I used to own an izhmash - very Russian. Will shoot any ammo, will shoot dirty, will shoot covered in mud. Incredibly durable. But groupings were relatively large. Shots I thought were hits were wide misses. Upgraded to the Anschutz. Takes specific ammo. Didn’t like some stuff I had left over - always shoot Lapua Polar. A little fussy. The bolt needs to be thrown full back and full forward. Very precise. But I can put 5 rounds in a US nickel, prone. Also, it’s very easy to customize the heck out of the Anschutz. I have custom barrel weights, stock extension, etc etc. good luck getting parts for the Izhmash.
The anschütz also has a kind of advantage: if you want to save money, there is an airrifle for biathlon training thats based on the Anschütz 1827 Fortner. Now its produced by steyr called Steyr LGB1. Here in Dornstadt near Ulm (where anschütz is), we use both guns. Very precice rifles.
My Izhmash AK 47 came with an owner's manual that says "For temperatures under minus 70 Celsius see your armorer for cold weather lubricant." As I'm an archer I'd like to see an archer's biathlon. I'll bet they used to do them in Scandinavia before firearms came along.
it actually exists, it is called skiarc or ski archery, there where world championships about 15 years ago in Forni Avoltri, very close to where I live, but it is not popular at all
Great video, although I think you're a little hard on the Savage setup, which I currently have. I'm a masters biathlete and not that great on the range, although I don't really put in the time on the range as I've got other hobbies that take up much of my time. While I don't put the time on the range even if I did I'm not sure the $5500 price tag would be worth that slight improvement. I think the rifle is the number one barrier when it comes to people getting into the sport and the Savage option is probably the best bet. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great video, but just a little hard on the Savage option. I can typically shoot nice tight groups supported. The action being bolt action also isn't ideal as it can get you out of your alignment. In saying this I hope to get an Anschutz one day when I can get more time to dedicate to the sport. Keep up the great videos!
I dipped my toe into target shooting a few years back. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, used Anschutz. I think that tells you everything you need to know.
vudoo. Theyre setting a new standard. No fortner actions yet, but theyre killing it in the nrl/prs world. Once they get the benchrest going, the may chase olympic sports.
Savage rfiles group much better than that with SK Standard Plus or SK Biathlon Sports. Action is slow, but accuracy is comparable with the 2 others with the right ammunitions. Anschutz tends to be more reliable with almost any ammos.
Every shooting platform, more specifically, every barrel requires finding the right ammunition for it. Even then, rimfire ammunition is notoriously inconsistent and can yield "flyers", which are more a result of the ammunition than the rifle. This is why Match grade rifles require Match grade ammunition specific for that rifle/barrel which can only be arrived to by testing various manufacturers ammunition and different batch number. Though Anschutz rifles are incredibly well engineered, very popular and considered the gold standard, I'd wager that the results presented here are not an indication that the other two rifles are less accurate. Ammunition, rifle fitment, rifle action and shooter preference play a huge role in the results down range...
Great Video! I was wondering if you could explain the difference between Anschutz Sprint Fortner Barreled Action(16mm diameter barrel) and the Anschutz Sprint Fortner Barreled Action-Heavy Barrel(18mm diameter barrel). Is the the Heavy Barrel just a heavier rifle? What would be the advantage of the heavier barrel? Thanks
Awesome video Brian! Would you be able to do a video on different biathlon socks, specifically the Lost Nation stock. I am interested in taking up biathlon and already have a Savage Mark II. Since I already have the rifle, I am thinking of just purchasing the necessary components, but it has been hard to find reviews of the Lost Nation stock.
hmmm I wonder if a Browning T-bolt (straight-pull) action could be re-barreled and the handle modified for use instead of the Savage?? They are exceptionally high quality firearm's.
Never used one myself but a cheaper option to help overcome the barrier to entry is desperately needed in biathlon. a new Anschutz😬 is with all the necessary components is going for over $6000 right now 😬
@@BrianHalligan-USA The heavy barreled target version (16-1/2 barrel) Browning T-bolt starts at $699. the Stainless medium weight target barrel (22 inches) starts at $959. It really wouldn't take much to drop either barreled action into a Biathlon stock. The only thing I would do to either action is modify the loopy-pop bolt handle into the lever T-type you use currently.
