50 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996

®

Dope Bag is compiled by Staff andContributing Editors: David Andrews, HughC. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, RussCarpenter, O. Reid Coffield, William C. Davis,Jr., Pete Dickey, Charles Fagg, Robert W.Hunnicutt, Mark A. Keefe, IV, AngusLaidlaw, Scott E. Mayer, Charles E. Petty,Robert B. Pomeranz, O.D., Jim Supica,Charles R. Suydam, A.W.F. Taylerson andStanton L. Wormley, Jr.

CAUTION: Technical data and informa-tion contained herein are intended to pro-vide information based on the limited expe-rience of individuals under specific condi-tions and circumstances. They do not detailthe comprehensive training procedures,techniques and safety precautionsabsolutely necessary to properly carry on

IN recent years, guns featuring varioustypes of porting or compensation havedominated in many of the “practical”

pistol sports. Due perhaps to the successof such guns, as well as to such well-estab-lished systems as Mag-Na-Port and, morerecently, the Schuemann Hybrid system,barrel porting has become an increasing-ly common option on hunting and evencarry guns. Rossi’s .357 Mag. 971VRC is a new offering in this lattercategory.

The 971 VRC (which stands forVent Rib Compensated) is a port-ed version of its 971 model,which, like all the Rossirevolver line, is based on theproven Smith & Wessondesign. Heat-treated 400-series stainless steel is usedfor all major components.The barrel and frame areforged, while the cylin-der is mach-ined frombar stock. The 971 VRCoffers button-rifled,ported, fully-shroudedbarrels in 21⁄2", 4", and 6"lengths. Our sample’s barrel wasnominally 21⁄2", but measured 2.6".

In both size and appearance the 971VRC mirrors the S&W K-frame revolver

family, though the Brazilian offering dis-plays some subtle styling differences. Themost salient distinguishing feature of the971 VRC is its massive 1/2"-wide rib withits bilateral scalloped relief cuts for thegases escaping from the barrel’s eight.125"-diameter ports.

The Rossi’s internal lockworkoffers no surprises to anyonefamiliar with the Smith & Wessondesign. Though its frame approx-imates K-frame dimensions, itsbutt is actually J-frame size. TheRossi also uses a J-frame-type coilmainspring instead of the familiarflat spring.

The 971 VRC features the

same adjustable-sight systemfound on other Rossi revolvers. Infront, there is a blued-steel, ramped,serrated post .125" wide and .220" high,with a dovetailed red plastic insert. Thisis retained in the rib by a single crosspin.The adjustable rear sight is a close copyof the click-adjustable Smith & Wessonunit, but with a stainless steel body. Only

MANUFACTURER: Amadeo Rossi, S.A.,Rua Amadeo Rossi 143, SaoLeopoldo, RS,Brazil

IMPORTER: Interarms, Dept. AR, 10Prince St., Alexandria VA 22314

MECHANISM TYPE: double-actionrevolver

CALIBER: .357 Mag.OVERALL LENGTH: 71⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 25⁄8"WEIGHT: 31 ozs.WIDTH: 11⁄2"HEIGHT: 51⁄2"CYLINDER CAPACITY: 6TRIGGER: single-action pull, 31⁄4 lbs.,

double-action, 111⁄4 lbs.SIGHTS: ramped post front with red

insert; rear adjustable for windageand elevation

PRICE: $375

ROSSI MODEL 971

In size and appearance the Rossi close-ly resembles the Smith & Wesson K-frame design, though its grips conceala J-frame-size butt and coil mainspring.

Even with the reduction in recoilafforded by its heft and gas ports,a two-hand hold is still recom-mended when firing full-power.357 Mag. loads out of the Rossi.

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996 51

the blade is blued, and that features a.140"-wide notch outlined in white.

