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Thread: The replica, the result!

  1. #1
    RobinC's Avatar
    RobinC is offline Awesome Shooting Coach and Author.
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    The replica, the result!

    The replica "Pam Special" Original 75 is now finished, and she has now shot it, and in comparison to her current rifle a Walther LG400 Special (an LG400 expert sytem in a 300 Junior stock).

    To recap, the Original special was supplied to her 40 years ago and we think the first 75 into the UK, she is small, so it was shortened significantly, and the trigger modified to shorten the reach, she then shot it as a member of the GB national squad in many matches, including winning medals at Intershoot (Den Haag, Holland) her first international medals. Unable to trace the original sold 35 years ago, I have built a replica (nostalgic old fart!).

    I have a load of pictures but am not computor friendly enough to down load them, so I'll send the pics to the people who have helped me with parts and research and hope they can add some on this thread.

    So, its old high (1977) tech, versus new high tech! But its the same shooter, just 40 years older!

    The replica looks great, its looks simple, but its taken a lot of work, the only thing I had not done was build up the cheek piece, not done initially on the original as per the only picture I have from the period, but it was done later with grey sueude.

    Her first comment on settling with it was "Its not as bad as I thought it would be"! Not exactly a compliment, but I supose we have already exceeded expectation!

    She settled with it , getting the feel and the balance, and before even the first shot comented on the massive difference in balance, the Original is a similar weight to the Walther (4.8 kg) but the balance point is very forward, just down to the weight of the massive mechanical action. The next comment was that it was difficult to get her correct cheek pressure (oops! I should have done the sueude build up!)

    The trigger I'd not touched and left it on two stage, and she has shot for 20 years with single stage so it took a little bit of getting used to, fussy these people!

    A good sighting string and a few sight adjustments, she was into a good rythm and settling into the routine, loading off of her stand, (no one used them 40 years ago) so not having to lift the rifle off the table evey shot.
    Eager to get started (actualy eager to get finished!!) she went into scoring strings, it was clearly more hard work than the modern one and I could seee her working to keep the thing balanced and still, as well as finding the physical loading a culture shock.

    The ten metre strings were 91, 85, 87, and she called it a day, very tired. Nothing special, but she is 40 years older than when she shot 384 with her 75 back in the day. Then the ladies world record was 389, today my Juniors ladies do that in training!

    She immediately went over to her modern rifle and said the balance was the biggest single advantage, it was also faster (just going by sound), and clearly a faster lock time, the loading was so much easier, and the trigger single stage and was crisper. It was just so much more ballanced and easier to shoot.

    The single biggest difference is not the trigger (with care I could set the Original single stage and much crisper), even the lock time, or the physical effort to cock it and the reach to load it, the total difference is in the balance principle and is the difference that gives the ability to get better scores.

    The Original is limited by the weight of the action, take one out of the stock and you will be very surpised at the weight of that big lump of metal, it places the balance so far forward that it really needs 0.5 kilo placed in the hollow butt to even get it close to a good balance, but I think that would make it overal very heavy, too heavy, so why we did not do that 40 years ago. So cheek pressure is even more critical to control stability, clearly we worked that out 40 years ago as well, which was why we built it up.

    The Walther is a different kettle of aquatics, the overal weight is the same, but the design unweighted is very much lighter, a good kilo, and its more centred. This has allowed us to bring up the overal weight but by adding that kilo to each end and the middle so we achieve a ballance pole effect, and the Walther is so much more balanced and stable when shooting.

    Result, it looks good, its a nice piece of nostalgia, but no thanks she'll continue shooting with her modern rifle!

    The next stage I get our teenage protege's to try it at their next traiining session, that could be funny, my bet is they won't last ten shots!

    Have Fun
    Robin
    Walther KK500 Alutec expert special - Barnard .223 "wilde" in a Walther KK500 Alutec stock, mmm...tasty!! - Keppeler 6 mmBR with Walther grip and wood! I may be a Walther-phile?

  2. #2
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    Tremendous post and email, Robin, thanks. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them.
    I'm very impressed with the way you simply got wired in about the replica build when you got the 75. I can see the amount of work that has been carried out.
    I must admit I'm very partial to 75's and wasn't sure I'd like to see one getting cut about, but I've changed my view totally. It is fine work and looks very purposeful. I found the comparison between old and new very interesting.
    Hopefully I can put some pictures up for you:


    https://www.dropbox.com/sc/m2ckxox4q...h6R75_lSsnrbca
    https://www.dropbox.com/sc/mn88wzdoi...cK9D4T9-LvEr_a
    https://www.dropbox.com/sc/rfgzpt7k1...6XrlTnqFXYJ_Ya
    https://www.dropbox.com/sc/3f7rcvzi5...jXCWv8n2XHSCEa

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  4. #4
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    Robin,

    What a fine job you have done

    Have fun & a good weekend !

    Best regards

    Russ

  5. #5
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    That's been an interesting journey Robin - I've enjoyed the trip. Interesting too to see how the technology sometime seems to jump forward in quantum leaps. The 75's were "cutting edge" in their day.

  6. #6
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    ...and now you have a nice new handbook you can adjust the trigger to suite Pam better too
    Rossendale Target Shooting Club. Every Tuesday and Thursday evening 7 - 10pm.

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