle, so more groups will be required. During the final group the sun was getting low and I was beginning to have some trouble seeing the crosshairs against the black bull at 50 yards.

Shortly after discovering Airgun Nation and GTA, I read about the 10-dimes challenge and have been looking forward to trying it ever since, so I put up a 10-dimes target at 25 yards. Unfortunately, it was getting pretty dark by this time. While shooting the fifth dime, I had to hold the reticle off the dime to see the correct diamond for my hold under for 25 yards, so I decided to pack up and head home.

I noticed this evening that I can rest the weight of my head on the comb, but otherwise hold very lightly and shoot good groups. I am going to remember to begin with this hold next time at the range. Also, after my last range session I was a bit disappointed with my groups, but after tonight I am pretty happy. Hope to be able to continue this trend. Off to clean my barrel and order more pellets.

Lastly, the great thing about air rifles is that I can send a couple hundred pellets downrange for less than the cost of fuel to drive to the range. I can't do that with my smallbore rifle and it's not even close on high power night.
 
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