🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <2592@jade.BERKELEY.EDU> wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (Will Martin) wrote:
>However, we'd like to hear more from you about the field. From where DO
>the competitors you mentioned buy their airguns, if they don't go direct
>to the factories (which I would assume most never could do; that must be
>a rare exception)?

Actually, a fair number of competitors buy from the factory, either
directly or through a friend travelling over.  The service and attention I
received was a real trip, by the way.

>                   Are there firms known only to the elite that cater to
>this select customer base, or do these people do their own customizing
>and maintenance, accurizing and tweaking ordinary airguns bought from 
>those Shotgun News sources I mentioned? 

I know little about plinking guns, I'm afraid.

I've bought seven target rifles in my day:
	- Anschutz Mark 10D [smallbore]
	- Anschutz Model 64 (I think) [smallbore]
	- Anschutz 1407 [smallbore]
	- Feinwerkbau 300S [air rifle]
	- Walther GX-1 [smallbore]
	- Walther LGR Match Universal [air rifle]
	- Schultz & Larsen [int'l bigbore]

The three Anschutz rifles were purchased through a local dealer (in
Syracuse, New York, where I grew up).  They were in the normal Savage-
Anschutz catalog and price list at the time; it was simply a matter of
talking with the dealer (a sporting goods store), and plunking down the
bucks.

The 300S was purchased from Blue Trail Range, if I recall; the GX-1 came
through Interarms (Walther's importer).  I bought both of these while in
college; our shooting club (for alums, students, faculty, and staff;
separate from the varsity teams) had an FFL, so it was easy.

The LGR was purchased at the factory, as I previously mentioned.  One HUGE
advantage of buying an air rifle vs. another sort of rifle was that BATF
didn't care about it, so all I had to do was pay the duty.

Finally, the Schultz was purchased used, in an intrastate transaction.

Many active competitve shooters maintain contacts that lead us to good
dealers, good gunsmiths, good suppliers.  Locally (in Mountain View,
California -- SF Bay Area), for example, Eddy's Sport Shop is one of my
favorites.  Jerry, the owner, is a competitive shooter; we met at an air
gun match.  He understands the needs of competitive shooters (rifle,
pistol, and shotgun, air and otherwise), stocks a number of different
target and match grade smallbore ammo, for example, yet also caters to
non-competitive and non-target shooters.

Jack Foster (Accuracy International) is another competitive shooter in the
supply and gun business.  Jack has medaled in the World Championships, and
is in partnership with Malcolm Cooper in England, who took the Smallbore
Three Position gold in the '84 Olympics.  They cater specifically to the
competitive trade.

Blue Trail Range in Connecticut is a wonderful place.  I've had good
dealings with Freeland's in Rock Island, Illinois.

Oh, and my gunsmith, Creiton Audette in New England (and an NRA director
-- remember to vote!!!) is another target shooter I met at matches.

Generally, the advice is to go to matches, and start asking around.  In
part because of the limited audience, most of the "advertising" is word-
of-mouth, and catalogues available at matches and such.

Incidentally, I've done NONE of the major work on my rifles.  My GX-1 is
glass bedded, and has a new barrel (I shot the first one enough to put a
ring in the chamber, which Creiton noticed when he bedded it).  I do,
however, make sure I know how to do all the non-major work, including
stripping the rifle down, and changing and adjusting triggers.  (I'm
amazed, incidentally, at the number of other people's rifles I've shot
with very poorly adjusted triggers!  And these are rifles with FABULOUS
triggers, just poorly adjusted!)  I know many people who have done their
own glass bedding, accurizing, and such, though.

Happy to answer other questions!  By the way, who else out there is a
serious competitor?
-- 

Alan M. Marcum				Sun Microsystems, Technical Consulting
marcum@nescorna.Sun.COM			Mountain View, California