Anschutz 1517 .17 HMR

RIFLE TEST
RIFLE TEST
5
7
8
£
M
FRO
Barrel and action
Anschutz, like many other manufacturers of
rimfire rifles, now offers each rifle in its range
Chronograph results
2,582fps
Factory
CCI: 17-gr TNT / 252ft/lb
Remington: 17-gr V-Max / 249ft/lb
2,567fps
Winchester: 17-gr V-Max / 242ft/lb
2,533fps
Hornady: 17-gr V-Max / 241ft/lb
2,528fps
B. POTTS
CCI: 20-gr GamePoint / 253ft/lb
2,385fps
BUYING A NEW GUN?
22
Shooting Times & Country Magazine
6 January 2009
BARREL LENGTH
18in
STOCK
Walnut thumbhole
MAGAZINE
Detachable, four-shot
TRIGGER
Single-stage, adjustable
SAFETY
Lever action
IMPORTER
RUAG, tel 01579 362319
construction than its bigger and more expensive
predecessor, the Model 54. The Model 64 has
a 1in-diameter cylindrical tube construction,
which ensures integral strength and a large
locking area for the bolt. The bolt cocks on
opening and is smooth, travelling only 13⁄4in in
the action. The cartridge is manipulated from
the magazine to the barrel chamber by two
large claw extractors sited at three o’clock and
nine o’clock on the bolt face, and it is ejected
by two protruding tabs in the action base as
the bolt is retracted.
I was impressed by the large bolt handle,
which gives a good grip, while the large plastic
bolt knob ensures positive cycling of the action.
This can be replaced with a walnut end.
The overall finish is achieved with traditional
total immersion bluing to build up a high-quality,
richly coloured finish that is not only great-looking
but, if oiled regularly, is hard-wearing, too.
Trigger, safety and magazine
Anschutz has an enviable array of trigger
mechanisms to choose from — from the
single-stage, match-grade version to set
triggers. The Model 5094 D on test had a
precise, single-stage trigger-pull, which is
suitable for sporting use.
The weight is adjustable from the factory
setting of 2.2lb to 4.41lb. It is incredibly crisp
and precise — a factor that contributes to the
great accuracy of all Anschutz rifles.
The safety is a simple sliding catch, which
I found a little stiff to operate, but positive.
When activated, it blocks the trigger and lifts
the trigger sear and bolt release catch. This
allows the bolt to be opened in the safe position,
so you can unload with the safety on.
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What’s the score?
19
20
HANDLING
18
Shortened barrels make this rifle
the ideal length. Combined with its
20
weight, this gives it perfect balance.
TRIGGER
18
Available with a variety of trigger
mechanisms, this single-stage
20
version is suitable for sporting use.
STOCK
18
A well sculptured and nicely
finished stock with the additional
20
appeal of a thumbhole.
Each rifle is tested at the Anschutz factory and VALUE
18
This rifle offers numerous features
comes with a test card to prove its accuracy
for your money, making it worth
20
every penny.
TOTAL 91/100
A flush-fi tting magazine is detachable by
move. This is especially useful when lamping,
ACCURACY
The tight shot groupings make
this the most accurate .17HMR
I have tested to date.
/
36.5in
/
with shortened barrels, which makes better
use of the handling qualities without affecting
ballistics overly. The model on test has an 18in
barrel, with a heavy profile of 0.74in, and it is
screw-cut for a ∞⁄∏UNF thread sound moderator.
With a moderator fitted, the overall length is
only 42in — the same as a normal rifle without
a moderator fitted.
Internally, the barrel is well finished. All
machining marks are honed, and the chamber
is precision-cut, as one would expect from an
Anschutz rifle. The rifling has button-rifled
lands and is hammer forged, with the standard
one-in-8.9in twist for a .17HMR cartridge.
No sights are fitted, but the action has twin
11mm dovetail rails split between the action
opening. It is also drilled and tapped for scope
bases should you require a different mount —
to attach a night-vision scope, for example.
