My New Rifle - Schultz & Larsen Tactical (Lightweight)

[K.H - Tikka]

So - the time has come and I might now, need to change my username!

Having said goodbye to my three previous rifles (all Tikka’), it was time to buy a rifle I had been wanting for an awfully long time. Now - this isn’t a ridiculously priced rifle by any means and in fact once everything is weighed up, I am extremely surprised I don’t see more of them around!

For those that are interested, the specification of my rifle is as follows:

Action: Schultz & Larsen Tactical (Alloy) - 20MOA Integral Rail, 60 Degree Bolt Throw

Trigger: Two-Stage Match

Stock: PSE ETAC

Barrel: Straight Fluted, 20” .308, 19mm Muzzle

Moderator: Schultz & Larsen Superdome

Scope: Schmidt & Bender 6-36x56 High Performance

Weight: As shown 4.9kg

In addition to this, I also have a 26” 6.5CM Barrel that I will use for target shooting - when I have a chassis system - hopefully that won’t be in the too distant future!

If anyone has any questions about the rifle and/or setup - fire away.

K.H

 

[Coleman21d]

Do they still make the MDT chassis for these?

 

[Ronin]

Always liked the flat bottomed actions such as this - reminiscent of the ASH Valkyrie and PGWDTI Coyote / Timberwolf

Looking forwards to range reports

Also looks an ideal candidate to enter into the NRL Hunting comps

 

[K.H - Tikka]

Do they still make the MDT chassis for these?

They do not - I am not sure when it was MDT made the chassis for Schultz. I did reach out to MDT regarding a chassis as I had seen it following a Google. However, the person I spoke to had no idea they ever made one. Fair enough, I’m sure they have plenty going on!

I am working with another company currently to design one and it’s looking very promising indeed!

Always liked the flat bottomed actions such as this - reminiscent of the ASH Valkyrie and PGWDTI Coyote / Timberwolf

Looking forwards to range reports

Also looks an ideal candidate to enter into the NRL Hunting comps

Yes, it seems to be a great action - I will be sure to update with range reports as soon as possible. Hopefully over the next couple of weeks!

The NRL Hunting comps look like they could be a really interesting and entertaining development. Following these closely!

K.H

 

[Madu]

Best of luck with your new rig

 

[3595wilk]

Reviving an older thread here......I am toying with switching my current 3 CF calibres to a single manufacturer with different barrels.

Question for you @K.H - Tikka about repeatability? Any issues with barrel change system and repeatable zero?

 

[308rws]

That I like!

 

[BryanDC]

I would really like to visit their factory. Right now I am at work, probably about 500m from it.

 

[Scipio]

Congratulations with the new rifle! What sort of hunting are you planning to do with it ?

 

[suburban bushwacker]

Always fancied one, I have a victory in 708. given the horrific cost of barrels I think 308 is a great choice.
If S&L had made them Remington footprint, and with some kind of barrel extension, I think they'd have sold a lot more than they have .

 

[Scipio]

Always fancied one, I have a victory in 708. given the horrific cost of barrels I think 308 is a great choice.
If S&L had made them Remington footprint, and with some kind of barrel extension, I think they'd have sold a lot more than they have .

What is a Remington footprint mate and what do you mean by "barrel extension" ?

I'm Danish, and living in Denmark one quite naturally sees quite a few fellow hunters with S and Ls. And i do agree that the cost of their barrels do seem quite high, high to the extent that buying another rifle could seem more tempting at times.

I do wish they'd make a basic but quality Kipplauf, a bit like the jaeger9, but with the classic SL traits.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

What is a Remington footprint mate and what do you mean by "barrel extension" ?

I'm Danish, and living in Denmark one quite naturally sees quite a few fellow hunters with S and Ls. And i do agree that the cost of their barrels do seem quite high, high to the extent that buying another rifle could seem more tempting at times.

I do wish they'd make a basic but quality Kipplauf, a bit like the jaeger9, but with the classic SL traits.

