Hello Everyone,

A few months ago I purchased my first rifle, an Anschutz 1416DKL with a view to get started at metallic silhouette shooting. I understand why I was recommended this rifle by a reliable person and I don’t want to make my first post a whinge, but I seem to have a Friday afternoon special on my hands. A bit of a lemon you might say.

The first problem it has is the fail to eject that Anscuhtz seems to have known about for at least 9 years and done nothing about. Most go left with many also flopping out to the right or not even ejecting out at all. I can’t tell you how sick I have become of picking cases out with my fingers or having to turn the gun up side down.

Secondly, I have tried quite a few types of ammo and all are producing cold round flyers whether the barrel is clean or after hundreds of shots. The first shot is about 100mm high and slightly left every time I take my first shot. So every time there is a cease fire, I take my first shot and there it is, every time.

I have tried SK Rifle Match, RWS Rifle Match, Norma 2, Lapua Club, Federal Standard Velocity and CCI Standard Velocity. They all fly on the first shot and the CCI SV out shoots the rest I mentioned at less than half the price, except Federal which is similar in price. So at this stage I am shooting the CCI because it has performed the best, but like everything, the first shot is a flyer.

Keep in mind that the silhouette comps are rounds of 5 shots, leaving me 4 to score with and a choice of shooting to a fault or shooting high. This really makes my overpriced Friday special unfit for it’s purpose.

Thirdly, the barrel isn’t even centred in the stock. This doesn’t have an effect on function, but seriously, what is going on that they can’t get that right?

Regarding the fail to eject, which to be blunt, I find pathetic considering the price of this brand and the time it’s been going on. I am a long time cyclist and never go near bike shops. They are the devil and a great place to go if you want the original problem half fixed and a few new ones to keep it company, so I am naturally worried about the damage and half arsed fixes that might go on if I send it back. I have two trades and understand how things work when shown. The fixes for the jamming of the left extractor and lengthening the right one seem easy to follow and I am confident that I can do it.

Regarding the cold flyers. This where I feel the rifle has to go back, because that I can’t fix and it makes the rifle unfit for it’s intended use. I can’t see a way around that one, so I feel it will have to go back.

The off centre stock is probably nothing more than a minor adjustment, albeit one that should have been done before I ever saw it.

I am pretty sure that I will sell this rifle once I at least have the stupid shells ejecting, as I feel bitter towards it, but the question is what to replace it with. I am in Australia, so naturally I’d like a CZ as they have been loved by Australians for a long time. I was always buying a CZ until someone I trusted gave me the “good oil” on my current junker.

I also acknowledge that beyond the first shot the Friday Special is, in fact very accurate and I am caught between the cold flyers going unsolved and not being able to replace the accuracy.
My other choice was originally a Ruger 77/22, which are very hard to get here. You have to back order them and wait. I am willing to do this as I bought my daughter a CZ452 Scout which is very accurate and has much better trigger than the Anschutz, despite what I heard, so I am happy to just share that while I waited for another one to show up for me.

Sorry about the long post. I’d really be grateful for your thoughts on any of that and also what you think are the differences, advantages and otherwise between the 452 and 455.

Cheers and thanks very much in advance.

Dean

I've had good luck with a 452 Special (Trainer) that I used for several years. My scores were usually 25-28 with it. I used BKL rings and a Weaver V24. I found the shoulder purchase of the hogback stock very appropriate for me. Never shot a 455.

Dean,
It does indeed sound like you have a lemon or one that has been worked on by an amateur. In all the Annies I have seen (long time prone/position shooter before my 37 years of silhouette) only one has ever been a lemon and it was a meister grade 222. It was eventually replaced but very frustrating getting there.
As for the CZ's, love them. Great shooters, I would stick with a 452.
As you are in Australia I would not know how to go about correcting your problem with your Annie but you may want to contact Deiter via internet and see if you can get some response.

Mary

You mentioned something about the stock being off center. Is the barrel touching the stock anywhere? If it is you might consider fixing that first before selling it off. It tends to throw shots off when the barrel touches. Also, the Anschutz you have is a 64, the 54's are supposed to be much better, especially in the trigger. I have a new 1712 and wouldn't trade or sell it for anything.

BUT up here in Montana there are still a ton of CZ's on the line, and I don't think thats a bad option at all. People seem to 'feel' that the old 452's are better than the 455's, but the new ones I've seen shoot are the same quality as the old ones. Don't own either so I can't give a firm opinion.

I have owned 3 different Anschutz rifles over the past 30 years and NEVER had a problem with any of them. Damn magazines are expensive but I fount a $15 solution to that minor problem. I have had to take a large screwdriver and open the metal mag well a little so the savage mags would come out easier.

I have a friend that shot 3-position for the AMU in the 60s and 70s who claims all Anschutz were subject to the ejection problem. He says the "official" Army solution was to "Pull Harder" The triggers were so superior that he put up with his Anschutz rifle, eventually shooting an 1813 as a civilian in the 70s and 80s. However, he also loudly proclaims anytime I am within earshot that the best competition rifle will be a Winchester 52 D in an Anschutz or Anschutz like stock and all function problems will be solved! I believe he is telling the truth, as you sometimes see such "Winschootzes" on gunbroker and the like.

