Summer Biathlon, good starter rifle for LH

[Christopher Rance]

I have quite a few summer biathlon events popping up in my area and would like to compete. I only have a budget of about 500-700 bucks for a rifle and accessories. What rifle would you recommend for a LH shooter? I would like to continue this sport so a rifle that has the possibility for upgrades down the road would be ideal and can stand up to colder weather when winter comes. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[JG26_Irish]

I have quite a few summer biathlon events popping up in my area and would like to compete. I only have a budget of about 500-700 bucks for a rifle and accessories. What rifle would you recommend for a LH shooter? I would like to continue this sport so a rifle that has the possibility for upgrades down the road would be ideal and can stand up to colder weather when winter comes. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I know of no biathlon rifle within that limited budget. The Ishmash toggle action rifle is the closest but they are Russian and thus the import of them was halted by President Obama's executive order when he and Putin decided to get in a PI$$ing match recently. So, finding one is tough and the lack of supply further drove up prices. I have seen them for sale on Armslist for $600-900 and higher in 22lr. The 22mag version is lower in cost but is not legal for biathlon. BM11 bought a used Annie Biathlon rifle back in the winter but I think it was selling for over $1300 (maybe more, I forget). Only reason I remember it is I looked at it too. Most Biathlon rifles are going to sell for in excess of $2500. Look at it this way. To be effective in that sort of match you need to be shooting about 30000 rds of match grade 22 per year. At over $10/bx, that amounts to about $6000/yr in ammo, so the cost of a $2500 rifle is nothing compared to the cost of ammo, match fees, travel, practice. For whatever reason I never see many used biathlon rifles hitting the market either. Good Luck. If you find two cheap ones, PM me, I will take the 2nd one.

Irish

 

[Rover31]

Gotta agree with Irish.
It has been very very difficult to find new let alone used Biathlon rifles. If you do find a new one they are about $2.50 less than a new one. Yeah I am exaggerating but it is crazy the price of a 10-15yo 22LR!
We have many rumors of some club or coach importing them but I have yet to see it actually happen.

If you want a summer gun the possibilities are a bit more. Almost any 5 shot bolt 22LR set up with a globe front and peep rear will work. I have a Savage Mark II FVT I just set up for fun (it's heavy good thing I don't have to carry it!) I am also in the process of setting up an Izhmash Basic 7-2. It has the similar toggle bolt but I have to source some odd parts to get a rear peep on it along with a barrel band and front globe.

But for true winter ski Biathlon you need a true rifle that is set up for that. It is really expensive to try and convert something to "kinda" work. The real rifles actually work much better.

try these guys here

easternsierraarmory.com

For practice, dry fire, it works very well!

good luck

 

[Christopher Rance]

I came across an Izhmash 7-4 LH for 1380. Is that a good deal? It comes with all the accessories like sling and extra magazines.

 

[steve123]

Just thinking out loud here but how about a Browning T bolt or PWS Summit.

 

[JG26_Irish]

Check out the Marlin 2000L Summer Biathlon Rifle

The price on the Izzy is about right for the biathlon rifle. A new one is about $2k. They have a hammer forged bbl and are built by the same company who make the Kalashnikov. Tough reliable, reasonably accurate. But, If you ever plan to get serious about biathlon, know this. Even the Russian teams mostly all shoot Annies. They cannot win without it.

I did just think of a possibility that might meet your budget with some luck. The Marlin 2000L summer biathlon rifle. It is a single shot, peep sight rifle with 22" bbl and used ones can be had for about $500. They made a special kit for it that converts it to a 5rd repeater. I found one last winter at a gun show in Louisville that was selling for $500 in used 90+% condition. It is a nice looking tgt rifle. I did not buy it that day. Instead, I bought the used Remington 540XR tgt rifle that I am using to terrorize the targets with. I posted a pic of the Marlin and a table comparing its accuracy to the Anschutz. If is not as accurate but for less than 1/4th the price is is not bad and it gets you to the firing line. It is not a bad looking piece.

Irish



View attachment 1-1-Table.pdf

 

[JG26_Irish]

A quote from the Marlin owners forum RE the Marlin 2000L Biathlon Rifle:

"The reason they were not really popular is they are single shot rifles, and the price was considered to be more than the "Marlin crowd" wanted to pay for a one shooter.............The other crowd, the "Anshutz" crowd would anty up the needed additional $$ for the Anshutz, as they considered it a better, more competitive rifle.

