Smallbore for teen

[davidrdelano]

We’re trying to pick an appropriate precision stock smallbore for my 16 year old, (5’ 11”, 148 lb) on a combined rifle team. One coach says Anschutz are front heavy, might be too much for him, another said FWB 2300 was too small. We like the FWB 2800, guy said the aluminum stock is superior to the walnut.

People here in Northern Virginia are going crazy for Turbo rifles, I’m a bit hesitant to buy the first iteration of any complex device, but I haven’t ruled it out.

I liked the look of the Anschutz 2013 in a precise 1918 stock. I have trouble understanding the difference between all the models of Anschutz 1906, ‘07 etc. or which one would be better for him.

Hardly anyone mentions Walther, why is this?

He shoots a Steyr Challange air rifle, which is pretty big.

Any ideas will be appreciated.

Anyone have any ideas on what might be right for him?

[ShootWithStyle]

If hardly anyone mentions Walther, you must live in an alternate reality! All kidding aside a Walther KK500 should be on the list of rifles to look at.

Turbo being popular in your area makes sense as the Turbos are assembled by DiOrio Mfg. in Virginia. They've been around for several years now and were used by some athletes on the U.S. National Team with good results.

Anschutz was good back in the day, but I think you'll see some posts on here regarding new Anschutz rifles with some major problems. Internationally the Anschutz has fallen by the wayside. Other than their 9015 Air Rifle, no one i shooting well and making finals with an Anshutz smallbore rifle. The main contenders remain the Walther, Bleiker and Grunig & Elmiger rifles.

FWB is making a small comeback with their new 2800 series smallbore rifle, but the bolt assembly on that rifle is the big question mark. How it holds up over the long term is anyones guess.

For what it's worth, I think the best bang for the buck is the Walther KK500. You get the ergonomic advantages of a $10,000 Bleiker or a $12,000 Grunig at around half the price. I have one of the first ones to be imported into the USA and it's worked flawlessly for me. There were a few with some trigger issues, but I never experienced any issue with mine. Go to any USA Shooting match and you'll see a ton of Walther smallbore rifles. Internationally a large number of shooters use Walthers and even some that previously used Bleikers and Grunigs have switched to the Walther.

JV

[davidrdelano]

Thanks for your great info as I continue trying to educate myself on this ....

[Tim S]

The Walther does seem to offer excellent value for money. Ergonomically the bolt is very short making loading easy, comparable to the more expensive Bleiker and Grunig, but with less complexity.

I think Jober is being a little unfair to Anschutz. There has been one recent post regarding a new rifle arriving damaged. The 1913 (27.2in x 15/16in heavy barrel) and 1907 (26in x 7/8in medium barrel) are developments of the Match 54, and have been in production for over 30 years, when the working parts were already proven and reliable. However being in production for 30 years is the downside, the action is less ergonomic and rigid than newer designs. The 54.30 was meant to address these, and some shoot well, but on the whole it was overshadowed by the Walther KK500.

The 1903 Anshutz is built on the Match 64 action. This is a little lighter than the 54, with a simpler trigger, but still pretty accurate. It's not going to win the Olympics, but it's a sensible choice for a smaller junior, who needs a 9-10lb rifle with a more basic stock.

I agree with Jober, that the Feinwerkbau 2800 is interesting. The bolt is more like the plug breech on a naval gun than a rifle bolt. To me it looks a lot like the Mauser 66. I can see why someone would have doubts about the long term durability, as the bolt rides on rails, not inside the receiver. In contrast the Walther KK500 is conventional; it's just very compact.

[lyoke2]

A lot of it has to go into the ability of the rifle and the fit for your son. Having him feel out what fits him best primarily in the stock and then getting a good tested barreled action. Getting hands on with as many rifles as possible would be ideal.

Everyone has an opinion on rifles and brand, usually pushing whatever they are shooting as the best... I get it, we all do it. I don't like to speak ill of brands or of issues, a lot of times you will get one person that has an issue and it will be shouted from the rooftops and you won't hear from the 100 other people with the same model that is shooting great.

Based on what he is shooting now you will be able to see the likes and dislikes and what features are important. At 16 years old I would he has room to grow, maybe not in terms of height but in strength. Getting a lightweight rifle now would work but then does he bulk up in the next year and then you are having to add a lot of weight. If he has long arms then the loading port being farther forward on some of the Anschutz won't be an issue or maybe the FWB loading port is to far back.

There is a lot of content out there to understand the ins and outs of the models and brands. The best way to know is to actually feel one out, on paper it may look great but without getting behind the gun it is like buying a car without test driving it.

There are a lot of minor variations even using the same or a similar stock but will different actions for example, Anschutz 1907 is the lighter weight round action, slightly shorter barrel (658mm -ish). 1913 is heavier round action, usually with 690mm barrel. 2013 is a square action, usually with a 500mm barrel and tube or 690mm barrel. There are benefits to each of these and then the stock that they go into.

There is also the ability to mix a match. I have an Anschutz 1913 that I have upgraded over time to change the barrel to make it shorter and get a tube, put on better accessories and buttplates, and now am putting it into a G+E stock. My rifle is a mix of a ton of brands that fit together to meet my needs. The reason I am keeping the 1913 is that it shoots really well and I like the platform. It has a few features that I wish were a bit different but nothing is perfect, my Jeep doesn't have seat heaters but I still love to drive it.

Look at service and reliability too. Are parts and service readily available? These are precision tools that need proper upkeep and maintenance. Not that things go wrong often but if an accident occurs or the rifle is not maintained very well then it will need repairs.

[Martin H]

I think there is a lot of a good advice here already. Most of the modern rifles are very capable of good scores straight of the box. Its just whether you like the feel of that particular model compared to another.

I handled a new FWB 2800 in the aluminium stock several weeks ago, it's lovely and I really like the tunable front ring on the barrel . I think too much has been made of the bolt issue. I know of one that is now a year old that has had no problems. The owner made the comment "Just keep the bolt slide lubed regularly, just like you would with a normal bolt".
Cheers
Martin

[davidrdelano]

Thanks! Great thread and very useful info.

[Turbo]

If you're located in Northern VA and interested in our Turbo 3P rifles, we'll be at the Arlington Fairfax Chapter Inc Izaak Walton League of America​ on February 21, 2020 starting @3:30PM. I'll have both a RH and LH Turbo demo rifle available for anyone interested in trying one. You can also contact with any questions via email: anthony@dioriomfg.com or call (540) 438-1870

Best Regards, Anthony DiOrio

[Moore]

Walther KK500 and NEVER look back... Jober talked me into one and I'm old and I love it...