Hey Brian, Thank you for the comparison. Would you mind telling me how you managed to paint your components? Is that something that many athletes do? Also, are there ways to make an individualized standing finger grip?
Hey Sean, This was my Covid quarantine project last spring. I watched a ton of RUclips videos on how to spray paint guitars actually then just tried to do that to my rifle. TBH, it didn't come out 100% as I wanted it but I'm really happy with the end result. I'll add rifle paining video to my list... I just got to find another rifle to paint haha. Best way to individualize the standing block is with a Dremel Tool. but be careful because once you take some off, you can't put it back. (you can add things with a putty but that's a whole separate process). I'll add that one to the list too. Haha. Thanks for all the content ideas
That “other” manufacturer Lost Nation R&D is hardly unknown. It is none other than CZ. I am not a Biathlon competitor, but I own several Anschutz s and yes once you try theirs nothing else is good enough, but if you want a sport to prosper you had better get some good entry level equipment. “Daddy I want to try Biathlon, would you give me $5.5 k for a rifle” will not cut it in most American house holds.
The fact that the $300 Savage is even in that conversation says alot!! So there was a German rifle , A Russian rifle and a Canadian rifle, yes, thats right, Savage rim fires are made in Lakefield Ontario, formerly Lakefield arms, and they are damned fine liitle rifles.
The fact that anyone would try to adapt a $200.00 rifle to competition tells me that it punches above its' weight in its' original configuration. However adapting something to a role it wasn't originally designed for doesn't consistently work out.
I wonder why no one offers a Ruger 10/22 biathlon rifle? Just install a really weak recoil spring and larger charging handle to make it a straight pull. They are generally more accurate (with a custom barrel), less money to start out with and far more customizable vs. the Savage. Edit: The mags are rotary style for the 10 rounders, and thus kind of clunky for handling. Maybe that's why? I'm sure you could make a custom 5-round stick mag but it would be a lot of work for such a small market.
The 10/22 recoil spring is on the side, it’s unbalanced from before the first part has ever been cast. Tactical solutions in Boise Idaho makes a good receiver/bolt/recoil system that’s still basically the 10/22 style but would be way better. Marlin 60/70/795 have a centered recoil spring in the first place and the micro groove rifling they’ve used for the last 50 years makes way more accurate barrels than the Ruger barrels
Hey Brain, good video, do you use any kind of lubricant, for cold weather shooting on the action, if so what is it. Always admired the stamina of biathlon athletes
No idea. haha. But actually though, Finding Izhmash parts is really difficult. You might want to try Altiusguns.com or Nordicmarksman.com. Otherwise look at Larsen Biathlon for possible replacement parts.
I Agee that Anshutz makes the best biathlon rifles. However you demo only proved that the Anshutz shoots well wit the ammo you used for this test. To actually show which rifle groups the best you would have to test different ammo in each rifle until you find one for each rifle (I.e. rws for one, maybe fiocci for another and lapis for the 3rd rifle. Then run your test. Using the same cheap ammo for each rifle only proved that the Anshutz liked tha ammo, the other 2 rifles didn’t.
I used to be a three position international rifle competitor and was thinking about transitioning to biathlon at one time and my first go at it was a sport (at the time) called Bikeathlon where it was bike riding and shooting (done in the summer)...I wonder if Bikeathlon is still a thing
There is no official biking biathlon event or series but I know a lot of clubs and venues will host a novelty bikeathlon once a year. I've done one of these. It's pretty fun!
I was wondering...when biathletes say they are 'changing' their rifles a little bit (J.T.Boe did something with his rifle before the WC iirc), what are they referring to?
Damn, accuracy testing with CCI? Until you feed it Eley/Sk/Lapua/Wolf there's no point in accuracy testing. I found my sons Izmesh likes SK pistol match special.
