Looking For Info on Tanner 50m Smallbore Target Rifle

[PNW Skipper]

I recently purchased a Tanner 50m .22lr target rifle at auction. I contacted Tanner to see if they could provide more info about the rifle. Unfortunately, they were not able to offer anything beyond the year of manufacture (1974), the initial customer (Hammerli!), and the info that they retained the tooling to supply parts if required in the future. I am particularly interested in the date that the Tanner 50m rifle was introduced, since the cutoff date for model introduction (NOT manufacture) for a vintage smallbore match I shoot, is 1970. I have read that the 50m .22lr was intended as a more economical trainer for fullbore competition with their 300m rifle, but have not found anything definitive on the date of its introduction.

I have already gleaned all the info I can find in previous threads here and on other sites. So I know there have been some owners of Tanners active here a few years back. If any of you are still about, I wonder if you can fill in this blank for me. Additionally Tanner said they didn't retain any old literature for the 50m rifle. The action appears straightforward enough for an experienced smallbore shooter to figure out starting blind, but I was wondering (hoping!) some of you have copies of printed reference material that covers these rifles, an old owner manual, or even descriptive advertising literature? If so, would it be possible to obtain electronic or hardcopy scans of them from you? Finally, if you have owned/shot one of these I would value any observations/lessons learned that you think would be of value to share.

I am looking forward to comparing the Tanner to my Win 52E International match rifle of similar vintage!

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide.

Phil

 

[Tim Slater]

I've got at least one manual for a Tanner, but I think it's for a 300m rifle.

Although 50m Free Rifle has been a discipline in its own right since the 1920s, it wouldn't surprise me if Tanner only started making .22s as a companion to their 300m; enough owners wanted an identical .22 and badgered Tanner. Hammerli did buy in Walther KKM actions at this time to sell in Tanner stocks, so perhaps Tanner decided they could do better.

 

[VLNBYR]

I have one I like very much. These things were hand made in a very small shop and not at all like the more commercial Anschutz, etc.

 

[PNW Skipper]

I've got at least one manual for a Tanner, but I think it's for a 300m rifle.

Although 50m Free Rifle has been a discipline in its own right since the 1920s, it wouldn't surprise me if Tanner only started making .22s as a companion to their 300m; enough owners wanted an identical .22 and badgered Tanner. Hammerli did buy in Walther KKM actions at this time to sell in Tanner stocks, so perhaps Tanner decided they could do better.

Tim,
If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would appreciate a copy of any Tanner literature, even a 300m manual. I will send message with my email address.
Phil

 

[PNW Skipper]

Thanks to the generosity of Tim Slater, I received a set of photos of a vintage brochure for the Tanner 300m/50m Supermatch rifles. If you would like a set, PM me with your email. Fair notice, the brochure is in French. My French is rusty, but serviceable. No promises on when, but I will eventually translate it.

WRT the date the 50m rifle was introduced, I found another old post today in which the individual was given a date in the late sixties for a serial number in between 150/200. So that pushes it back a bit earlier than mine.

I am going to start keeping track of these serial numbers/dates for the 50m rifles. I will keep it anonymous, so it can be shared. If you would like to add yours send me a PM with serial number, date of manufacture, and source of the info (e.g.; info from Tanner, sale documentation, etc). If you have other info, such as the original customer that might be of interest to others I will take that as well, just let me know if it is to be public or private info.

Phil