Anybody still shoot Anschutz? Help me get a feel for what this is worth today.

[Solid7]

I've got some old stuff lying around. Don't really love to hoard. But I also am not going to just put a "feeler" out on a classified. When it goes up, it's going up at the price I want to get.

What I've got: Anschutz 54 (single shot) action from a 1403 Match rifle, circa 1970. Rock solid beast. I had a whole bunch of these that I bought from a high school shooting team, back in the day. (sounds so strange to say those words together) I also have a few Karl Kenyon triggers. These things are handmade, and adjustable down to what feels like, under an ounce. Matching serials on the bolt and action, FWIW.

The actions have sold in days past for $1K. This particular one is single shot, and has the barrel removed. The Kenyon is a thing of glory, and deserves to be in a museum.

What do you all think? Still a treasure, or just a relic?

 

[Kisssofdeath]

Well, I'm no expert but isn't the 1403 model built on the 64 action? Treasure or relic would depend on the condition and buyer. To me it would be a relic regardless of condition. The bad thing is "in my mind" is someone will have to invest a sizable amount of money to get it shooting again. After all that, you still have a 64 Match based action rifle; most people will want to start out with the 54 Match action. If someone paid $1k for an Anschutz 64 Match action IMO they way overpaid regardless of what time period it was bought.

Good luck with your quest. Maybe someone with more knowledge than me can be of more help.

 

[Solid7]

Well, I'm no expert but isn't the 1403 model built on the 64 action?

Fuck. Right. It's not a 1403, and I always get that confused, because I also bought a whole stack of those. Those were definitely the 64 Match action.

This is unequivocably a Match 54 action. I'm not sure if Karl made any triggers for the 64 Match. (I suspect if he did, they'd be worth even more)

MOST of my 54 actions came from the 1413 Super Match.

 

[acudaowner]

1 start high

 

[grauhanen]

A 54 match action without a barrel may be the tougher sell. Originally with a press-fit barrel attachment, many who rebarrel the 54 may wish to thread the receiver.

The Kenyon trigger may be the easier item to move. Many 14xx series rifles had the two-stage 1407-U9 trigger, which has a relatively light trigger pull as low as 5 ounces. The other trigger often seen on the prone 54 match rifle, the 1411, often had the three pound 1411-U2 trigger. I watched a U9 trigger go for over $200 USD on an ebay auction. The Kenyon could fetch much more as the light trigger pull triggers are increasingly not easy to find.

The Kenyon 14xx trigger shown below was offered for sale in Canada for over $600 CAD, but the actual selling price is not known.

 

[Solid7]

I saw a Kenyon Trigger recently go for $750. I don't follow the Winchester 52 crowd, but I understand he has an even more devoted following for that platform.

Hate to be in the ass rape game, but I respect Karl Kenyon's work so much, that it'd be a travesty to let it go for peanuts. The man handmade all the triggers with only a drill press and bandsaw (no milling machine) - and yet, they worked as well or better than, anything of their time. And in my humble opinion, they're still better than the lionshare of what's out there today.

I haven't seen one of those with the "fixed" trigger blade. I have one of those curved shoes, but it mounts on a post. Thanks for sharing that pic.

 

[Tim7139]

The heyday for the action was when guys were building BR guns on them especially early large bolt handle models.
those days are over, zero builds or guys willing to thread them now.....maybe $500..
There’s a market for triggers, again $500 give or take.
The 5000 series OEM triggers were as good as it got. Simple spring swap could get them down to a reliable single stage 2 oz. or so. Action without trigger will not be easy.

 

[Solid7]

Oh, this would be a package deal. Action and trigger, or bust. Otherwise, it would be just too easy to build a .17HMR. I don't have one of those yet. Don't really want one, but my kid might. I taught him to appreciate fine things. (only 20 year old that I know that can discern between a Highland, Speyside, and Islay) It's got to be worth at least as much to someone, as it does to me, or else I'm going to remain the custodian. I just really love and admire this action and trigger. But I just really don't need it. It's a terrible situation to be in.

The only good thing, is that the de-barreled action, is ready to either press a new one in, or thread.

