LP300XT “5D” Australian & New Zealand Handgun 9 - Frontier Arms

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Air superiority
The compressed air cylinder
supplied with the LP300XT
Protouch 5D is rated to
300 bar (more than
4000psi). Most
high-pressure air
supplies deliver
around 200 bar.
Every pistol shooter should consider
having an air pistol in their inventory
if they have any interest in mastering
target pistol shooting. Why, you
ask? Because air pistols are the best tools on
which to learn the difficult art of precision pistol
shooting and regardless of what matches you
may gravitate to in your handgunning career,
the lessons learned will reinforce whatever
skills you need to shoot the live ammunition
matches.
Air pistols have a number of advantages over
other types of handguns, in that, they do not
recoil, they are cheap to operate, they can be
shot 24/7 and they deliver an incredible level of
accuracy with any almost decent quality pellets.
When an air pistol discharges, the shooter
immediately has a pretty good idea if the
trigger has been jerked, flinching has occurred
or if the sights were aligned at the moment of
release. You get immediate feedback on your
shooting technique and this obviously allows
adjustments to be made and improvements to
be implemented.
Some history
Air pistol shooting as a competitive sport was
introduced in Australia around 1970 and over
the past 40 years, it has become one of the most
popular of the shooting events, particularly in
Europe and the United Kingdom where firearms
laws have minimal restrictions on the ownership
of air arms compared to cartridge firearms. As a
result, European air pistols (and indeed air rifles)
have undergone a long period of progressive
refinement, from the early days of spring and
piston match pistols such as the Feinwerkbau
Model 65 to carbon dioxide-powered pistols to
the current crop of high-pressure compressed
air match pistols.
The complex and wonderfully engineered
Feinwerkbau spring and piston system was
superseded by carbon dioxide power to
minimise recoil and simplify manufacture. The
move from carbon dioxide to compressed air is
again a move to improve performance and get
around the variations inherent in carbon dioxide
propulsion, namely variations in gas pressure
with temperature and the greater mass of the

- the Walther LP300XT
Protouch 5D by Jack Crawford
carbon dioxide compared to compressed air
that makes a slight but significant contribution
to recoil.
Walther’s LP300XT Protouch 5D
The latest generation of match air pistols
has taken this further by implementing other
technological changes to air pistol design to
reduce recoil to as close to zero as possible
and the Walther LP300XT Protouch 5D is one
such match pistol that has taken all these factors
into consideration in its design.
In addition to its anti-recoil technology, the test
pistol came with the new Protouch 5D M grip,
which introduces yet another level of adjustability
into this already sophisticated design. It also has
the ability to be adjusted for angle (fore and after),
cant (sideways) and width.
Compressed air pistols like the Walther
LP300XT Protouch 5D operate at very high
pressures - around 200 bar (2800psi). Some
operate at higher pressures, depending on
how the cylinder is classified. The gauge in the
cylinder of the test pistol was graduated to 300
bar in the green zone (more than 4000psi).
The higher pressure does not necessarily get
the pellets going any faster, as the metering
system in the pistol regulates the amount of
propulsion that is fed into the system. However,
higher storage pressures allow more shots
out of a cylinder before recharging is required.
The practical limitation of this is that most
compressed air supplies based on scuba tanks
are limited to about 200 bar maximum and
you would have little hope of pumping up a
cylinder to more than 200 bar with a highpressure
hand-pump unless you were morbidly
The LP300XT Protouch 5D’s barrel has three
vent ports in the top of the barrel as part of
the recoil management system.
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obese and had enough weight to overcome the
resistance at higher pressures.
The recoil reduction system on the LP300
pistol operates at several levels. The obvious ones
include three ports in the top of the barrel that
vent propellant air upwards from when the pellet
is about halfway along the barrel, and a complex
muzzle brake that has a cone-shaped internal face
to counteract the jet effect of the compressed air
leaving the muzzle. The third item is an internal
vibration damper built into the rear of the barrel
that compensates for any recoil movement due
to the acceleration of the pellet. >
The fully adjustable orthopaedic grips and trigger
system on the LP300XT Protouch 5D enhance its
already excellent handling characteristics.

