Interesting Times with the Anschutz 1761

[allan harris]

I bought this rifle for my wife and we have both been impressed by the overall functioning and handling.
I've not shot it much but from the "get go" it has always exhibited a tendency to string vertically or shoot "groups within groups".
Last week, I sent it to my rim fire smith for a few up-grades -
1. Fit a True Flite Ultra Match from NZ with a match chamber
2. Pillar & epoxy bed the action
3. Work the 5061 single stage trigger to a lower pull weight
Last night I had a call from my smith - Barrel & trigger work completed BUT....
When he removed the factory barrel, there was only ONE half shell supporting it - The other was MIA!
He fabricated a replacement but I'm thinking perhaps this explains why this rifle is behaving erratically.
I'll have it back next week so will be interested to see if accuracy is more consistent now.

 

[skwerl]

The 1761's look like xlnt guns , I have been waiting for a Heavy Barrel model
the MPR .
Nordic marksmen said they would be available this summer/fall just haven't seen any yet.

Keep us in the know how the barrel change works out ... skwerl

 

[allan harris]

Keep us in the know how the barrel change works out ... skwerl

I want a little more weight towards the muzzle so went with the same OAL but .865" straight with no taper. My 1808 is .865" straight and without the muzzle weight, both rifles will balance roughly the same when shooting off hand.

 

[grauhanen]

Interesting report from your gunsmith. It probably does explain the results you were getting. Can you tell us more about the half shells? It seems that the Anschutz 1761 barrel mounting system is unlike that on other rimfire "swap barrel" mounting designs, including that of the Anschutz 2013. Why are there two presumably thinner ones rather than a single thicker half shell?

 

[allan harris]

Can you tell us more about the half shells? It seems that the Anschutz 1761 barrel mounting system is unlike that on other rimfire "swap barrel" mounting designs, including that of the Anschutz 2013. Why are there two presumably thinner ones rather than a single thicker half shell?

Glenn..I don't think too many would have had these apart yet as they don't seem to be "running off the shelves" anywhere!
You are aware of the quality of work this smith produces. He hasn't seen a 1761 previously. He has no issues with the action as such but I think he was being polite when he said installing the new barrel was "a bit of a pain". I'm guessing that he is not impressed with the barrel attachment process used on these guns - But he is also a bit "old school" in his thinking - He likes to thread everything!!!
The receiver is very rigid. He has headspaced & chambered this barrel for Lapua & I'll be surprised if it won't be a very accurate rifle when it arrives back here. Of course we all know that barrels are not created equal (even the expensive after market blanks) but this one bore scopes well and is crowned at the right spot
I've never owned a rifle that shot any worse after a decent bedding job so I think I've covered all the bases. This is the first "switch barrel" 22 I've owned so I'm just taking it a step at a time.
Regards,
Allan.

 

[257Wby]

Tagged for interest

 

[grauhanen]

Thanks, John. I have no doubt the rifle will shoot very well. Your smith is very experienced. It is a bit surprising to hear he thought the barrel swap wasn't straightforward. No doubt you are familiar with this, but Anschutz North America describes the 1761 as "an action which would allow the easy removal and re-installation of the barrel". It will be interesting to see how this model does with shooters (and smiths) as it becomes more widely used.

For the general reader, some more images relevant to the barrel change are shown below. In the second picture what appear to be the half shells are shown, but the breech end of the barrel seems incomplete (the threaded end is presumably the muzzle).

 

[allan harris]

It is a bit surprising to hear he thought the barrel swap wasn't straightforward. No doubt you are familiar with this, but Anschutz North America describes the 1761 as "an action which would allow the easy removal and re-installation of the barrel".

This isn't a straight "swap" - True Flite machined the blank but my smith had to machine the tenon area, cut extractor slots, set head space etc. Given that this is the first 1761 he had worked on, I'm assuming it would have taken time to work it all out.
In all honesty, I can't picture just where that second half shell locates in the receiver - Perhaps I'll have a better idea when the package (including the factory barrel) comes back - I've had a lot of rifles re-barrelled but this design is a radical departure from the set ups I'm familiar with.

