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Education / Training We interrupt our regular program…

We interrupt our regular program…

by Tom Gaylord, a.k.a. B.B. Pelletier

…to have some fun. I mean, that’s what this is all about, isn’t it? Don’t we all shoot airguns for fun?

So, there I am at the range last week with the new Walther LGV, and I’m shooting these groups on a perfect day and all the time I’m wondering the same things most of you wonder right back at me. Things like, “I wonder what my R8 would do at this distance? Could it really group this far?”

But you don’t want to hear about my R8, because you can’t have one of your own. They’re rare birds and hard to come by these days. And, heaven forbid, they cost money — something that makes airgunning a real drag. But I still want to shoot something fun, instead of sticking to the script.

Then it dawned on me. I’m shooting an LGV. And I shot another LGV very recently. Both rifles were great fun. and fun is what I’m looking for today.

But I have another LGV that I haven’t shot in over a year. That LGV is the original LGV Olympia target rifle that was popular back in the 1970s. I reported on it two and a half years ago, but back then I was looking at it solely as a target rifle — lumping it in with the HW55 and the FWB 300. It was a target rifle, to be sure; but in light of the new LGV sporting rifles, might it also be something more? Might it be a low-powered sporting rifle that can shoot at 50 yards? It would certainly be fun to find out. There’s that word, again — fun.

Walther LGV Olympia

Walther LGV Olympia target rifle was a top-quality 10-meter rifle from the 1970s.

What would be fun about shooting a 10-meter rifle at 50 yards? Well, first, could you do it? Of course you could. I know the gun will shoot that far. I even tried shooting my most accurate 10-meter target rifle — an FWB 300S — at 50 yards once. Remember that? It was in Part 5 of the report on the FWB 300S. In fact, it was also in Part 4 of the same report.

But when I reread that report, I discovered that my mindset wasn’t how accurate the rifle could be. It was more like, “How accurate could a 10-meter rifle BE at 50 yards?” (Said with sarcasm) I see that I didn’t even try to pre-qualify pellets at 25 yards before moving out to 50 yards. I went straight from 10 meters out to half a football field in one jump.

But the recent test of the two new LGVs included a 25-yard intermediate stage where I was able to qualify certain pellets and let others fall by the wayside. Shouldn’t that be done for the 10-meter rifle, as well? And that doesn’t even address the possibility of deep-seating the pellets, which we’ve seen in other recent tests can have a profound effect on accuracy.

The LGV Olympia
The Walther LGV Olympia is a vintage wood and steel airgun that does have a plastic triggerguard, but no other plastic on the exterior of the gun. The design is a conventional breakbarrel spring-piston powerplant with one of the lightest cocking efforts and softest recoils ever produced in a factory air rifle. The test rifle cocks with just 13 lbs. of effort. I measured it at 15 lbs. in the lest test, so perhaps my technique has changed or maybe the mainspring has weakened, but I’ll test the velocity and we can make a comparison.

Speaking of comparisons, how does this vintage LGV stack up against the modern rifles? Well, it’s about a pound heavier, and has the capacity for being even heavier by inserting lead weights in the stock. The barrel is enclosed in a heavy steel sleeve that adds about 2 lbs. to the overall weight. And it was weight that Walther used to temper the recoil when this gun was new.

The LGV represents the high-water mark of recoiling spring target rifles from Walther. They built several models in their 50-series, with the model 55 being the last and most well-developed. Then the LGV topped them all. After that, Walther moved into the single-stroke technology that they developed in their LGR rifle and LP II pistol.

Like the modern LGVs, this vintage target rifle has the same barrel latch that locks the barrel shut during firing. It works the same way as the modern barrel latches do; but since it has probably unlocked the gun several thousand times more, it’s a little smoother.

Walther LGV Olympia barrel latch

Like the current LGVs, the target rifle has a barrel latch.

Shooting the LGV Olympia will come as a bit of a shock to anyone unfamiliar with the golden age of spring rifles because there’s almost no recoil. A tuned HW55 can be very calm, but the LGV has no equal when it comes to soft recoil. You feel a pulse but are hard-pressed to say that the rifle actually moves. There’s a very subtle spring twang that will remain on my rifle forever, ’cause ain’t nobody gonna see the insides as long as she’s a-workin’.

