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    The Anschutz Model 1782

    A High-Quality Centerfire Hunting Rifle

    other By: Stan Trzoniec | January, 25

    The Anschutz Model 1782 with a wood stock and the Bushnell Prime scope ready for mounting. Precise craftsmanship in both fit and finish are the hallmark of this rifle.
    The Anschutz Model 1782 with a wood stock and the Bushnell Prime scope ready for mounting. Precise craftsmanship in both fit and finish are the hallmark of this rifle.
    In profile, the Anschutz rifle makes for a handsome rig. Stan used medium rings to mount the scope with enough room for the objective lens and the eyepiece to clear the bolt shroud.
    In profile, the Anschutz rifle makes for a handsome rig. Stan used medium rings to mount the scope with enough room for the objective lens and the eyepiece to clear the bolt shroud.

    No doubt, the 308 Winchester is a popular cartridge and while there are dozens of rifles chambered for it, like everything else, a few seem to stand out. Production guns like the Remington, Winchester and Savage appeal to many for down-to-earth hunting tools and when it comes to custom guns, there are models from Kimber, Dakota and Cooper.

    With the rifle cocked, you can see the firing pin indicator protruding from the bolt shroud. The 2-position safety lever is to the right, the bolt with the angled handle and enlarged knob and the adjustable trigger.
    With the rifle cocked, you can see the firing pin indicator protruding from the bolt shroud. The 2-position safety lever is to the right, the bolt with the angled handle and enlarged knob and the adjustable trigger.

    Then, there are the guns that split all this down the middle. A company that offers a production gun with a number of options and a full-fledged custom gun is Anschutz of Ulm, Germany. Under its model number of 1782, buyers can have it their way in a wide variety of wood, calibers and other options that truly make this gun a one of a kind in your rifle rack.

    Purchasing a Model 1782 is itself a unique experience by way of a checklist of options. While the gun is an upgraded version of the previous Model 1780, this gun has certainly moved into the modern times of gunmaking. First, there is a choice of calibers including the 243 or 308 Winchester, 30-06, 6.5 Creedmoor, 8x57 IS, 9.3x62 and now, the 300 Winchester Magnum.

    Like many rifles today, a 60-degree bolt lift is now standard, which allows a scope with a larger eyepiece to be installed. With the larger eyepiece on this Bushnell scope, the bolt handle clears it with room to spare.
    Like many rifles today, a 60-degree bolt lift is now standard, which allows a scope with a larger eyepiece to be installed. With the larger eyepiece on this Bushnell scope, the bolt handle clears it with room to spare.

    With that all sorted out, the barreled action is next with a selection of five barrels to include lengths of 18.5 (308 Winchester only), 20.5, 22.8, 23.6 and 25.6 inches with or without a muzzle thread, which on all barrels have a .709-inch diameter with a stylish taper back to the receiver. No open sights are furnished, but the receiver is

    The Model 1782 comes standard with a three-round magazine; a five-round magazine is optional.
    The Model 1782 comes standard with a three-round magazine; a five-round magazine is optional.
    milled for Picatinny-type scope mounts.

    If you like a beefy gun that starts out with a finely machined receiver, this is the gun for you and is available in right- or left-hand models. The receiver measures a little over 9 inches long by 1.25 inches wide and is machined from solid steel carefully polished both inside and out for that classic look. A gas relief post has been drilled under the front receiver bridge and the ejection port is long and open for easy feeding and positive ejection of spent cartridges. The bottom is flat to ensure complete bedding in the stock, and there is an intergraded recoil lug with just enough movement to ensure complete contact with a steel plate within the stock that Anschutz calls its “V-Bedding” design. This is all tied in with an angled stock screw to pull the action down and back into the stock.

    Closer in, we see the magazine release in the shape of a paddle. With this type of lever, the floorplate can be released from either side of the gun.
    Closer in, we see the magazine release in the shape of a paddle. With this type of lever, the floorplate can be released from either side of the gun.

    On the left side is the bolt release, by pushing it inward, it allows the bolt to exit to the rear for maintenance of travel. The safety is mounted on the right side – forward to fire, back for safe with the option of operating the bolt to remove, change or install a new round neatly incorporated into the trigger assembly.

    With this Model 1782, all of the wood is high-grade finished with a protective coat of oil. A palm swell on the grip and fluting behind the pistol grip aids in the comfort level of handling and shooting this gun.
    With this Model 1782, all of the wood is high-grade finished with a protective coat of oil. A palm swell on the grip and fluting behind the pistol grip aids in the comfort level of handling and shooting this gun.

    The bolt truly represents modern technology in rifle-making today, sliding in and out of the receiver as if it was in a cylinder of oil. Sporting a single diameter profile of .825 inch from behind the locking lugs to the rear shroud, it is accented with four flutes in a natural finish. Up front, there are six locking lugs with the forward three measuring .290 inch in width, the rear three, .155 inch, that gives the assembly a 60-degree bolt lift.

    Within the deep-set bolt face, there is a plunger-type of ejector on one side, a very hefty extractor on the other. The bolt shroud completes the rear of the bolt and when the gun is cocked, a firing-pin indicator juts out so by feel without looking down, one can tell the gun is set and ready to go. The bolt handle has a rearward sweep to it complimented by a nearly 1-inch bolt knob.

    The bolt head has six locking lugs with the bolt face containing both the extractor and ejector. Note the finish on all the parts.
    The bolt head has six locking lugs with the bolt face containing both the extractor and ejector. Note the finish on all the parts.

