Thread: Ode to the Humble .22LRF - range report

So the little Anschutz had another big day. The boss was out early and gave me an extra hour off in the middle of the day, so I tackled this trigger. The manual, downloaded from Anschutz gave me nothing, except a nice picture of the rifle showing I had the year and model right, and that the trigger came set to "the safest" and not to mess with it. A forum gave another gem, which was that the adjustment screw is on the side of the trigger. I messed with it extensively. After much fiddling I got the feel of it and it now has a very light crisp trigger. I no longer notice any creep. Feels the equivalent of my Sako triggers.

I decided a clean was in order and put a few patches of fuelite through. No carbon at all. The barrel has a mirror finish and lovely crisp rifling and lands. Not bad considering it is 36 this year. I try to stick to clean .22 ammo with no grit in the wax.

Reassembled the first round went wild, I guess due to the absence of wax in the barrel, but the second was back on the zero from the day before. I switched to the 42gr powerpoint and tweaked it for an inch an a half high at 50m which was bang on at 75m, going back and forwards so I knew where everything was. The 42gr was an inch and a half higher at 75m than the 40gr powerpoint. Looking closer at the scope, it is 1/4" at 50 yard clicks, which explains the debacle sighting in, and the inability to get a fine zero. By change, the 42gr shot just a hint more to the right and was zeroed perfectly.

Now I had it set up just how I liked it and it was time to go move cows. Because I had the range still set up I left everything there and slung the rifle over my shoulder while working.

I shot a hare for the cats. All very tame cats but also wild stock. We have 5 big males. I like to throw a hare whole in the yard and then watch them tearing at it like a pride of miniature lions. Takes them three days to completely finish one. I shot a pigeon at ~80m and then things got interesting.

I saw four more pigeons at extended range and slunk in behind some large square bails that was stockpiled ready for feeding out. They made a nice benchrest, but the pigeons lifted off and settled further away. I had no range finder but I know the dimensions of the paddock. I estimated it was a long way away, and I would need a lot of reticle hold. I puzzled out what that might look like, took a punt and let strip. To my complete surprise I folded it up and looked in awe at the wee Anschutz. Shots like this are not unusual with this rifle. I ranged it later in the day at exactly 170m, my longest shot with a .22LRF. I will include a pic of the exit wound, the projectile was far from spent. Very impressed with this 42gr PowerPoint.

Back to my range and I looked over my targets from the afternoon. Every group at 50m was around 3/4" for four shots. Pretty good for zeroing, but not really doing the rifle justice.

I took my time and shot a nice 4 shot group of a cloverleaf with one in the middle to join them, which measure 1cm. Much more like it.

Now out to 125m. The light was fading but I shot for a big black dot I could barely see and came away with two functional groups. I shot two more but now I really could not see and they were shit. Still minute of Rabbit though. I had placed one dot to aim at and a second dot where I thought the point of impact would be, and got it bang on, give or take an inch. It shoots 13" low at 125m, or exactly half the fine part of the cross hair. I measure between the two visible dots with the scope and fix the elevation hold in my mind. Seems to work well if you don't overthink it.

All up, I'm very happy. You can't beat practice and you can't beat .22LRF for ease of practice.