The Walther LGU .22 Caliber – Part 1

Some 8 or 9 years ago when I first started shooting airguns, the thought of spending $600 on an airgun, not including a scope, was really unthinkable. There was just “no way” that it made sense in any realm of possibility. Now look at me…

This same principle exists across the board; it’s funny how our taste and tolerance for spending money changes as we become more involved in the hobbies that we love. I know people that have thousands invested in RC airplanes while I’ll agonize over $250 or $320. It just depends where your heart is.

I love airguns…

So, when I start talking about $600 airguns, you can pretty much bet where my heart is. The Walther LGV and Walther LGU line of airguns are some of the most carefully engineered airguns I’ve ever seen. The LGV is supremely easy to shoot and very accurate. The LGU, while actually costing a little less, takes things to the next level in my book.

Walther LGU – Beautiful Underlever Airgun

On the outside…

Unlike the Walther LGV, the Walther LGU has a fixed barrel and an underlever cocking arm. While this would normally mean better accuracy vs a break barrel cousin, that’s not the case here, as the LGV is supremely accurate regardless of the breakbarrel design. So what’s the difference?

Well, the big difference for me comes in the overall shootability of the rifle. I love the LGV and it’s not terribly hold sensitive, but there is a need for proper technique to see the kind of accuracy you know that’s capable of producing. The Walther LGU is even more forgiving.

The stock is carefully crafted to maximize the shooter’s ability to hold steady while using proper technique. It’s not a light airgun, it’s got a good bit of weight to it. Fortunately, that weight is very well distributed and the rifle does not feel front-heavy. The attention to detail in the stock with the flat palm rest area, groove forearm, and high ambidextrous cheek piece are all part of what makes the LGU so easy to shoot. My favorite portion is the grip. The shape is just right for me and provides a great, comfortable angle to the trigger.

Walther LGU – Ambidextrous Stock Walther LGU – Ambidextrous Stock

German Mechanicals…

On the inside you have the same awesome design which utilizes a high quality metal spring as its power plant. While the “trend” may be to go with some sort of pneumatic piston, Walther’s done all their homework, and has shown that sometimes the old way is still the better way. The parts are so well crafted that there’s very little felt recoil and no twisting or turning from spring torque. The rifle’s so stable that you can often see the pellet travel to the target.

The trigger is a fully adjustable 2 stage trigger. I’ve personally not seen the need to make any adjustments. The first stage is extremely light with the second stage very crisp and responsive. There’s no trigger creep in the second stage whatsoever. There’s an automatic safety located at the back of the receiver which is activated when you cock the rifle.

Shooting the LGU…

To shoot the LGU you pull down on the cocking lever until the sear is fully engaged. There’s a significant “click” when this happens. This will open the breach area and allow you to load your pellet. To return the cocking arm to the closed position requires that you hold open the metal release located on the right side of the receiver by the breach. This is the anti-bear trap system that’s designed to catch the piston perchance you bump the trigger while loading. Personally, I would always maintain positive control over the cocking arm while loading the breach regardless of the safety systems that were in place. I like my fingers.

Walther LGU – Loading Breach / Anti-Bear Trap

Since I’m working through the initial break in period, I’ve been shooting whatever’s been lying round in half empty tins of this. So far it doesn’t seem to matter what you put in the barrel. The LGU just sends it down to the bullseye. The shooting cycle is amazingly smooth and quick. There’s a “thud” and that’s it. My LGU is .22 caliber and it’s quieter than the .177 LGV that I was shooting. The heavier pellets, just like they did on the LGV, dampen any significant noise. There’s also a nice muzzle break at the end of the LGU.  There is a bit of space between the end of the barrel and the front of the break. This seems to help cut the noise a little, which is really nice.

Walther LGU – Muzzle Break

Moving on to Part 2

In Part 2 we’ll start getting some performance data with various pellets and also some initial accuracy tests here in the shop. So keep your eyes on the blog as we continue reviewing the new Walther LGU.