Dialing in the Anschutz Model 54 Sporter!

[esshup]

Hey, I was happy that I could remember something from that long ago! Ask me what I had for dinner last night and I'll draw a blank.

I'm curious to know if I remembered correctly or not!

[HighCotton]

Jan 28, 2024 10:48:03 GMT -5 esshup said:

Hey, I was happy that I could remember something from that long ago! Ask me what I had for dinner last night and I'll draw a blank.

I'm curious to know if I remembered correctly or not!

Yes sir!
You remembered correctly!
Later, I’ll post some pics of how the trigger guard is assembled which gives a better idea of the attachment.

[HighCotton]

As you can see from these photos, the disassembly is very easy, now that I learned how it is done!

[greghopper]

That's some good engineering for sure…..

[esshup]

Those silly Germans. ROFL

[HighCotton]

For now, I decided to top the rifle with my Leupold VX-Freedom 2-7x33 Rimfire scope.
I'm anxious to get it to the range and shoot it.





I learned something else as I was preparing to mount the scope. I couldn't find the Leupold rings I wanted so I opted for a set of medium Warne rings. And by chance I started to read the instructions that came with the package.
Lo and behold, the instructions actually show detail that the brackets need to be mounted correctly whether the dovetail is 3/8" or 11 mm.
esshup informed that the dovetails are 11 mm.
Thus the bracket must be mounted with the "dimple down" as indicated here!

[HighCotton]

Tyler, my grandson and I, got out to see what we could do with the Anschutz 54 Sporter.
This rifle is so accurate! Neither of us think we did it justice but we gave it our best shot!
The only ammo we shot was CCI Mini Mag copper plated round nose, 40 grain, 1235 fps.
We shot off Caldwell bags since that is all that really works on the shallow benches at Range USA.
Such a beautiful rifle. We spent 10 minutes or so with the Rangemaster just admiring the gun.





We shot a box of 100 rounds, ranging from 10 to 25 yards and all the groups looked like this:
Cloverleafed.
Or virtually same hole.
Or at least all touching!





I got a lead on a brick of SK Rifle Match ammo so we'll shoot some of that, too!

esshup:
You texted me about sorting the ammo by weight and gauging the rim thickness.
Tyler and I are going to do this and see how accurate we can get this dude to dial in!

[esshup]

Good shooting! Try and find a box of CCI Blazer std velocity ammo and weigh/rim sort those. I'd love to see how they stack up against the SK Match. I shot them out of my Volquartsen Carbon Fiber Tensioned barrel on my 10/22 and they shot just as well as Eley Tenex ammo.

[steiny]

Nice rifle !
Can't stand all the modern plastic junk stuff.

[greghopper]

Feb 15, 2024 11:19:41 GMT -5 steiny said:

Nice rifle !
Can't stand all the modern plastic junk stuff.

Amen…. To plastic junk!

[BOBinIN]

Nice looking rifle they are a joy to own and shoot. My model 54 sporter built in 1985, is the most accurate rifle I have ever shot, much easier to shoot than the model 64 Anschutz that I am thinking about letting go!

As good as they are... there are in my opinion issues!
1) The magazine release button takes WAY TOO much effort to disengage a magazine. Everyone complains but no body takes a chance and modifies the spring length, I know I won't.
2) The factory 5-shot magazines don't hold up. They often break and are terribly expensive to replace with factory stock units.

As said, the most accurate rifle I have ever shot, it is hell on squirrels.

And last... try some CCI STANDARD velocity ammo. It's accuracy matches the rifle's ability and it is quite affordable.
All the best and enjoy this coming squirrel season. BOB

[stevein]

Jan 28, 2024 17:01:52 GMT -5 greghopper said:

That's some good engineering for sure…..

My 1900 Crescent has the same setup. Common on a lot of muzzle loaders too. I do not know how far it goes back. My 2 Birmingham England SxS shotguns have it. And the method of attachment predates that.