The trigger on the Olympia is lighter than the sporting trigger, but not by that much. And the wider trigger blade on the sporting guns makes their triggers feel lighter than they are. So, the triggers are a wash between the vintage guns and the modern sporters. Both are great.

The sights on the Olympia are target aperture sights — front and rear. I plan on keeping the peep sight mounted for this test, as I demonstrated with the FWB 300S that I can shoot just as well with a peep as with a scope.

Walther LGV Olympia barrel jacket nut

The front sight is a hooded globe with inserts.

Walther LGV Olympia rear sight

The rear sight is a precision adjustable aperture sight.

Finally, the finish on the vintage Walther is the one place where hand work shows. The metal is polished smooth and deeply blued in the manner of fine firearms. And the stock is made of walnut rather than beech. It harkens to an earlier time when such things were both possible and expected.

The plan
What I plan to do is shoot the rifle at 25 yards to find the best pellets for long range. I’ll try them both seated flush and deep, and we’ll hopefully get one or two that really shine. Then, we’ll take those to the 50-yard range on a perfect day and see what this baby can really do.

61 thoughts on “We interrupt our regular program…”

  1. There was a bunch of fine airguns made back then.Pretty much most springer’s and I guess a fair share of the pump guns also.I remember ordering from a catalog in 1970(and I still have the catalog somewhere boxed away but cant remember the name for nothing right now).But you could order springer’s in different tunes for a little extra money.So when you did that the accuracy got closer to the match guns which was more expensive compared to the normal guns you could buy.Back then and now I always wanted the most accurate gun I could get then that way I didn’t have to work as hard to get good shots.And as far as the horsepower wars go for the airguns I found that sometimes the gun shoots better when you turn the power down to the right spot.One of my most favorite guns to shoot right now is my Crosman 1720T pistol with the 1399 stock and Hawke Varmit scope.I do have it turned up a bit more than stock.But just where the Superdomes like it at the range I shoot.Its shooting .177 cal. RWS Superdomes at around 790 fps.This gun and my other guns for that fact are zeroed at 50 yrds.The gun has the Lothar Walther barrel from the factory and it just drops the pellets in unbelievable groups.I’m shooting from a rest so I know that’s helping but I know some of the features of the gun is whats making it shoot so good.And it is the quietest PCP gun I have right now.So I bet B.B. is going to have some interesting finds this time around with his fun gun.And I have been debating getting a Avanti 853.Again a Lothar Walther barrel and just a hair over 500 fps.Bet my Superdomes and Hawke scope would be a nice match for the 853.You know what I think I’m going to get one just for the fun of it.And it would be another fun gun that my 2 teenage daughters would like to shoot.Maybe not though…they are already starting to show up their old Dad.

  2. That old LGV Olympia sure is a beauty! And its beauty seems to go right down to the core. Reading the plans you have for it makes me wish there was somewhere I could do the same 25 and 50 yard tests on my FWB 602. Mind you, I think if I did do that the results would say more about my marksmanship than about the rifle!

    • There has to be somewhere you can pitch a small chunk of lead fifty yards. It is well worth the experience. Just before I got rid of my 601 I put a scope on it and shot a variety of pellets through it at 10m, 25 and 50 yards. It was a blast! Shooting your 602 at 50 yards is like shooting a PB at 500 yards.

  3. Now we’re talkin’ B.B.! I was hoping you would pull out the nice LGV! This is the main problem I have with the new one. For what it costs, I can buy a fine example of one of the old sproinger 10 meter rifles. They really should yank that rear notch sight off and put a peep on it.

