Could this be my first baby? NOPE :(

[jennageit]

Hi guys,
I went to the range last night and had a pretty good shoot.
1st card was 191.5/200. I could not get comfortable, no matter what I did. I ended up taking a break for about half an hour, had a cuppa and then shot a second card.
It was a better result of 195.9/200 and nowhere near as messy.

As I was finishing up, one of the member bought their old Anschutz prone rifle in for me to look at with the option to buy.
Due to him having to go to work, and the limited amount of time I got to talk to him about it, I didn't get much in the way of info about it, other than:

It was purchased new in 1984 for $500
It's had about 20,000 match rounds put through it.
He consistently shoots 590/600
It comes with everything it was bought with, and
It's price tag is under $500.

I've included a couple of photo's for you to look at. I'm not sure of the model number or anything else, and the photo's aren't great but it's the bes I could do at short notice.

Let me know what you think!

[Westy]

He didn't have one that shot 600/600 plus a few dots did he Jenna????? LOL You'll know if it right for you or not

[tom604]

have a shot with it, if it feels right and shoots well, why not

[MeccaOz]

have a shot with it, if it feels right and shoots well, why not

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Yup , besides 20,000 shots sounds and well is alot of through it, but being a .22 you might say it's broken in now

[jennageit]

I just looked through my original post, and I was wrong with the number of rounds through it. This girl has had approximately 80,000 rounds through it.

I know that's a lot of rounds, but the guys at the range are saying that it isn't too much. It's still shooting straight, and so far I've seen three guys shoot good cards with it.

The price has been dropped to $350, which I think is still good value. In your opinion, is it still worth the money?

Either way, she feels nice to me. I'm hoping to shoot with it on Wednesday night to see if I really do like it.

On a side note, this rifle comes with a bag, but I'd like to keep it in a case for transporting. At home it'll be in the safe, so the case will only be used to go too and from the range.

Can anyone recommend a brand? i've seen the hard plastic ones, and the aluminium ones, but having never used one before, I'd like to get some thoughts on them.

I look forward to hearing back guys,

Jenna

PS. All going well, I've got another coaching session tomorrow. Still, I'm finding that shooting twice a week doesn't seem to be quite enough lmao

[Gwion]

Jenna, the price certainly sounds ok. Yes it had a crap load of rounds through it, but if you have seen it shoot well, what is the problem!??! Try it out and if you like it, buy it. At that price, even if it starts shooting horribly in a year or two, you have a decent action and trigger to get rebarrelled with a nice custom barrel.

What model is the action???

[tom604]

80,000 but for 350 as long as it still shoots well for you,not the other guys but for you,why not. have a look down the barrel and see if there's any rifling left you could still put another 20,000 down it before it starts shooting off

2,666 shots a year,every year for thirty years wow just wow

[jennageit]

the guy who bought it originally used to put 80 rounds through it three times a week before taking it to competitions.

I'm going to see how it shoots for me, and if it shoots as nice as it feels, im happy.

[Baronvonrort]

I don't think that is the gun for you.

I might be wrong i think that is a single shot gun, you need a gun that can take a magazine holding at least 5 rounds.

If you don't kill a fox with the first shot you don't want to be fumbling around trying to reload, if there are more than 1 you will appreciate having a magazine with multiple rounds, plinking is more fun with bigger magazine capacity.

I reckon the Anshutz 1416 is what you should get.

[Gwion]

I don't think that is the gun for you.

I might be wrong i think that is a single shot gun, you need a gun that can take a magazine holding at least 5 rounds.

If you don't kill a fox with the first shot you don't want to be fumbling around trying to reload, if there are more than 1 you will appreciate having a magazine with multiple rounds, plinking is more fun with bigger magazine capacity.

I reckon the Anshutz 1416 is what you should get.

True enough. I assumed she wanted it for range work and practice. If so a single shot is right.

Jenna, if you want to go after foxes, get a centerfire. 204 or 222 or 223, any of these will knock a fox off quick smart. Something light and fast. Chasing foxes with a 22lr is doable, but i recon low percentage choice and asking for frustration when they are 100+ meters away.

But you'll still need a 22lr for practice.

[jennageit]

The Anschutz I'm looking at is purely for the range, for target shooting only, and lots of practice.
I want to get good enough at target shooting to be able to enter some postal competitions. And at that price, with some saving, I could probably buy both that and the Zastava.
I'm still considering the Zastava CZ99 for shooting at home and on a mates place, which has a 5 shot magazine. I don't even want to try a single shot when I'm going after foxes. By the time I reload, the fox would be in the next postcode!

Aside from that, this rifle I will get to "try before I buy". How does that work for one you buy new from a GS? Is it just pot luck? Obviously you couldn't go in and say, I wanna shoot this and this and this, and see which one I like, but what's the go with buying off the shelf?