Remington footprint is the size and shape of the action, it means you can pick and choose between dozens of aftermarket stock \ chassis makers. S&L shut themselves out of the marketplace by only having one company that make a stock for them and then doubled down by charging a premium. PSE make a wonderful product but not everyone wants a stock, some people want a chassis. Some people want a stock, but want to spread the cost and order it at a later date.

By Barrel extension I mean the system that the STR / SSG or desert tech use, whereby you still have a swap-able barrel but as it screws into the barrel extension which mates to the action, you can also order any barrel you might fancy. if S&L wanted to enter the PRS rifle market they'd have been better off having a rifle that suited the needs of shooters who go through a barrel a season.

I own the nicest S&L victory I've ever seen, but I only stalk with it in nice weather. I built a rough weather rifle with a carbon stock for less than an S&L compatible PSE would cost, next its getting a carbon barrel, I expect to have change out of what I'd pay for a new S&L barrel.

I'm not allowed to think about Kipplaufs. I'm too weak.

 

[Scipio]

Remington footprint is the size and shape of the action, it means you can pick and choose between dozens of aftermarket stock \ chassis makers. S&L shut themselves out of the marketplace by only having one company that make a stock for them and then doubled down by charging a premium. PSE make a wonderful product but not everyone wants a stock, some people want a chassis. Some people want a stock, but want to spread the cost and order it at a later date.

By Barrel extension I mean the system that the STR / SSG or desert tech use, whereby you still have a swap-able barrel but as it screws into the barrel extension which mates to the action, you can also order any barrel you might fancy. if S&L wanted to enter the PRS rifle market they'd have been better off having a rifle that suited the needs of shooters who go through a barrel a season.

I own the nicest S&L victory I've ever seen, but I only stalk with it in nice weather. I built a rough weather rifle with a carbon stock for less than an S&L compatible PSE would cost, next its getting a carbon barrel, I expect to have change out of what I'd pay for a new S&L barrel.

I'm not allowed to think about Kipplaufs. I'm too weak.

Thank you for answering me so informatively @suburban bushwacker , i learned something there

And yep, if S and L wanted to maximize customer options as well as their access to more markets , using the Remington footprint and having barrel extensions installed would seem good ideas.
As for (lack of) remington footprint, i suspect the reason might be that the S-L action is quite famous, and, as far as i know, very good mechanically. So i doubt they want to change what they see as an excellent product, and part of their dna and what sets them a part, to be more like the rest.
I do wonder if the barrel extension idea couldnt be incorporated onto the current action design however. If so that would indeed be awesome. In fact it would be great for rifle customers and barrel makers if most gun makers out there used this system.

And yeah, i get you about the kipp.....the word that must no longer mentioned.

 

[K.H - Tikka]

Always fancied one, I have a victory in 708. given the horrific cost of barrels I think 308 is a great choice.
If S&L had made them Remington footprint, and with some kind of barrel extension, I think they'd have sold a lot more than they have .

I have to admit, I didn’t think £1100 for a straight fluted .308 barrel was that horrific? Much less than I’d pay to get a T3 re-barrelled to the same spec!

The footprint is a drawback, I agree BUT the PSE does everything that I need it to and following a few conversations, I could get a chassis built for it also. The PSE was available to purchase at a later date through Alan Rhone but they have now ran out and no more are to be made. It will be interesting to see what S&L put out next - if anything at all.

K.H

 

[suburban bushwacker]

I have to admit, I didn’t think £1100 for a straight fluted .308 barrel was that horrific? Much less than I’d pay to get a T3 re-barrelled to the same spec!

The footprint is a drawback, I agree BUT the PSE does everything that I need it to and following a few conversations, I could get a chassis built for it also. The PSE was available to purchase at a later date through Alan Rhone but they have now ran out and no more are to be made. It will be interesting to see what S&L put out next - if anything at all.

K.H

I've paid a lot less than that for fantastic barrels, a few years back Heym sold me a pre-fit for E330 i've had a couple of Tikka done for not a huge amount more. I love my S&L but it's a stalking rifle, if they want to enter the precision rifle space they need to cater to the two barrels a season guys. 1500 shots is a gentleman stalker's career, its half a season to the semi serious competitor.

