2nd Hand Rifles - Getting a Good One

[st599]

Hi,

New member awaiting FAC issue.

I'm currently looking for a rifle for benchrest and prone target shooting and have a couple of questions.

I want something a bit different to the Ruger 10/22 that everyone seems to buy when their FAC arrives. I've really enjoyed using an Anschutz aperture sight rifle at the club. A few members rave about the BSA International which they say should have similar accuracy at 50m.

I've found one that's in my price range, but how do you tell if it's any good? All I can see on the website are some photos of the woodwork and mechanism. Are you able to ask for a test report before buying?

bigteeth

[Pete]

I'd look for either Anschutz Match 54 or a BSA International mk 4. Have a look at this site (if you haven't already found it)

http://rifleman.org.uk/BSA_Martini_Inte ... _%20V.html

and: http://rifleman.org.uk/Anschutz.htm

Dealer prices on these are optimistic.............I paid £50 for my Match 54 from a club member who gave up shooting for health reasons. I bought another very old one (50's) for £120 from a dealer.

Most 22LR rifles of this type have been round the galaxy a few times, but the bullets are lubricated soft lead, so it takes a long while for a barrel to be shot out. My old one will still do cloverleaves at 50m.
The main issue is if someone has fired a "squib" round where the powder has only partially ignited producing just enough pressure to get the bullet started, and then fired a normal round behind it, not realising what had happened to the previous round. This can cause the barrel to bulge slightly, so it's worth pushing a cleaning rod with patch slowly througfh the barrel a couple of times, feeling for an interruption when the patch hits the bulge.
I rejected an Anschutz for this reason a few years ago. Most private sellers won't object to this examination. Dry firing a 22 rimfire is not recommended as it can chip or break the firing pin tip.
Best of all though is to see if you can get to shoot it................

Pete

[bradaz11]

with BSA martini internationals, you also want to check the ejection when you open the breech. the springs go in them, and I believe spares are very thin on the ground.

[Pete]

This would make a stonking good benchrest rifle...............

http://ukvarminting.com/topic/42081-val ... ent-328117

Pete

[Les]

As already stated, if you are interested in target shooting with aperture sights, then an Anschutz Match 54 is always a good starting place. Have a look for old Soviet Vostok CM-2's, too. And the Strela /Ural rifles, also from the USSR. Both can be bought for very little money. The Valmet model 62 in Pete's link would be a very good buy, but as you don't yet haver your FAC, the bloke might not be prepared tp wait. You could always try him with a PM, tho' (?!)

Buying a used rifle is usually a bit of a lottery. If you know the rifle/bloke who is selling it - e.g., a fellow club member - then you should be fairly safe to buy it. Other than that, if it looks like it has been treated well, then it usually(!!) has been .... although I've seen some rusty clunkers that shoot brilliantly, and some shining closet queens that couldn't hit a barn door.

If you do end up with a lemon, you can always sell it on. I think we've all been there done that at some time or another.

[stuarta]

I have bought two BSA Internationals over years and never paid more than £100-00 pounds, one is a Mk2 that is in very good condition and very accurate, the other was a Mk5 that looked very neglected and the bore was very dirty. I paid £60-00, it came from a private school that was closing its range and had hardly been used. Isold it for what I paid for it to a very good friend and he shoots it most weeks. BSA Internationals are very good rifles, I started shooting with one in 1962 and they are the only .22 target rifle I always want to shoot. Find one and you will never loose money if you want to sell it, in fact you could make some.

[cthulhu3]

I Got a 1980s walther UIT brilliant gun £200 with sights and sling. Came from a fellow club member.

Main thing if getting an older rifle is to get one with as many accessories as possible. The sights can often be as much as you paid for the rifle.

I second the Finnish lion linked above our club just got one identical and its a stonking gun. Our guys paid just less than £200 as well

The action doesn't suit me however but i have fat hands.


Be patient the right gun will come up eventually and there are amazing bargains to be had even from traders as sometimes (especially older guns) they just want to shift them and 22lr target is very specialist.

Cheerho

[st599]

Many Thanks for all the good information.

Looking forwards to getting the FAC through so I can start looking in earnest.

S