Hi All:

     There is a gun store in Port Royal, Va. that claims to have the largest inventory of these .22 target rifles.  These are the same rifles that Al Freeland sold back in the day.

      The prices range from about $500.00 on up for different models.  How does one determine what to pay for these rifles?  They come with or without sights, heavy or light barrels, and different series, i.e. Mark I, Mark II, mark III etc.  What should I look for as to condition and which guns are more desirable than others?

      Are these guns accurate by today's standards or just a throwback to the past?

      Any advice?

                                                                   Good health,

                                                                    Zeke

Welcome, dmccorki, and I'll second your advice about Appleton's.  Never been in there, but their published prices all seemed fair over the years.  Zeke, they have had a very good reputation, and from everything I've seen and heard, you should do well working with them.  On the International series, the Mk II seem to be the most popular with the Schuetzen community...the barrels are screwed in on these and the earlier ones, clamped on the Mk III and later ones.  Mk II and later have better external adjustments on the trigger group.  You'll find them stocked for prone or across the course, conventional and thumb hole.  Some Schuetzen matches don't allow thumbhole stocks, others do.  You'll have to make an executive decision based on what you want to do with the rifle.    

David

Think you mean Front Royal Va. not Port Royal. If so It's Appleton's for sure. Have been in to look in person when John was alive. A wide selection, all sorts of grades and types.

John bought aggressively in the UK and Australia, mostly from Schools and Clubs. When I was working in Australia smallbore club I belonged to had to get rid of a dozen or so BSA's   Government would buy them for a set price to destroy, or they could be exported.  Local Police set the limit on how many guns individuals  schools or clubs could own.  Rule was legitimate need. Club with a dozen members could not own two dozen rifles. Most were turned in for the government payment, Had to be a nice one to justify export.  I bought my club owned  Anschutz Super Match 54 back to the US, it was headed to the scrap heap. I don''t know if the UK offered to pay for guns turned in, seems more were exported than the Aussie guns.  

Don't know who is running the shop since he passed away. Guys that I know that bought from him sight unseen, let Appleton pick the gun based on phone conversations.  He gave return privileges if not satisfied.  Never knew anyone to return.

Commonwealth made Martini's are very confusing, here is a site that will help sort out what's what. I see a fair number of .22 Martini's come through our Club matches. All I have seen shoot are very good performers.  On the configurations, some I would love to have, others not too interested in.  Best to educate yourself first.  

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Boats

 I haven't been there since Mr. Appleton died, but a friend in the area of Virginia has told me that John's widow opens the store on weekends by appointment.  It's located directly across the street from the town police headquarters.  The Appelton's lived in Fairfax when I was there and he was quite a nice gentleman to speak with.

For contact information. look in the informational directory posted on this forum for S.S. Suppliers and you will run across the listing.

  Good luck, 

  Creedmoormatch

Reminds me of the time when John was still with us. I called and asked about the availability of a nice buttstock for a 12/15 martini. I was told most assuredly that "I don't sell junk" Had no worries on that score. But when I opened the box, there was a beautiful buttstock. You may also want to look at the various posts in the "Martini section" at rimfire central.com lots of satisfied owners. Frank

Quote:



   I'll "Second" what AzzHandler has indicated above.  And add, speaking of the BSA Internationals, whether the barrels are screwed on or clamped on, the exceeding results above other .22 R.F.'s are there. 

   Creedmoormatch

Well, I don't know about Port Royal, But I now that Appletons was in Front Royal at least as laye a s last smmer as I was there and spoke with his Widow for some time. I had the fortune pf living a mere 20 mins from there for 9 years and would visit once or twice a year and did buy a model 15 from John.

At the time of my last visit she said she would continue to operate on Saturdays only as long as there was interest and sales. She had CASES of martinis, most still unopened and she wasn't entirely sure what was in them beyond the shipping records, whuch is how John often operated as well.

Very nice, very fair. If they moved to another location I am sure they/she is still the same. People don't change much that way!

The shop was called The Little Gun SHop in Front Royal, Not Appletons, if you are searching for it in a phone directory.

Merwin

Quote:


  When these Internationals left BSA's manufacturing plant, each one was test fired for accuracy and came to the first owner with a guarantee as to the rifle accuracy.

   Now, after having fired many X many shots , there is a goodly number of International around that have "shot out bores" in them.  Of course, many rifles were sent to Parker-Hale for the installation of barrel liners in order to bring them back to specification.

  It's a bit of a chore to determine if a .22 R.F. has adequate rifling in it's bore, so there is a real possibility that some folks will purchase a BSA-Martini International and will be no better off than had they bought a heavily used J.C. Higgins hardware store 22 rifle.

Creedmoormatch