  4. How wonderful, B.B. I have been away from computers, and blogs for a few days, so it put a smile on my tired old face to see the original Walther LGV Olympia as the subject of an informal comparison to the new LGV, that seems to be the subject of controversy on the comment’s section after each blog. I was secretly hoping you might just do such a thing too. Some folks will not agree when I say the Olympia is the better looking gun to my eye. Walnut stock, and a beautiful cheek piece, are just two of the differences that catch my immediate attention. The shrouded barrel, looks exactly like the one on my Weihrauch HW98. Especially how it joins the breach. The HW98 does not have front or rear sights, although you would be able to mount that beautiful rear target sight, as it has a very long 11mm dovetail for scope mounting. Then there is what I assume to be a barrel cap that hides a threaded barrel crown, to fit a sound moderator of some sort. After all, sound moderators are legal in Germany, England, and a host of other forward thinking countries. Whoops, more controversial fodder? Anyhow, I think the results are a forgone conclusion on the side of the new LGV, as it has almost twice the power. After all, if both guns are accurate as Walther tradition dictates, then it comes down to which guns pellet spends the least amount of time and altitude getting to the target. This is all irrelevant, as the test is all in fun anyway.
    By the way, are you going to use the rear peep sight on the Olympia, or scope it? You probably indicated this in your blog, but my need for sleep prevents me from finding it. May I suggest you could use the peep sight on both guns? Mmm, maybe not. It would prove nothing anyway. I better stop here and get some shut-eye. Again, thank you for bringing this marvel of precision once more to our attention.
    Caio Titus

  5. Speaking of interrupting a regular program: I was shooting my semi-magnum Ruger AirHawk .17 yesterday (BEAUTIFUL weather!): 70F, nil winds, bright, sunny, etc, 50′ target. Best I could get between my skills and the rifle was 1.05″ group of 5 (sorry BB! limited muscles & time!), using Discovery heavies. I hoped to do better yet, so I went to Diabolo Exacts (8.4 gn) and was sad to see 2.4″ & 2.7″ groups. I then thought, how BAD could it be, so I shot another 5-grp USING BAD TECHNIQUE: I slipped my thumb into the thumbhole and VERY firmly snugged the stock up to my shoulder. I was then stunned to see the group clustered together at 0.65″!!! Best of the day! Any idea(s) “what went right”? 🙂 —Barrika

      • B.B.,

        What happened to your review of the Ruger Air Hawk Elite? I can’t find it. I usually just go to the PA product page to find the link to your reviews, but the link wasn’t there, and it isn’t turning up when I do a search here.

        Victor

      • Yes: the rifle is a Ruger AirHawk Elite, with the thumb-hole. It seemed like a good way to anchor the rifle, but that’s NOT true obviously when using the artillery hold that BB advocates always….

        • Barrika,

          I have an Air Hawk Elite and have found it to be very accurate. At 10 meters I was able to shoot one single ragged hole 10 shot group. I’ve only taken it to the desert once or twice to shoot out to 25 yards. I was able to get about one inch groups, but with sporadic wind. On a calmer day I’m sure the groups will shrink to under half an inch.

          Two important points:
          1. My Elite model loves Crosman Premier Heavies. It does NOT like light pellets.
          2. The first time I took mine out to the desert, mine was shooting all over the place because the stock screws were loose. Make sure that all screws are tightened, including on your scope.

          I hold my Elite loosely. I find that I shoot my best groups when the gun is rested at just the right height (not too high, not too low). Also, make sure that your right forearm does not make contact with the table, because otherwise you’ll add muscle contractions to your shot execution (i.e., trigger squeeze).

          Squeeze the trigger such that you cause the gun to go off without disturbing your sight alignment, and follow-through for 2 or 3 seconds, making sure that the gun settles back to where it was before you took the shot. If the gun settles at a different aim-point, then you need to work on finding your “natural point of aim” (NPA), where the aim-point sits naturally on the bulls-eye without need to force it.

          Victor

        • Barrika,

          One last thing, B.B. did a blog on the Air Hawk Elite. He got fairly impressive results from it. Unfortunately, I can’t find the link for it.

          Victor

  6. John,

    Yesterday, you wondered why the black MK-177 was so much more expensive than the tan version, and I explained that we were investigating this with Crosman because some people thought it was a kit that included a case and several other accessories. Turns out that the price is wrong, and it will be lowered. This is not being sold as a kit, and you’ll get just the gun (which is what you wanted). It takes time for the website to update, so you may not see a lower price until later this afternoon or even tomorrow morning.

    Edith

    • I see they fixed that. I also got 200 bullseye bucks for spotting it. What can I say? I’m an opportunist! But it was a good call. I’ll be hopping on the black MK-177 as soon as payday arrives. I hate to say it, but I’m actually kind of excited about a plastic gun for once. You must know by now that I normally hate the plastic dipped guns. But you have to take what you can get. I just like the design. The fps is decent too. Better than the M4-177 which I found slightly disappointing but I still prize mine for the look of it. Not too bad for a $70.00 gun really.