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AIR SUPERIORITY - THE WALTHER LP300XT PROTOUCH 5D
Easy loader - the loading gate and ramp on the LP300XT
Protouch 5D makes for easy pellet loading, while the ‘bolt’ pushes
the pellet into the barrel and seats it uniformly in the rifling.
The 5D grip has a metal insert in the right- to be dropped onto the ramp and the bolt chronograph for an average velocity of 480fps
hand side of the grip that is orthopaedic in form. attached to the loading gate seats the pellet and a standard deviation of only 2.5fps. This
Three adjusting screws on the left-hand side of into the rifling at the rear of the barrel when is excellent performance and the amazing test
the grip allow this insert to be moved in or out the loading gate is closed. This latter action group that came with the LP300XT (one hole
to adjust the width of the grip.
is important on match guns, as it effectively for 10 shots at 10m), that would delight any
The sights are fully adjustable for windage and sizes each pellet to exactly bore size every Benchrest shooter, reflects the pistol’s consistent
elevation with finger-adjustable knurled knobs. time. This has proved to be very important in performance.
The rear-sight notch width can be altered using ensuring accuracy in precision air arms and some Although the LP300XT has a fairly large air
a tool supplied with the pistol. The trigger is specialists such as Beeman have offered pellet cylinder, it is aluminium alloy and the overall
also fully adjustable for take-up, release weight, sizing dies as an alternative, where the pistol weight of 1020g and balance of the pistol should
backlash, first pressure and position. The
itself does not do the job automatically.
suit most shooters, as it is not too front-heavy.
position adjustments are both fore and aft and The LP300XT was charged to 200 bar from A counterweight rod, along with two movable
for sideways cant.
the pistol club’s compressed air tank and initial and removable counterweights, are included
The loading system on the LP300XT is among tests were conducted over a chronograph to should the shooter want to tune the balance of
the easiest of those found on match air pistols. check velocity and consistency. RWS Match the LP300XT.
The aluminium alloy loading gate is lifted about pellets were used as these are high-quality, Shooting the LP300XT indoors under artificial
110 degrees to expose the loading ramp and individually packed pellets that are very consistent. light highlights the benefits of the width-adjustable
cock the firing mechanism. A pellet only needs Two series of 10 shots were put over the RCBS rear-sight. A wider sight gap works better for this
type of lighting, with a generous amount of light
around the front-sight making for a better sightpicture.
The front-sight is also width adjustable
by rotating the triangular sight into one of three
positions. The sight radius can be adjusted by
moving the front-sight compensator assembly
back and forth on the barrel where it is locked
in position with a setscrew.
A full charge of air to 200 bar easily provided
enough power for a 60-shot match, plus sighters,
and the LP300XT was set up out of the box
well enough for me that neither the grip nor the
trigger settings needed any adjustment.
The LP300XT has a dry-firing/safety device
in the form of a cross-bolt through the receiver.
The LP300XT Protouch
5D is fully loaded with
accessories, including two
In the right-side position, the mechanism can be
fired without releasing any air and when the red
air tank adapters, moveable
counterweights and tools.
section of the button is exposed in the left-hand
position, the LP300XT can be fired normally. >

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AIR SUPERIORITY - THE WALTHER LP300XT PROTOUCH 5D
Summary
The LP300XT Protouch 5D is the top-of-theline
model in the LP300 range and retails for
around $2800, which is excellent value. The test
pistol came in a fitted hard plastic carry-case with
two air cylinder adapters, tools and a pack of
VGF cleaning pellets.
The standard LP300XT (without the 5D
grips but otherwise identical) is around $2500,
while the LP300 Club model has an adjustable,
Almost unbelievable
accuracy - the 10shot
10m test group
supplied with the
LP300XT Protouch
5D was literally a
single pellet hole!
orthopaedic beechwood grip with the same
mechanical specifications for around $2000.
The performance of the LP300XT Protouch
5D matches its appearance and anyone looking
for the highest level of competitive performance
in an air pistol will find it in this one.
Walther firearms are distributed in Australia by
Frontier Arms. For more information on pricing
and availability, phone 08 8373 2855 or visit
www.frontierarms.com.au .
The LP300XT Protouch 5D is the newest iteration
of this high-performance match pistol and
features a grip that is adjustable for width, via the
aluminium grip insert, as well as angle and cant.
Specifications
Manufacturer: Walther
Model: LP300XT Protouch 5D
Distributor: Frontier Arms
Calibre: 4.5mm (.177)
Power System: Compressed air, 200
and 300 bar
Cylinder: Aluminium with pressure
gauge
Capacity: 250 shots/cylinder
Maximum Energy: 7.5 joules
Grip: 5D laminated multi-adjustable
Protouch
Trigger: Fully adjustable two-stage
with dry-fire
Trigger Weight: 500g
Sights: Fully adjustable, width
adjustable front and rear
Sight Radius: 350 to 366mm
Barrel Length: 236mm
Dimensions: 405x153x50mm
Weight: 1018g
RRP: $2800