Walther kkm GX1?

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yana
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Walther kkm GX1?

Post by yana »

Dear all
Saw a nice Walther at a local gunshop. Gunshop owner said its a KK100 but it DEFINATELY is NOT a kk100 (I know as I own 2 KK100s..).
It looks like an oldie, 70s maybe 80s. I suspect its a kkm gx1 is this correct?
Were they made in junior/lighter version too? Like the 64 action vs the 54 from anschutz?
As it didnt feel like 7kg to me.
Dont know any SN or date stamp.
It also had those weird kinda dovetails on the barrel? What are those meant for?
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[url=https://postimg.cc/image/eqjarnv7j/]Image
Tim S
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Tim S »

Yana,

Yes, I think that's a GX-1 too. The rearsight is the older pattern, not the spring-loaded tube type, so the date could be right.

The action is similar in size to the Anschutz Match 54, so larger and heavier than the 64. I don't believe Walther have made a lightweight junior action comparable to the 64. The GX-1 did have a slightly lighter barrel than the Anschutz 690mm, more like the Anschutz 660mm.

The dovetails on the barrel are for mounting a long target scope like the Unterl or Redfield 3200. These are no longer made, so barrel dovetails haven't been factory standard since the 1980s.
Albert T
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Albert T »

Yana,
as far as I know, if it is an original GX-1 it should have the mark GX-1 stamped near the serial number on the left side of the action. The GX-1 was only produced for sale in the US.
(I bought mine new from a dealer in 1981 in the Netherlands who had 'special connections'). Your rifle looks like a later type then mine, and fabricated after 1981.

Albert T
(The Netherlands)
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buffalowinter
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by buffalowinter »

Walther GX-1 circa 1980-1987. Used by Lanny Bassham (USA) and Malcolm Cooper (GB) to win Olympic Gold Medals
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Mike Carter
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Mike Carter »

You didn't show the muzzle in the photos so we don't know if the front sight is attached or not.
The dovetail at the muzzle end of the barrel is for attaching the front sight.

I own a GX-1. Lanny Basham is in the photos and he was very successful (Olympic Gold) with it as was Malcom Cooper from the UK (2 Olympic Golds). Which is why I bought mine.

I shoot mine with scope but I had to have the barrel drilled and tapped for scope blocks of which at mount a Lyman Super Target Spot. The Walther barrels are extremely well made.

Out of curiosity, did you buy it? And what was the asking price at the gun shop. New in 1986 they went for around $850 complete with counter balance weights, sights front and rear, and a palm rest for standing.

Mike
kevin nevius
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by kevin nevius »

Yana:

I purchased what I think was a GX1 in the early 90's, selling it remains one of my biggest regrets in all the years I have been shooting. It was an amazing rifle.

Mine had a feature I have not seen on other GX1's for sale in the past (I hope I can explain it). It had a split fore end - basically a full length for end block so you could use it just as the one you pictured, or remove the block which was split at the edge of the stippling. It had two full length for end rails (that's how the block was secured). I was always more comfortable with a shallow fore end - and IMHO it made the stock look even better when it was removed.

Again, I wish I had that rifle back!!

All the best,

kev
Tim S
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Tim S »

Kevin,

I think the split fore-end was introduced in the mid-late 1980s, so a mid-life upgrade. A 1988 NSRA magazine carries an advert for the new KKMatch with two piece fore-end, and the slim depth for prone. There are a few about down this way (SW England).

A club mate had a slightly older version with the solid fore-end, and it shot well. The thumb wheel cheekpiece was much more user friendly than the Anschutz 1813/1913 design.

I've often thought the original System Gemini stock was a marriage of GX-1/KKM and 1913 features.
yana
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by yana »

No, didnt buy it (yet).
Does anyone know the stated weight of the GX1?
Id like to compare it to another free rifle Ive seen
Tim S
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Tim S »

yana wrote:No, didnt buy it (yet).
Does anyone know the stated weight of the GX1?
Id like to compare it to another free rifle Ive seen
I've got 12lb 4oz (5.6kg) in Prone trim for the GX-1, and "about 12lb" for the later model with the split fore-end. Walther's sales literature emphasised the low weight, saying more could be added.
Th.
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Th. »

I don't think it is a GX-1 but a KK match. If you Google for both types of rifle you will see that a GX-1 has no possibility for a palmrest and the KK match has.
Tim S
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Tim S »

Th. wrote:I don't think it is a GX-1 but a KK match. If you Google for both types of rifle you will see that a GX-1 has no possibility for a palmrest and the KK match has.
Not necessarily, it seems Walther made a few tweaks to the GX-1 before re-launching it as the KKMatch. I have an advert from June 1986 showing a GX-1 (with solid fore-end, and a small steel bolt handle knob) that had a palmrest on the grip.
Last edited by Tim S on Sun Dec 29, 2019 4:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
yana
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by yana »

Iirc, this one dóes have the possibility for a palmrest. If you enlarge the pic, you see a large bolt near low side of pistolgrip.
I presume thats for the palmrest. I also think they told me it had one.
But they removed some parts (bolt, shoulder hook etc) cause it takes up too much room in the gun cabinet.

Ok, so its indeed nót the normal weight of a free rifle. Its more of the weight of a standard rifle. Thats probably why it fitted me so well I why I had the idea it was a 'junior' version of a free rifle
Tim S
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Tim S »

Yana,

Yes, the bolt on the grip would be for the palmrest. These are often not present because many shooters don't use one.

Again yes, the GX-1/KKM is lighter; from memory barrels are 650x22mm against 690x24mm for a contemporary Anschutz 1813. I wouldn't call it a junior though, as the stock is full sized, perhaps a proto-Sport. I think Walther intended the shooter to customise the weight, and it's easier to add than remove.
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Mike Carter
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Re: Walther kkm GX1?

Post by Mike Carter »

I have the document that was shipped with my rifle. It shows all of the variants of the KK rifle made by Walther in 1984. I photographed all the pages as I don't have a scanner large enough. The images have been converted to a PDF document suitable for viewing the small print. Please open this link to my Microsoft online file host to view.
The file name is GX1KKMATCH.PDF There is also an image file of my particular variant also in this public directory.

https://1drv.ms/f/s!ArAhxdfuGtxla1ywf6cNRHzsdwA
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