Anschutz 1727F - RUAG Ammotec UK Ltd

firearms | anschütz
A
nschütz make
some damn
fine rifles in
both rimfire
and centrefire, though the
latter is not so well known
or appreciated in the UK.
However, it is the former that
I’m concerned with, as I have
their latest 17HMR design
the 1727F and excepting two
niggling points it’s probably
the best design in this
calibre I have ever used!
One of Anschütz ’s claims
to fame is in match/precisiontype shooting; however they
also blend this technology into
their hunting line with great
success. Two points in case
are the 1517DB, which is a
17HMR hunter (that uses their
turn-bolt, Match 64 action)
and their now discontinued
1717DB. This was an odd ball
as it was a near pure target gun
with a sporter stock and the
most ridiculous safety catch
ever, but all can be forgiven as
it shot a cool ¼” at 100 yards!
System Fortner
A bit of research showed the
1727F is based on their 1827F
Biathlon 22 LR, which uses a
System Fortner straight-pull (S/P)
action. With this ‘ski & shoot’
discipline, the rate of fire and
a stable platform is all and the
minimum positional disturbance
offered by an SP bolt is to be
appreciated. Fortner makes the
action for Anschütz and have to
a greater degree scaled it up to
suit the needs of the 17HMR.
Locking is by seven, radial
ball bearings that are forced out
into pockets in the inside of the
receiver, all being controlled by
an L-shaped, drop-down bolt
lever on the right. The handle is
about as thick as your little finger
and made of knurled aluminium
with a slight, angled face on the
rear. Operation is as smooth as
silk and little short of amazing,
Trigger is to die for and
allows length/angle
adjustment on the blade,
sadly the mag catch is basic
6, Capacity is a lamentable
Capacity is a lamentable
four rounds, adequate
but more would be better,
ammo is Winchester
17-grain Ballistic Tip
98%
Pete Moore checks out Anschütz’s 1727F straight-pull,
which might be the near perfect 17HMR hunter
200
june
2014
|
GUN MART
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anschütz | firearms
appreciating the innovation
and build quality I have to ask
myself is it all really necessary
for a small bore hunting rifle?
Base jumper
The receiver is a semi-matt
stainless finish and is unusual
for Anschütz in that it does
not have the integral, 11mm
dovetails common to their
rimfires. Instead there are
separate, screw-on, alloy bases
with the rear unit offering
three length positions, which
is a nice option. At 10 o’clock
just behind the ejection port
is the bolt release catch and
moving further back and on
the left is the safety catch.
This control is a bone of
contention for me as it’s a
simple, 2-posiiton rolling lever –
forward F = fire and rearwards
S = safe that works effectively.
However, you might wonder
why it’s on the left as this is a
100% right handed rifle and
operating it is neither fast nor
instinctive. Simple, it’s a Matchbased action and that’s how
the Germans like it for paper
punching. If you think that is bad
then the unit on the 1717DB
was a long, flap-type lever set
at 9 o’clock on the bolt shroud
and of equal awkwardness.
Given the 1727R stands
alone as a hunting rifle and
had to be re-engineered for the
longer 17HMR round you would
have thought that Anschütz
might have employed a more
practical position. Something
like that used on the 1517DB,
which is located rear right of
the action and easily operated
by the firing hand thumb.
However, inspection shows
that the bolt layout precludes
this; the only alternative
would be a tang-mounted
unit, which would be ideal.
However, this would doubtless
require a deal of re-design and
they already had one on the
left, set up for the Teutonic
mind set; so why bother?
1950s feed
Moving on we come to another
bug bear of mine – the 4-round
magazine! Yes it works, the
capacity is adequate but too
low and the system though
reliable is primitive with a basic,
push-forward release catch at
the rear of the well. This mind
set is prevalent on all their
rimfire rifles as the 1717DB
showed the same problem.
Here a spare or two would be
mandatory and I’m told there
is not a high capacity option.
However, and I say this with
all honesty; I couldn’t give a
damn about the feed or safety
systems as the 1727R is an
absolute jewel of a rifle in terms
of shootability and accuracy!
The stock is a classic hog’s
back layout with a Schnable
forend. It was so light in colour
on my tester I thought it was
"The long-awaited Anschütz 1727F; a superior
straight-pull in every way, though Anschütz has
perhaps not thought out a couple of areas
for the hunter"
The System Fortner bolt
with its radial locking
and super-slick action
is a work of art
The smooth and clean
look of the receiver is
pleasing, note the rear
scope base can be set
in three positions; nice!