@@BrianHalligan-USA yeah, something's not right here. Both Izhmash and Savage are better than this. But of the ammo I've tried CCI is the one brand that jams in my Savage and a friend had the same thing happen with his. You need to redo this test with any other brand.
@@BrianHalligan-USA the Savage Magazines are just folded. Taking them apart and soldering them has helped some people. It is possible a thin CA glue (super glue) might work as well. The main problem is the metal in the lips fatigue and weaken. If someone would make a stock and a better barrel for the Ruger American Rimfire....😎 or a CZ.
Jesus christ dude, using cheap shitty ammo to test the accuracy of $1000-5000 guns. That is completely stupid. Atleast you could have splurged on some midgrade match ammo
I used to own an izhmash - very Russian. Will shoot any ammo, will shoot dirty, will shoot covered in mud. Incredibly durable. But groupings were relatively large. Shots I thought were hits were wide misses. Upgraded to the Anschutz. Takes specific ammo. Didn’t like some stuff I had left over - always shoot Lapua Polar. A little fussy. The bolt needs to be thrown full back and full forward. Very precise. But I can put 5 rounds in a US nickel, prone. Also, it’s very easy to customize the heck out of the Anschutz. I have custom barrel weights, stock extension, etc etc. good luck getting parts for the Izhmash.
Great video! Big biathlon fan and since I haven't seen many biathlon YT channels, I am looking forward to watching more biathlon content!
Thanks. Hoping to get more content out for you!
Appreciate your inputs and insights. As a 70 year old recreational hiker, biker, skier, shooter
Thanks, Brian. Good discussion.
The anschütz also has a kind of advantage: if you want to save money, there is an airrifle for biathlon training thats based on the Anschütz 1827 Fortner. Now its produced by steyr called Steyr LGB1. Here in Dornstadt near Ulm (where anschütz is), we use both guns. Very precice rifles.
Enjoyed the video and good information. I was surprised to see a busy highway running behind the target area.
Great video! Thank you for your time.
the music during the test shoot wrecked the video for me
Got mine FinnBiathlon for $200. Shorten to 400mm barrel. 840mm long. Treaded for Silencer.
My Izhmash AK 47 came with an owner's manual that says "For temperatures under minus 70 Celsius see your armorer for cold weather lubricant." As I'm an archer I'd like to see an archer's biathlon. I'll bet they used to do them in Scandinavia before firearms came along.
it actually exists, it is called skiarc or ski archery, there where world championships about 15 years ago in Forni Avoltri, very close to where I live, but it is not popular at all
Great video, although I think you're a little hard on the Savage setup, which I currently have. I'm a masters biathlete and not that great on the range, although I don't really put in the time on the range as I've got other hobbies that take up much of my time. While I don't put the time on the range even if I did I'm not sure the $5500 price tag would be worth that slight improvement. I think the rifle is the number one barrier when it comes to people getting into the sport and the Savage option is probably the best bet. Don't get me wrong, I think this is a great video, but just a little hard on the Savage option. I can typically shoot nice tight groups supported. The action being bolt action also isn't ideal as it can get you out of your alignment. In saying this I hope to get an Anschutz one day when I can get more time to dedicate to the sport. Keep up the great videos!
I dipped my toe into target shooting a few years back. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, used Anschutz.
I think that tells you everything you need to know.
I agree. The quality is just so high!
vudoo. Theyre setting a new standard. No fortner actions yet, but theyre killing it in the nrl/prs world. Once they get the benchrest going, the may chase olympic sports.
or walther and feinwerkbau
Savage rfiles group much better than that with SK Standard Plus or SK Biathlon Sports. Action is slow, but accuracy is comparable with the 2 others with the right ammunitions. Anschutz tends to be more reliable with almost any ammos.
Every shooting platform, more specifically, every barrel requires finding the right ammunition for it. Even then, rimfire ammunition is notoriously inconsistent and can yield "flyers", which are more a result of the ammunition than the rifle. This is why Match grade rifles require Match grade ammunition specific for that rifle/barrel which can only be arrived to by testing various manufacturers ammunition and different batch number. Though Anschutz rifles are incredibly well engineered, very popular and considered the gold standard, I'd wager that the results presented here are not an indication that the other two rifles are less accurate. Ammunition, rifle fitment, rifle action and shooter preference play a huge role in the results down range...