 

[South Pender]

Thank you for answering me so informatively @suburban bushwacker , i learned something there

And yep, if S and L wanted to maximize customer options as well as their access to more markets , using the Remington footprint and having barrel extensions installed would seem good ideas.
As for (lack of) remington footprint, i suspect the reason might be that the S-L action is quite famous, and, as far as i know, very good mechanically. So i doubt they want to change what they see as an excellent product, and part of their dna and what sets them a part, to be more like the rest.

I have the sense that Schultz & Larsen aren't all that interested in increasing their market share. They are a very small company in the larger gunmaking universe. I read that their annual production is on the order of 2000 rifles. Now this was something I read a few years ago, and so the number might have increased more recently. In any case, however, whatever their yearly production is, it would be a tiny fraction of that of the other big European gunmakers.

 

[Scipio]

I've paid a lot less than that for fantastic barrels, a few years back Heym sold me a pre-fit for E330 i've had a couple of Tikka done for not a huge amount more. I love my S&L but it's a stalking rifle, if they want to enter the precision rifle space they need to cater to the two barrels a season guys. 1500 shots is a gentleman stalker's career, its half a season to the semi serious competitor.

I have the sense that Schultz & Larsen aren't all that interested in increasing their market share. They are a very small company in the larger gunmaking universe. I read that their annual production is on the order of 2000 rifles. Now this was something I read a few years ago, and so the number might have increased more recently. In any case, however, whatever their yearly production is, it would be a tiny fraction of that of the other big European gunmakers.

Hello guys

Well i think you are both onto something. .-) i am sure SL would like to expand their business if they felt that they could, remaining the sort of company that they want to be. This said i also think they want to remain the latter.
If they could start to make those barrel exstensions to their actions, it might be a good way to adapt. This said, the way they produce barrels, and the country they make them in, will always render them costly vs a lot of competitors i suspect.

 

[K.H - Tikka]

Reviving an older thread here......I am toying with switching my current 3 CF calibres to a single manufacturer with different barrels.

Question for you @K.H - Tikka about repeatability? Any issues with barrel change system and repeatable zero?

I’m afraid I cannot be of help with this as I haven’t performed any tests and am only in possession of one barrel - for now, anyway. Reports I have read are positive and it’s a quality built piece of kit, that’s for sure!

I would pop a separate thread up asking the question as you’ll hopefully get engagement from others that have more experience/use with their S&L - mine has been extremely limited since purchasing until very recently.

K.H

 

[Cottis]

Reviving an older thread here......I am toying with switching my current 3 CF calibres to a single manufacturer with different barrels.

Question for you @K.H - Tikka about repeatability? Any issues with barrel change system and repeatable zero?

I have a couple of S&L rifles but I don't use different barrels in them as such. I like the quality rather than the ability to switch barrels but being able to easily and quickly remove the barrel does have benefits in terms of chamber and raceway maintenance.

Just removing the actions from the stocks and replacing results in zero change of POI relative to POA in my rifles and I doubt that would be any different in all their rifles. There is no interference with action/barrel and stocks, so as long as the barrel is not removed, you will see no change.

If the barrel is removed from the action and replaced, I have sometimes seen a very small shift in POI to POA but the shift is very small (we are talking about a centimetre at 100yds) and much of the time there is no change. The lugs on the bolt lock in to the chamber cut in to the barrel, so it effectively headspaces when the bolt is closed. The barrel is just held in place initially via 2 grub screws, with the way the barrel is cut means that you can literally only insert it in one position. The lock up when mated to the bolt is very very repeatable.

So if you are talking about changing barrels and instantly shooting small target competition at ranges exceeding 300yds, then you would want to test prior to shooting in anger. If you are talking about changing barrels and scope settings to accommodate, before shooting larger game at normal distances, say 200yds or so, then you would have no problem.

 

[3595wilk]

Thanks @Cottis that's really helpful.

My use would be purely for the field.

I can check zero ahead of an outing but sometimes first thing in the morning is not practicable as my zeroing area is adjacent to where a lot of my roe live....

So really, my need is for a system that must be minute of deer and fox without checking zero each time.....and this sounds ideal for my use with such a minimal shift.

I'll go and handle a few and take it from there.

Thanks again.