Which Anschutz rifles came/come with which triggers?

[Jason]

The title of this post pretty much says it all. I'm in the middle of deciding whether or not to build a smallbore gun or just buy a 1712. Trying to find an action to build a gun if I go that way has been a trip down Confusion Lane. One of the main reasons I want a gun is to get the much lauded Anschutz 2-stage trigger. Now I find out there's more than one, and I'm having trouble even trying to narrow down which is the one I want and which guns it comes or came on. Anyone want to help me out here? I don't really like wooden stocks for competitive guns, but I'm getting to the point of just buying the 1712 and shooting it as it is.

Thanks,

Jason

[nomad]

Think of the 1710/12s as being built on the 'old' 54 action and using compatible triggers. There are two trigger versions that are of interest for them. One is a 2 stage unit and the other is single stage. The ONLY difference between the single stage and the 2 stage trigger groups is a small tit on the left rear of the trigger staff that picks up the sear bar earlier in the 2 stage unit. (There are 2 trigger staffs available -- one has a sliding shoe ala the 1712 and the other does not. In either case, adding or removing that small tit will make the staff do the same job and either staff will fit either group.) There is no safety on these trigger groups -- it is part of the bolt on the older style action.

The 54.18MS/MSR/1808 rifles are built on the late model 54 action. Those use a different firing pin and the 5018/5022 trigger group which is MUCH more sophisticated and adjustable and which incorporates an inbuilt safety. The 5018 trigger is the light pull unit and the 5022 uses different springs to bring the pull weight up. With the heavier springs, the 5022 will actually permit a pull acceptable on a Palma rifle which requires 1.5 Kg. The ONLY physical difference that I know of between the 5018 and the 5022 is the springs. (They are stamped with different numbers from the factory-- Teutonic efficiency!)

The trigger groups are NOT interchangeable between the 1710/12 rifles and the 54.18s. It is probably possible to modify the action to accept either but they aren't 'bolt-ons'.

If you want the 'ultimate' trigger, you really need to buy a 54.18 in either single shot or repeater version and have it built into a hunter gun.

That said, once the 1710/1712 trigger is PROPERLY set up by someone who understands it and can (IF needed -- many/most don't) stone the contacts to their optimum engagements, I doubt that you would ever be able to tell which was 'better'. The 5018/5022 WILL be more readily adjustable.

The staff on the 5018/5022 is definitely more user friendly but Marvin makes a replacement shoe for the older group that is very good. (And, Mark either makes a shoe also...or Marvin makes it for him. I don't know which is which there.)

If you need any more information, pm me and I'll give you my phone #.

[Jason]

Thanks, nomad. That is exactly the info I was looking for. I called a guy named Neal Stepp that Marvin referred me to about getting a barreled action with the 5018 trigger on it. It would cost me $1262 for a barreled action (Anschutz doesn't sell just actions), and no guns or barreled actions that he knows of came with that trigger and a tapered barrel. There were also few repeaters that came with those triggers. I'm thinking I might be better off to just try to find a used repeater with the 5018 or 5022 trigger on it at a decent price and sit on the money I have saved up until that happens, as it probably won't happen quickly. Which models, or present, would be repeaters that would have come with the 5018 or 5022 triggers? Maybe if I'm good enough, karma will let me come across one of them with a trashed stock and beat-up barrel for a steal of a price.

Of course, the other choice is to just buy a 1712 barreled action and pay Marv to give the trigger some TLC and bed it into a Pharr stock. I hate to not get the best I can get if I'm gonna be spending this much on it anyway, though.

[nomad]

Neal's shop is about 10 minutes from my house. He's one of the really good guys.

Good luck finding a 54.18MSR (that's the repeater) or an 1808 at a low price. Also, if you do find one, grab it quick and look behind you...you're likely about to be run over by me and about fifty others searching for the same deal!

[GeoNLR]

Big Earn...

To encourage the young lad I thought I might tell the story about where I got my 54.18 barreled action.

I was at a gun show and saw an older gentleman walking around trying to pimp a Volquartzen 10/22. Everyone was treating him like he was trying to pimp a broke down Yugo...

After a few mins of friendly chat with him, he mentioned having some type of target rifle at home that sounded right down my alley... Some weird name like "antshoots" or something... 54 something or another. Said he drove to TN to a shop owned by a guy named Homer and hand picked it a number of years back. Said it had a clip with a red base and that he still had the box and papers...

He named his price- $900 for the complete rifle.. then said he had a eff scope to go with it if I wanted both and that he would take $1200 for the pair. Both like new in box.

Met with him the next morning with (12) 100 bills, he showed with the rifle and scope as described. It was the non-thumbhole dark walnut version.

$1200 start

Sold scope for $500 next morning
Sold Stock for $300 that week
Leaves me with $400 into the action and I have (2) red based clips ($65 e?)and a basically unfired barrel to spare...

Stranger things COULD happen, but I don't think I'll run into that deal again...

[nomad]

They're out there...just hard to find.

One of my wife's girlfriends inherited a rifle from her father and called to say that it 'wouldn't work' and to ask if I would look at it so her son could use it.

Anticipating some old clunker, I said yes and she brought it over. When I opened the case, there was a like new Savage-Anschutz 54 Sporter in it with a Leupold 2x7 variable in high-dollar Conetrol mounts. The reason it 'wouldn't work' was because the safety was ON. That was good -- since, once I 'fixed' it (by pushing the safety OFF) and opened the bolt, a live round popped out...and there were 5 more in the magazine. It had sat that way for maybe 25 years!

It has the nicest wood I've ever seen on an Anschutz -- including the Meister grades!

Unfortunately, she doesn't want to sell it. (YET!)