A few days back I bought an Anschutz Model 1502 heavy barrel Rifle in caliber 17 Mach2.
It has the Varmint style checkered walnut stock with the wide beavertail forend. The barrel is about 23" long.
I worried over the Rifle which had come from an estate before buying it.
My worries were mainly centered around ammunition availability and the future of the ammunitions production!
The Rifle was in mint condition so I manuevered my worries into establishing a more pleasing price and I decided to gamble on one more 17 Mach2 heavy barrel coming into my Varmint arsenal.
I did get two cartons (20 boxes or 1,000 rounds) of Hornady 17 grain V-Max ammunition in the deal as well.
The scope had been sold previously but it did come with Weaver style bases on the factory drilled and tapped grooved receiver.
I am low on scopes right now but did have on hand one vintage Redfield 6x18 variable!
I mounted it up this morning and bore sighted it and waited for a break in the wind.
Finally this afternoon it calmed down a bit and I headed for my "wind protected" privately owned range.
Once there I was surprised to see two young guys shooting skeet from the back of their pickup and I asked them if they would allow me to shoot 20 shots or so to get my "new Gopher Rifle" sighted in.
They agreed and I quickly set up at 50 yards hoping the bore sighting would get me on paper at that range.
I was shooting some CCI 17 grain V-Max type bullets as I had 7 boxes of these on hand and my other two Rifles are sighted in with the Hornady stuff.
Anyway, lucky me, I was on paper and shot an initial 3 shot group before adjusting the scope that measured .368"!
I was VERY happy with that and adjusted my scope for proper P.O.I.
I shot two more FIVE shot groups there at 50 yards that measured .321" and .469" respectively.
Again I was VERY happy with these groupings and also with the Anschutz's excellent trigger and stock design.
I can't wait to get my first Ground Squirrel with this rig - maybe tomorrow.
One thing I had forgotten about these older Redfield 6x18 variables is that they do NOT focus under about 40 yards - at 50 yards I had a crystal clear image but at 40 yards and under the rocks and twigs at those ranges were well blurred!
I won't be shooting any "close ones" with this Rifle, so that may be a moot point.
One thing I did like about the old Redfield scope is that it is HEAVY!
That heavy scope and the "chunky" little Rifle made for a very stable sighting platform off of my rest.
Have only owned a few other Anschutz rimfire Rifles in the past and I had forgotten how nicely they are made and that their triggers are so nice.
Long live Anschutz rimfires.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Congrats on your new anschutz! Sounds like you played a pretty safe hand and won..
You gonna show us some pics??

Has anybody ever heard of a poor shooting 17HM2?

Anschutz, Cooper, CZ, Marlin, Remington, Ruger, and Savage all seem to make rifles that will shoot good groups once you find the brand of ammo that works best in that particular rifle. I will miss Eley and Remington, as no other brand that I've shot has been its equal. In retrospect, I wish that I had bought a lot more of it when Centerfire Systems was selling Remington for less than $5 per 50.

Mine all shoot extremely well and I too kick myself for not loading up on ammo when CDNN was liquidating them for ~$3 a box. You see them on GB now and the prices are off the charts.

We definitely need to see some pics of that Anschutz! Glad to hear it was what you hoped for.

Never thought of an Annie as a "gamble".

DF

Never heard of a poor shooting Anschutz either...



Travis

I have the same rifle and had it out in the patch yesterday, needless to say the gophers were not happy

Certifiable: Myself and one of my "Gopherin Buddies" headed out for a Gopher patch this mid-morning.
I could not wait to get the new (to me) Anschutz out of its case and pick one off!
That Rifle rested so well over my bag set-up that I killt 5 for 5 from the first magazine full.
In fact, for the days session I killed 40 for 50 shots on the days allotment of "one boxful per day" (until I can get replacements).
I flatout missed 6 Gophers and a few needed another round to finalize them.
Again the trigger was just wonderful and the wide forearm and mass of the Rifle/scope set-up made for easy hits and steady sighting.
Most all shots were between 60 and 120 yards with just a couple of kills at 150 yards-ish.
I will gladly take a photo of said Rifle but I could only E-mail it to you's.
I am not smart enough to post here.
What a cool gun!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Jnyork: Again I am NOT smart enough to post pics hereabouts - will gladly E-mail you some.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