    When it comes to the trigger, no matter the model it seems, they are very precise in their makeup with 50 parts and fully adjustable. However, in the Anschutz rifles I’ve tested over the years, they come with a setting most of us should appreciate. The trigger on this gun, out of the box, hit the scale at 14 ounces without a bit of creep before the sear broke. Additionally, and something you would see only on a few very select firearms, is that the trigger shoe can be adjustable forward and back and for additional comfort, it will swivel left or right and depending on your personal requirements can be changed from a single stage to a two-stage trigger.

    The bedding of the gun is enhanced by the use of stamped metal parts and twin screws both front and back to keep the action firmly secured within the wood stock.
    The bedding of the gun is enhanced by the use of stamped metal parts and twin screws both front and back to keep the action firmly secured within the wood stock.

    Housed into the bottom metal, this is a cast aluminum piece with steel accents on the recoil lug within the stock and the paddle-shaped magazine release. Pushing it forward allows the magazine to drop out of the gun a three-round magazine standard on delivery; a five-shot is optional. The assembly has an aluminum base plate with a steel container with a formed follower designed to load cartridges in an effortless manner, held in place by two supports within the magazine well.

    Certainly not upstaged by the barreled action, the stock has its own share of preferred features on any hunter’s list. First, when it comes to color, grain and figure, I have never seen a bad stock from Anschutz. Again, like the rest of the options, you have a choice in upgrading your preference in wood grades from Standard, Premium, Luxus and Meistergrade at extra cost.

    The trigger assembly is comprised of 50 parts and is finely adjustable to your shooting needs. Out of the box from the factory, it measured around 14 ounces with no take up before the sear broke. Installed on the gun, it is a single-stage trigger, but can be modified to operate as a two-stage trigger.
    The trigger assembly is comprised of 50 parts and is finely adjustable to your shooting needs. Out of the box from the factory, it measured around 14 ounces with no take up before the sear broke. Installed on the gun, it is a single-stage trigger, but can be modified to operate as a two-stage trigger.
    Next, the prospective buyer has a choice of four styles to include the American classic, the Classic Pro with an adjustable comb, German stock with a pronounced squared-off cheekpiece and finally, the Thumbhole stock with a rollover comb.

    Our Classic has obviously been tuned to the American shooter. The lines are straight and true, and with an oiled finish, it goes with our hunting lifestyle. At the forend, in lieu of any wood tip, the stock is gracefully rounded off with a sling swivel stud mounted close by. In profile, this part of the gun has a natural taper to it that adapts the gun to either prone or offhand shooting. Moving back, the checkering is cut in the traditional point pattern with a border as seen on the best of custom rifles. From here, and looking inside, the inletting is sharp and well defined from the barrel channel to the magazine well along with the notches for the bolt and safety.

    With Federal ammunition, placing three shots into less than a minute of angle was no problem. This rifle is more than accurate for the most demanding hunting needs.
    With Federal ammunition, placing three shots into less than a minute of angle was no problem. This rifle is more than accurate for the most demanding hunting needs.
    I found the pistol grip very comfortable due in part to the natural sweep, but no pistol grip cap has been installed. However, ample checkering and a moderate palm swell on the right-hand side has been included. Behind that, a deep recess has been applied for the beefy part of your hand and from here back, the comb is straight ending at the classic-styled recoil pad with a black spacer.

    In the Anschutz Custom Shop, every rifle is unique in the way the owner wants it with engraving or wood.
    In the Anschutz Custom Shop, every rifle is unique in the way the owner wants it with engraving or wood.
    On our dark walnut sample, the grain of the stock runs straight back from the forend tip to the recoil pad. On the buttstock, I would rate this stock as at least a Grade III (Luxus) considering the figure at this point running from behind the pistol grip up towards the comb. My gun was a right-hand model, so there was a bit of a cast off on the butt for shooting comfort when using a scope.

    Finally, for those looking for the ultimate in a hunting rifle, Anschutz offers plenty of choices from its Custom Shop that range from the finest in wood selection to fine scroll or deep relief engraving on a handpicked action. According to what I’ve read and seen, they will give quotes on these one-of-a-kind rifles to your specifications.

    My gun was chambered for the 308 Winchester so mounting a scope and gathering ammunition was next. The scope of choice here was a new entry from the Bushnell Prime line of riflescopes. This one was the popular 3-9x 40mm model complete with an illuminated reticle, adjustable eyepiece and easy to adjust windage and elevation settings. I grabbed a set of Leupold rings that fit right into the Picatinny mounts on the gun, leveled the reticle and I was good to go.

    No doubt, the 308 Winchester is one of the most, if not the most, popular hunting cartridge for a majority of hunters in various countries around the globe. Overall, the 308 is ideal for medium to large game and teamed with a short-action rifle, makes for a handy and quick-acting hunting package.

    Still doing it the old-fashioned way, the tools of the trade and the final product are shown here.
    Still doing it the old-fashioned way, the tools of the trade and the final product are shown here.

    While this Model 1782 is only available in a long action, the magazine is so designed to have the impression that feeding the 308 Winchester in this action is not a handicap in lost motion. At the range, I never thought about this and went about my shooting without concern or without any feeding or extraction problems.

    With that target trigger, shooting went on without a hitch and got to the point to where I could almost call my shots. Factory ammunition got the nod this time from Federal, Remington and Winchester, with the best groups of each shown in the accompanying table. Duly noted since Anschutz guarantees groups at 100 yards to average a minute of angle or less, I was more than happy with the results.

    The Anschutz Model 1782 is a precision rifle worthy of consideration. Built like a Mercedes and priced like an Audi, it will appeal to many a dedicated hunter.


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