Any reason Tanner rifles are not more popular?

[svensta]

As far as I can tell only Lee Eun-chul features as a significant poster boy for this manufacturer. Still his final score in Barcelona was ahead of it's time in my opinion so why do these rifles seem rare or are the smallbore models just a sideline?

[justadude]

Several years ago I did have the chance to look at one. I recall it was unbelievably expensive. Expensive to the point of making a G&E seem reasonable. That could have a lot to do with reducing market penetration.

'Dude

[bluetentacle]

I understand that Tanner is a very small shop whose centerfire rifles are in great demand by 300m shooters. They just don't have the capacity to serve the smallbore market as well.

Yes their stuff is expensive, even though the design/manufacturing philosophy is very old fashioned.

[Ulrich Eichstädt]

Years ago we tried to get a test rifle for a comparison test in VISIER magazine, when the Swiss introduce new rules for their standard rifles. He simply said, that he has enough customers in Switzerland and couldn't afford to attract new ones. I even don't know who's in charge there, never met Tanner himself or seen a picture (member of an old dynasty of gunsmiths).

[daotoys1]

I collect only Swiss guns and happen to have owned a number of Andre Tanner rifles in various calibers.

Currently I own 5 Andre Tanner rifles ( 3 are 50 meter match 22 LR single shot rifles, one is a 300 meter match single shot centerfire, and one is a 300 meter standard centerfire rifle).

Tanner rifles are superb guns. As accurate as anything made period. They are best known for their 300 meter rifles but their 22 LR 50 meter rifles are as well made and as accurate as any of the other brands leading used in world level shooting.

Personally Tanner is my most favored target rifles. They do use start of the art R&D and have world class materials and tools but they refuse to compromise in their small production methods that focus on quality over quantity. Their entire company is just 5 or 6 persons.

Andre Tanner started making guns in his garage in the 1950s. He died in December of 2010. His company continues to make rifles but only produces very small numbers of guns each year.

They follow the philosophy that the older methods of design and production are sound. If they are not broken then dont fix it ( meaning dont change tested and proven designs just for the sake of change .....or as a marketing ploy to sell more guns).

They do slowly introduce changes to their guns, but they are so well refined after 50+ years of R&D that they stick to what works.

Personally I love the "old" traditional looks of their guns. Each is hand made by a single master gun smith using the absolute best materials and methods of fit and finish. Their hardwood stocks are like pieces of fine sculpture. Everything is simple and proven by years of shooting competitions.

They do not wish to become a big business that sells large numbers of guns to the masses. This is the main reason that they are so rare, and so very expensive. Most all of their guns are sold within Europe ( most going to the Swiss ).

Their centerfire rifles were developed around 300 meter shooting, and they are state of the art in accuracy.

Their rimfire rifles are also of world class accuracy ( all 3 of mine have a single hole 10 shot test target at 50 meters ...) comparable to G&E, Bleiker, Anschutz , and other leading manufacturers.

They do not have big advertising budgets and do not advertise like the big companies do. They do not have shooters that they pay big bucks to, to shot their guns and wear their colors.

They do sell guns to the USA if you contact them to order a gun they can help you find an importer that can assist you. They do not have an official importer or dealer in the USA ( nor in the america for that matter).

They remain a very little known gun here simply because of their philosophy as being artists in their craft rather than being a business in the normal sense of the word.

I can tell you that if you do get a Tanner rifle, you will love it. It will most likely be the only one in your state ( or country for that matter ). You will have a world class gun that was hand made in the old world methods. It will be as much a piece of art as it is a world record capable competition piece.

Their guns are expensive. New they cost between $8K and $10K USD or more ( just for the basic gun....then you get to pay extra for the sights, accessories and other bells and whistles ).

Im happy to talk with anyone who is interested in knowing more about them.

I live in Colorado USA

thanks

DAO

[svensta]

Thanks for the info, interesting stuff. Well when my ship comes in I'll pick one up but it's probably out of my price range at the mo.

[22big]

We have a few here in Minnesota, Minneapolis Rifle Club, mostly 300 meter 3P rifles.

[daotoys1]

We have a few here in Minnesota, Minneapolis Rifle Club, mostly 300 meter 3P rifles.

Do you happen to know what caliber they might be?

Did you have the pleasure of shooting any of them? If you did what did you think of the gun(s) regarding their built quality, fit and finish and accuracy compared to other brands you have had experience with ?

DAO

[22big]

I have seen some 6BR and 308, but never shot them. They sure looked wonderful from overall design style, metal and wood fit. Tanner is sure a high end rifle to own. Our club members said Tanner's trigger is a special design that can be adjusted by fingers without tool.

It is a complete package for International shooting events. We have a guy who was a personal friend of Mr. Tanner. There were couple of Tanner rifles for sale on line, 308 and 22lr. The prices were quite high as expected.