The 971 VRC’s porting pattern (whichwas designed by Roy Melcher ofInterarms, the exclusive importer of theRossi line) is more complex than simplydrilling eight holes in the barrel. A smallexpansion chamber was created by coun-terboring the barrel to a diameter of about.475", starting about .250" back of themuzzle and extending rearward for anoth-er .82". Thus, the rifled portion of the bar-rel ends a full 1.070" back of the muzzle,giving a little over 11⁄2" of rifling. The col-lar created at the muzzle by the barrel

counterbore has a .375" opening to allowbullet passage.

The eight vent ports bleed off gas fromthe expansion chamber, and are machinedinto the integral barrel rib in two banks offour on either side of the front sight. Theports vent gas upward and outward at anangle. Deep relief cuts in the rib immedi-ately above the port openings provideclearance for the high-velocity gas jets.

Our sample gun had a polished stain-less-steel finish and black soft-rubberstocks with molded-in finger grooves andcheckering.

Fit and finish were judged to be goodbut not perfect: the polishing lines wherethe rib blended with the barrel wereuneven; there were a few small tool marksat the frame/crane junction; and the side-plate showed both tiny gaps and ridges inseveral places where it met the frame.These were relatively minor flaws, how-ever, that would likely not trouble manyshooters, and in any event would not effectthe gun’s function.

Of more substantial concern were the

sharp edges left around the front of theejector rod shroud, barrel rib, and frame,as well as on the rear sight and rear edgeof the cylinder. Sharp edges on a carry gunare not only hard on hands, holsters andclothing; they can also cause the gun tosnag during presentation—a potentiallyfatal flaw.

The Rossi’s 111⁄4-lb. double-actiontrigger pull was smooth and consistentthroughout,with no stacking or hesitation,and was judged to be at least as good asthat of other American-made guns in itsclass. Trigger return was alsosmooth and dependable, andseemed to be just right for fast,controllable double-actionshooting. The single-actionpull, as expected, was crispand light, breaking at 31⁄4 lbs.

We shot the 971 VRC foraccuracy with results in theaccompanying table, andfunction-fired it with Rem-ington, Hornady, Samson,Black Hills, Winchester,Federal and CCI .357 Mag.ammunition. No malfunctions

of any kind occurred during our testing.The 971 VRC’s accuracy level, though

adequate for close-range self-defense pur-poses, was not quite up to that of theunported 971 recently tested here(November 1995, p. 42). Many of theVRC’s groups were enlarged by one ortwo errant bullet impacts. It is unclearwhether the porting system contributed tothis in any way.

Another surprise was revealed by thechronograph. Contrary to expectations,the highest muzzle velocity average in the

Rossi was registered by the load with theheaviest bullet (the Samson 158-gr. JSP)rather than the 125- and 140-gr. slugs ofthe Federal and Hornady loads. Possiblythe short rifled portion of the barrel per-forms best with heavy bullets over full-charge loads.

In any event, with around 450 ft.-lb. ofmuzzle energy, the heavy-bullet load test-ed (or its equivalent) would seem to be agood choice for a self-defense load in theRossi.

The 971 VRC was far more pleasant toshoot than the lightweight magnum snub-bies we’ve seen, thanks to its porting andits 31-oz. heft. Even when fired againstother .357 Mag. snub-nose revolvers ofsimilar weight, the Rossi showed lessmuzzle rise, proving the effectiveness ofits porting.

One objection often made to barrelporting is that the flash of the burninggases directed up into the shooter’s line ofsight will cause the pupils to constrict,temporarily robbing one of night vision.We fired the Rossi on a darkened indoorrange. Though flash did indeed come outof the ports, it was, with all ammunitiontested, minimal compared to the fireballissuing from the muzzle.

While not quite as light or concealableas some magnum snub-guns, the Rossi971 VRC offers the defense-mindedshooter reduced muzzle jump andincreased controllability in a medium-sized, moderately priced package.

The Rossi’s 2.6" barrel sports a full under-lug and heavy, solid top rib that houses therevolver’s pinned, red insert front sight aswell as its eight angled compensator ports.

