The main task of these expensive toys is to accurately hit the target. The success of the athlete will depend on the accuracy (accuracy) of the weapon, all other things being equal. The requirements for high precision make this weapon the most high-tech pneumatics offered on the market.
Such rifles and pistols always have a rifled barrel and fire “bullets” individually selected for each animal. The composition of the weapon is usual - frame, handle, barrel, cylinder, sights and stock (for rifles). There may be additional things like a set of weights to adjust the balance of the weapon. Parts are made of steel or aluminum. Despite all the sophistication of the designers, a good pistol still comes out heavy, but adjusting the balance corrects this shortcoming.
And still, even with general structural similarity, this weapon differs in appearance from generally accepted consumer pneumatics. All of them have a slightly alien-semi-pirate appearance.
And even with all this high-tech and considerable price, they still prefer to finish sports pneumatics: they change the handles to individual orthopedic ones, adjust the trigger mechanism, sharpen the balance and do everything that is not contraindicated by the shooting rules.
Among the interesting points of these rules, we note several checks. So, to comply with the established dimensions, the pistol is placed in a special box - if it fits completely, then it has passed the test. To calculate the minimum trigger tension on an air pistol for sport shooting, the judge hangs a 500 gram weight on it - if it doesn’t fire, it means it passed.
Review of the Walther LGV Challenger Ultra air rifle
This is a spring-mechanical type rifle, single-shot, with a 4.5 mm breaking steel barrel. In terms of price, it belongs to the “premium” class - there are PCP rifles that are cheaper than it.
Advantages and disadvantages
A rifle with a barrel made of excellent weapon steel. Even the plastic stock cannot be reproached, it is so well made and lovingly, in other words, decorated - the notches on the pistol grip and fore-end are made in the form of a floral ornament.
The Umarex Walther LGV Challenger Ultra rifle has a lever for pre-unlocking the barrel fracture hinge, which significantly reduces the effort required to load it. On the front section of the barrel there is a threaded section on which you can screw a sound moderator. In the stock version, it is closed with an elegant nut.
There are external sights - a closed front sight and an adjustable rear sight. They are equipped with fiber optic threads. It is not clear why, but the rear sight has quite a significant amount of horizontal play. For the Germans, such an omission is nonsense.
The safety lever is located on the butt plate of the trigger. Some fans of air rifles find this inconvenient, since you have to be distracted from aiming to activate the weapon. On the other hand, you can always see whether the trigger is on or off.
Another drawback is the plastic trigger. Somehow this does not fit with the weapon-grade steel and high-quality plastic of the stock. It can be replaced with steel or gold plated.
For optics, there are two recesses on the compressor, forming a dovetail. Such a constructive solution, which does not seem reliable enough, can only be explained by aesthetic considerations.
The rifle barrel is short - only half a meter. So you can’t achieve a record shooting range with it.
The parts of the rifle's combat mechanism - the piston, the spring - are made of very high quality, with additional fluoroplastic seals and other tricks. However, this makes the future modernization impractical. It is impossible to install a gas spring on the Umarex Walther LGV Challenger Ultra, and it is not necessary. For the "Samodelkins" this can be a big disappointment.
Photo of the Walther LGV Challenger Ultra air rifle
Where to apply
This is an excellent sports equipment and hunting accessory. For children, breaking its barrel can be too much to bear, and shooting at cans and bottles is an insult to such a well-made weapon.
LG 400 Holzschaft Freihand
This “pneumatic” is structurally very similar to Alutech Competition. The only difference is that in the new rifle the stock is made not of aluminum, but of wood. Since the wooden stock is much lighter, the athlete can shoot at moving targets. In addition, the “spirit” has a remote loading lever, which makes it possible to equip it with an optical sight. Judging by the reviews, a wooden stock is easier to adjust, namely, cut to suit the athlete’s needs. The undoubted advantage of the Holzschaft Freihand is the presence of a universal handle that is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed people. This model weighs 4.4 kg. Shoots 4.5 mm bullets with a muzzle energy of 7.5 J. In order to protect the barrel from scratches and impacts, the manufacturer applied a carbon coating to it. The rifle is extended by means of a false barrel with a muzzle.
Specifications
Technical characteristics of the Walther LGV Challenger Ultra air rifle from Umarex:
| Characteristics | Indicators |
| Type | Spring-mechanical |
| Caliber (mm) | 4,5 |
| Trunk | Steel, rifled |
| Charging type | Trunk fracture |
| Initial shot speed (m/s) | 290 |
| Sights | Front sight and adjustable rear sight |
| Optical bracket | Recesses on the compressor (11 mm) |
| Moderator space | Eat |
| Weight, kg) | 3,8 |
| Length (mm) | 1095 |
Upgrade of the MP-512 "Murka" rifle
This model is very convenient for upgrade. Like plasticine, owners can mold it into a rifle with almost any characteristics for hunting, hardball and their own pleasure.
The first improvement in line is replacing the spring with a more powerful one. For example, installing a Gamo Hunter cut spring dramatically increases muzzle velocity. The second standard upgrade of the IZH MP-512 is the mounting of an optical sight, the choice of which depends on the needs and financial capabilities of the buyer.
Design
Spring-mechanical rifle with a breakable barrel. Steel spring. Caliber 4.5 mm. For shooting, you can use lead bullets of any type - light, heavy, with pyrotechnic effects.
The stock is semi-pistol, made of excellent impact-resistant plastic. It has very simple outlines, but this is precisely the simplicity that speaks of solidity and respectability. Butt plate with shock-absorbing rubber gasket.
The barrel fracture hinge assembly has a reinforced design to eliminate play. To make it easier to unlock, there is a lever protruding from under the front edge of the forearm.
The rifle piston has sealing gaskets made of fluoroplastic, this allows it to turn slightly when the steel coil spring is straightened. This design solution significantly reduces shock loads, noise and vibration during firing.
A trigger with a double adjustable trigger stroke, which is plastic in the stock version. The fuse is mechanical, made in the form of a slider located on the back plate of the compressor.
Sights - closed front sight and adjustable rear sight. They are equipped with fiber optic threads. In addition to them, two recesses are made on the compressor housing, forming a “dovetail”. The distance between them is 11 mm.
Diagram of the Umarex Walther LGV rifle
Options and packaging
The rifle is packaged in a light gray cardboard box with the words: Walther LGV and Sound of Silence on it. Inside the box is the weapon itself, a hex screw for easy disassembly, and an instruction manual.
A feature of the process of breaking the barrel of this rifle is the need to press the preliminary unlocking lever. It should be raised up towards the trunk, although instinctively you may want to do it the other way around.
Otherwise, the use of the rifle and the principle of its operation do not differ from the standard for all “breakdowns”. The barrel goes down all the way until you feel the click of the trigger, signaling the cocking.
The design of the safety is such that when it is off, you will not be able to pull the trigger. Factory release adjustment is perfect. But if something doesn’t seem too convenient to you, you can adjust it with the hex wrench included in the kit. The stroke length is changed by the bolt in front of the hook, the softness behind it.
LG 400 Anatomic
According to experts, it is considered the most beautiful and expensive model in the line of 400 pneumatics. These rifles are used by top-class athletes.
For the aluminum forend, the designer has provided more adjustment options. For example, the “blower” can be equipped with a special device that allows you to change the height of the Centra Block Club aiming line and balancing 30-gram barrel weights. For the manufacture of an anatomical bed, the design of which was borrowed from the Walther LG 300 XT, laminated wood is used. However, this element has been improved in the new shooting model. LG 400 Anatomic, depending on the age parameters of the shooters, is presented in two versions: Anatomic and Expert. If necessary, the forend can be extended by installing a special Toppoint attachment on the weapon, which makes it very convenient to shoot from a rest.
Loading Features
A feature of the process of breaking the barrel of this rifle is the need to press the preliminary unlocking lever. It should be raised up towards the trunk, although instinctively you may want to do it the other way around.