[FrankD]

For all the Tanner fans out here:

The following picture shows a Norwegian shooting lady, who uses a Tanner 300m Standard Rifle Model 98 at the current European champion chip 2013 in Osijek, Croatia. Not sure about the ammo, but it seems to me she uses 6mmBR or something like that as most of the 300m target shooters at this time.


Regards from Germany

Frank

[FrankD]

... and this rifle also taken from the ECH 2013 looks also like a Tanner Model 98.


Regards from Germany

Frank

[bluetentacle]

Interesting that so many of the 50m bigshots are also competing in 300m.

The distribution of rifle makes is also interesting. Judging from the photographs, it seems that G+E is slightly more popular than Bleiker. There aren't that many Tanners on the line.

I suspect that Tanners are more popular with the Swiss in their national discipline (300m, magazine-fed, chambered in 7.5 Swiss) and in CISM than in ISSF 300m competition.

Here's the link to the entire gallery: http://ech2013.com/Pages/Gallery.aspx

[Tim S]

Blue,

I noticed that too. However quite a few of the top European shooters are military. If you look through the photos from the European championships you will see a lot of standard rifles (or what appear to be standard rifles). I have a suspeicion that these are actually CISM rifles (some clearly have magazine provision.

[rapidfireXring]

I just bought one, and though not cheap, it is far less than the cost charged in Europe. As the tiny bit of information I have is that they were not imported to dealers in the States. However, used examples find their way here through various importers.

[pdurben]

Andre Tanner died a few years ago, but the company still exists with a new owner, Rolf Denzler. Tanner Sportwaffen is still located in the same building Andre used in Fuhlenbach, Switzerland, and I believe still has the same couple master gunsmiths. The website is

www.tanner-sportwaffen.com

It's all in German, but you can see the current rifle models.

I ordered a Phoenix single shot standard rifle in 6mm BR. I also am getting an extra interchangeable free-rifle trigger and a butt hook so I can use it as a standard rifle and a free rifle. Neal Stepp at ISS in Ft. Worth is the importer. Costs more than a Bleiker or Grunig & Elmiger, but Tanner can do customizations, which they did for me. They hand make per order rather than simply shipping whatever is in inventory. I worked directly with the owner, and he gave me updates during the manufacturing of my rifle. Costs a lot, but I'm getting a rifle hand made specifically for me. The attached picture is the completed rifle taken at the factory. It will ship shortly, so I hope to have it soon.

[rapidfireXring]

What a stunning rifle!! Did you pay more than you would if you had bought a Porsche??

[rapidfireXring]

BTW, who would you go to to have gunsmithing on these?

[ruhaesler@bluewin.ch]

If you take care to your rifle, there's no need of gunsmithing... Maybe a new barrel once in a while with 7.5 swiss after 6 - 8'000 shots, no Idea how long the barrel will last with 6mm BR, but assume comparable. Last year I changed the old stock on my 25 year old Tanner Standard rifle to the new Phoenix Stock, kept the system, changed the barrel. I wanted the metal parts with a cerakote coating in midnitght bronce - no problem!
But the most surprising is the recoil: I shoot 7.5 swiss, which is comparable to a .308 - with the new stock, recoil is more like a 6mm BR. Far less than with the original stock.

André Tanner was a genious and Rolf Denzler brought this ingenuity back to the company. They just recently developed a new trigger for their match rifles, which makes the old set-trigger obsolete. As such your Tanners may be used for long range competitons, where set-trigers are not allowed.

Here are some pictures of my Phoenix

[rapidfireXring]

Just in the topic area;
I want to know how the barrels of the Bleiker, and Grunig & Elmiger are attached in the action. Does it take any special gunsmith skills? Reason I am asking is that I bought two Bleikers, two Tanners, and one Grunig & Elmiger 300M rifles in 7.5 Swiss. I am considering re-barreling at least one of them or more.

Lilja Barrels of Montana is the exclusive exporter to Bleiker of Switzerland now and they have formed a partnership, so Bleiker must have some appreciation of the quality of their barrels. After over 100 years, the Swiss seem to be leaning away from the 7.5x55 cartridge (INMHO only), and there are other choices in Switzerland for differing calibers AND several similar choices here in the States. Lilja is located in Plains , Montana....157 miles from where I live. I did talk to them and they seemed aware of the variety of Swiss rifles....not specific knowledge, but reasonable familiarity.

So, I want to know if the barrels on the rifles are threaded, pinned, or whatever. The Bleikers and G & E have an aluminum block just ahead of the action encasing about 1 to 1.25 inches of the barrel. BT

[dc.fireman]

If you are going to rebarrel from 7.5x55 Swiss, to something else, be mindful of the cartridge rim diameter of .496". It's not a commonly used size (.308 family of cartridges uses .473", while 6.5x55 uses .478").