This not being a repeater is probably the biggest handicap. The upgrade is possible, but not economically feasible.

 

[atvman400]

Yeah without high school teams and it seems to be harder for 4H teams around here to get participants the demand is falling. Might be better to try and sell sooner than later. Check out the classifieds on targettalk and rimfire central to get an idea. Just the action might be weird enough though.

 

[ZG47A]

Biggest issue for a would be purchaser would possibly be the mainspring. Both the firing pin and mainspring for the Match 54 actions had changed by the 1980s. I found that out when I owned and shot a Match 54 Prone Rifle made in the 1960s.

 

[JG26_Irish]

Please post a few pics of the items, action and trigger. I have seen Kenyon triggers for Win 52's go for $500 because for years nobody but Kenyon and Canjar made a decent 52 trigger. Those days are over as John Langley can make a laser cut 52 trigger that is adjustable down to feather weight. It is not historical but it is a better trigger for $300. Annie 54 triggers are not that bad to begin with and there are several options. So, the Kenyon item is more of a curio and history to me. You said that most of your 54's were Super Match models. Please confirm if the one you are selling is from a SM? Again good clear HD pics help. Lets us know the condition, wear, any rust, etc. Coming from a HS rifle team they likely got passed around like a drunk cheerleader on the team bus with heavy use, abuse, lots of fingerprints, etc. The pics either confirm or dispel that theory. Markets are fair and honest. You know what you paid for them. You know what it takes to part with them. They should be worth more than you paid if at least a few years have passed. Offer them for sale and put a number on them. If they do not sell, you will have price them too high. Re-price and repeat. I like and own a couple of annies including a 54SM and to be honest, I would not pay $500 for the package. I passed up a complete super match at auction last July that sold for $900 which I thought was about 1/2 price but I was hunting other treasure. I would not sell my super match for $2k but is is a 50's era rifle and in perfect, 99% condition. My point is that for a buyer who wants or needs a 54 action it can still be valuable. Price it and put it out there.

 

[grauhanen]

The Anschutz Super Match models were the free rifle models, the ones that became called the 1413. These have 24mm diameter, 69cm long barrels The receivers and barrels of the prone model, the 1411, are no different, except for the Super Match stamping. The 1411 had 54 Match on the barrel.

The earliest Super Match below, followed by the familiar but still pre-1413 model (along with the pre-1411) shown in an ad from the early 1960s.

 

[Solid7]

Please post a few pics of the items, action and trigger.

Will do that shortly. But it's not a rifle, anymore, just a matching action, and the Kenyon trigger. I've still got the barrel that is clearly marked, "Super Match." It was definitely a 1413. I kept the action(s) that had the best overall conditions. This is the last of them. I turned the other 2 that I liked, into a .17HM2, and a .22lr, respectively. Not everyone's cup of tea, but I have 2 nice single shot rifles, that don't feel like toys. And selling off all of the furniture and accessories, kept my hobby fund flush for a long long time.

One of them is in a silhouette stock, and I will just do "for fun" steel shoots with it.

So, the Kenyon item is more of a curio and history to me.

And same to me. But I knew Karl, and I appreciate his work for what it is. Sure, you can probably get something done better faster, today. But as such, I just don't want to see it go to anyone who appreciates it less than I do. In the age of the rifle, I'd still love to own a Masamune.

 

[Solid7]

Up until about 6 weeks ago, I even still had the original box that one of the guns came in new.

 

[zeroz]

Post it up for whatever you think is a price that would make you happy. If it doesn't sell, get it all put back together and give it to your kid. If you've taught him the appreciation you say you have, he'll be happy as hell. Birthday, Christmas, done.

 

[Solid7]

Post it up for whatever you think is a price that would make you happy. If it doesn't sell, get it all put back together and give it to your kid. If you've taught him the appreciation you say you have, he'll be happy as hell. Birthday, Christmas, done.

I actually contacted a smith today about making it into a .17HM2 or HMR. I've got thousands of rounds of both. Maybe a chassis, to turn it into a chimera. (old meets new - like building a modern firearm on a Mauser)