.357 Mag Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Federal 357B 1124 Avg. 2.69 5.25 4.16125-gr. JHP 37 Sd

Hornady 9055 1042 Avg. 3.94 6.19 4.96140-gr. XTP 31 Sd

Samson 357-32D 1135 Avg. 3.00 6.95 5.10158-gr. JSP 19 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 4.74

Five consecutive 5-shot groups at 25 Yds. fired fromRansom Rest. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation),JHP (jacketed hollow point), XTP (Extreme TerminalPerformance), JSP (jacketed soft-point)

ACCURACY RESULTS

The 971 VRC features a click-adjustablewhite outline rear sight. Note the S&W-style hammer and firing pin, as well as thehammer block safety inside the frame.

As a result of the expansion chamber inthe forward portion of the Rossi’s barrel,the rifling ends an inch shy of the muzzle.

52 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996

FOR years the .22 Long Rifle cartridgehas been popular among small-game hunters, particularly in the

heavily-populated East. The introductionin 1959 of the .22 WMRF (WinchesterMagnum Rimfire)—with 600-700 f.p.smore velocity and over two times moreenergy than .22 Long Rifle high-velocityloadings—enabled hunters humanely totake larger animals such as fox, ground-

hog and raccoon, and to take smaller ani-mals at longer ranges. The .22 MagnumHunter from AMT (Arcadia Machine andTool) marries the advantages of stainless-steel construction and semi-auto functionto the ballistic superiority of the .22WMRF.

With the exception of its wood stock,the .22 Magnum Hunter is made almostcompletely of stainless steel. Both barreland action are machined from solid 416stainless bar stock. Other internal parts aremachined, stamped or cast from variousgrades of stainless, with the exception ofthe hammer, sear and trigger bar cam,which are made from hardened tool steel.

The Magnum Hunter sports a 201⁄2"button-rifled free-floated barrel in a heavyprofile measuring .750" at the muzzle. Thecrown is recessed, target-style.

At first glance, the Magnum Hunter’sblack, pebble-grain high-comb stockseems to be synthetic, but is painted hard-wood fitted with stainless steel slingswivels and a grooved plastic buttplate.AMT is currently working on a new syn-thetic stock for its Magnum Hunters, andwill offer a program allowing owners ofwood-stocked Hunters to purchase thesynthetic one at reasonable cost.

The Magnum Hunter’s tubular receiv-er contains the bolt, hammer and hammerspring, and is drilled and tapped for scopemounts. The hammer, a hollowed-outcylinder with grooves for sear and safetyengagement, sits directly behind the bolt.When a round is fired, the hammer isimpelled rearward by the bolt, compress-ing its spring against the nylon-buffered

AMT .22 MAGNUM HUNTERAMT .22 MAGNUM HUNTER

MANUFACTURER: Arcadia Machine &Tool, Inc., Dept. AR, 6226 SantosDiaz St., Irwindale, CA 91702

MECHANISM TYPE: semi-automaticrimfire rifle

CALIBER: .22 Winchester MagnumRimfire

OVERALL LENGTH: 411⁄2"BARREL LENGTH: 201⁄2WEIGHT: 6 lbs., 9 ozs.MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 10RIFLING: 6-groove, RH twistTRIGGER: single-stage, 4 lbs. pullSIGHTS: none supplied; receiver drilled

and tapped for scope basesSTOCK: black-painted hardwood; length

of pull, 135⁄8"; drop at heel, 13⁄8"; drop atcomb, 13⁄16"

PRICE: $449

AMT .22 MAG HUNTER

The AMT Magnum Hunter offers good accuracy, rugged designand the power of the .22 WMRF cartridge in weather-resistant stain-less steel, and would be a good choice for small-game huntingwith the addition of a rifle scope such as the Simmons 2-10X above.

To disassemble the Magnum Hunter, firstremove the magazine from the action andensure that the chamber is empty (Fig. 1).Next, turn out the takedown screws (Fig. 2)and pull the action upward out of the stock.

The action bar assembly(arrow) connects the boltto additional weight forreliable blowback opera-tion with the powerfui .22WMRF cartridge.It is locat-ed by the magazine guide.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996 53

threaded retaining cap and engag-ing the lip of the sear, which holdsthe hammer to the rear.

