Good afternoon, everyone.

Like many others here, I've had a craving for a fortner-actioned rifle for a long time. I know there are a few people (Pat Steiger is perhaps the most well known) who have used Anschutz 1827 based rifles as a basis for a silhouette rifle. It's not like I have $6-7K laying around to put a rifle like this together, but it doesn't cost anything to dream.

Since Anschutz released the 1727 series of rifles a few years ago, those seem like they might be a more "reasonable" starting point for a semi-custom silhouette rifle. I'm thinking of something like a 1727 with tapered barrel, fitted into a Wooster or Pharr type stock, and using typical silhouette optics, rings, etc. Using the 1727 as a starting point, as opposed to the 1827 would seem to offer a bit of a cost savings in the barrel department, and also make it easier to mount a scope.

Are there any members here who have taken this path yet?

Steve

We had 2 guys in the club with 1727's. One guy shot some matches with the factory stock. He moved. The other guy is a BR shooter. Put his in a GRS stock. They both love the guns. Super accurate. The RH guns have 2 or 3 barrel options. You can't go wrong with the guns. Also along those lines are the 7-2 and 7-4. I have a 7-2 modified for a left bolt, and a Sobol that is not much fun as it is a RH straight pull. Very accurate, but cruder than the 1727. Good luck!

p

Thanks, Pat. I had a BB 7-2 Ten-ish years ago, which I eventually sold (maybe I shouldn't have). It was a great shooter, and fun to work the toggle action. The Anschutz Fortners are obviously on a whole other level.

I'd considered re-barreling the 7-2 with a tapered profile to work in Hunter Silo matches, but decided the cost to rebarrel was disproportionaty high compared to the overall value of the rifle. Of course, the value of the Izhmash rifles has climbed significantly, but so have a lot of other things.

At this point, I think I'll bide my time until I feel like spending enough cheddar to buy a tapered-barrel 1727 which could make weight as a hunter.

Steve.

I don't see many used 1727 22lr for sale. That would be your best bet, but keep looking at the biathlon forums for an 1827. You might get a deal on one. That's were I got both of mine. YMMV. If you get it cheap enough it might be worth the cheese. Yeah, the 7-2's were less than $300 brand new. I didn't have any remorse letting Mac change the bolt on mine. Now they're stupid expensive. Volquartzen does offer the 10/22 like action with a toggle bolt. We have a member who has one. It's only offered RH but it seems to function nicely, and it's accurate. ( I did shoot it) I suspect with a tapered barrel you could easily find the parts and put it together yourself. Not a Fortner though. Emmett found me a BPCR 22lr rifle, so I'm off to play with the old pharts.....lol

good luck!
p

I have been shooting smallbore Silhouette with a 1990 Anschutz 1827 biathlon rifle with iron sights for 2 years now. Scores have gone down, but it is a hoot to shoot.

I usably shoot a bank of 5 without ever breaking position. I am allowed to shoot "for fun" but am not allowed to receive pins or prizes because the rifle does not meet spec's

Maybe 10 or so years ago, there was a young-ish shooter who would show up at our local Silhouette Shoots with a biathlon styled rifle (it was not an Anschutz Fortner, I seem to remember it was actually a semi-auto), who would run downrange to re-set targets (when the range was "cold"), run back to the shooting line, then fire his string of 5 shots in rapid succession.

It looked like very good training for biathlon, but was certainly not conducive to good scores. Like your situation, his rifle was non-compliant with the silhouette rules (hooked butt plate, belly of the forend too deep).

Steve.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/v ... &id=274437

just posted on RFC!!!!

Thank you, Pat! I received the email you sent, also.

Thanks for keeping an eye open on my behalf.

Steve.

I shoot Standard with a 1727 in a GRS stock, but I'm in the process of making my own stock from scratch so I can make weight for Hunter class as well. It's a fun gun.

The ergonomics for that rifle are not great for offhand. Its handle and trigger are swept back. You're intended to pull the action with your index finger, and push it home with your thumb which I cannot do, so I 3D designed and printed a new bolt handle that allows me to use my thumb to push the bolt handle home. I also printed a new trigger blade that is 90 degrees instead of swept back.

Here's how it is today:



Here's the progress on the new stock.



I would love to play with an 1827 to see how they are different, but no complaints about this one.

I'm down in Houston. I have 2. My 1827 is in a Nesika stock and it sits back far enough to close the bolt with my thumb when my arthritis isn't killing me. I can send you pics of my setup off line if you'd like. The other is in a factory stock.

Would love to see it.

Great looking rifle there!

For hunter class, a tapered barrel is required. Is that 1727 barrel the same diameter from breech to muzzle?

For now, getting a Fortner action-ed rifle will have to remain a dream/craving for me, but it doesn't cost anything to dream.

Steve.

Jetmugg wrote: Mon Apr 18, 2022 8:36 am Great looking rifle there!

For hunter class, a tapered barrel is required. Is that 1727 barrel the same diameter from breech to muzzle?

For now, getting a Fortner action-ed rifle will have to remain a dream/craving for me, but it doesn't cost anything to dream.

Steve.

It's very slightly tapered. Here's how it looks now: