Centre10 smallbore rifle.

[Bing!]

Evening learned folk,

I'm trying to find contact details for the chap who made the above rifle. Anybody able to help?

Thanks,

Bing!.

[tim s]

John Sims? I can dig out something from the time the Centre-10 was in production.

[Bing!]

Anything that may contain contact details would be superb.
Thanks Tim.

Bing!

[XDRIVER]

Hi, a friend of mine has a walther smallbore target rifle in a very nice laminate center10 stock if this is of any interest ?

[tim s]

As of 1994, The Old Telephone Exchange, Kingston Blount, OX9 4RT. Telephone was 0844 353614.

Are you after spares?

[Bing!]

Thanks All,
Thanks Tim, bit more than spares. I am after one and I'm sure there was a lightweight one about at some point, which I think is back with John.
Primarily the plan is to get a barrel and action and modify a stock to suit. At some point I'll put a small lightweight barrel in it and my son can hopefully transition from bench rest to full prone.

Until then it will be (if I find one) my prone rifle..... lots of if's and buts involved with this plan though.

Bing!

[tim s]

There was indeed a UIT Standard version. I think the Standard came out before the Free Rifle. Barrel was 650x21mm - ish, so a fraction lighter than an Anschutz xx07.

I didn't realise that John was still making actions. I thought that had folded in the '90s. I'm sure the receivers were cast, which would make small runs tricky.

[Bing!]

As I understand things John may well be able to piece one together ? I'm not looking for a brand new one, secondhand all the way. I was hoping John would be able to help with that and possible spares.
If you know of anyone?

Thanks,
Bing!

[tim s]

Sadly I don't know of any locally.

Out of interest why a Centre-10? The bolt appears to be shorter than an Anschutz 54, but so is a Walther KK or a Valmet.

[Bing!]

Heard good things about them years ago and passed up the opportunity to buy one, I know of a couple of fellow shooters in my area who have them and want to hang on to them. Admittedly they don't use them as there goto rifles.....?!!
In short, I quite fancy owning one. Bit different and hopefully the shillen barrels will still be up to it. Be nice to chop about a stock to fit the action and my son, square action makes it easier.

Bing!

[tim s]

The action isn't totally square, at least the UIT Standard. I'd describe it as round, with square bedding pads. It reminds me strongly of the later M65 and M70 Finnish Lions, where the receiver was lightened underneath.

If you're thinking of adapting an Anschutz stock. The rear bedding pad is quite a bit larger than a Match 64's tang.

[Rutty]

They certainly looked the part and had some good features. I considered buying one when they were being made; given the quantities involved I think "in production" is a little too strong; but decided against it. At the time they didn't seem to be achieving their potential and I know that a number of them were adjusted by an East Anglian gunsmith and that improved their performance. I you ever see one, take a look and see if it has a tapered chamber.

Rutty

[tim s]

I you ever see one, take a look and see if it has a tapered chamber.

Rutty

Rutty,

Is the tapered chamber the original? This is the gunsmith who re-chambered your Anschutz? Reviews and Centre-10 literature described their reamer as ground specifically for Tenex. I don't know if Sims used a different reamer for other work; my old 1813-Shilen is probably his work, and shot very well.

[Bing!]

They certainly looked the part and had some good features. I considered buying one when they were being made; given the quantities involved I think "in production" is a little too strong; but decided against it. At the time they didn't seem to be achieving their potential and I know that a number of them were adjusted by an East Anglian gunsmith and that improved their performance. I you ever see one, take a look and see if it has a tapered chamber.

Rutty

Any stand out "good features" in particular? What was the thoughts behind it not reaching its potential?

And the East anglian gunsmith?

Thanks,

Bing!

[Rutty]

Any stand out "good features" in particular? What was the thoughts behind it not reaching its potential?

And the East anglian gunsmith?

Thanks,

Bing!

Nothing that really stood out; evolutionary rather than revolutionary; but the slightly shorter bolt and laminated stocks were attractive. The thoughts were quite simply that some purchasers didn’t feel that they performed as well as they expected.

The gunsmith who worked on some of them is no longer working, but his “trademark” if you like was the tapered chamber. He did do some very good work back in the day, including one of my rifles.

Rutty