The bolt is a stainless steelcylinder containing a spring-loaded inertia-type firing pin and,at the breech end, a .070"-wideclaw extractor tensioned by aplunger and coil spring. A bladewelded into the left wall of theaction and riding in a slot in thebolt body ejects spent cases andalso serves as a bolt guide.Projecting from the right side ofthe bolt is a knurled cocking lever,which is also used to hold therifle’s bolt open.

To shooters accustomed to .22Long Rifle semi-auto rifles, theAMT’s action might seem likeoverkill, but the design was neces-sitated by the power of the .22WMRF cartridge. Instead ofmounting the recoil spring insidethe cylindrical action body, behindthe bolt, the Magnum Hunter’s springpushes against what AMT calls an “actionbar,” similar to the forward portion of thebolt on Winchester Models 1905, 1907and 1910 self-loading rifles. This 8"-longassembly consists of a single piece ofstainless steel approximately .350" wideby .090" thick, bent into a U-shape andwelded, at its free ends, to a 21⁄2"-long steel

block. At the rear of the action baris a tongue that engages a corre-sponding groove cut in the belly ofthe bolt. This arrangement ensuresthat the bolt and action bar moveas one unit.

Welded to the underside of thereceiver, immediately before andbehind the magazine opening, aretwo studs. The two parallel rails of

the action bar fit closelyagainst the studs and slidearound them. The forward endof the recoil spring and guiderod sit in a blind hole in theaction bar’s steel block, whilethe rear end bears against theforwardmost stud.

When the bolt and actionbar are driven rearward uponfiring, the recoil spring iscompressed between the frontof the bar and the stud. Theaction bar is held tightly to thereceiver by the magazineguide, whose mounting plate

retains the action bar rails in positionunder the action.

Extraction is aided by an interestingengineering trick. In a .22 WMRF blow-back-operated arm, pressure can cause thecase to adhere to the chamber walls,impeding extraction. In the MagnumHunter, gas is vented from a hole just for-ward of the case mouth back to a spotabout halfway along the length of thechamber. The gas bled into the chamberequalizes the pressure outside the case,which leads to easier extraction. Thissame principle has been used with successon military arms such as the G3 andFAMAS service rifles.

The “safe” and “fire” positions for thethumb safety are etched on the receiver. Ared dot on the safety piece is also visiblewhen the gun is in the “fire” mode.

We fired the AMT Magnum Hunter foraccuracy with the results listed in theaccompanying table, and function-fired itwith CCI, Federal, Remington andWinchester .22 WMRF ammunition.

There were three failures to feed,which occurred when the lower edge ofthe bolt overrode the rim of a cartridgebeing chambered, resulting in the car-tridge going only partway up the feedramp before being crushed in the middleby the forward-moving bolt. We alsofound that the magazine would not beretained by its catch unless it was force-fully pushed into the magazine guide.

While we liked the Magnum Hunter’s

rugged design and stainless-steel con-struction, there were several complaints.At the top of the list was the position ofthe magazine, which is not only estheti-cally unappealing but also interferes withthe support hand in offhand shooting. Arotary or tubular magazine would seem tobe the solution. Also, the gun’s triggerpull, though not particularly heavy, wassomewhat long and creepy. We also foundthe safety location inconvenient.

For those who want a rugged, accuratestainless-steel .22 WMRF semi-auto, anddon’t mind the gun’s eccentricities, theAMT .22 Magnum Hunter deserves aclose look.

.22 WMRF Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

CCI 0023 1705 Avg. 1.31 2.59 2.13Maxi Mag 49 Sd

Federal 1832 Avg. 1.26 1.48 1.35.22 WMRF FMJ 23 Sd

Win. X22WMR 1833 Avg. .88 1.61 1.19.22 WMRF JHP 20 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.57

Five consecutive 10-shot groups from 50 yds., fired fromsandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), WMRF(Winchester Magnum Rimfire), FMJ (full metal jacket),Win. (Winchester), JHP (jacketed hollow-point)

ACCURACY RESULTS

Loosen the receiver end capset screw and remove the endcap, buffer and hammer spring(Fig. 3). Slide the hammer andbolt out of the receiver (Fig. 4).Turn out the two hex nuts onthe underside of the receiverthat retain the magazine guide,and remove it. Free the noseof the action bar guide fromthe detent in the forwardaction screw stud and removeboth the guide and its spring(Fig. 5). Finally, lift the actionbar free of the receiver (Fig. 6).

