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Walther LGU rifle

Walther LGU rifle

Amongst the UK airgun shooting fraternity, Walther have long been known for their top-quality CO2 powered pistols and rifles. However, I’m reliably informed that nigh on half a century ago they launched a spring powered rifle known as the LGV. It wasn’t until 2012 that the company ‘re-used’ the LGV denotation for a totally new break-barrel action springer. This rifle was also a break barrel, but one that featured new technology that helped the rifle to be very quiet on discharge, plus it had an ultra-smooth firing cycle. However, although that rifle received praise-heaping reviews in the shooting press, sales were slow, but I’d hazard a guess that was due to the price hovering around the £500 mark.

Why this short history lesson I hear you ask? Well the good news is that the new Walther under-lever rifle – the LGU featured here – is ‘priced bang on the button’, quite lower than the rifles it undoubtedly is going up against – those being the Air Arms TX200 and Weihrauch HW97K.

However, although the rifle bears more than a slight resemblance to those classic air rifles, there are more than a few unique features incorporated into the action. But more of these later…

Meaty Beastm

On initial inspection the LGU is a very stylish-looking rifle with the ‘blacked’ metalwork having a very high-lustre finish in contrast to the matte lacquer finish of the nicely grained beech wood stock.

The fully ambidextrous woodwork is quite a chunky piece of timber and features a high and well-defined cheekpiece plus ventilated black rubber buttpad. Checkering is generously applied to the steep drop down pistol grip, while the relatively lengthy forend has a reasonable length of scalloping crafted along the mid-section to aid grip. Although at the base of the pistol grip the brand name has been incorporated into the wood, the stock is actually manufactured by Italian firm Minnelli, so it’s obvious by the quality of the stock alone that Walther haven’t cut corners to be able to offer the rifle at a very sensible price.

However, due to the extra metalwork, an under-lever action needs, and the stock being so substantial, results in the LGU weighing in at a hefty 9.1lbs un-scoped. In other words this is an adultsized Sporter with a capital ‘A’, and with one of today’s more favoured models of full-featured optics on board, I’m sure most shooters won’t want to take too many shots unsupported.

Under-Lever Cocking

In the closed position, the under-lever is held securely under the barrel by a sprung ball bearing détente, but ‘unlatches’ quite easily. Unusually though, two hard rubber O-rings are installed at the front to help you grip the lever and prevent ‘over-travel’ when closed. Although I can’t foresee these perishing anytime in the near future, I’m sure I’m not alone in saying a cocking aid/sleeve at this position would have been preferable; but who knows, maybe one will be available eventually as an aftermarket optional extra?

The cocking stroke is quite lengthy but very, very smooth in operation. The action uses a safety ‘ratchet’ system (antibeartrap) which is felt and heard during the cocking stroke. You hear three clicks as it progresses back until finally engaging with the trigger sears. As the rifle is cocked the sliding stainless steel breech cover slides back into the action to expose the breech for direct pellet loading. Also upon completion the autosafety slide catch positioned at the very rear of the air cylinder engages. So combined with the anti-beartrap mechanism this is a very safe rifle to operate for cocking and loading.

Once a pellet is thumbed directly into the now exposed breech, an elongated rocker catch positioned just rear of the sliding breech on the right of the action needs to be pressed inwards, which allows you to return the under-lever to the original closed position. In respect of the loading bay when open, you can see its only ‘cut out’ from the right of the action to approximately just over the mid-way position at the top, possibly making it tricky to load for south paws.

Hidden Inside

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The cocking action and particularly the firing cycle are amongst the most smooth I’ve experienced from a production mechanical action air rifle. The reason for this is the clever design of the internals and the comprehensive use of modern synthetics at key areas. Like the LGV break-barrel, the LGU’s piston is free to actually rotate around its axis upon firing, virtually eliminating the vibration that can be caused by the mainspring uncoiling.
Add to this that both the piston skirt and outer side of the spring sleeve run on Delrin rings, and it all combines to afford such a smooth, quiet and almost ‘dead’ firing cycle. Walther term this as their Silent Spring Technology (SST) and Vibration Reduction System (VRS).

Due to the muzzle section’s outward appearance, you’d be forgiven in thinking the rifle has an integral silencer up-front, but this is actually a hollow muzzle weight. If you so wish you can remove the end cap to fit the optional ½-inch UNF threaded silencer adaptor. However, so quiet is this rifle on discharge I definitely wouldn’t want to add any extra length to the gun by screwing a can up-front.

 

Sighting and Firing

Scoping up is catered for by a very lengthy run of well-cut dovetails which include three stud arrestor holes at the rear. I scoped up with a Hawke Sidewinder 30 4-16x50 SF IR with a Half-Mil-Dot reticle as I really wanted to test push the .177 calibre test rifle’s accuracy potential to the limit.

Although the steep angle of the drop down pistol grip might not be to everybody’s taste, seasoned shooters will appreciate the design as it positions the shooting hand nigh on perfectly to operate the top quality 2-stage adjustable trigger unit. I say this because the metal blade is ideally positioned within the metal trigger guard for your forefinger to effortlessly connect onto. The blade itself is very well contoured with a relatively slim yet flat-fronted edge which you soon appreciate for the superior trigger feel it affords. The rear position metal slide auto-safety catch is also well positioned for the thumb of the shooting hand.

Settling down for some accuracy testing at a 30 yard zero, the superbly smooth firing cycle and lack of any undue recoil soon translated into consistent groups.

Shooting while resting off a bag or when I adopted the over-knee FT shooting position resulted in clover leaf pellet calibre size clusters. The LGU seemed to prefer Air Arms Field Diablo Heavy which I could push out to 40 yards and still achieve ‘finger-nail’ size groupings.

Conclusion

The Walther LGU shoots on a par with many a custom-tuned springer. Its overall weight obviously helps quell recoil but it’s the ingenuity of the internals that affords the rifle to be so inherently accurate and quiet. Obviously Walther hasn’t scrimped in the trigger department as the unit has enough adjustment for first and second stage pull so can be tweaked to suit the most finicky. At risk of repetition, my only gripe is the weight of the rifle, and although it does feel front-heavy without an optic, when scoped up the weight does comes back towards the centre. However, you’d be wise to consider fitting a set of sling swivels studs and a padded sling if going walkabout with this solidly built rifle.

Considering price to performance, the Walther LGU is one of the best spring powered air rifles currently on the market and that in itself makes it certainly worthy of any airgunners consideration.

My thanks to T & J. J McAvoy Ltd (01257 426129 www.guns.gb.com) for supplying the test rifle.
Model: Walther LGU

PRICE: RRP £349.99
CONTACT: Armex 0121 643 4900 www.armex.co.uk

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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  • Walther LGU rifle - image {image:count}

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gun
features

  • Type: Single-Shot, under-lever cocking, spring & piston rifle
  • Stock: Ambidextrous beech wood Sporter
  • Sights: No sights fitted but grooved for scope mounting
  • Overall Length: 41.3-inches
  • Barrel: 12.1-inches
  • Weight: 9.2lbs un-scoped
  • Calibre: .177 on test .22 calibre available
  • Silencer adaptor: RRP £28.99
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