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Towards the end of the BSA Martini line of products, there were only six or seven people working in the area that made them. All skilled gunsmiths who took great pride in their work. Anschutz make a quality product, but, by comparison they are mass produced.
From the early 60s onwards, small bore shooters were movin to Anschutz. They have advantages for prone shooters---the bolt action is user friendly and you don't have to push the round all the way home before closing the breech.
By the 1980s, the BSA International was seen as the cheap second hand starter rifle and prices were very low. Several British dealers took to collecting them at give away prices and exporting them to the USA where they have always had a following.
Ten years ago, the long range rimfire target game started. It was soon apparent that the average International would shoot rings round the aearage Anschutz and values started to go up.
I like good craftsmanship and thats why I stated my prefeence for the BSA.
I don't have one. I do have a Greener miniature club, a BSA model12 in 300 Sherwood, a BSA model 4b 310 Cadet rifle and a Braendlin arms Martini in .380 long.
I am not a bolt action fan.
Fred

To add to that when the Anschutz first came over it was quiet common for Anschutz buyers to have their BSA International barrels fitted to the Anschutz actions and woodwork.

I got one of the first L/H 54s to come over here and it was indeed a fine gun (which I still have along with my oiginal L/H BSA MK2 international). I could only do the same average with that as my BSA and I always felt I had to work harder to get there with the Anschutz so for my shooting then at best a sideways move.

The one thing Anschitz did have which seemed to appeal to shooters, not me though, was all sorts of gegaw add ons and multiplicity of knobs and levers to twiddle with.

FredB wrote:Towards the end of the BSA Martini line of products, there were only six or seven people working in the area that made them. All skilled gunsmiths who took great pride in their work. Anschutz make a quality product, but, by comparison they are mass produced.
From the early 60s onwards, small bore shooters were movin to Anschutz. They have advantages for prone shooters---the bolt action is user friendly and you don't have to push the round all the way home before closing the breech.
By the 1980s, the BSA International was seen as the cheap second hand starter rifle and prices were very low. Several British dealers took to collecting them at give away prices and exporting them to the USA where they have always had a following.
Ten years ago, the long range rimfire target game started. It was soon apparent that the average International would shoot rings round the aearage Anschutz and values started to go up.
I like good craftsmanship and thats why I stated my prefeence for the BSA.
I don't have one. I do have a Greener miniature club, a BSA model12 in 300 Sherwood, a BSA model 4b 310 Cadet rifle and a Braendlin arms Martini in .380 long.
I am not a bolt action fan.
Fred

Thanks for your thoughts they're appreciated. As I previously mentioned I would have gone for the BSA as the one that I shot I enjoyed and was impressed with it, so much so that I did think about having one, but as you know by now the Annie won. Aesthetically I do prefer the looks of the Anschutz and I also like a bolt action platform, I guess it's horses for courses? It's a shame that Firearms are so strict (no bad thing I guess?) as the BSA would be finding its way in my cabinet

dromia wrote:
The one thing Anschitz did have which seemed to appeal to shooters, not me though, was all sorts of gegaw add ons and multiplicity of knobs and levers to twiddle with.

A bit like mine then

Aye, they are indeed bloody ugly.

dromia wrote:Aye, they are indeed bloody ugly.

I like the uglies

Obviously.

scopes just look so wrong on them

dromia wrote:Obviously.

If you think that looks ugly, you should have seen my FTP900, that looked like it hit every branch of the ugly tree, then got a pasting with a cricket bat

Ps... I just spotted Oor Wullie in your avatar (double thumbs up)