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

54 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996

H&R 1871, Inc., has dabbled in prac-tically all types of firearms, butbreak-open shotguns have always

been its most steadfast offering. Many of usstarted with break-open “kid’s guns” ofsome kind, but eventually graduated topumps or semi-autos.

H&R now has a serious “grown-up”break-open with its Model 980 Ultra sluggun. Like its predecessors, the 980 Ultrasymbolizes the rugged simplicity we havecome to know from this firm.

This slug gun differs from some otherson the market in that H&R approached theproject from the perspective that it wasbuilding a rifle, while many other slugguns are modifications of current-pro-duction shotguns, using the same actionwith a rifled shotgun barrel.

H&R reasoned that since most accu-rate target rifles utilize a heavy barrel,that feature could be adapted to an accu-rate slug gun. H&R bores its low lusterblue 10-ga. barrel blank to 12-ga., thenfully rifles it with a 1:35" twist. Thematte black 10-ga. action is the samehigh-tensile-strength investment-caststeel used in the company’s center-firerifle models. The 980 uses a transfer-bar

safety system that greatly reduces thechance of an accidental discharge from ablow to the hammer, or a dropped hammerduring the cocking process.

The sample received here for testingcame with a dark walnut-stained Americanhardwood Monte Carlo stock, completewith sling swivels and a ventilated recoilpad, though without checkering.

A reversible extension is attached to thehammer to permit easy cocking with ascope attached. The pushbutton break-openlatch is to the right of the hammer.

No sights are provided with the 980

Ultra, though it does come with a factory-mounted Weaver-style scope base.

The 980 Ultra is a hefty gun, weighingin at just under 10 lbs., half of which is thebarrel. In fact, the barrel alone weighs onlya few ounces less that the firm’s complete.410 break-open shotgun. To counterbal-ance the weight of the barrel and help damp-en felt recoil, an 8" piece of steel round

H&R MODEL 980 ULTRAH&R MODEL 980 ULTRA

12-ga. slug Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

Winchester X12R515 1578 2.18 2.82 2.631 oz. HPRS 23 Sd

BRI 1276 .93 1.78 1.43445-gr. SPSB 18 Sd

Federal Premium P154RS 1385 1.06 1.66 1.38450-gr. HPSB 18 Sd

Average Extreme Spread 1.82

Five Consecutive 5-Shot Groups at 50 yds. Fired FromSandbags.Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation), HPRS (hollow-point rifled slug), SPSB (shock point saboted slug), HPSB (hol-low-point saboted slug)

ACCURACY RESULTS

A front view illustrates thevery thick barrel walls thatmake the Model 980 barrelso stiff and heavy. Few, ifany, slug-barreled shot-guns have before nowoffered this much accuracywith so low a retail price tag.

The Model 980 Ultra from H&R 1871, Inc., is a 12-ga. slugshotgun whose barrel starts as a 10-ga. blank. At a full 91⁄2lbs., it’s a load, but it is quite accurate and soft-shooting.

MANUFACTURER: H&R 1871, Dept.AR, 60 Industrial Rowe, Gardner, MA01440

MECHANISM TYPE: break-open, single-shot shotgun

GAUGE: 12, 3"OVERALL LENGTH: 39"BARREL LENGTH: 24"WEIGHT: 9 lbs., 8 ozs.RIFLING: 8-groove, 1:35" RH twistTRIGGER: single-stage, 4 lbs. pullSIGHTS: none, equipped with Weaver-

style scope baseSTOCK: American hardwood, length of

pull, 141⁄8"; drop at comb, 11⁄4"; drop atheel, 13⁄4"

ACCESSORIES: black nylon sling,reversible hammer extension

PRICE: $224.95

H&R MODEL 980

AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996 55

stock weighing 11⁄2 lbs. is retained in thebuttstock.