Great Video! I was wondering if you could explain the difference between Anschutz Sprint Fortner Barreled Action(16mm diameter barrel) and the Anschutz Sprint Fortner Barreled Action-Heavy Barrel(18mm diameter barrel). Is the the Heavy Barrel just a heavier rifle? What would be the advantage of the heavier barrel? Thanks
Cool thanks
Awesome video Brian! Would you be able to do a video on different biathlon socks, specifically the Lost Nation stock. I am interested in taking up biathlon and already have a Savage Mark II. Since I already have the rifle, I am thinking of just purchasing the necessary components, but it has been hard to find reviews of the Lost Nation stock.
hmmm I wonder if a Browning T-bolt (straight-pull) action could be re-barreled and the handle modified for use instead of the Savage?? They are exceptionally high quality firearm's.
Never used one myself but a cheaper option to help overcome the barrier to entry is desperately needed in biathlon. a new Anschutz😬 is with all the necessary components is going for over $6000 right now 😬
@@BrianHalligan-USA The heavy barreled target version (16-1/2 barrel) Browning T-bolt starts at $699. the Stainless medium weight target barrel (22 inches) starts at $959. It really wouldn't take much to drop either barreled action into a Biathlon stock. The only thing I would do to either action is modify the loopy-pop bolt handle into the lever T-type you use currently.
@@BrianHalligan-USA Hi Brian, what about a Savage Mark II FTV?
Yeah, It'd probably work. A little more expensive than the Mark II FV but if the bedding bolts are the same you would be able to find a stock for it.
Imagine a .17 HMR biathlon rifle.
Hey Brian,
Thank you for the comparison. Would you mind telling me how you managed to paint your components? Is that something that many athletes do? Also, are there ways to make an individualized standing finger grip?
Hey Sean, This was my Covid quarantine project last spring. I watched a ton of RUclips videos on how to spray paint guitars actually then just tried to do that to my rifle. TBH, it didn't come out 100% as I wanted it but I'm really happy with the end result. I'll add rifle paining video to my list... I just got to find another rifle to paint haha.
Best way to individualize the standing block is with a Dremel Tool. but be careful because once you take some off, you can't put it back. (you can add things with a putty but that's a whole separate process). I'll add that one to the list too. Haha.
Thanks for all the content ideas
I do like your instructions, please turn the music off, it is distracting, half as loud is still to loud.
That “other” manufacturer Lost Nation R&D is hardly unknown. It is none other than CZ. I am not a Biathlon competitor, but I own several Anschutz s and yes once you try theirs nothing else is good enough, but if you want a sport to prosper you had better get some good entry level equipment. “Daddy I want to try Biathlon, would you give me $5.5 k for a rifle” will not cut it in most American house holds.
The fact that the $300 Savage is even in that conversation says alot!! So there was a German rifle , A Russian rifle and a Canadian rifle, yes, thats right, Savage rim fires are made in Lakefield Ontario, formerly Lakefield arms, and they are damned fine liitle rifles.
Where are people going to buy anschutz? Are their pre owned ones you can purchase?
The fact that anyone would try to adapt a $200.00 rifle to competition tells me that it punches above its' weight in its' original configuration. However adapting something to a role it wasn't originally designed for doesn't consistently work out.
I just learned Lost Nation does a CZ457 biathlon rifle. It's supposed to be better than the Savage MK2.
I wonder why no one offers a Ruger 10/22 biathlon rifle? Just install a really weak recoil spring and larger charging handle to make it a straight pull. They are generally more accurate (with a custom barrel), less money to start out with and far more customizable vs. the Savage.
Edit: The mags are rotary style for the 10 rounders, and thus kind of clunky for handling. Maybe that's why? I'm sure you could make a custom 5-round stick mag but it would be a lot of work for such a small market.