P.S. The Bergara B14R's in 22LR have just arrived down here - I have one of them sitting at my dealer's shop - Just waiting on the paperwork to collect it - I'll know just how to re-barrel that one if I decide to do a build on it!!!

 

[Chilly807]

Wow.. they don't exactly fall into the "economy" category in the first place and it had a piece missing, and a fairly critical one at that?

I'd be having a chat with the distributor about customer satisfaction and future sales.

I wonder how well it would have shot with proper assembly?

I suspect it'll be quite good now.

It looks like the half shells are designed to distribute the clamping force more evenly on the underside of the barrel unlike CZ's 455 and 457 models, and the Tikka T1x. Both of those have concentrated pressure points where the screws bear against the barrel.

To your question about why 2 rather than 1 thicker half shell, Glenn.. I think they're located fore and aft in the receiver at two spots on the barrel, rather than stacked.
Another possibility would be 1 longer half shell rather than 2 separate pieces, but I suspect both screws should be tightened sequentially in steps. With one shell it would tend to "rock" back and forth as each screw was tightened in turn. Having 2 shells eliminates that tendency.

 

[grauhanen]

Sean, I think you are probably right with your explanation.

 

[allan harris]

Wow.. they don't exactly fall into the "economy" category in the first place and it had a piece missing, and a fairly critical one at that?

LOL...I've been buying & selling Anschutz rifles for decades - Perhaps I'm just unlucky but this has happened to me twice. I bought a NIB 2010 build 1710 when Anschutz were moving from the rear safety bolts to the side safety set up. My side safety bolt arrived fitted with the rear safety bolt handle!
I contacted the importer and Anschutz directly but finished up buying the handle & detent parts I needed myself - This is unavoidable with any mass produced item and I guess that's why I tend to do so many builds on rifles that appeal to me. There is a lot of potential lurking in these 1761's so I just want to see what I can wring out of it.

Sean, I think your explanation re the positioning of the shells makes sense. I've never had the barrel off this rifle but I did check the torque on those two retaining screws when it arrived - The front one was loose so perhaps it was contacting the barrel directly. Your comments are appreciated.

Allan.

 

[enefgee]

"Half Shell" a shim by any other name is still a shim. I'm assuming that other calibres have thicker tenons?

 

[cam1936]

I like how Anschutz has a long and well written article on their website that talks through the design goals of the 1761. The rifle has potential. I like how they acknowledge and addressed the ejection issues, 3 locking lugs and I like the idea of the half shells as opposed to grub screws right onto the barrel.

My issues is Anschutz seems to have ridiculous quality control at a premium price point. The 64 ejection issues have been a problem for years. Allan, your bolt issue is almost comical, how does that slip through QC on a $2500 rimfire? The missing half shell confirms nothing has changed.

They seem to be smart and passionate people at Anschutz, they should get their house in order.

 

[allan harris]

This was also sitting at my dealer's when I went to collect the Bergara B14R last week.
I put it together & took it to the range for a function test.
Everything is pretty tight so I fired 50 Sellier & Bellot Standard Velocity rounds. This is plinking ammo only but the rim thickness is several thou. thinner than SK and the driving bands on the bullets are not as aggressive. It chambers with little effort in the match chamber and the rifle feeds, extracts, ejects as I had hoped.
I cleaned the bore a few times and to finish up, fired 10 Pistol Match Special from a clean barrel - The second 5 were literally one bullet hole in dia. so I was satisfied with that. The circle O.D. on these targets is 16MM.
This smith has built three other 22LR sporters for me (Cooper/Trueflite, Lithgow/Maddco & Weihrauch/Benchmark) - All are very accurate and consistent performers so I was expecting good results with this project also.