For the one-gun shooter, H&R offersa factory retrofitted 10-ga. shotgun bar-rel with screw-in chokes.

Takedown of the Model 980, as withother H&R and New England Firearmssingle-barrel shotguns, is accomplishedby turning out the single Phillips-headscrew from the fore-end, allowing it tobe lifted off, and tipping the barrel outof the action. No further disassemblyshould be required for routine cleaningor maintenance. Reassembly is inreverse order.

The 980 Ultra was fitted with aLeupold Vari-X 3-9X Compact scopeand fired for accuracy using saboted andFoster-style slugs with the results shownin the accompanying table. During func-tion firing, the only problems experi-enced were with an old batch of foreignslugs whose primers pierced when fired.This was clearly a problem with the

ammunition, not the gun. The actionsafely directed the hot gases out aroundthe face of the breech away from theshooter.

Recoil was tolerable, even after fir-ing nearly 100 slugs in a single shootingsession. The trigger broke clean at 4 lbs.,further aiding the gun’s accuracy.

At the “Dope Bag” we routinelyshoot slug guns for accuracy at 50 yds.The groups fired from the 980 made usconsider extending the range to 100 yds.

The H&R 980 Ultra offers accuracyabove and beyond what one would nor-mally expect from a gun in its econom-ical price range. If you’ve been consid-ering a slug gun, and think you can han-dle carrying the weight of this one, it’sworth a look.An extended hammer spur helps makecocking easier when a scope is mount-ed on the Model 980’s installed Weaver-style base. A transfer-bar safety sys-tem helps top prevent accidental firing.

WE were first introduced to theAnschutz Achiever in the late ’80sas the firm’s attempt at a starter

gun for both young hunters or silhouetteshooters and for conventional smallborerifle target shooters (June, 1987, p. 58).

The Achiever line has now beenincreased with the introduction of the sin-gle-shot ST-Super Target. While the STretains the general appearance of theAchiever, some of its features are notablydifferent.

The larger hardwood stock retains thestandard rifle-type adjustable buttplatethat uses up to four spacers to adjust lengthof pull from 131⁄4" to 141⁄4" as the shootergrows. To change spacers, loosen thescrew located in the center of the buttplatewhich permits the buttplate to be movedup and down, thus providing access to thetwo retaining screws in the butt. After

removing the retaining screws, thebuttplate can be pulled off and spacersadded or taken away as needed.

The fore-end has six ventilating slotsand includes a 131⁄2" integral accessoryrail secured by three wood screws. Thefore-end and pistol grip are stippled, pro-viding a non-slip surface.

The ST stock is attached to the barreledaction by a pair of screws in the same fash-ion as the Achiever. A third screw retainsthe simple steel trigger guard.

The action is similar to the Achiever’sexcept the ST deletes the five-round mag-azine in favor of single-shot operation.The trigger is the same No. 5066 two-stage unit found on the Achiever and hasadjustments for first and second-stagetakeup that require a very small metricwrench. Pull weight is adjustable by aqualified gunsmith.

ANSCHUTZ ACHIEVER RIFLEANSCHUTZ ACHIEVER RIFLE

The Anschutz Achiever ST adds impor-tant features for target shooting to thewell-known Acheiver junior rifle design.

MANUFACTURER: J.G. Anschutz,GmbH, P.O. Box 1128, D-7900 Ulm,Donau, Germany

IMPORTER: Precision SalesInternational, Dept. AR,. Box 1776,Westfield, MA 01086

MECHANISM TYPE: single-shot, bolt-action rifle

CALIBER: .22 Long RifleOVERALL LENGTH: 383⁄4"—393⁄4"BARREL LENGTH: 22"WEIGHT: 6 lbs., 4 ozs.RIFLING: eight-groove, RH twistTRIGGER: two-stage adjustable, 13⁄4 lbs.

pullSIGHTS: globe front, click-adjustable

diopter rearSTOCK: European hardwood: length of

pull, adjustable—131⁄4" to 141⁄4"; dropat heel, 3/4"; drop at comb, 1/2"

ACCESSORIES: spacers for length ofpull adjustment, Anschutz Sight SetNo. 1 or 2.