The Marlin 2000L could be modified into a clip fed repeater by the addition of the Biathlon kit.............I did just that, with my 2000L.................but I have the ability to return it to single feed for Small Bore events.

The 2000L's were hand built and fitted. The triggers are some of the best you'll find on ANY comp rifle, and the barrels were hand selected Air Gaged bores with bentz type target chambers........... As good as the 2000L's were, winning in Small Bore Competition is as much about money and equipment as it is skill...............Even a good Model 52C or D Winchester is considered mediocre today.

After production was stopped on the 2000L's , the only Marlin rifle available for similar accuracy was the 880SQ............and that's still the case today.

If you can find a complete 2000L for sale with the original Lyman/Williams or Anshutz sights in good condition, I think you'll be approaching the $600.00 figure, and worth every penny, if you're searching for accuracy."

 

[Christopher Rance]

Thank you for that. I'll start looking. Now did they offer a left hand version since I'm left handed? That's one of my concerns.

 

[Rover31]

I came across an Izhmash 7-4 LH for 1380. Is that a good deal? It comes with all the accessories like sling and extra magazines.

A little bit of money but it also depends on how badly you want. Also condition.
Truth is they did not make a true left hand version. It is most likely a right hand with a left "bridge" thing.

I am a bit partial to the Izzys.
I feel they are more "robust" and less picky about ammo. The Annies are a bit over engineered. they are very time consuming to clean and adjust. Izzys are simple easy and mine are accurate.

The Izzys can also be dry fired all day long as long as no mag is inserted. The Annies not so, you must put in a dry fire doughnut.

Yes the Annies are much prettier out of the box but my opinion that is where it ends.

 

[Redmanss]

Just thinking out loud here but how about a Browning T bolt or PWS Summit.

The Summit is what came to my mind as well, but does anyone make a proper 10/22 positional/biathlon style stock? I can find one to make it look like a M249 or an MP5, but the Bell and Carlson Odyssey or the McM STC seem to be the only options otherwise that are adjustable enough to be tailored to the specific shooter, albeit very heavily done. Maybe some of the new options coming out could fit the bill once released. The other issue comes to sights. I cannot figure out why there are no Lyman sights or similar for the 10/22. Is there really not enough demand? The PWS having the integral rail would further inhibit that from happening, so any effort towards that would have to start with them.

Maybe it's just the American in me wanting to see a properly done USA made rimfire biathlon rifle, that I'm willing to look past fat and heavy of the only toggle bolt option we have. That and I can't budget a 1827 into things!

 

[JG26_Irish]

The Marlin 2000L was right hand only as far as I know. I love the Izzys. They are build like a tractor. Tough and Ugly and purely functional. Really good shooters too. Very hard to find though. I still want a toggle bolt Biathlon rifle from them. They make a suppressed tactical rifle too that I would love to own but it was never imported to USA. It looks a little like the Dragunov rifle.

Irish

 

[Rover31]

Just thinking out loud here but how about a Browning T bolt or PWS Summit.

I have loked at the PWS T3 summit and thought the same thing. I was able to handle one and thought so even more. There are ways to get a peep/diopter rear and a globe front. So I called Clayton of Eastern Sierra Armory and asked if he could make a biathlon stock for it. He said that others had looked at the PWS and while it looks good it did not function well enough neither was it accurate enough. Both of which surprised me, reports I have heard had been positive. It is a pretty expensive rifle without eden more expensive modifications. By the time you sink money into a stock and sights you might as well have bought a proper Biathlon rifle. But, who know maybe someone needs to take that on and do it anyway.

 

[Corpsie]

I came across an Izhmash 7-4 LH for 1380. Is that a good deal? It comes with all the accessories like sling and extra magazines.

That seems like a decent price nowadays. Some are built with an Anschutz barrel and designated as 7-4a. Îôèöèàëüíûé ñàéò ãðóïïû ïðåäïðèÿòèé "ÈÆÌÀØ"

Another thing about the Izhmash 7-4 is that they usually come with all the accessories you need to compete right out of the box. From what I've read, people tend to replace them, but from an initial investment standpoint it's better that they're there.

By the way, also consider a 7-3 if the price is better. It's almost the same as a 7-4 with different LOP which can be remedied by making your own spacers or installing an adjustable buttplate like Champion's Choice