firearms | anschütz

200 june 2014 | GUN MART View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net

Pete Moore checks out Anschütz’s 1727F straight-pull, which might be the near perfect 17HMR hunter

Anschütz make some damn fi ne rifl es in both rimfi re

and centrefi re, 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/precision-type 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 FortnerA 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 fi re 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 fi nger 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%

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anschütz | firearms

201GUN MART | june 2014View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net

being accomplished with just your trigger fi nger opening and your thumb closing it! This I hasten to add is equally smooth and slick when actually fi ring 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 fi rst to agree, but the take up movement allows you to get up onto the break in total confi dence 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

appreciating the innovation and build quality I have to ask myself is it all really necessary for a small bore hunting rifl e?

Base jumperThe receiver is a semi-matt stainless fi nish and is unusual for Anschütz in that it does not have the integral, 11mm dovetails common to their rimfi res. 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 = fi re and rearwards S = safe that works effectively. However, you might wonder why it’s on the left as this is a 100% right handed rifl e and

operating it is neither fast nor instinctive. Simple, it’s a Match-based 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, fl ap-type lever set at 9 o’clock on the bolt shroud and of equal awkwardness.

Given the 1727R stands alone as a hunting rifl e 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 fi ring 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 feedMoving 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 rimfi re rifl es 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 rifl e 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 smooth and clean look of the receiver is

pleasing, note the rear scope base can be set

in three positions; nice!

The System Fortner bolt with its radial locking and super-slick action is a work of art

Model Anschütz 1727FCalibre 17HMR onlyCapacity 4 (D/M)Action Straight-pullBarrel 22”Weight 6.7 lbs (un-scoped)Length 40.9”Trigger AdjustableStock WalnutPrice £2300Spare mags £54Contact RUAG Ammotec UK Ltd, 01579 362319

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

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firearms | anschütz

202 june 2014 | GUN MART View hundreds more gun reviews online at www.gunmart.net

Bolt operation is sublime only requiring trigger fi nger 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!

Unusual in a rimfi re the 1727F uses a proper recoil lug and pocket, me thinks maybe a 22 or 17 Hornet version is to follow?

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 fi tted and there’s a well defi ned cheekpiece, the butt is fi nished off with a rubber pad. Removing the action from the stock shows a proper recoil lug and pocket, which is unusual on a rimfi re. 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-rifl ed, blued barrel is 22” long and shows a tapered/medium profi le culminating at the 18mm muzzle with a concave crown and is lightly free-fl oated. No iron sights are fi tted, nor was this example threaded. I assume the importers will offer this facility as it’s near essential on a rimfi re hunter of any calibre! At 6.7 lbs (un-scoped) and 40.9” long it comes up like a centrefi re. The overall impression and feel is most pleasing.

ShootFor the test I fi tted 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 fi rst three fi ngers 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 fi ngers, lift your thumb off and pull the bolt back with your trigger fi nger. 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 fi nger back on the trigger as you shut the bolt with the gun fi ring as it closed. Given the light trigger, this is an easy thing to do until you get the cadence right.

Back to earthInitially 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 rifl e 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 rifl e justice, but oh my, it’s a smooth, slick and accurate shooting machine! GM