The 10/22 recoil spring is on the side, it’s unbalanced from before the first part has ever been cast.
Tactical solutions in Boise Idaho makes a good receiver/bolt/recoil system that’s still basically the 10/22 style but would be way better.
Marlin 60/70/795 have a centered recoil spring in the first place and the micro groove rifling they’ve used for the last 50 years makes way more accurate barrels than the Ruger barrels
But also it has to have some form of locking system.
Hey Brain, good video, do you use any kind of lubricant, for cold weather shooting on the action, if so what is it. Always admired the stamina of biathlon athletes
Next time drop the background music. It is just distracting.
Hi Brian
If i want to buy used rifle, should I worry about barrel wear?
How many shots it can make to start losing accuracy?
Excellent, Very interesting. Where can I buy parts for an Izhmash? I lost my magazines.
No idea. haha.
But actually though, Finding Izhmash parts is really difficult. You might want to try Altiusguns.com or Nordicmarksman.com. Otherwise look at Larsen Biathlon for possible replacement parts.
Anshutz, évidemment….😉
I Agee that Anshutz makes the best biathlon rifles. However you demo only proved that the Anshutz shoots well wit the ammo you used for this test. To actually show which rifle groups the best you would have to test different ammo in each rifle until you find one for each rifle (I.e. rws for one, maybe fiocci for another and lapis for the 3rd rifle. Then run your test. Using the same cheap ammo for each rifle only proved that the Anshutz liked tha ammo, the other 2 rifles didn’t.
Good barrel is going to shoot well with garbage cci.most of the time ,but I hear what you are saying.
I used to be a three position international rifle competitor and was thinking about transitioning to biathlon at one time and my first go at it was a sport (at the time) called Bikeathlon where it was bike riding and shooting (done in the summer)...I wonder if Bikeathlon is still a thing
There is no official biking biathlon event or series but I know a lot of clubs and venues will host a novelty bikeathlon once a year. I've done one of these. It's pretty fun!
Wheres the best place to buy a Anschutz Biathlon rifle in the US?
There are 3 options:
Lostnationrd.com Based out of VT
Altiusguns.com based out of Montana
or Champchoice.com based out of Tennessee
I was wondering...when biathletes say they are 'changing' their rifles a little bit (J.T.Boe did something with his rifle before the WC iirc), what are they referring to?
That has more to do with fit adjustments. He didn't like his new stock so he scrapped it and started from scratch
Damn, accuracy testing with CCI?
Until you feed it Eley/Sk/Lapua/Wolf there's no point in accuracy testing. I found my sons Izmesh likes SK pistol match special.
Totally agree. Unfortunately ammo is kind of hard to get right now, but I have tons of CCI 😅
@@BrianHalligan-USA yeah, something's not right here. Both Izhmash and Savage are better than this. But of the ammo I've tried CCI is the one brand that jams in my Savage and a friend had the same thing happen with his. You need to redo this test with any other brand.
Annoying background music
I couldn't even make it 2 mins..
Great video, but the music….😵💫
The stainless steel Savage magazines work much better. The carbon steel magazines are more prone to the lips spreading and spitting the ammo out. 🤬
Bane of my existence
@@BrianHalligan-USA the Savage Magazines are just folded. Taking them apart and soldering them has helped some people. It is possible a thin CA glue (super glue) might work as well. The main problem is the metal in the lips fatigue and weaken. If someone would make a stock and a better barrel for the Ruger American Rimfire....😎 or a CZ.
What is the bullet caliber for these?
Is it like a BB, pellet, or bullet?
@@corycherrier4743 it's a .22LR
The Ishmash is a funny rifle, it uses a hammer, not a striker.
fun to hear certain words pronounced totally wrong
biathlon pronounce it as beeathlonnot byatlon it is a hellas word(greek)
thanks but please skip the dam back round noise
Jesus christ dude, using cheap shitty ammo to test the accuracy of $1000-5000 guns. That is completely stupid. Atleast you could have splurged on some midgrade match ammo
They’re glorified BB guns.
How would it shoot against a voodoo, or rim x,
Anschütz