To the OP: Have heart, all products have the occasional quality control issue. I once had to send a Kimber back to the factory three times just to get it to fire! However, I have had pretty good luck with Anschutz. My old 72' sporter worked fine except for occasionally having to tip the empty out. It was not till I customized it into the "Ultimate Silhouette Rifle" that it quit chambering, firing, or ejecting! Nothing like a 4,000$ pile of ruble to teach me a lesson. No more custom rifles!

This last is a very sore point at my house, because the wife's CZ 452s fire and eject every time. As a matter of fact, after a little tweaking her Style shoots every bit as good our Anschutz factory barrels. It takes a well set up Lilja barrel to beat it, but man its just too bad CZ uses a stone age trigger mechanism.

Thanks for the replies.

I should have said that it is new, so no dodgy workmanship other than the manufacturer. I don't know anyone to bounce this stuff off, so wasn't meaning to sound to vengeful or anything. I have some hope of it being resolved, but I am very disappointed with the rifle - no doubt about that.

I must say I understand the CZ452 ejection comparison having just bought a Scout for my daughter. Who knows where those thing eventually land. As for the trigger, hers feels far superior to mine, which doesn't surprise me given the rest of it's problems.

Thanks again everyone.

When you load from a fresh/full magazine, have you ejected the first (live) round and shot it? To see if that generates a flyer?

In other words, dump the first round and fire the remaining. You may have an issue where the first round is chambering different than the remaining.

I have been following this thread with a bit of interest. I have some opinions on a couple of the matters as to cause and a reasonable expectation of use/performance.

DeanoMagic wrote:...The first problem it has is the fail to eject that Anscuhtz seems to have known about for at least 9 years and done nothing about. Most go left with many also flopping out to the right or not even ejecting out at all.

I personally can't address this with either complaints or solutions. My 1712 flips cases out, with the occasional empty that lands back on the magazine. This probably occurs less than once per match. Granted the ejection may not be as brisk as my 40-X or my AR-15, but sufficient nonetheless. My 54 is even better.

DeanoMagic wrote:...Secondly, I have tried quite a few types of ammo and all are producing cold round flyers whether the barrel is clean or after hundreds of shots. The first shot is about 100mm high and slightly left every time I take my first shot. So every time there is a cease fire, I take my first shot and there it is, every time.

I have tried SK Rifle Match, RWS Rifle Match, Norma 2, Lapua Club, Federal Standard Velocity and CCI Standard Velocity. They all fly on the first shot and the CCI SV out shoots the rest I mentioned at less than half the price, except Federal which is similar in price. So at this stage I am shooting the CCI because it has performed the best, but like everything, the first shot is a flyer.

Keep in mind that the silhouette comps are rounds of 5 shots, leaving me 4 to score with and a choice of shooting to a fault or shooting high. This really makes my overpriced Friday special unfit for it’s purpose.....

The rimfire rifles that I shoot competitively display this characteristic. My opinion is that this is not a flaw but a fact that a barrel is in a particular "condition" when cold and subsequently that "condition" changes by firing and that residual "conditions" are established that exist for most (if not all) of a match. In my experience, if during pre-match warmups, I shoot up until the pre-match safety briefing, I see no difference in point of impact. The rifle I've been using for the last three years will shoot high on the first shot when cold. My rifle, when cold, will need 1/2- 1 1/2 minutes of elevation depending on the distance for the first shot. As I indicated, that practically never happens because I've changed its "condition". I suspect it would be more likely to happen when squirrel hunting than in a match.

DeanoMagic wrote:...Thirdly, the barrel isn’t even centred in the stock. This doesn’t have an effect on function, but seriously, what is going on that they can’t get that right?
The off centre stock is probably nothing more than a minor adjustment, albeit one that should have been done before I ever saw it.

Its my understanding these stocks are produced on CNC equipment that should be very precise. Without seeing your rifle I can only speculate as to the condition you refer to. If the barrel is contacting the side of the channel, bear in mind that its not uncommon for a piece of walnut to move as it continues to age and season after leaving the factory, though we would prefer it not. I now ensure that all my wood stocked rifles have a pretty healthy gap between the channel and the barrel. I had one custom stocked rifle that I had to open the channel on the right side in each of the first two years I shot the rifle because that part of the stock moved to the left.
If the positioning of the receiver in the stock is off-center, then I too would have an issue with this and would be seeking resolution.

Good luck.

Boyd, the old-timer I mention above always fires two rounds into a log or bank every time he enters the squirrel woods. He is a believer in what you are describing and wants his barrel warm before any important shots are to be made.

FWIW: He also believes this happens every time the rifle is used, regardless of whether it has been cleaned or not.

Do not overlook the importance of having cold barrel fliers as a handy excuse, however.