Review of the Umarex Walther SG 9000 pneumatic shotgun

The Walther SG 9000 pneumatic shotgun, produced by the German company Umarex, is one of the most controversial, but at the same time very popular pneumatic models. The weapon does not have high combat characteristics, but it has a low cost and is multi-chargeable. If you are a fan of military tactical games, then the Umarex Walther SG 9000 is perfect for you.

Technical characteristics of the pneumatic shotgun

It's hard to know what to expect from an airgun until you look at its specifications. Most people are accustomed to thinking that a shotgun is a lethal smoothbore monster that is capable of hitting a target at close range with one cartridge, but is practically useless when shooting from afar. However, the Umarex Walther SG 9000 does not follow the general rules. If you don’t believe me, just take a look at its performance characteristics, taken directly from the weapons passport:

The shotgun does not have enormous destructive power, so you can buy it in any gun store without presenting documents (maximum - a passport, so that the seller can make sure that you are over 18). The same applies to the muzzle velocity. It is unlikely that the model will be suitable for hunting or training shooting at long distances.

The main purpose of weapons is recreational shooting, which also includes military tactical games (airsoft).

It is also worth paying attention to the presence of a 16 mm Weaver sighting rail. This mount is designed for installation of optical and red dot sights from almost any manufacturer. This provides an excellent opportunity to upgrade and modernize the model. As for the under-barrel body kit, it is installed on a 22 mm Picatinny rail. Here you can attach an under-barrel flashlight, a laser target designator, a bayonet-knife and other interesting “toys”.

Review of the Umarex SG9000 air shotgun

The model is not a copy of any specific military weapon, but in appearance it is very similar to a “real” shotgun. The similarity is spoiled only by its low weight (a little more than 1 kilogram) - the SG9000 is quite light due to the plastic case.

The shotgun is gas-cylinder, and the energy source is not 12-gram cylinders (common for air pistols), but more capacious and expensive 88-gram ones. One container is enough for an average of 800-1000 shots.

Shooting can be carried out with either single or triple shots. In the second mode, the power drops by half (75 m/s instead of 150 when firing single shots).

There are no sighting elements, but there is a Weaver rail on which you can independently install a sight (purchased separately). There are 3 more strips on the removable lid of the cylinder compartment.

The model's magazine is unusual - bullets are loaded into a special compartment (non-removable). The charging hole is located on the right side of the case.

For a budget airgun, the Umarex SG9000 is quite powerful (150 m/s, whereas most pistols at the same price have about 110-120). It is effective at a distance of 10-15 meters - at a distance of 20-25 meters the accuracy drops seriously, and you can only shoot at large targets, like buckets.

From a 10-meter mark you can conduct targeted shooting at matchboxes. From such a distance, a bullet (when fired alone) pierces through a tin can and breaks a glass bottle.

Photo of the Umarex SG9000 pneumatic shotgun

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the Umarex SG 9000 shotgun include:

• relative cheapness (the model costs about 6,500 rubles);
• relatively high bullet speed (150 m/s during single shooting);
• large cylinder volume (88 g);
• large magazine volume (40 bullets);
• the ability to fire both single and triple shots;
• Possibility of installing laser sight, tactical handle, flashlight, optical sight.

The disadvantages of the model include:

• the quality of the plastic used to make the case is not very high;
• lack of sighting elements;
• tight descent;
• The body, made of cheap plastic, allows you to recognize the weapon as a pneumatic even from a few steps. The build quality is good though.

Light weight can be considered both an advantage and a disadvantage of the model. On the one hand, a shotgun is easier to transport and use, and you can shoot even with one hand. On the other hand, it immediately becomes clear that what is in your hands is not a weapon, but an “air.”

Purpose

The model is intended for recreational shooting from a short distance (up to 15 meters, at large targets - up to 20). Not suitable for self-defense - there is not enough power to cause serious damage (except for a bullet hitting the eye).

Design

It's time to talk about the design features that make a shotgun stand out from other rifles and shotguns. Here are just a few points that the Umarex arms factory itself recommends paying attention to:

1. Volume magazine for 39 explosive bullets. Many people are used to seeing shotguns with 4 to 8 rounds maximum. However, the Walther SG 9000 breaks all the molds in order to attract attention. In total, the weapon holds 40 explosive balls (39 in the magazine and 1 in the barrel), which allows you not to worry about running out of ammunition during airsoft or entertainment.
2. Pump reloading system. Despite the fact that the SG 9000 shotgun does not have much killing power, the Umarex arms factory still decided to make the design of the weapon as close as possible to shotguns. For this purpose, the model was equipped with a pump-action cocking mechanism, which simultaneously fed the next ball from the magazine into the barrel.
3. Availability of Blowback system. Despite the fact that the weapon does not release shotgun shells during firing, it simulates the movement of the bolt so that the shooter and the people around him are left in no doubt that this is a real shotgun. Well, the fact that the Blowback system does not have the best effect on the power of the weapon is even a plus.

The system that allows you to fire 3 rounds simultaneously deserves special mention. Thanks to it, the shooter gets the feeling that he is shooting, albeit large, but still shot. This also contributes to victory in military competitions, because it is much easier to hit a person with three cartridges than with one. It is because of this mechanism that the rate of fire of a shotgun reaches prohibitive proportions.

