TargetTalk

Hi all. I'm new to shooting, and am looking at getting my own rifle. A bit of background - I have some shooting experience, but mainly in pistol. I recently (2.5 months ago) joined a gun club and have been shooting prone and enjoying it very much. Performance wise I'm averaging about 92/93, with a pb of 96. I have decided it's something I am going to pursue, so would like to get my own rifle.

I've been looking around and really like the look of the KK300 anatomic. I'd rather not get something that I'm going to want to upgrade any time soon, and then have to get used to a new rifle all over again. I'd rather jump in and buy a good set-up that I'll keep for many years, that I can tweak if necessary as I progress.

I'm not dead set on a KK300, but my real question - is spending that amount on a rifle at my level a bit stupid? I don't want to walk into the club looking like a complete 'all the gear no idea' wally, but I would like the best set up I can afford to give me the best start in helping me achieve my maximum potential.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I think it would be an excellent choice

Well the current world record for 3 position rifle and prone final belong to KK300's so it's a world class piece of equipment.
It's a lot of gun for a "beginner" and I recon it would take a while to shoot to that rifles potential. It's always sobering to see competitors with
current state of the art rifles get whipped by others (at local competitions) using a 1960's era Anschutz so remember you do not need to be using
the latest equipment to make an impression. If the money is not an issue then get it!

The KK300 is a top class rifle. There is nothing wrong with buying a new rifle, the reason that most first time buyers pick a used rifle is simply cost. Old is cheaper than new, but you have to accept compromises.

The only caveats about buying a KK300 is that the stock is very complex. If you are inexperienced it is likely that you will become distracted with the sheer complexity of the stock, to the detriment of your progression. Yes it is important for the rifle to fit the shooter, but a little compromise is Ok when you are still learning the basics. It is also possible to adjust he shape of the stock in such a way that it doesn't fit. Of course if you have access to a coach, or at least a knowledgeable shooter who is both familiar with modern rifles and willing to help, having a fancy rifle is less of an issue.

Personally I would recommend that beginners buy a good jacket (and a sling and glove before that) before they buy their rifle.

The KK300 is the most respected smallbore rifle on my college team. The best kids choose rifles, and the KK's go first. I shoot the Walther LG400 Expert, and I kinda wish I had the Anatomic LG400, and the matching Anatomic KK300. I have the Anschutz Precise 1907 smallbore and Precise 9003 air rifle. I try to work them in, but I go back to the Walther. I don't have any brand loyalty, I shoot what feels best. Good equipment holds value, because it has shooter value. The KK300 is an excellent buy. Good luck.

Thanks for the input. That was kind of one of my, not so much concerns, but thoughts that I'd be getting outshot by people with old rifles and looking a total monkey. Competitions, at least shoulder to shoulder are no doubt a very long way off, so if and when it comes to that hopefully my skill level will have caught up with the rifle a bit!

I do have access to a qualified coach who is willing to spend some time with me not only on the setting up front, but shooting as well, and jacket, sling and glove would be my first acquisition… Budget wise it would be a stretch to get it, but it's not out of reach. Maybe I'd be better off with the alutec - I was just thinking that this is going to be a one time purchase so I'd better make it count.

Holding its value, although not a primary consideration, is important because as a beginner and a builder (construction worker) I never know what's going to be around the corner, like falling out of love with the sport or falling off some scaffolding!

Don't worry about what others "think". It would be mainly jealousy.
As said before most start out with used rifles because of the cost, it that is not an issue for you get it.
If you do fall out of love with the sport, it's all that much easier to sell it for a decent price.

If you work hard, those folks will come around to the point of view that you are serious enough with the sport to spend the time/money.

In 4-H, especially at the state match level, I see a lot of kids showing up with gran-pa's 22 they've drug out of the closet, shooting WalMart plinking ammo that have no real attachment to the sport get upset when they get whomped because they can hit a pop can at 25 yds.
I have great respect for a family that puts together the effort to have decent gear (and a KK300 is that!) and puts in the time to master that tool.

I have been shooting an Anschutz 1913 with the 1918 aluminum stock (not the precise version) for 5-6 years and bought a KK300 rifle in July, shot one match with it, and here are my comments on the Walther.

Sights
The expert sight set that comes with the rifle is nice and I can see better through it than my Anschutz sights. However the 18mm front sight comes with only one insert and is a smaller groove than Anschutz. So you can't put an Anschutz front sight on it but the the sight will take any screw in apertures. The rear sight is fine but only attaches with one screw which seems to work fine but I am used to two screws so it seemed a little weak. It does come with sight risers so you can adjust it to the height you need.

Screws
Unlike the Anschutz, this rifle uses 2.5mm, 3mm, and 4mm Allen screws which is real annoying since you need 3 drivers with you to make adjustments, put on the sights, and attach the butt hook. With the Anschutz all the Allen screws are the same size.

Receiver
The receiver is strong but is it definitely harder to load and unload the rifle in prone. Lapua Midas does not always eject cleanly out of the loading area so I find myself fumbling to remove the spent shell case. The bolt does seem to lock up tightly at times with the shell. Does not seem to be a problem but you do notice it when closing the bolt. The finish on the receiver is different than on the barrel.

Trigger
I like the trigger and probably need to adjust it since the trigger pull length is not consistent shot to shot. I love how it breaks but sometimes the first stage length is not the same each time.

Accuracy
The accuracy seems really good. Still need to shoot another match to really see since I had my scope set up wrong on my first match with it and I was fighting the eye relief. Not the gun's vault but my fault that I was in too much of a hurry when I set up the scope.

Other
I liked the plastic case it came with but really a little small to put my scope in it. It comes with an Allen screw wrench set with all the required sizes but I bought a separate T-handle set to use (2.5, 3, 4mm). The instruction manual seems better much than Anschutz manuals which are probably the worst in the business. I am using the Mec sling stop that came with it. I bought an Anschutz bipod for it and it would not fit until I filed the groove wider. It seems that the Walther rail groove is a little thicker than Anschutz.

Overall, the inconsistencies of screw sizes and the smaller front sight groove have not annoyed me too much. It all comes down to how well it shoots which will take a couple more matches to evaluate.

Go for it.

As someone who started a few years ago and snapped up a KK300 Alutec when the Olympic pricing was still in, I can say I love my rifle. Yeah I'm a gear junkie and have blinged it with a few bits like a Starik tube and Centra 10-50 rear sight but the overall rifle is brilliant. This gat has the goods to take on the best if the numpty shouldering it had the ability.

One other rifle you might want to look at if it's available is a FWB2700. My wife loves hers and they are a popular rifle amongst the top shots at my club.

Oh and just remember that all these rifle are bloody accurate if you feed them ammo they like and you do your part and practice, practice, practice and yep, practice, all of course practicing good habits with good coaching.

A Kk300 is an excellent choice, I highly recommend them!

I think it is so important to buy something competitive up front (especially when starting out). if only I had back the thousands of dollars I spent on lesser rifles........not to mention the time spent training on a piece of equipment that would not take me where I wanted to go.

Walther actions are awesome, and easy to rebarrel should you want to do so. Great triggers.......good investments.

I wish you all the best with it!

kev