  7. A Schuetzenfest with one competitor. My kind of fun.

    Calm days are to shooters like catnip is to house cats. 😉

    That LGV is so photogenic. Metal and wood in a blessed marriage. I’m such an old school fuddy duddy.

    kevin

  8. BB, I have another question from the realm of “has anyone ever done an odd thing like this…” The question stems from my usage of my kids’ Daisy Buck bb gun (I know what you’re thinking: the gun is a rather small target shooter, but I find it accurate and kind of fun to just fire off one round after another into an empty pop can until it’s shredded into foil). Also, the question stems from my squirrel hunting, having only used a single shot rifle in the past. Question is, has there ever been any type of spring-piston repeater rifle that fires pellets or round balls? What I’m thinking is something in .22 caliber, probably a lever action with either a magazine or feed tube, that works similar to my kids’ Buck, but using either pellets or round balls in .22 makes it more useful for hunting. I know a Pre-charged is probably better for this, but I like the idea of “no additional accessories” if possible. Heard of anything like this?

      • I’ve seen a gun like that. I forget what it was but it had a tube feed and took .22 lead round balls. I am pretty sure it was an Italian gun. I’ll have to look around and see what it was for you later. Right now dinner is calling my name.

    • Airguns of Arizona has one. It’s the Marocchi SM45 HP I hate to say it but pyramyd air doesn’t sell these so you have to go to A of Az. to get one. It’s $229 or $269 depends on which one you get.

      • I was looking for something in Spring Piston: no need for additional powerplant accessories. Something similar in operation to a kids bb gun, but powerful enough for hunting. .22 preferred. It’s an odd question, I admit, and the odds of getting something that would keep up with a modern Pre-charged are probably slim, but it’s an idea I’m thinking has some potential if it’s done well.

        • That was as close as I could find for you. One thing I have discovered is a springer can’t possibly be as good as a pcp like the condor. If you are hunting fill it to 3000psi then grab your pellets and go hunting. There is a good chance you won’t run out of air by the time you are done unless you have something like a chipmunk infestation that you are trying to get under control. If that is the case I stick a Gamo gun buddy sling on my pump amd carry it that way. It works well. I found that once I see something in the scope on my condor it rarely ever gets away. I can’t say that with a springer.

  9. B.B.,
    I am a first time contributor that has been reading your blog everyday since last August when I started shooting air guns. this is truly an interesting, informative and fun blog to follow.

    This report is quite timely for me for information purposes since I have been researching for the past month for a PCP rifle that would be nearly as or as accurate as a 10 meter match rifle but also equally accurate at 25 to 50 yards (given the understanding that groups naturally open up as the distance increases). I currently have a Weihrauch HW30s that will shoot 1/4″ or smaller 10 shot groups at 10 meters and 1/4″ to 1/2″ groups at 25 meters but I haven’t tried it at 50 yards yet. (and as you know its a breakbarrel).

    As far as this PCP that I am looking for goes I currently have two candidates in mind. The Crosman Challenger and the Air Arms S200. However, I don’t believe the Challenger has enough umph for 50 yards without a seriously arching trajectory.

    I would appreciate your comments regarding achieving my goal with either of these rifles. Or better yet, what suggestions would you make for the most likely PCP gun to shoot this well. Or, is this a pipe dream of mine and a waste of time? For the record I have amassed a rather large gallery of rifles already re: Air Arms S500, TX200, R9, Talon SS, Marauder, Discovery to name a few.

    I really have developed a love affair with this sport in a short time. I find it both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time.

    Another subject, what in the world is going on with JSB? I have had the Diabolo Exact 10.34gr pellets on backorder with Pyramyd AIR for 6 weeks and this morning I see they have been pushed back two more weeks. These are my favorite pellets by a long shot and I’m down to my last half of a tin.

    Keep up the good work and know that I am open to anything you may have to tell me.

    Guns & Guitars

    • G&G,

      Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that 10 meter rifles are the most accurate. There are sporting PCPs that can shoot rings around them, and at distance.

      Look hard at the Benjamin Marauder.

      As for JSB, they make pellets as fast as they can. Pyramyd AIR must be their largest customer (just my guess) but they are being drained from the worldwide demand. And they won’t lower their standards to increase production.

