Anschutz Match 54

clivej

Ok I may have been bitten today with the target shooting bug.

I was looking and holding an Anschutz Match 54 with peep sights and need to know are they a good staring gun for target shooting. It has a benchrest type stock without the cheek riser.

What price should I be paying for one of these secondhand in an OK condition, not mint now.

It wasn't me!

clivej wrote: »

Ok I may have been bitten today with the target shooting bug.

I was looking and holding an Anschutz Match 54 with peep sights and need to know are they a good staring gun for target shooting. It has a benchrest type stock without the cheek riser.

What price should I be paying for one of these secondhand in an OK condition, not mint now.

If you're planning to keep with the aperture sights and go down the route of a bit of the stuff we're doing, you won't need to budget for scope or anything, so these make great once-off purchases. I paid €650 for mine, but you could go a bit less; mine is an excellent shooter. Given it's an older stock, and not mint, maybe between €4-500, maybe a little more depending on exactly what the condition's like and, most importantly, how it shoots. Try run a couple of boxes of good Eley Match through it as a test, off the bench if it's what you're more familiar with and with a scope, and see will it hold a group of about 14-15mm edge to edge. If you're joining our none-too illustrious circle, welcome. Additionally, those rifles make great platforms. You start with the basic rifle, learn your fundamentals and start banging in decent scores. After a while, you might find the stock a bit limiting, so you can purchase one of the spacey stocks, such as this one here and you have infinitely more adjustment (with all the concomitant perils ) They're fantastic, well built and accurate guns though, and for the money you can pick them up for, well worth it.

It wasn't me!

Worth noting also if you *are* talking about our type of stuff is the other kit requirements: A mat, a spotting scope, a glove, a jacket and a sling. Can put the lot together without breaking the bank if you're clever about it. There are a few worthwhile jackets on eBay at the moment. Nice Kurt Thune one even. I'll be shooting some 300m next time I'm in Midlands Clive, so if you want a quick run-through of the basics and to examine the stuff then, you're welcome to.

IRLConor

You should come along to Midlands on the 21st of June as well. There'll be a good few Match 54 or similar rifles there.

Depending on details and firing points being available, I'm sure we could find some kit for you to have a go too. If not, I'm sure someone will let you test drive one from the benches.

It wasn't me!

Damn fine idea. I'll bring down a few jackets with me if I'm down before then Clive, and we can sort you out with one and get you shooting if you'd like? You can then have a go on the 21st and see the snazzy electronic targets and the like in action.

fish slapped

Clive, by the look of it you'll have to change your signature again to
"Even more gear to get!" :D

P.S. I thought you already had a special jacket!!!;):D

clivej

Cheers for the reply's lads.

---

NOT FS though!

IWM and IRLConor what days do you go to Midlands as I can go most any weekend day.

Why the straight jackets for these rifles and not just benchrest shooting with this rifle?
I'm not familiar with all the different types of shooting or disciplines that you shoot.

Sparks

clivej wrote: »

Why the straight jackets for these rifles and not just benchrest shooting with this rifle?

Because they're heavy You can shoot your typical match 54 rifle without any jacket or whatever, but go beyond a few shots and you're risking doing your back in holding them up (if standing) and if you're prone, your arm will be killing you.
The jacket has an attachment point for the sling so the weight is taken from the bicep and spread across the back in prone. In standing, the jacket stabilises you so you can't suddenly collapse or twist and sprain something.

I'm not familiar with all the different types of shooting or disciplines that you shoot.

With the match 54 stuff, you're talking about shooting at 50m, either prone for 60 shots, or else 40 shots prone, 40 shots kneeling and 40 shots standing. There's also shooting at 100 yards and 25 yards prone, again for 60 shots, but that's more a UK thing than an international thing, while the 50m stuff is done all over the world.

IRLConor

clivej wrote: »

IWM and IRLConor what days do you go to Midlands as I can go most any weekend day.

I'm really only down there for the classic shoots and anything else I get invited to.

clivej wrote: »

Why the straight jackets for these rifles and not just benchrest shooting with this rifle?

In the prone and kneeling positions the jacket is mainly to provide an anchor point for the sling. If it doesn't fit fairly snugly in the prone position it'll get dragged around and it won't work right. This happened to It wasn't me! in the Isle of Man as you can see from this picture where the buttons have swung around all the way to the left and the jacket is all scrunched up.

In the standing position it's more for supporting your back. The rifles are fairly heavy so over a long match you'll wobble a lot if you don't have a jacket on.

With a good Match 54 you'll probably do quite well in benchrest competitions but AFAIK you'd need a scope rather than the peep sights.

clivej wrote: »

I'm not familiar with all the different types of shooting or disciplines that you shoot.

The ISSF rifle events break down roughly like this (the ones in green have been shot in Ireland in my memory):

|10m|50m|300m
Prone||.22lr, 60 shots|Anything up to 8mm, 60 shots
Standing|.177 Airgun, 60 shots (40 for women)||
Prone, Standing, Kneeling||.22lr, 3x40 shots (3x20 for women)|Anything up to 8mm, 3x40 shots (3x20 for women)


There are also UK/NSRA ruled competitions which are 50yd and 100yd matches with .22lr rifles. They're broadly similar to the ISSF 50m event but the rules are a little looser.

"Prone" is off the elbows with a single-point sling for support. No optics are allowed in any of the disciplines. There are upper weight limits for the rifles between 5.5kg (~12lb) and 8kg (17.5lb) depending on the discipline.

clivej

Sparks and IRLConnor thanks

that's given me food for thought :rolleyes:

I must try to leave 21st June free to see you all in action

It wasn't me!

clivej wrote: »

Sparks and IRLConnor thanks

that's given me food for thought :rolleyes:

I must try to leave 21st June free to see you all in action

Like I say clive, if I'm down before then with the VCRAI, I'll bring a couple of jackets with me and see can we fit you out with one and get you shooting, and you can try the match on the 21st and see whether you like it.

Additionally, I hope to run an ISSF 300m match in Midlands at some point this summer or autumn, so that can be ticked green then Conor. For the fullbore shooters with deep pockets, that might be something they're interested in if they have iron sights or can acquire them. All the stuff will be competitive, including the .223's and the like, as long as they hold up to the fairly demanding course of fire.