I'm not ready to buy either just yet (he's holding the Anschutz until I decide), but I do know that my license has been approved and should be back early next week. After that, I'll send off my PTA (I need time to save for the rifle), and also look at a case for it (rifle is in a bag at the moment that is leaving fluff EVERYWHERE on it).
Anyone got any opinions on the lockable cases? Hard plastic or aluminim?
This is for transport only. It wouldn't fit in my safe. And, as I wont be shooting prone with either rifle, is there a market for the bits I wont be using, or should I just hang onto them?
Just after opinions guys.
Have a fantastic day, and weekend!
Jenna

[Baronvonrort]

If you are going to have a .22lr just get 1 good one instead of 2, you will be better off shooting the same gun all the time with the only variable being ammo, those 2 you mentioned will be totally different to each other you will not be as good with the 2 as you would be with one rifle you use all the time.

I would suggest the Anshutz 1416 with scope and 10 round magazine for $750 on used guns would be much better than those other 2, they are only $950 brand new, that would be perfect for foxes and the only things better on the range will be the specialised single shot target rifles.
http://www.usedguns.com.au/Guns/used_air_rimfire_rifles

You can always leave your 1416 Anshutz to your kids, tell them if they don't get a criminal record or go crazy they will be allowed to inherit it, it gives them an incentive to behave.

Pelican make pretty good cases for plastic,i think there is a guy in Sydney who custom makes alloy ones, what makes you think it would not fit in your safe if you had a single rifle case?

[bigfellascott]

If you like it sweetheart buy it, don't worry about what others think, after all you're the one paying the $$. To me it sounds like it will do what you want of it and its not a huge $$ outlay and I'm sure if its not what you want you can sell it or rebarrel if needed..

As you said, have a shot of it and if it fits you well and shoots good enough to your standards buy it.

[Bennybigbores]

I agree with bigfella, buy this one if you like it, it shoots well, and it's the right price. By the sound of it with you scores one shot on a fox should be enough for you anyway. There's no reason to limit your collection I have 12 varied rifles 3 of those in .22lr for different purposes, I also agree with other posts about a bigger rifle for foxes, even look at 17hmr, if you good with the .22 you be great with the .17hmr flat shooting out to 120m awesome fox rifle. But ultimately we all will have varied opinions many of them clashing, take what you can, in the end regardless if we make the wrong decision, we learn and try another option, best of luck

[wrenchman]

I don't no what the gun market is like there but i agree with bigfella here you could sell the gun if you wanted some thing different and get at least what you paid for it.

[BBJ]

Aside from that, this rifle I will get to "try before I buy". How does that work for one you buy new from a GS? Is it just pot luck? Obviously you couldn't go in and say, I wanna shoot this and this and this, and see which one I like, but what's the go with buying off the shelf?

You got it, no try before you buy at the dealer.

Need to do your research first and be happy with your choice before buying.

[Lorgar]

I would suggest the Anshutz 1416 with scope and 10 round magazine for $750 on used guns would be much better than those other 2, they are only $950 brand new, that would be perfect for foxes and the only things better on the range will be the specialised single shot target rifles.

Dunno how that lines up with your budget Jenna but as far as the rifle goes, I love my 1416. And it shoots like this

+1 as an option.

[jennageit]

All going well, I'll be trying to rifle out either today or Wednesday, so I'll see how it goes. It fits my budget, and if it does the job and feels right, I'll go with it, and save up for a new rifle for later on.

Hubby bought me a prezzie yesterday, some shooting glasses. Hopefully this will take the glare out of things, and I wont struggle to see the inner circle on the targets.
At the moment, the glare caused by the lights is really affecting my ability to see the inner circle on the target, so if I use the glasses, and can see the inner circle, my scores should improve. If my scores don't improve, I know it's not my eyesight that's stuffing me up.

I love random prezzies! First it was my 350SLC Mercedes, then it was my laptop table so I could still work on my book whilst bedridden, and now it's these Oakley glasses!

See pic below. 5 lens's, so I'll fiddle with it till I get the right ones.

[jennageit]

Hi guys,

I went to the range today and shot three cards. Two were with the Anschutz I've been using for weeks, and managed 197.5 and 197.10 out of 200. Very, Very, Very happy lol

The third card I shot with the rifle I've been thinking of buying and I'm not buying it now. It feels horrible to shoot, is not anywhere near as accurate as I was told, and when I spoke to a previous owner about it, he stripped it down and had a good look at everything. As far as he's concerned, it isn't worth $400. He said that the barrel is pretty much worn out. He also isn't impressed with the bolt, saying it has a scraping noise that shouldn't be there. Overall, he told me to save my money and buy the Zastava I've been looking at. He firmly believes that this old rifle will cost me more in the long run than buying a new one would now.

So, now all I've got to do is figure out how to put a rifle on layby without actually going to the GS. I had the opportunity to shoot a Zastava CZ99 .22lr today and I really liked it. It's a bit heavier than I expected, but when my wrists heal properly, I doubt I'll have any trouble with it.

All in all, a good day. I got to save my money by not buying a rifle that wasn't suited to me, and I got ever closer to that 200/200. Oh, and I learned another three things that I'm doing wrong when shooting!! Does it ever end? lmao

Jenna

[bigfellascott]

That's a shame Jenna, at least you sussed it out before buying which is always preferable if you can. I don't know what Zastava's are like so can't offer any advice there but can certainly vouch for the Savage Mk2's the Daughters is a great little shooter.

Hopefully someone here can offer some info on the Zastava's and maybe some groups so we can see how they shoot.

Anyway good luck with it all.