      At least we can still get pellets! Try buying a brick of .22 these days! Until the government is stopped from buying up all ammunition, buying anything with power is going to be a challenge.

      And, welcome to the blog!

      B.B.

    • If you are looking for power and accuracy Go get an Airforce Condor. Then trick it out to your liking. It’s the best gun on the market and quite capable at 10 meter and 100 meters. It will cost a bit but those are absolutely worth it.

  10. B.B.
    Wow, that was fast. Thanks for the prompt reply. As I mentioned in my post I do own a Marauder but it has never occurred to me to shoot it at 10 meters Thanks for opening my eyes. In about 20 minutes I will be in my backyard giving the Marauder a try.

    Out of curiosity, what are a few of the sporters you would refer to. Also, have you ever tested the Air Arms S200? That rifle is intriguing to me from what I have read about it. I would be curious to see what results you would get from it.
    G & G

    • G&G,

      I have shot the S200 several times (by “shot” I mean tested it thoroughly) and it always left me cold. It is an average gun, made in Bosnia, I believe, with nothing special to recommend it. I shot the CO2 version of the rifle before the hobbyists converted it to air, and way before Air Arms contracted to have it made that way. It was mediocre in that trim, too.

      The Crosman Challenger you mentioned is a much more interesting gun, in my opinion. I like the accuracy, the trigger and the general setup of the rifle — but only for target work. It is no sporter, as you mention.

      That said, the S200 has a large following of shooters who really like it. There must be something I am not seeing for so many people to like it as much as they do.

      The Talon SS with a 24-inch barrel is one of the best combinations I can name. Great power and accuracy. But some people don’t like its straight lines. They find it hard to get down on the scope.

      As for the Discovery, it is a fine entry-level rifle, but if you already have a Marauder, you don’t need one. That would be going backwards.

      The TX200 is the finest spring rifle in the world, in my opinion, and I am going to do some more testing on one in the near future.

      B.B.

      • Are you serious? The S200 is that bad? I was considering one as a next purchase.
        Some people swear by them…
        So what do I get next? The Hatsan Galatian or AT-P2? I’m affraid it won’t be as good as the AT44, it seems like I got lucky and got a better than average one, some people just can’t group without the Lothar Walther barrel and some even got guns full of metal shavings!

        J-F

        • J-F

          I didn’t think that you could have an S200 in your neck of the woods. It is 16 joules, or almost 12 fpe. I’m not sure that BB described it as that bad, just that he didn’t particularly dig it. There are many that do, including me. It is small, light, and accurate. It can also be had with the optional 10 shot magazine that makes it into a repeater.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96dR8JESCPM

          The AA S200 is actually made by CZ, who sells the same gun as a 200S, which is what I have. In the video you can see from the top of the action that it is made in the Czech Republic. The trigger and power are adjustable.

          • S-L…

            I get a bit more than 12 ft-lb out of my T200 if I crank it up with Exact RS. Could probably get more with heavier pellets.
            Want to try two or three more kinds of pellets. Maybe 8.4 Exacts, CPl, Preds, maybe even wadcutters.
            Have it running in R7 territory right now (640 fps).

            twotalon

          • We have the CZ Slavia here. We get 2 versions:
            the CZ 200 S at 788 fps and no sights for 525$
            the CZ 200 T at 495 fps and target sights for 690$
            So at 690 you’re very close to the Hatsan Galatian territory, we should be getting all four models here. The Galatian is aimed directly at the Diana p1000 looking a LOT like it, the AT-P2 is a very large airgun/take down carbine and I can hardly resist that kind of gun but it would be quite large with a scope so I’m not sure which one to get…
            BB said “It was mediocre in that trim too” regarding the CO2 to air conversion, so not exactly raving huh.

            J-F

              • A very good question indeed… and I don’t know the answer.
                If I could I’d probably just buy a Marauder pistol and rifle and be done with it.
                Then again the Alfa ProJ pistol and rifle combo would be sweet.
                I don’t need hunting power and won’t get it because I don’t want to go take the course and I’m not interested in the registration of any high powered airgun and the hassle that comes with it.
                These rifles can’t be shot in the backyard because they’re considered firearms and are too loud anyways.
                Most shooting is done below 20 yards.
                The CZ 200 T could be a good option but the take down P2 could easily come with me when I’m visiting family or friends, shooting opportunity? Tada I have the gun right here! No shooting can be done, it’s OK too, it’s not like a had to haul heavy and bulky cases anyways.

