Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Anschutz 54 vs. 64

Would anyone please point me in the direction of literature related to the ACCURACY differences between the Anschutz rifles made with the 54 and 64 actions? Or, if you have any information offhand, I would like to hear it.

I'm looking to purchase an end-all, be-all accurate .22. I'll be using it in bench-rest/plinking situations only, and the only type of competition it will ever see will be ego-related.

I know next to nothing about how actions affect accuracy.

-Thanks

If "ego-related" + accuracy is your goal then the M-54 is the action you want. The design, originally known as the Mauser M-37, was built by Mauser for International competition during the late 1930's. It was purchased by Anschutz in 1952 and ever since has dominated World level competition.
The M-64 is a much less expensive and more of an entry level rifle. But they are accurate as well.

They are both very accurate but the 54 is what you want.

You can check out the Anschutz forum at www.rimfirecentral.com

The 54 is a work of art. Glides like butter and locks up like a bank vault. The 64 is a more utilitarian design. Light weight and simple. Both actions have been utilized in Olympic shooting for several decades. The accuracy is in the barrel. There are 64 actions that will shoot with 54's, given the operator is up to snuff. For plinking/benchrest the 54 is the easy answer. If you plan on carrying the rifle and hunting game the 64 is the way to go. I have several of both variety & like them all.

Scott

Hi R H. Long time no haircut.

Scott

Good to hear from you my friend. I trust all is well with you?

I don't recall that the 64 action was ever utilized in the Olympics, perhaps you are thinking of the 14 series Anschutz rifles. The only Anschutz actions I am aware of being used in the Olympics are the 54 based actions, the 14/18/19 series, and the Fortner action.

As far as accuracy either can provide an acceptable degree of accuracy however the 54 is by far the superior design, it is a stouter action and has a faster lock time. The 64 is basically an entry level rifle. To put it into perspective - the 64 is a VW beetle, the 54 is a Mercedes.

drover

I've had 54's, good rifles, still have an Annie 1717 in .17 HMR.

I would suggest to the OP, before he plops down his hard earned cash for a 54, check out a Cooper. I have a Cooper Classic and wouldn't trade it for a 54. Still have the Cooper, the .22LR 54 went down the road. 64's are good, just not in the same class.

The Cooper Classic is light as the 64, shoots like the 54.

Here's mine with a 2-7 Kahles Rimfire glass. This is the best .22LR rig I've ever had, a keeper.

DF

Whoops, guess I learned something new today. I always assumed the biathlon rifles were based on the 64 design. I had never heard of the Fortner until today. It's similar but obviously purpose built for that application. Cooper rifles are excellent as well and I would also throw the Sako P94S into the mix as they are deadly accurate as well.

Scott

Yeah, watching Olympic shooting, you'll see the straight pull Anschutz Fortners. Pretty neat and really fast. They seem to dominate, so one would assume they're the best available for that application.

DF

Is the new Anschutz sporter straight-pull action a Fortner design or something completely different. I have seen a 17HMR Hunter with this action, I believe it was new for SHOT last year.

Scott

I've been looking into this recently and I kept coming back to the same answer. And that answer was "Get a 54."

However... I ended up with a 64 and I have to say, this is one accurate sumbitch. I am enjoying the hell out of it.



Travis

If you don't intend to shoot a lot the 64 is great. But, over time, it will break down as the trigger operates as the bolt stop and the parts are both smaller in dimension and weaker in construction than the 54.

Accuracy is a given with Anschutz's. The real difference is durability.

Thanks a lot to everyone who has posted a response. I'm absorbing all of it and I hope to hear more. DirtFarmer I will look into a Cooper - can you suggest a starting point?

I traded for my Cooper, as well as others, used. One good place is Collectors Firearms in Houston. They have a great web site. I'd check on line to see what was available on other sites. Waiting for one to pop up does take patience. Generally gun shows are a mixed bag. Maybe at the bigger ones you'll find something.

With modern .22LR ammo you don't see high quality rifles that are "shot out". So, going used isn't a bad way to find your dream rifle.

Wish you the best in your quest...

DF

http://jga.anschuetz-sport.com/inde...109&sprache=1&produktShow=detail

I think it's a joint effort, Fortner and Anschutz.

But it ain't cheap...

It does look pretty cool...

DF

Fiddy,

You can find 54's at a reasonable price if you are patient. There was one on here recently that was bedded to a McMillan that went for $950.00. I really wanted it but one of our homosexual members got it first. Oh well.

Also, DIP is making 75MOA rails for them right now. If you are planning on getting a 54 I'd go ahead and order one now. I put one of their 25 MOA rails on my sitxty-foe and it's pretty bad ass thus far.


Travis

In an article on the Fortner actioned Anschutz sporter they cited the price as around $3500, I don't think they will sell too many at that price. Another negative may be the weight, the bare rifle is about 7 3/4 lbs so depending on mounts and scope weight it will end up near 9 lbs, a little heavy for a sporter IMO.

drover

They'll sell to competition shooters, who likely outnumber hunters in ownership of Anschutz's by a healthy margin. The speed and durability of the Fortner action is wasted on a sporter, IMHO given how few rounds(relatively speaking) most hunters fire each year unless they're also shooting competitively.

Well, the 54 action may be wasted on a sporter, looking at it like that. Also a Win 52 and a 40XB...

But people spend serious bucks on them. The Cooper is probably over engineered, but I sure like mine.

Practically speaking, just for general shooting and plinking, it would be hard to justify more than a Ruger American or the Salvage/Marlin clones. Those rifles are pretty accurate.

I don't have one, not in the market for one...

DF