Joined
·
88 Posts
If you are asking the question; then I "assume" that you are either new to SB 3P/Prone shooting or returning to the sport after a long layoff. Either way, the answer is the same. Anschutz or Walther. If you have the bucks and want a high end target rifle, buy new. If you want a high end target rifle and are not sure if you will shoot enough to justify $1500-3000 on a competition setup, buy used. I bought a dog looking Anschutz 1407 from Thad Scott for around $500. Mostly, because I shot one years ago and wanted to relive the past. I spent 3 days refinishing the stock, cleaning up the sights, etc., but underneath the crud was an Anschutz waiting to be shot. It grouped most ammo (eley, lapua, RWS, Fiocchi, Wolf) around .4 at 50 yds. Good enough for prone, but not for 3P. I was a bit disappointed, but I figured for 500 bucks, "what do you expect"? I finally shot some inexpensive SK+ and the groups dropped into the 2's @50, and under an inch at 100. Bought a case. Shoots as well as either of my free rifles. Incidentally, the rear sight, after a bit of work to clean it up and spray paint, looks great and works just fine. One final comment. I like the 52. I competed early on with a 52D. Nice iron sight prone rifle, but the stock is not as adjustable as the Anschutz or Walther for 3P. That's important. IMO, if Winchester had put the effort into keeping its stock design current, instead of looking at it as an across the course clone of the M70 , it would still be in production. I would like to buy "American", but we don't have any real domestic options in the 3P/Prone shooting sports.
