TargetTalk

Has anyone had a chance to shoot the new Walther 500?

Unfortunately not! However, I will purchase one when they become available. No joke, that will be my next rifle.

After I posted this question I googled the Walther 500 and found a website that must have been a German supplier. It quoted a price of 4200+ Euros for the 500. That translates into about $4,700 US and I think that that price also included a 21% tax. So if the US price may be around $4000. MOB

McKenna is posting a price of $5,700 for the Walther 500. Ouch!

Hi,

After getting final price from Walther, I have adjusted the price to $5000 for the non-electric trigger. I work very hard to keep all my prices low as I can, I am a current shooter and know how this sport is on the old wallet. If you check my prices with other vendors you will see mine are pretty low. Help me keep them low by ordering more stuff ;-)

I would be happy to answer any questions on this rifle. I am taking orders for them now and should have them by Dec 7th. 2015

Thank you,
Shawn

McKenna Shooting Sports, Inc
www.mckennashootingsports.com

I want to buy it simply because of the electronic trigger but this is completely out of my league financially and skill wise to justify it. Maybe 10 years from now when everyone has an electronic trigger...

What makes you think that everyone will have an electronic trigger on their smallbore rifles in 10 years? I think Walther are alone in offering one. Anschutz, Bleiker, FWB, Grunig are all sticking with mechanical. Having shot an electronic FWB trigger, I can't say it was any better than a good mechanical trigger; the solenoid also took a measurable time to recharge which prevented quick firing. This would not be an issue for AP, but potentially is in prone.

Tim S wrote:What makes you think that everyone will have an electronic trigger on their smallbore rifles in 10 years?

Everyone as in manufacturers. My rifle skills come from match crossbow, which is almost always electronic.

"Everyone has in manufacturers" - I'm sorry but I don't understand this sentence. What do you mean?

Remember that you are posting on a smallbore and air rifle forum. In the last thirty years only FWB and Walther have made smallbore rifles with an electronic trigger. FWB reverted to a mechanical trigger over twenty years ago. Winzeller did adapt a version of their electronic crossbow trigger to smallbore, but I'm not aware of it being terribly successful.

I think it will be a long time before electronic triggers displace mechanical in smallbore.

I have shot the Daystate electronic action sporting rifles, as well as a Morini free pistol with an electronic trigger, and to be honest I thought the triggers on both were pretty poor. Spongy and soft was my feeling, with no real idea when it was going to actually release. Overtravel was also IMO very poor, with very little adjustment available. I guess they were OK for pistol, with a 500g trigger weight, if you go with the up, align sights, squeeze, BANG, follow through approach. I just don't think that a trigger at around 60-80g with a very light first stage, crisp zero creep second, and very light/long overtravel is possible using a microswitch. Unless you build it as essentially a mechanical system that operates the switch. I also do not see it aiding locktime unless you are also using an electromagnetically operated firing pin within the bolt. using a solenoid driven knock valve in a PCP rifle is a different matter, but I would still want the essentially mechanical trigger for the wanted feel.

Alan

At risk of totally hijacking this thread i've been wondering why there aren't electronic systems like the Daystate Mk3 CDT or Mk 4 MCT in match air rifles (or AP) where either a solenoid strikes the valve (Mk3) or solenoid strikes the hammer (Mk4). Electronic trigger feel can be made good ala Moriini 162ei or MatchGuns MHG 1 hybrid. And the Daystate systems do reduce locktime: http://www.szottesfold.co.uk/2012/02/lo ... sults.html

Modern match electronic triggers are superb, the advantage is there is no mechanical force or movement required to break a sear as in a mechanical, there is also no release of weight as in a mechanical. The current Walther version which at the moment is only available in the LG400 air rifle is simply superb.
To the KK500, during a visit to the Ulm factory in Sept my wife had the opportunity to try the KK500. She is an ex GB shooter and although now 65 can still shoot 590+ prone on a good day, we do have some long term links with the factory and they were keen to see if a short person (she's 5ft 3 ins) could manage to load with out lifting either elbow or her face from the cheek piece. The rifle was set up to mirror her KK300 and she tried it prone, the result, yes, no movement from shot to shot, her only comment "I want one!" The breach system is such that she could see the rounds entering the breach through the left side of the port whilst loading on the right.
The prototype she tried was a mechanical trigger version, the electronic version is not scheduled until next year and will then be an option. She is normally very critical of triggers and was delighted with the new mechanical version on the KK500. As she is also a 300mt shooter with a Keppeler (who deal with Walther) it was agreed than a mechanical trigger system will be supplied to Keppeler to build a KK500 for her identical to her 300 mt Keppeler rifle and we visited them the next day to discuss the specification and we are looking forward to delivery in the first part of next year.
The KK500 is a most impressive rifle and I'm sure any one who buys one will be delighted with it.
Good shooting
Robin

I shot the kk500 this weekend what a beautiful piece of engineering and clever build. Balance was a little different from my Anschutz 1913 but very very comfortable to pick up and shoot. I extended the butt plate out left the hand stop loose and raised the cheek piece a little so I could at least feel it on my face. Grabbed 10 rounds of rws Super match and shot a 12mm group. Dropped the butt plate down shortened the lop and fired a few standing shots. What I really liked was A easy to shoot B Recoil very consistent C the bolt D balance E the new look is pretty cool.
I shoot air rifle and I load with my right hand (I'm a lefty) I took bolt out 2 clicks and I had bolt handle on the opposite side. I was able to load with same method I use with air rifle, very good. The loading in prone was much easier than with my current rifle, I can load from shoulder currently but it is a bit of effort, the kk500 is so simple to keep position. I found after the 3rd attempt to push bullet into the barrel that I didn't need to move anywhere near as far. As a package I couldn't fault the rifle. Yes I have ordered one

For the American shooters like me, after a week of trying and contacting and being bounce back and forth, I finally got details on the final price and expected delivery date of the Walther KK500 rifles in the United States directly from UmarexUSA/Walther which are the ones in charge of importing and providing the rifles to the retailers. The retail price will be $5,000 USD and the date that they will be shipped to the retailer is february and by mid february you should be able to get your hands on one of them. For anyone insterested I have the list of the retailers that will be selling the rifles, just send me a message and I will get back to you ASAP.

Heck that's quite a price you guys are paying! We are up for (converted nzd to usd) 4344. Must have a few more import duty dollars on them arriving in the States huh.