Anschütz 1761 Classic Whisper

Sound-modified rifles have always interested me. I have tested most of the moderators on the market with high-tech sound meters to measure decibel reduction but, out in the field, my favourite design has to be the fully suppressed variety. (Read Bruce’s advice on choosing sound moderators here.)

Here, instead of the suppressor being attached to the end of the muzzle, the full-length moderator becomes an integral sleeve over the entire barrel with further noise-retarding baffles forward of the muzzle producing a truly ‘silent’ gun.

Looking at the Anschütz 1761 Classic Whisper

Anschütz has had great success with its new 1761 rimfire rifle and decided that it was the perfect platform for conversion in .22 for full suppression — hence the 1761 D Classic, Integralschalldämpfer (integral sound moderator — or Whisper) was born. Being an Anschütz, it’s certainly pricey but it is very well built and you know it’s designed correctly. Anschütz is synonymous with superb barrels and trigger systems and the new 1761 continues that tradition admirably.

The action is a total redesign from the svelte profile of the older model 54 but you still have that essence of Anschütz excellence. It’s a bit more angular looking but its function is still smooth and reliable as we have come to expect.

The ethos behind the Anschütz 1761 D Classic Whisper is not only about maximum noise reduction — though that’s its main purpose — but as a hunting tool, you have an overall short rifle at 36.8in. This makes for a lot of stealth when crawling around.

Need to know

• Manufacturer Anschütz
• Model 1761 D Classic Whisper .22 LR
• Type Bolt action
• Overall Length 36.8in
• Barrel length 14in, ½in UNF muzzle thread
• Length of pull 14.2in (actual)
• Weight 7lb
• Finish Blued steel
• Calibre .22 LR
• Stock Sporter breech
• Magazine Five-shot detachable
• Scope mounts Dovetail or Picatinny rail option
• Trigger Single stage 5061 model, adjustable
• Price £1,930 (spare magazine is £63)
• Importer RUAG UK Ltd 01579 362319

In depth

I really like the short bolt throw of the 1761. From closed to open, it only moves one inch, which means it’s super-fast. Reliability is ensured by dual opposing extractors, which makes for very positive case extraction, and positive bolt manipulation is achieved by the grippy oversized polymer bolt handle. Why other manufacturers don’t do this is a mystery to me. The overall finish is a satin/matt bluing with the usual 11mm dovetails for scope mounts, although an optional Picatinny rail is available.

Trigger-wise, Anschütz has a good choice of models and here the 5061 unit is fitted, along with a safe trigger pull for a sporting arm of 2.25lb, yet still allowing full adjustment by the owner from 400g to 1,200g; 0.8lb to 2.65lb in old money. The safety is the easy-to-operate and almost-silent lever system; forward position is to fire and rear facing is safe.

Feeding the Whisper is done via a new five-shot single-stacked magazine, which is easy to remove. It is fashioned from part steel and part polymer to provide a reliable feed and prevent rusting.

Anschütz stocks tend to go for practicality rather than opulence. The Whisper’s Sporter profile is a bit bland, albeit ambidextrous, with a comfortable grip and good handling. Despite the fixed lacquered stained finish and a solid black rubber recoil pad for extra grip, for the price Anschütz is charging for the Whisper, I would like a bit more walnut figuring.

The most important part is the Whisper barrel system. Here you have a short 14in barrel of buttoned rifle design with 1-in-16.5in rifling twist rate and eight-groove construction of Anschütz’s match-quality gun and slightly heavier profile for rigidity. The muzzle is threaded to accommodate the over-barrel fully suppressed moderator, with a shroud of 17.5in and 0.984in diameter steel tube that tightens on the muzzle. It’s secured and sealed on a single O-ring just in front of the receiver, but keep it lubed and clean — or perhaps order a spare — as O-rings do fail.

The outer moderator is a non-reflective matt blued sleeve with a frontal section (5in) housing the internal baffles that sit forward of the muzzle to reduce report. The remaining sleeve fits over the barrel and seals on the aforementioned O-ring to add an additional expansion chamber for further noise reduction.

Conclusion

Being a suppressor nerd, I’m quite analytical and critical when it comes to testing sound moderators and this Whisper performed admirably with the right ammunition. You will need to clean it more regularly than a conventional moderated rifle and it’s not cheap – but what a superbly accurate and stealthy rifle. It’s simply ideal for discreet pest control.

• Accuracy Look at the targets and results, incredible 19/20
• Handling Good weight distribution, it handles very well 18/20
• Trigger Match pedigree results in a very good trigger 18/20
• Stock A bit plain, a walnut stock would be a preferred option 17/20
• Value Pricey but still a high-quality suppressed rifle  17/20
• Overall Score It’s a unique Anschütz, ideal for pest control 89/100

Field test

As the name suggests, the Anschütz Whisper is all about noise reduction. As with all fully suppressed rifles, you will find the first shot is louder than the rest because there is more oxygen within the suppressor tube to burn and generate heat and thus noise. All subsequent shots are super-quiet, though.

Obviously, subsonic .22 LR rounds are the way to go with the Whisper to achieve maximum noise reduction and as such the Norma subs were superbly quiet. They had a velocity of 1,015fps for 978ft/lb and accuracy at 50 yards was well under 1in — a good start. The Eley subs with 38-gr hollowpoint designed bullet achieved a consistent 1,031fps for 90ft/lb and were again so quiet. They produced 0.45in groups at 50 yards.

Actually, noise or muzzle report is a long, hollow ‘throng’, as the bullet exits the suppressor tube. Though the Whisper is not designed for high-velocity rounds RWS HV loads shot lovely 0.75in groups for five rounds at 1,204fps.

In the field, with the new Leupold VX-3HD scope fitted, I appreciated the short stature of the Whisper and the stealthy nature of the firing cycle. The silence was perfect for building a small bag of rabbits. Often, when two were present, you could shoot the first and still get a second because it was confused about where the noise came from.

I had no loading issues, the cycling was flawless and, though it’s tempting to keep the moderator in situ, I would remove it regularly as it needs to be kept clean.