Walther KK300

[Dustin Clays]

I just ordered a KK300 for my daughter (positional, junior shooter) and am wondering:

1) what bloop tube should I add to it? If any at all.
a) what length should I get?
b) is a tuner necessary? Or a will a tube be enough?
c) how sturdy is carbon vs aluminum....this is for a jr shooter.
2) Any other "immediate" upgrade(s) you would suggest/recommend?
3) what ammo have people been using in it? (I will have it tested- this more of a curiosity question) :)

[redschietti]

What scores is she shooting now? I wouldnt add a tube and forsure wouldnt add a tuner until she shoots really high scores.. Msybe not even a tuner then in 3p. Id spend the money first on a buttplate for each position. Palmrest or add to what comes with gun. Maybe a spirit level. Even if she ignores it her coach can watch it. Add wt to balance it. Both my girls shoot one. Its a hard gun to beat;)

[Tim S]

I like extension tubes, and firmly believe that these can improve aim. However there is no such thing as a free lunch. Tubes add weight to the muzzle, especially aluminium tubes, which may be fine if you're a strapping six-footer who wants more weight out front or who can handle counterweights at the butt. For a teenage girl the tube may unbalace the gun.

Tubes also require cleaning, and crud up the crown much more quickly than a bare barrel. Tubes are also another thing to remember to tighten before a match, or to adjust during the final (most 3-P shooters move the foresight back for standing).

[ShootWithStyle]

I just ordered a KK300 for my daughter (positional, junior shooter) and am wondering:

1) what bloop tube should I add to it? If any at all.
a) what length should I get?
b) is a tuner necessary? Or a will a tube be enough?
c) how sturdy is carbon vs aluminum....this is for a jr shooter.
2) Any other "immediate" upgrade(s) you would suggest/recommend?
3) what ammo have people been using in it? (I will have it tested- this more of a curiosity question) :)

Hello,

While I wouldn't claim to be an expert I do have some observations. If she is just starting out, I believe it's best to keep things as simple as possible. A bloop tube isn't going to magically gain any points if the fundamentals of shooting aren't adhered to.

At Rocky Mountain Championships last year I introduced a shooter and his family to Eric Uptagrafft as they were interested in a tube to get him to the next level. Eric is more than happy to make one for anybody, but insisted that he focus on his fundamentals and extract the most he can out of his current rifle before trying anything else. This shooter (sans bloop tube) ended up making the Junior Final in 3P at USA Shooting Nationals.

For the women it's a different story as well. While a tuner tube is used by some to shrink groups down, it's primarily a tool used in prone. There is no women's prone event in the Olympics. So some opt not to bother with the tuner and simply use the best grouping ammo they find in testing. Some do use non-tuner tubes to extend the sight radius.

If you look at the Finals in ISSF World Cups you'll see quite a few women in the finals with basically a bone-stock KK300. No tubes, to sight extensions, nothing. It's a great rifle on its own. Look for videos of Eva Roesken (GER) and Ana Zhukova (RUS) with their stock KK300s. Sarah Beard of the USA does great with her KK300 but does use a non-tuner sight extension tube on her rifle.

So I would say use the rifle as is. Focus on fundamentals. She does that and she will outshoot a lot of people looking for magic in their equipment.

As far as ammo, many of us use the cheaper lines from Eley (Club, Edge), Lapua (SK Standard Plus, SK Rifle Match), RWS (Target Rifle, Rifle Match) for practice. Then the higher end stuff we use for matches we test for and get the best grouping lot possible. It's all a matter of what's possible with your budget, but practice ammo is great for just starting out.

Did you happen to buy the KK300 from McKenna Shooting Sports? If there is anything else you need for the Walther I would definitely go to MSS. Great service over there and Shawn McKenna will answer any questions you may have.

Joe

[Dustin Clays]

Ahh- great comments. You're making me think! :)

I think the idea about extra butt plates before bloops is money better spent at this point of her career.

Thanks for the advice-