Otherwise, the use of the rifle and the principle of its operation do not differ from the standard for all “breakdowns”. The barrel goes down all the way until you feel the click of the trigger, signaling the cocking.
The design of the safety is such that when it is off, you will not be able to pull the trigger. Factory release adjustment is perfect. But if something doesn’t seem too convenient to you, you can adjust it with the hex wrench included in the kit. The stroke length is changed by the bolt in front of the hook, the softness behind it.
The video shows the Walther LGV Challenger Ultra air rifle in action:
Disassembly
The rifle is supplied from the factory with preservative lubricant. In order for the weapon to serve you for a long time, it must be removed. And to do this you need to disassemble the rifle.
The process of disassembling the Walther LGV Challenger Ultra air rifle is quite simple:
- Using the key supplied, unscrew the two bolts on the sides of the forend and two at the base of the trigger guard branches.
- Separate the mechanism from the stock.
- Ensure that the butt plate of the mechanism is pressed and knock out two pins on the side of the rear part of the compressor.
- In the mechanism of this rifle, the trigger mechanism is also a plug; after its dismantling, the spring with the guide, which is part of the trigger, is also removed.
- Remove the washer bushing from the front end of the spring (there is a hole in it for the piston rod).
- Break the barrel and remove the piston.
Walther LG 300 XT Alutech and Schichotholz
You may be interested in: 12 gauge “Strela” bullets: characteristics, photos, reviews
This model, according to experts, is the predecessor of the Walther 400 air rifle. Walther LG 300 XT Alutech began to be produced in 1997. In those years it was the most successful development. With its help, athletes won world championships and set records. After the modernization, the new 300th model was ready, known as the Walther LG 300 XT Schichotholz.
This Walter air rifle has a modified air supply system and an improved recoil absorber. Therefore, already in 2012, the manufacturer stopped producing the LG 300 XT Alutech, focusing specifically on Schichotholz. This “pneumatic” gun was used by famous shooters for a long time.
Choosing optics
It is impossible to replace a steel spring with a gas spring, so when choosing optics, focus on those models that are resistant to the double recoil of air guns.
For example, on the Leapers AccuShot 6×40 Tactical sight.
A special feature of this model is that it has an integrated monoblock mount, which can be installed on any model of planks, including dovetail ones. It has a large aperture ratio - lens diameter 40 mm, six-fold magnification. The housing is made of structural aluminum and filled with nitrogen.
The lenses have a double mount that is resistant to the recoil of air guns. Mil-Dot reticle available in two colors - red and green. The weight of the sight is 490 grams, length with covers is 240 mm.
Leapers AccuShot 6×40 Tactical optical sight
Pneumatics
| Advantages | Flaws |
| Almost all pistols are copies of military weapons | Many models do not have sight adjustment |
| Self-tuning | Requires the use of gas cylinders, which means additional costs for their purchase |
| Entourage | All control units are designed for right-handers; left-handers may find pistols inconvenient |
| Reliability of all mechanisms | Many pistols are plastic |
| A can of CO2 is enough for 70 shots | Some models have a complex design of the trigger, which sometimes causes difficulties in disassembly |
| Simplicity of design | Narrow scope of use, not used for self-defense |
| Maintainability | Requires compliance with safety measures due to the explosion hazard of carbon dioxide cylinders |
| Affordable price for entry-level weapons | It is not always possible to find additional accessories for tuning |
Modernization
The designers of the Umarex Walther LGV Challenger Ultra spent so much effort to ensure that their mechanism was close to ideal that upgrading the rifle by replacing a steel spring with a gas one makes no sense, and is technically impossible.
But the rifle can be improved somewhat. For example, replacing a plastic trigger with a steel one:
- Disassemble the rifle.
- Unscrew the two screws on the left side of the trigger and remove the cover.
- Remove the front spring from the trigger (there is a screw there).
- Holding the sear, pry the trigger from below and remove it from the axis.
- Place the new hook in place and reassemble the rifle.
You can also install a sound moderator. It's very simple - unscrew the nut in front of the front sight and replace it with the desired device.
Video review of Umarex Walther LGV Challenger air rifles:
