I always fancied a full-stock rifle and having a free .243 slot on my certificate I started looking around for one. I had a few makes in mind. I wanted a classic European rifle. I looked on a few CZs, one of the local gunshops had a Sako stutzen, but I was not impressed. I found a nice older Mannlicher, but I was wrong caliber. I eventually started looking on Guntrader as nothing else was available locally when I found a Krico in what looked like good condition for lower price than a Mannlicher.
Krico Stutzen .243 Win rifle
The rifle has a nice well figured wood and deer checkering. The barrel is about 21″ with original open sighs. This detail was important to me as during my search I saw many full-stock rifles with front sights removed and they looked bad… I don’t quite know why people do that, I am guessing to fit large scopes, but large scope on a stutzen looks even worse…
The barrel is free floating and the end cap is not touching the barrel. Because original swivel stud was missing and someone fitted a bipod stud I used my bipod when zeroing the rifle. Even with a bipod fitted the rifle shoots well and the barrel and the end cap are not touching the woodwork . I only had Sako 90gr and Remington 100gr Core Lokt ammo available and not started reloading for this caliber, but the rifle shoots 1″ groups or less at 100m.
This German rifle has double set trigger that breaks nicely. It is not too light and I can easily hold my finger on the trigger and it shoots when I want not at the lightest touch.
There is detachable metal magazine the feeds bullets very well. The bolt is smooth to operate and safety catch is well positioned.
I initially had a snag to remove the bolt as you have to press the lever on the left hand side of the rifle as well as the trigger and it is still a bit stiff to remove it, but I guess it is just me.
Apel swing off mounts
The rifle came with EAW swing off mounts. These are proper mounts and the scope can be removed in 2 seconds. I would like to have similar rifle with these mounts in a bit bigger caliber for driven hunts. It is very pointable and short and with these swing off mounts open sighs could be used when longer shots are not possible. The mounts have a few screws to regulate windage and are very solid. I removed and reattached the scope a few times and the rifle shoots to the same point every time.
Lisenfeld Spezial 3-9×42 riflescope
Lisenfeld made really good scopes at the time they were in business. They were never considered as the top glass as Zeiss, Swarovsky and S&B, but it was there I think at the level of Docter, Nickel, Kaps or Meopta. Good thing is not many people that are new to shooting know much about them and they don’t fetch silly money as other makes on a used market. The scope I picket up is a Spezial 3-9×42 with #1 reticule. Three post reticule is not very popular in the UK, but I quite like it. It is very good in low light, but I find it good enough for precise shooting. For me it is easier to put the tip of the post at the bottom of the target I want to hit than to have the target covered by think #4 cross. I would encourage anyone to try shooting with a #1 reticule.
Video
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