The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

I have a very early match 54 that i have centra/mec sights on, the sights do not fit the dovetails on the rifle, i have installed some anschutz risers on the dovetails, but these do not fit either, i have had to shim out the dovetail about 1 mm to get the sights to fit, the sights fit perfectly on my anschutz 64 mpr.

Did they change the dovetail size at some stage?

This probably doesn't help but its interesting no the less!

"Some obvious keys for dating older Anschutz 54's and 64’s in auction listings.

1. The original 54-Action rifles date from 1954 and until ca1960 had vertically-rounded (bullnose) forearm tips, tapered barrels, single-claw extractors and wing safeties.

2. In 1960/61 the single horizontal barrel retention pin was replaced by two vertical pins.

3. Before 1962 barrel muzzles were machined with a dovetail block for the front sight. After 1962 muzzles were drilled and tapped for a dovetail block.

4. Before 1963 1413 models had tapered barrels. Straight barrels for the 1413 began in 1963.

5. The 64-Action rifles are an improved Flobert bolt patent and date from the early 1960’s. They are smaller-diameter actions with significantly weaker bolts and are worth $2-400 less than the equivalent 54-Action.

6. Adding two-number year dates to barrels – 1961

7. Front receiver ring grooved for scope mounts – early 1965

8. Single-claw to double-claw extractors on the 54 action – late 1965

9. Fixed-hook to removable-hook buttplates - ca1970

10. Checkering changed to stippling in 1970 (1407) and '71 (1411/1413) .

11. Barrel dates changed to letter codes replacing numerical dates – ca1977

12. Wing Safety to Side-Safety triggers - First version either 1976 or 77 with the 5071 trigger on a Match 54 rifle, commonly referred to as a “1600”, which were made until 1980, when the 1800 rifle with 5018 trigger, swept bolt handle and improved buttplate was introduced.

13. The swept bolt handle was introduced in mid-1978. Hence some 1600-Series rifles have straight bolt handles, and some have swept handles.

14. The only difference between the 1800 and 1900 rifles is the front sight mounting. From a 3/8” scope block mounting to a grooved barrel. The front sights are not interchangeable without an adaptor, which usually also requires a rear riser block to match the height increase."

Turns out mine is a pre 1960 one.

Thanks for that rockhopper, mine is a 1954/1955, with a serial number in the 4000's!