260Remguy: I have not heard of a poor shooting 17 Mach2 Rifle OR pistol myself.
I have a Cajun friend (due in here in a few weeks) that converted a Ruger MarkII Hunter pistol over to 17 Mach2 and added a "silencer" to it!
I have fired this pistol and it IS deadly accurate.
In fact I was along when my friend "re-sighted" it in two years ago and the group it made at 50 yards amazed me.
It does have a red-dot magnifying optical sight of some expensive kind IIRC.
Yes my "humble" N.E.F. heavy barrel Sportster in 17 Mach2 is VERY accurate as well.
My Kimber SVT heavy barrel Rifle in 17 Mach2 is just dead nuts accurate.
I do NOT expect any of you's to believe this, but, I was along at our public 100 yard range when another of my friends shot his heavy barreled CZ in 17 Mach2 there at 100 yards.
His 5 (five!) shot group using Eley ammo measured just a hair over .250"!
I was flabbergasted (I have posted about this group here in the past) and my friend immediately began a search for another CZ just like that one.
Sadly CZ quit making Rifles in 17 Mach2 that year.
I swear this happened!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

SShooterZ: My friend with the great shooting CZ bought 10,000 rounds of Eley ammo from a mail order place about 2 1/2 years ago and he paid UNDER $3.00 per box for that ammo!
Maybe it was the same place you saw it?
Boy those days are long one I fear.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Dirtfarmer: I agree Anschutz Rifles hold their values quite well - if properly cared for.
The GAMBLE I took is that the Rifle would become right next to worthless IF ammo production were to cease - would it not?
Heres hoping ammo becomes available.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Deflave.. deflave: Apparently you are alive and well?
When I left Montana a while back to attend an ailing mother on the west coast we were all aghast on the Fire that you had taken ill or worse!
I had no computer access while I was gone.
I am glad to see you are alive and well.
Traffic on the west coast is so frigging horrible I nearly committed the big burrito a couple of times whilst out there.
I persevered - barely.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Glad you made it back VG.



Travis

Scooter700: What a coincidence!
Which scope do you have on your Anschutz?
And do you have any idea where a person (me) could find a couple more magazines for the Anschutz 1502?
I only have one.
Have a good season "up north"!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Anyone interested: I now have two pictures of my Anschutz Rifle atop my "rolling" portable Varmint shooting bench.
I got the idea for this amazing portable (it rolls easily across prairie and grassland and furrowed fields!) bench from a now retired Sheriff from South Dakota who used to post here a lot.
Anyway P/M me for pictures or E-mail me at:

[email protected]

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

"Sadly CZ quit making Rifles in 17 Mach2 that year."

Yes, but with the supply of 17HM2 ammo uncertain, lots of people seem to be dumping their 17HM2s. Gunbroker and Rimfire Central regularly have them advertised, mostly Marlin 917M2s and Savage MarkIIs.

The 17HM2 may be the best squirrel cartridge ever offered, but so few people are serious squirrel hunters that the market niche is small.

Pics for varmintguys rolling bench

Hey Varmintguy, how do you move it, flip it over with the legs up in the air?

Mark

Markopolo50: Yes you simply flip it over and grab the brass handle that is at the opposite end of the bench from the wheels (on the underside of the bench top) and tug it along behind you.
Your folding canvas chair rides between or attached to the third rear leg as you tug (glide!) along.
Ammo, bags, water and binos go in your small day pack and you either sling your Rifle over a shoulder or as do 95% of my Rifles I carry them (no slings) in the off hand.
It is very easy to tug behind you and sets up in 15 seconds once you choose your next shooting spot.
The legs unscrew for vehicular transportation and are slung on the underside of the bench in a rack so it will fit well in a pickup bed.
Its very stable but does not pivot - when I want to change the angle I simply lift the front two legs and turn it on its third or rear leg.
Just takes a second.
I have two other pivoting tables but this wheeled model really increases your kill rate especially in Prairie Dog Towns as you are not moving a vehicle for each set up.
Thank you very much again Mark for the fine picture posting.
It is much appreciated.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

260Remguy: Thanks for the tips.
Are you declaring the 17 Mach2 to be the "best" Ground Squirrel or the "best" Tree Squirrel cartridge ever offered?
I have never Hunted Tree Squirrels but if thats what you are referring to then I am even more impressed with this tiny cartridge.
By the way I did all my shooting at Ground Squirrels today with the vintage Redfied 6x18 variable set on 18 power.
Long live the 17 Mach2!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy, I am running a Leupold VX-2 6-18x40 AO with a dot reticle.

The Anschutz is one of my favorite Squirrel Rifles but prefer the 17 HMR. My Anschutz is a Left Hand Model

Tree squirrels. The only time that I shoot ground squirrels is when they have decided to tunnel into earthen dams. Otherwise, I figure that badgers, 'cats, coyotes, foxes, and raptors have a right to eat too.

My primary 17HM2s are Marlin 917M2s(x3) and Savage Mark2s(x4) with 4-12x and 4-16x scopes.