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Quick Guide to Dating Annie Target Rifles

41K views 49 replies 24 participants last post by  vega2029 
#1 · (Edited)
I publish this for my juniors in the market for used Annies, and appreciate y'all's help. Any additions?


Dating Anschutz Rifles

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 .
A 0
B 1
C 2
D 3
E 4
F 5
G 6
H 7
I/J 8
K 9

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.
 
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#29 ·
Topkatt,

Pm seen. What's the company logo on the front receiver ring, a JGA monogram or Anschutz? The later replaced the former in 1955 I think so, that gives us a start. On the whole though, I'd think '57 or' 58 would be more likely than '55 or' 56. Anschutz serial numbers seem to rum roughly in sequence; unlike say Winchester who made a batch, stamped on numbers, and then took receivers from a pile sometimes at random over a few years. A 16,000 SN would seem to fit with a later date within your range.

The lack of a fore-end rail makes me think the stock goes with the 4mm zimmerstutzen barrel/action, and the 0.22 is an extra. A 0.22 would need a sling for the Prone/Kneeling positions, but a zimmerstutzen would not.

Tim
 
#33 ·
Topkatt,

Pm seen. What's the company logo on the front receiver ring, a JGA monogram or Anschutz? The later replaced the former in 1955 I think so, that gives us a start. On the whole though, I'd think '57 or' 58 would be more likely than '55 or' 56. Anschutz serial numbers seem to rum roughly in sequence; unlike say Winchester who made a batch, stamped on numbers, and then took receivers from a pile sometimes at random over a few years. A 16,000 SN would seem to fit with a later date within your range.

The lack of a fore-end rail makes me think the stock goes with the 4mm zimmerstutzen barrel/action, and the 0.22 is an extra. A 0.22 would need a sling for the Prone/Kneeling positions, but a zimmerstutzen would not.

Tim
There's black & white promotional film doing the rounds here about the production of Anschutz rifles. It is said to have been made in 1956.

One section depicts what appears to be a normal production Match 54 barrelled action being given its proof marks. That barrelled action has the serial number 19605.

If the assumptions implied above are warranted, then Topkatt's rifle can't be later than 1956, and is probably late 1955 or early 1956.
 
#30 ·
The machined front sight mount and lack of accessory rail make this a very early model. I had one early 4mm Match Zimmerstutzen long ago ( with the heavy barrel sleeve ) and believe it had a rail. There is no reliable data about production periods but I have seen an Anschutz sporter marked 2.55 by the proof house with serial number 48131 in the rare .22 Vierling and kept a record of that.
 
This post has been deleted
#31 ·
The receiver is marked with the Anschutz logo, not JGA. The zimmerstutzen came with tins of the round lead balls and I still have the 'cartridges' that are loaded behind. The barrel is standard length but at about 8 -10 inces the underside has a slot cut outand youcan tell the rest of the barrel is just a tube for balance and sight radius I guess.
Thanks guys!

Would a two stage trigger be 'typical' or not ?
So it is a post 1955 gun. The Zimmerstutzen has a barrel insert of about ten inches inside the sleeve, the primer driven cartridge does not have enough charge to push the lead ball through a 22" barrel. The lead balls were numbered and the barrel should be marked "Fur Kugel Nr.8" or Nr. 9 , the Anschutz repeating air rifle Nr. 275 uses a Nr.9 bullet. Both bullets and cartridges are hard to find and quite expensive nowadays.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Sandy,

16,000 rifles made within two years of production sounds awfully high. Given the s/n range had reached 40K by the mid 1960s, that suggests production slowed considerably just when Anschutz were starting to win the big medals.

Given the spacing and alignment of the 1 and 9 (the 1 is rather higher and further from the 9), I suspect this is actually 9605, which is much more plausible for 1956. A few months ago on the Target Talk forum I found a 1960s rifle with a six digit serial number, for no discernible reason an extra 0 was stamped at the end, a mistake repeated on the bolt.
 
#36 ·
I had to go to the dark side

I have been shooting a CZ 455, but I moved to the dark side (or I guess the good side depending on the page I am on)LOL ! this week end. Anyway, I bought a Savage Anchsutz 10b in great shape. From what I read above I guess it is prior to 1962 as the muzzle is dove tailed. When was the savage anchsutz in production?
Any information would help.
Tom
 
#40 ·
I have been shooting a CZ 455, but I moved to the dark side (or I guess the good side depending on the page I am on)LOL ! this week end. Anyway, I bought a Savage Anchsutz 10b in great shape. From what I read above I guess it is prior to 1962 as the muzzle is dove tailed. When was the savage anchsutz in production?
Any information would help.
Tom
Post your question as a stand alone regular post, you will get an answer.
 
#37 · (Edited)
-when did the older 54 action Biathlon (1403 & 1427) change to the 'biathlon 1827' bolt action biathlon? I'm not sure if there were action changes and trigger changes; or just the trigger. I see threads claiming action changes.

-when did the 1827 bolt action biathlon change over to the Fortner action (1827-->1827F)? 1984?


iw
 
#38 ·
-when did the older 64 action Biathlon change to the 1827 bolt action biathlon?
(I'm not sure if there were action changes, or just the name changed)

-when did the 1827 bolt action biathlon change over to the Fortner action?

Been thinking about finding one or the other of the bolt action biathlons, but want to get a rough idea on age. My brother has a 64 action biathlon and it's about the most accurate mag fed 22 I've ever shot. Edges out my 7-2 and my old finnbiathlon both.

iw
54 action??
 
#44 ·
I have two Anschutz rifles.
Number one is Model 54 Super Match, 1954-1960 made, according the bull nose stock described in this thread. The other dating items fit as well.
Number two is marked 65 on the barrel, and has "Modell 1413" engraved after bluing between the scope bases.
Both are in very good condition.
I want to thank you for helping date the earlier rifle.
 
#47 ·
One would expect a '66 proofed rifle to have two claws. My first thoughts are:

1: Was the bolt the original, numbered to the receiver? It's not unknown for bolts to get muddled, and an older boot would fit a '66 receiver.

2: Did the bolt/barrel have slots for a second claw? The claws are retained by a spring plunger and a peg, so quite removeable.
 
#49 ·
Makes me wonder about my 1813 the SN is 001, has a Hart USAMTU marked barrel on it. I used it to win the Montana State Outdoor Prone Match in 2009. Has the side safety, stock is the later production butt hook.

Apparently ****** had Dieter himself build it and then the USAMTU armorers bedded it and installed the Hart barrel.

Hard to put a value on this rifle!!

Randy
 
#50 ·
I publish this for my juniors in the market for used Annies, and appreciate y'all's help. Any additions?


Dating Anschutz Rifles

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 .
A 0
B 1
C 2
D 3
E 4
F 5
G 6
H 7
I/J 8
K 9

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.

very helpfull thanks for the info
 
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