The action is the Model 64, which is a
match-grade action. However, it has a lighter
OVERALL LENGTH
less than 1⁄2in. For a lighter bullet weight of
17-gr, the Winchester V-Max load (2,533fps
and 242ft/lb) gave a healthy 3⁄4in grouping.
Shots from the Remington and Hornady
17-gr loads gave groups of around 1in, which
is good for such light bullets, though there was
little wind to contend with. The CCI TNT load
produced good velocity, but the accuracy was
less impressive, at around 11⁄4in at 100 yards.
The accuracy and velocities generated
by all the test ammunition is proof that short
barrels work well, and in combination with the
sound moderator, it was quiet, too.
/
T
here are many good-quality, affordable
.17HMR rifles from brands such as
CZ, Sako and Savage, but top billing
must go to Anschutz. The German
manufacturer is renowned for the supreme
accuracy of its target rifles, which is due to its
in-house barrel making and design — triggers
and stocks are carefully manufactured, and
combine to produce a rifle with old-world finish
and quality, but with modern-day performance.
The 1517 model employs the Model 64
action and has an 18in heavy-profiled barrel,
which is screw-cut for a sound moderator. The
rifle has been fi tted with a walnut thumbhole
stock especially for the UK market. Each rifle is
tested at the Anschutz factory and comes with
a test target card to prove its accuracy.
Anschutz 1517 .17 HMR
Being a rimfire, the only ammunition available
for this rifle is factory-made, so I chose five
types with 17–gr and 20-gr bullet samples,
shooting four-shot groups at 50 and 100
yards. I had fitted an LEI sound moderator to
reduce the muzzle report, though the nearby
cows seemed disinterested anyway.
The accuracy was immediately impressive.
At 50 yards, shooting from a bench, all the
shot groups were touching. I then followed
this with groups at 100 yards.
The best results came from the CCI 20-gr
GamePoint, with all its shots grouping into
The Winchester 17-gr
V-Max gave tight (3⁄4 in)
groups for a light bullet
The best round was the CCI 20-gr
GamePoint, with 1⁄2 in groupings
/
Bruce Potts acclaims the accuracy of this
rifle and gives its thumbhole the thumbs up
Accuracy and targets
/
Anschutz 1517
.17 HMR rifle
Included especially for the
UK market, the thumbhole
stock design enables greater
control with one hand
moving the release catch forward. This is rather
fiddly, but it does mean that there is no chance
of losing the magazine. Unusually, it is a fourshot unit (five is more common). I assume it
was designed this way to ensure that it is flush
with the underside of the action. There are no
10-shot options, unlike with the .22LR versions
of this rifle.
Stock
Anschutz makes some lovely, classically styled
sporter stocks that complement the blued steel
nicely. However, I’ve always liked thumbhole
stocks, especially on a rimfire. It allows greater
control with one hand when you are on the
as your other hand is usually busy loading or
supporting yourself on your vehicle.
This rifle’s thumbhole stock is beautifully
proportioned, especially in combination with the
short barrel on this model. The colour and grain
of the walnut is pleasant and it has good figuring
over the entire stock, with a Tru-Oil finish.
The thumbhole itself is upright, and large
enough for a gloved hand. The rifle has a nice
raised cheekpiece, so scope use is comfortable
and easy for multiple shots.
Skip-line chequering adorns both the pistol
grip and the fore-end, and it has a thick black
ventilated recoil pad. Unusually, there are no
sling swivel studs. ∆
21 November 2012
CONCLUSION
This is a premium-grade rifle, and the slightly
higher cost over comparable .17HMRs is
justified. The thumbhole stock is delightful
— well-proportioned, nicely finished and
with plenty of colour, grain and character.
It was perfectly balanced with the overall
weight and length of the rifle. This is also true
of the trigger, which is excellent and can be
adjusted. Having a shorter barrel (in this case,
18in) is a benefit in any rimfire sporting rifle
and means that, once a moderator is fitted,
the balance is not lost. Overall, this classy
rifle will not disappoint.
Shooting Times & Country Magazine
83