PRICE: $538.50

ANSCHUTZ ST

56 AMERICAN RIFLEMAN • January 1996

The receiver is grooved for scopemounting, and came from the importerwith an Anschutz Sight Set No.1 consist-ing of an aperture peep rear and globefront.

The rear sight slides easily onto thedovetail and is held securely in place bythree set screws. It is click-adjustable forwindage and elevation in 1/4 m.o.a. incre-ments, and once it is sighted in, settingscan be locked in place with set screws.

The globe front sight retains its ele-ment under spring tension. Aperture andpost elements are available from the

importer, and are quickly changed byinserting a finger in each end of the sightand compressing the spring. Once thespring is compressed, tension is relieved

from the element so that it maybe lifted out through the top ofthe sight.

The Achiever ST was firedfor accuracy with resultsshown in the accompanyingtable, and function-fired witha variety of foreign anddomestic ammunition. Func-tioning was good, but wefound ejection to be weak, andthis weakness was more evi-dent when a scope was mount-ed. Additionally, the triggerwas not what we would expect

from Anschutz. First-stage takeup wasfine, but second-stage was somewhatrough and creepy.

The Achiever ST provided excellentaccuracy for its price range, and offersgrowth potential for youthful shooters. Itshould be especially popular for juniorrifle clubs with beginner programs.

.22 Long Rifle Vel. @15’ Smallest Largest AverageCartridge (f.p.s.) (ins.) (ins.) (ins.)

RWS 990 Avg. .75 .93 .81Match 6 Sd

Eley 999 Avg. .21 .66 .40Club 14 Sd

Federal 1263 Avg. .76 .99 .86Hi-Power 17 Sd

Average Extreme Spread .69

Five Consecutive 10-Shot Groups at 50 Yds. Fired FromSandbags. Abbreviations: Sd (standard deviation)

ACCURACY RESULTS

Though it is intended for young-sters, adults were able to shootthe Acheiver well, thanks to theadjustable pull length of its butt-stock. Ejection was fairly weak,and the trigger was not up to theusual high Anschutz standards.

The sights include a globe front thataccepts interchangeable post or ring aper-tures. The rear sight has quarter-minuteadjustments that can be locked in position.

IN recent years RCBS has targeted theserious, accuracy-minded handloaderwith products like its Case Master.

RCBS continues that effort with the intro-duction of the Trim Mate Case Prep Center.

The Trim Mate offers five rotating gear-driven stations to speed up a variety of caseprep tasks. Supplied with the unit are toolsto perform case mouth chamfering, casemouth deburring and primer pocket clean-ing (for small and large primer pockets).

Small- and medium-size case neckbrushes are installed at two non-rotatingstations, and a quantity of dry case lube isalso supplied. Optional items include aflash hole deburring tool, primer pocketuniformers and military crimp removers.All tools attach by way of threaded 8-32shafts, and are interchangeable among thevarious stations.

As tested, our Trim Mate came with thestandard tool heads for primer pocketcleaning and case mouth chamfering anddeburring. Also installed were the optionallarge primer pocket uniformer and militarycrimp remover. In operation, the TrimMate’s geared motor drive providedenough torque to keep the machine from“bogging down” even when considerablepressure was applied. Only a light touchwas required for chamfering and deburring.The virtues of the Trim Mate were evidentat the primer pocket uniforming and crimpremoval stations, where it made quick workof a large number of military .30-’06 cases.

The Trim Mate Case Prep Center willbe a boon to those serious handloaders whohave boxes full of cases to prep.

Available from: RCBS, Dept. AR, Box856, Lewiston, ID 83501. Price: $99.95.

The new RCBSTrim Mate Case Prep Center combines several case preparation functions in one convenient motor-driven unit.