At the Tulsa Arms Show a couple of months ago, I was finally able to pick up my ultimate 22 rifle. I've looked for one of these Dakota 22's for years and have always either been a little too late or the price was WAY over what I could afford. The thing that has always been my favorite part about these rifles is that they have a floor plate covering the magazine and are sized more like a normal centerfire rifle. It also shoots surprisingly well for a 22 sporter, and will run right along side my dad's Anchutz 54 Sporter. The pictures of the targets are 5 shot groups at 50 yards with SK Standard Plus.
I've never found an exact number of how many they made but it was less than 500. This one was made in 1992. It is the first one that I have ever seen in person.
I remember talking to Allen's wife about ordering one, and by the time she got done ticking boxes it was $7500 and I told her that wasn't going to work for me.
She said that was fine, just keep them in mind when I got to that point of my life, where dropping $7500 on a 22lr was a thing.
Yours is the only one I have seen since they stopped production.
Posts: 7782 | Location: Das heimat! | Registered: 10 October 2012
Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming: Nice find.
I remember talking to Allen's wife about ordering one, and by the time she got done ticking boxes it was $7500 and I told her that wasn't going to work for me.
She said that was fine, just keep them in mind when I got to that point of my life, where dropping $7500 on a 22lr was a thing.
Yours is the only one I have seen since they stopped production.
Wow, the one you were pricing must have been very optioned out! I have the factory paperwork from this one and it cost $995 from them in 1992, but this one was just the standard model. I saw one go for a little north of $8000 on Gunbroker a few months ago, but it was the most optioned out one that I've ever seen, with exhibition wood, quarter rib, and a few other options.
Jmbrown, I looked at a Dakota Sporter .22LR at last spring's Wanenmacher's show. The seller was a dealer from Ohio or Minnesota, or someplace like that, and was asking $3500.00. I looked hard at it (he went down to $3200 for a cash deal), but as he was an out-of-state seller, it would have had to been transferred via an in-state FFL. No problem with that, just more hassle than I wanted to endure so I walked away from it. I wonder if it was/is the same rifle? It certainly looks like a shooter! Looks like a Leupold 3-9x33 EFR scope...whatever it is, it certainly complements that fine looking rifle. Congratulations on picking one up! They've been a dream of mine since 1993.
Posts: 113 | Location: oklahoma | Registered: 23 May 2015
Thanks mightymouse! I never saw the one at the Spring show but have heard a couple of other people say that they did. I'm pretty sure this wasn't the same one because I always swing by this guy's table and I now I didn't see it in the spring. That is a 3-9x33 EFR. It seems to be about the absolute perfect scope to go with this rifle.
It has turned out to be the perfect little squirrel rifle too.
Jmbrown, looking at the pics, yours has better wood than the one I saw at the Spring show, which was quite plain considering the asking price. At the Fall show, there was a fella with a Cooper/Anschutz and a Steyr Zephyr on his table, nice rifles both. Another dealer had a custom Anschutz 1422 in an absolutely stunning sporter stock, with about the nicest wood I've ever seen on a .22 rifle. I do like high-end .22 rifles! Congrats again on your acquisition.
Posts: 113 | Location: oklahoma | Registered: 23 May 2015
I wish I would have seen those there. There is so much at the Wannamacher show that it is hard to see everything there. There was also a 40x sporter repeater there.
The Cooper/Anschutz is a rare gem. Starting with an Anschutz 1710 barreled action, Cooper then stocked them in-house, and sold them as complete rifles. Only about 150 were ever built. The combination of an Anschutz 54 barreled action in a classic American stock is my idea of rimfire perfection. The one at the Fall show, though, had rather plain wood. I've never been a 40x fan, mainly because the big rifle receiver seems out of proportion compared to the little .22 cartridge.
Posts: 113 | Location: oklahoma | Registered: 23 May 2015
I've only seen the Cooper Anschutz online, but it was wonderful looking rifle. My dad has a 54 Sporter and it is one of my favorite 22s of all time. The action is wonderfully smooth and it shoots amazing!
The larger action of the 40x is one of the things that I actually like about them. I still like this Dakota more though.
A beautiful rifle. I've owned model 76's in centerfire models, never in rimfire. I was told it was modeled after the Win. 52 in design. A left hand one just sold at Amoskeag Auction for $5,750 plus fees. XX walnut.