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GUN MART
| june
2014
201
▲
being accomplished with just
your trigger finger opening
and your thumb closing it!
This I hasten to add is equally
smooth and slick when actually
firing and combines a superbly
positive ejection movement,
even at slow speed. As might be
expected there is no problem
with primary extraction either.
This Match pedigree build
also runs to the 5020 trigger
unit, which is fully adjustable
from 3.1 to 22 oz and even
allows for the blade position to
be altered by 23.5 mm with an
11° cant angle too. From the
box it gave a beautiful, 2-stage
pull breaking at what felt like
about 8oz. Light, I would be
the first to agree, but the take
up movement allows you to
get up onto the break in total
confidence to make the shot.
The action has to be removed
from the stock to do any
adjustments. As we shall see the
price is prohibitive and though
firearms | anschütz
▲
beech, but it’s walnut! It offers
a good heft with enough to
get hold of front and rear
without being gross. The full
pistol grip shows a R/H palm
swell, chequering is well cut
and effective on this area and
the forend. Q/D sling studs are
fitted and there’s a well defined
cheekpiece, the butt is finished
off with a rubber pad. Removing
the action from the stock shows
a proper recoil lug and pocket,
which is unusual on a rimfire.
I wonder if Anschütz will offer
22 WMR or 22 or even 17
Hornet. A 1727F in the latter
would be an absolute beauty!
The button-rifled, blued
barrel is 22” long and shows
a tapered/medium profile
culminating at the 18mm
muzzle with a concave crown
and is lightly free-floated.
No iron sights are fitted, nor
was this example threaded.
I assume the importers will
offer this facility as it’s near
essential on a rimfire hunter
of any calibre! At 6.7 lbs
(un-scoped) and 40.9” long
it comes up like a centrefire.
The overall impression and
feel is most pleasing.
Shoot
For the test I fitted a Kahles KX
3.5-10x50 scope in Sportsmatch
mounts. The KX is from Kahles
budget range, though optical
quality and performance is
excellent. Ammunition went to
Winchester, 17-grain Ballistic
Tip. The initial feeling is to shoot
and let go of the pistol grip
and use the first three fingers
and thumb to cycle the action,
much like you would with a Lynx
or Schmidt Rubin straight-pull!
There is no need! All you
need to do is maintain your grip
with your lower three fingers,
lift your thumb off and pull
the bolt back with your trigger
finger. With the return stroke
accomplished with the thumb
pushing it back into battery. In
this way you maintain the basis
of your shooting grip and the
action soon becomes fast and
instinctive and 100% reliable.
However, I found if I rushed it, it
was possible to get your finger
back on the trigger as you shut
the bolt with the gun firing as it
closed. Given the light trigger,
this is an easy thing to do until
you get the cadence right.
Bolt operation is sublime only
requiring trigger finger and thumb
pressure to accomplish full cycling
Left side detail showing bolt
release and safety, scope is a
Kahles KX 3-10x50; it doesn’t
get much better than that!
Back to earth
Initially accuracy was spotty and
erratic, which did not impress,
then it occurred to me the barrel
might need cleaning. A dig out
and the legendary Anschütz
magic appeared. Off a bag/
bench at 100 yards the 1727R
was shooting inside ½” and it
soon became a case of if you
can see it you can hit it, given
the target was no smaller than
the cross hair intersection!
Shooting this rifle becomes
addictive and I must have got
through 200-rounds without
much thought apart from
the pleasure of its superior
performance. Like I said the
safety, though easy to operate.
is on the wrong side and the
4-round mag hardly does the
rifle justice, but oh my, it’s a
smooth, slick and accurate
shooting machine! GM
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Model
Calibre
Capacity
Action
Barrel
Weight
Length
Trigger
Stock
Price
Spare mags
Contact
202
june
Anschütz 1727F
17HMR only
4 (D/M)
Straight-pull
22”
6.7 lbs (un-scoped)
40.9”
Adjustable
Walnut
£2300
£54
RUAG Ammotec UK Ltd,
01579 362319
2014
|
GUN MART
Unusual in a rimfire the 1727F
uses a proper recoil lug and
pocket, me thinks maybe a 22 or
17 Hornet version is to follow?
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