The main pros and cons of a shotgun

After reading all of the above, many may think that the Umarex Walther SG 9000 shotgun is an excellent weapon with no shortcomings. In fact, it has plenty of negative sides, even though the model is produced by the Germans under an American license. Here are just the main features and disadvantages that we were able to identify after studying the opinions of experienced users and expert gunsmiths:

Is a shotgun worth the money? We think so. However, for some people, many shortcomings may seem critical, so the final decision, as always, remains with the potential buyer. We can only remind you that you can try to combat some shortcomings through modernization. For example, by replacing the standard energy source, the tactical and technical characteristics can be significantly improved.

Operating principle

The source of energy for firing a gas-cylinder pneumatic gun is a carbon dioxide cylinder. Inside the container, it is in two states of aggregation: liquid and gaseous.

Before installation in the compartment, the cylinder is completely sealed. When it is placed in place and twisted, the container is pierced. To prevent the gas inside from simply escaping, a valve is used that opens during the shot.

When the trigger is pulled, the valve opens and pressurized carbon dioxide is released through the barrel, expelling the bullet. Due to a sharp drop in pressure inside the container, part of the liquid CO2 turns into gas - and the pressure is restored, after which the weapon is again ready to fire.

In gas-cylinder pneumatics, small cylinders weighing 12 grams are common. The Umarex SG9000 model uses a larger capacity - 88 grams. Thanks to this, the number of shots from 1 cylinder can reach up to 1000 (while pistols with a 12-gram cylinder can shoot up to 40-50 bullets).

The disadvantage of this technology is the dependence of the pressure in the cylinder on the outside temperature. The colder the air, the lower the pressure, and the slower it recovers after the shot is fired.

The video shows the Umarex SG 9000 pneumatic shotgun in action:

Modifications

Unfortunately, at the moment the Umarex Walther SG 9000 pneumatic shotgun does not have official modifications from the manufacturer.

As for those models that were invented by amateur enthusiasts, their imagination is usually limited to the following ideas:

1. Umarex Walther SG 9000 with a red dot sight is the same shotgun, with the same performance characteristics, but with a modern sighting device mounted on the sighting bar.
2. The Umarex Walther SG 9000 Camo is a shotgun model that comes in camouflage or military finishes and is a good choice for those who love a military look.
3. Umarex Walther SG Extreme - a modification with a gas cylinder replaced with a more powerful one, as well as an increased muzzle energy indicator - is suitable for those who like to hunt.

However, it is important to remember that the Umarex weapons factory does not provide a guarantee for amateur modifications. You should purchase such weapons at your own risk, or ask the seller who installed the upgrade for documents guaranteeing the quality of the model.

What's included in the Umarex Walther SG 9000 kit

But the Germans did not skimp on the equipment and released three sets at once, which contain the Walther SG 9000 shotgun. Here is their brief description, as well as recommendations on who these sets are most suitable for:

1. “Amateur” (from 5,000 rubles) is the choice of those who do not plan to use a shotgun often or simply do not want to spend too much money on buying it. In addition to the Umarex Walther SG 9000 itself, the kit includes a passport with technical characteristics, a warranty card for 1 year of service or 2000 shots, as well as an instruction manual.
2. “Master” (from 7,000 rubles) is a good option for those who like to shoot at targets. In addition to the shotgun with all the documents, the set also includes a small amount of consumables: 2 boxes of BB balls (500 pieces each), 10 spare gas cylinders, 50 black targets printed on a piece of paper.
3. “Pro” (from 9,000 rubles) is the most “pretentious” configuration, suitable for airsoft fans, as well as those who are used to “getting everything from life.” The set includes all the parts described above, as well as several additional accessories: a case for transporting weapons and consumables, goggles for airsoft.

It is also important to remember that gun stores can change existing configurations, adding their products to them and changing the cost. As a rule, such actions pursue one goal - to sell the goods stored in the warehouse. However, sometimes among such proposals you can find something useful.

Specifications

The technical characteristics of the Umarex SG9000 air shotgun are as follows:

The cost of the model is about 6,500 rubles.

Disassembling a pneumatic shotgun

Despite the fact that disassembling a pneumatic shotgun seems difficult, there is nothing difficult about it if you know a certain algorithm of actions and don’t rush anywhere:

1. We take out the magazine with cartridges.
2. We pull back the bolt and remove the bullet from the barrel.
3. We remove the weapon from the safety and fire a blank shot.
4. Unscrew the two bolts on the plastic housing.
5. We remove the stock with the butt.
6. Press the trigger guard all the way down.
7. We pull back the shutter.
8. Remove the return spring and remove the pump.
9. Unscrew the gas cylinder.

Further disassembly may be required only if it is necessary to repair or diagnose one of the systems. Assembly is carried out strictly in reverse order.

Analogues and prices

Despite the fact that the cost of the Walther SG 9000 is only 5,000 rubles, it is quite difficult to find a worthy analogue for such a weapon, since weapons companies are reluctant to produce pneumatic shotguns. Nevertheless, some interesting things are still presented in gun stores: