TargetTalk

Are all Anschutz 1903 are considered Junior Rifles, and are all ambidextrous? Just trying to figure out should I get a 1903 or a 1907L...

Conradin,

yes the 1903 is generally considered a junior rifle. However adults can and do use them. It's considered a junior rifle because it's lighter than Anschutz's Match 54 based rifles (e.g. the 1907), and the stock is less complex. I don't know any top-level adult shooters who use a 1903, because the Match 64 bolt and trigger aren't as good as the current 1907/1913 Match 54, and the stock doesn't offer the same facility to fit the firer, but it is a perfectly good rifle for a beginner.

The 1903 is not ambidextrous; if you want to shoot left-handed, you need to buy a left handed rifle (or vice versa). The bolt is either RH or LH, and cannot be swapped; to operate it "wrong-handed" the rifle would need to be dismounted from the shoulder, which is not desirable over a string of shots (wasting time, and disturbing the body position). Similarly the stock is either RH or LH; due to the shape of the grip and cheekpiece it cannot be shot "wrong-handed" without considerable discomfort, and likely very poor results.

Just to clarify, Anschutz used to make a 1903 Junior that had a shortened stock to accommodate smaller kids.