Is it legal to take a pistol and convert it to a rifle? I was just looking at an exemplar and realized the bolt is on the left. And it is magazine fed. If I put a new barrel on it, then had a new stock made I could have a left handed bolt action Anschutz. First is this legal? Second is there a reason this isn't a good idea? What are the triggers like on the exemplar and could I swap in a 54 (or 1712) trigger?

might be less expensive to find a LH 1415/16, which is a 64 actioned repeater. I thought about following a similar path with what is considered a RH Exemplar (bolt on the left) but found a LH 1415/16 already in a Mark Pharr stock.

As long as it conforms to the rifle rules it should be fine to do what you are thinking about. Not sure that it will be worth the $$ and effort in the end though compared to selling the pistol and just buying a rifle as mentioned. Remember they have people shooting HP with the XP pistol actions Remington made. Good luck..


Dee

Are you asking if it's allowed to shoot a rifle that was previously a pistol in NRA-approved smallbore silhouette matches or if it's legal according to state and federal laws to change a pistol into a rifle?

Jason wrote:Are you asking if it's allowed to shoot a rifle that was previously a pistol in NRA-approved smallbore silhouette matches or if it's legal according to state and federal laws to change a pistol into a rifle?

Both. I sort of assumed no one cares what it started out as so long as it fits the rules to shoot NRA Silhouette. But the law is another thing. Again, I assume going from small to big is not as touchy as going from big to small.

I thought about the 1416 route but the exemplar is a 54 not 64 action. And if I can get the donor pistol cheap it might be worth persuing. You'd think I could at least wait till I shoot my new 1712 before starting on another project, but thats not how I roll ;)

The only Exemplar pistols that I have seen were 64 actions. I've never seen an Anschutz pistol, factory or otherwise, with a 54-series action. They probably exist, but I haven't seen one. With that said, I believe that it's acceptable to turn a pistol into a rifle as long as at no time during the conversion that it has a barrel less than 16" long and a pistol stock/grip on it. That would make it a short-barreled rifle that would require a $200 fee and federal stamp. If you replace the barrel first and then replace the stock with a rifle stock, it should be fine legally. I think you should check into this further and make sure nothing has changed recently, but that's how others I have known made the transition before.

As soon as I posted that last comment above, I went to search for any pictures of Anschutz Exemplars or other pistols with 54 actions and Bing image search pulled up a couple quickly. They might be 22 Hornet models but they clearly had the wing safety 54 action, so consider my "64-only" comment above completely untrue.

I have never seen or heard of a 54 actioned left handed pistol except the Hornet ones. I asked Anschutz and they said they never made them. The left handed 1416 uses the same trigger as the 1710. You can put the 5098 2 stage on it. I have one. Works good. Steve Wooster makes left handed Pharr stocks. The only left handed repeater 54 action is the 1827F. If you're dying for a repeater, you can get a Cooper JSR, Browning T-bolt, CZ 452. I also have a 7-2KO converted to left hand. Occasionally you'll see 580/581's pop up with the bolt on the correct side. Good luck!

Anschutz says they never made them? Here is one. http://www.armslist.com/posts/40127/tuc ... get-pistol You need to scroll way down, but its a 22lr.

Heres another http://gunnerforum.com/range-reports/12 ... eport.html

I haven't held one of these yet, but they sure look like 54 action, left side bolt 22LR repeating actions.

I have Steve building me a 1712 in a left handed stock as we speak, I've just always coveted a true left handed rifle. If this falls through I'll save my pennies and think about a 1827L for my next project.

I guess I wasn't clear, sorry. They never made a left handed 54 actioned Exemplar, except in 22 Hornet. No 22 LR left bolt 54 actioned pistols. ( or rifles ) Those links are 64's. You can get a 54.18 or a 18XX 19XX 20XX all left bolt but single shot.

Hello,

I wanted to do this (not just for silhouettes) and had a Benelli pistol that has a slip fit barrel system.
I wanted a semi auto w/ the great trigger of the pistol. I got a Sako take-off barrel for cheap and w/some smithing, it works perfect.
Did I need to do all that? not in the slightest, but it turned out awesome!
It is legal and can be done.
Its in a silhouette stock and great for windy speed shooting, or just accurate plinking.
thanks
dean