                J-F

                • J-F….

                  It always helps when you can attatch some requirements when you are looking for a gun. That way you have a better chance of getting what you really want and need.
                  First you get these things established, then find a gun that seems to fit the bill. Next, you have to weigh the hype and less than reliable reviews to see if it still fits the bill. Then you hope that you get one that does not have something wrong with it.
                  Even then, you still might not like it.

                  twotalon

                  • Ultimatly what I’m looking for is fun.
                    After watching the vid that Slinging lead posted I think the 200 T might be a good option with the 10 shot rotary mag from AirArms. With our detuned version I should be good for quite a shot count.
                    But it doesn’t have a pressure indicator which is a big turn off for me and evaluating the rifle report is quite hard (isn’t weird that every gun Nigel reviews in his always go “click”, like he was dry firing the gun).
                    Anyways it’s no like I have to order it tommorrow, I’ll wait for the P2 and Galatian to reach the market and see what people are saying about them.

                    J-F

        • J-F..

          Camera audio automatic recording levels can be deceptive. Always keep that in mind.

          Keeping the T200 below 500 fps makes it pretty quiet. Pulling it up to the mid 500s makes it sound a lot like an 853 with a sharp little snap. Not much louder in the mid 600s. Cranking it up much more loses the snap and gets more into a loud bark.
          You would probably not have the adjustability on the Canadian model.

          I’ll be darned if I can figure out how the 10 shot mag would work on the T200. I pulled out the single shot tray and found nothing but solid metal there.

          It is a bit of a pain to load by hand. Not much room.

          60 shots or better with the power kept down. Mine has a guage on it.

          I like the feel, weight, and balance. The tank is easy to fill.

          It’s a bit rough at first on the trigger and cocking , but gets smoothed out fairly quickly.

          Only complaints that I have with the way mine came were…
          Could have had a better selection of sight inserts, and the barrel was horrible. They used some really snaggletoothed tools on the bore. Now has a choked LW cut to the same length as original.

          twotalon

          • What you didn’t like the looooong skinny, 2 or 3 letters per line LOL.

            If you watch the vid posted by SL they show how the mag is installed, it seems quite clever.

            Hmmm the more I read of how you like it, the more I’m interested in the rifle… thanks for the input!

            J-F

            • J-F…

              I saw the vid, but I have no idea how the mag advances. Nothing in the reciever of the T200 to do it.

              The nasty original barrel was choked so hard that a BB did not make it all the way through the choke. THAT’S TIGHT.
              I have gotton some bad barrels on other rifles too, even HWs. Luck of the draw.

              Keep in mind if you want to plug starlings from time to time…below 500 fps it gets a bit thin on power. Found that out with the 853.

              twotalon

            • J-F…

              One other thing…
              Low velocity and light pellets causes a LOT of wind drift. I have the option of switching to something heavier and faster when conditions warrant. I reserve the T200 for relatively close range plinking and starling busting in low wind level conditions.

              twotalon

    • Gerardo

      I have a Diana 34P in .22 and it is just about the perfect hunting breakbarrel. That one is 46″, but PA also sells the Pro Compact, which measures 42.13″.

      /product/diana-rws-34p-pro-compact?m=1498

      Same action, shorter barrel.

      Edith

      The aforementioned Pro Compact has 29 five-star reviews, but the link for them takes you nowhere.

  11. BB/Edith, I fussed about the new PA site, well now that this old dog is used to it, I like it better than the old one. Funny how change can be that way. I did find (or I guess you’d say couldn’t find) that on the Umarex MORPH, there was no latest buzz by it. I know BB tested it. Not sure why it wasn’t there.

    As for today post, I agree BB. Threw out my years of shooting firearms and airguns, I’ve found at times that I take it too serious. Sometimes I have to remind myself it is about Fun. Some of the most fun can come from my “cheaper” guns and just plinking. Nothing like shooting way further than the gun (air or powder) was intended to shoot and hear that “ding” of the bullet/pellet hitting the metal plate, pipe, barrel or whatever. Bradly

  12. BB said “And it was weight that Walther used to temper the recoil when this gun was new.”
    It is not so much the recoil that a heavy LGV provide but mostly it cause the rifle to swing slower about the bulleye thus giving a 10-M shooter a better chance to hit the 10-ring. The idea of many 10-M AR shooters at that time was to keep the rifle, muzzle heavy, hence the heavy barrel sleeve on the LGV; this allow a smaller and slower swing. This idea also carries over to the smallbore rifle shooters as well. Recently, off-hand rifle (in Olympic type events) shooters are moving away from a muzzle heavy rifle, and instead favors a more balanced rifle, some like it just a little bit muzzle heavy. If you don’t believe me, go look at the pictures of the rifle shooters as they are shooting in the Olympic. You’ll see that they add lead weights to the back of their rifle around the butt plate and cheek piece. Most of those lead weights are from the auto store used to balance tires, and they have adhesive in the back.

    Did I add something of value to this post? I know some of you were mad about me saying bad things about the new LGV.

    I would love to buy a Walther LGV even at $700 only if I know that it can shoot like the old LGV. Too bad they don’t make the old LGV anymore; I would not hesitate to buy a new one. The report is so quiet, I can shoot all day in my backyard and none of my neighbors will know. Isn’t this what is all about, quiet report, very smooth firing cycle, very easy to cock, very gentle recoil, good trigger, and accurate, instead of just POWER, POWER and more POWER.

    • I would like to correct my previous post that said “off-hand rifle (in Olympic type events) shooters are moving away from a muzzle heavy rifle…” I mean to say Air Rifle shooters, The 3-P shooters still favors a muzzle heavy rifle because (1) They need to shoot in the prone and kneeling position too, not just the off-hand. A muzzle heavy rifle in the off-hand position is not muzzle heavy in the prone position, because your support hand is moved much more toward the front of the rifle. (2) smallbore rifle in Olympic 3-P event has a butt hook, thus taking some of the weight off.

      Olympic smallbore rifle normally has a long bull barrel, making them muzzle heavy. Some of the Anschutz rifle has a 69cm (27.2 inches) long barrel, not counting the extension tube.

  13. I’ve never understood the reason why elite target air rifles are restricted in their power such that a good rifle like the S200 is disqualified from certain contests. Higher power is probably a disadvantage anyway at the smaller distance, so why rule about it? I’ve heard that competitive backstops are not built for the higher powers, but how hard can it be to make stronger backstops?

    Robert from Arcade, I think someone, maybe it was Herb, circulated a picture awhile ago of a group of 5000 shots or something like that. In theory a group should not grow larger after 30 but if you are setting up on different days that is probably the source of the error.

    Michael, Wulfraed is right, I was talking about Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the wave of the future that underlies the GPS systems that are making such strides. Basically, you overlay various kinds of data on electronic maps. The analysis part is mostly adding and subtracting once you get past the clunky software architecture and the horrendously bad explanations.

    Matt61

  14. Off topic from today’s post, but airgun related… I just read a thread talking about many of the Crosman Nitro Piston power plants losing their gas and needing replacement. I’ve been considering one (never had one) but that gave me some pause, as quite a few people had said they had a similar experience of working fine one day, and not the next. How is the reliability and longevity of these power plants over time? How long can one expect to have with one? Thanks!

    • Bristolview,

      How often does the back deck on your minivan collapse from the gas springs dying? The springs in airguns are made better than that.

      The back lid on my pickup capper needs replacement after 2 years. My R1 gas spring is now about 12 years old and still holding up.

      B.B.

      • Never had a minivan… I guess the takeaway is that the concern is really a non-concern and not to worry. Good to know, thanks for that. Great, now I’ve got to get one.
        Bristolview.

  15. BB,
    I shot the old LGV but never own one or take one apart, so I would like to know…
    What type of piston seal is the old LGV? Leather?
    Also, does the old LGV uses the opposing piston technology as the Diana 75?
    Thanks

    • Joe,

      The LGV always had a synthetic piston seal. At first it was a light brown material that dry-rotted — just like the Diana recoilless seals and the FWB 124/127 seals. But later they formulated a blue synthetic that lasts forever — like the modern Diana seals.

      There is no counter-recolling piston. The gun uses weight and low power to dampen the recoil.

      B.B.

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