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This rifle has won more Olympic and World medals than any other

buffalowinter

Freer of the Oppressed
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Full Member
Minuteman
  • Mar 17, 2014
    3,263
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    Llano, TX
    The family of Lones Wigger recently donated a number of his guns to be auctioned off to benefit USA Shooting's Lones Wigger Youth Programs Endowment with the MidwayUSA Foundation, a cause near and dear to his heart. I first met Lones Wigger at the 1980 Olympic trials at Black Canyon, now Ben Avery, shooting range in Phoenix, Arizona. I had just been Commisoned in the Army and was awaiting my orders to my first assignment. I had been in contact with the Army Marksmanship Unit about joing the team. I introduced myself to LTC Wigger, and he said "Oh yeah, we tried to get you but your branch wouldn't release you...you're going to Germany". Sure enough, I called home and my orders had arrived. It was the height of the Cold War and the Army decided I was needed immediately on "Freedom's Frontier" defending the German border so it was off to the 1st Armored Division as a Mech Combat Engineer. I would meet LTC Wigger again in Germany as the Unit came over to shoot in matches that the US Forces Europe Shooting Team also shot in. US Forces Europe Shooting Team was an Ad Hoc group of US servicemen serving in Europe who were also competitive shooters. So, when I left for Germany in 1980, I ended up in a carreer path that would ultimately lead to Special Forces, while all my Junior Rifle Club friends...David Johnson, Mike Anti, and Tammy DeAngelis, and my college rifle team mate Bob Foth, took a path that ended in Olympic and World Championship medals. A path I am proud to have taken as far fewer have worn the Green Beret than have won Olympic medals.

    I am now the proud owner of two of Lones Wigger's target rifles. The first is an Anschutz .22 LR. Serial 190241 wears a 25-inch J.M. Penrod # 7 Match barrel (.905 muzzle diameter) with a tuning collar. Features include a dovetailed action, backswept bolt with large knob, forend accessory rail, adjustable comb and adjustable butt plate.
    wigger ans 2.jpg


    wigger ans 1.jpg
    wigger.jpg
    e2226183-2809-5140-86fa-9c103df0278f.hires.jpg

    And it shoots.
    DSCN5366.JPG


    The second is a Winchester Model 52E custom .22 LR. Serial E123255 has been fitted with a 28-inch Douglas stainless steel barrel (1.140-inch muzzle diameter, recessed crown). The action has been fitted with an aperture base and the safety has been removed. The aftermarket stock is a broad laminate with forend accessory rail and adjustable comb (can be raised approximately .25-inch, spacers are absent). OPTIC: A Unertl 24x scope (serial 19961) with adjustable objective and dot reticle is mounted on barrel blocks. Per the Wigger estate, this rifle was gifted to Lones Wigger by his good friend Herb Hollister and is the same rifle pictured with Hollister on the cover of the October, 1983 issue of American Rifleman.

    hollister 1.jpg


    hollister 3.jpg
    hollister 2.jpg



    hollister 5.jpg


    And it also shoots. Herb Hollister was known as the "1600 King"

    DSCN5368.JPG
    DSCN5367.JPG


    And, for those unfamiliar with Lones Wigger:
    LONES WIGGER: Widely regarded as the finest competitive rifle shooter to have ever taken aim for the United States, Lones Wigger was a member of four Olympic Teams, winning both Gold and Silver in 1964 and a second Gold in 1972. He also set 13 individual world records and shared another 16 with team members. Over his storied career, Wigger won 91 National Championships across several events. He shot for 20 major American teams on the world stage, including the four Olympic Teams, seven World Championships, five Pan-American Games and four Championship of the Americas with a record of 67 team and 44 individual medals. Additionally, Wigger was a member of 12 Council Internationale Sport du Militarie (CISM) military teams, winning 34 CISM medals. He also proudly served with the United States Army Marksmanship Unit and competed in international matches representing the United States for 23 years. Lones Wigger was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in June, 2008 - the only shooter in history to have received this honor. All proceeds from the auction of Lones Wigger's firearms will be directed to USA Shooting's Lones Wigger Youth Programs Endowment with the MidwayUSA Foundation, a cause near and dear to his heart.
     
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    Lones was a true class act, and a fucking amazing shooter, arguably the best rifle shooter in the country...fuck, his whole family are amazing shooters...
    Museum, hell...I'm shooting those bad boys in the TX State Prone Championship in May!:) In fact, I'm thinking of going Old School all the way. The group with Wigger's Anschutz was shot with a Leupold 24x with a target dot. Maybe drag out my old 3 button ISU jacket and heavy leather High Power jacket with Freeland cuff sling.
     
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    Thanks for the look at guns that deserve to be shot.Not hidden in a collection or museum.The connection to a legend makes shooting them that much sweeter
     
    Nice Buffalowinter, good to see they are going to be used.

    Lones used the top rifle for ARA benchrest matches the last couple of years at the Colorado Rifle Club before he passed on. I was always intrigued with the epoxy custom grip he had on it and when I asked him about about it he said “it was to keep his finger at proper angle for a straight trigger pull, as he was getting to old and shaky”. I got to put a few rounds through it to see how it felt, very nice fellow to shoot with.

    I wish I had talked to him more, all I knew was that he was a very accomplished shooter with a lot of records and coached at the Olympic training center from one of the other shooters. When I read through his obituary, I was amazed at what he had done. He still holds/shares the range hi score ARA record of a 2350 out of 2500.
     
    I had to make a new cheek piece for the Anschutz to fit my face. The old cheek piece just comes off, no change to the original gun. First practice targets, still fitting the cheek piece, shot with Vintage Leupold 24x benchrest scope. All targets shot at 50 yds, prone with sling, RWS R50, all clean.


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    cool as hell. I love all the guns, but since I own a model 52, I'm partial to the Win:love:
     
    On a college 3 position smallbore team in the late '70s. I shot second team. ISU full course, 3 hrs - 14 minutes on the gun. 3 day match at Kemper Military Academy. During a stand card I let one get away for a snowbird. Finished the card with an open target. Broke down and sat waiting for time to complete. Coach comes over and tells me I left one open, I pointed out the snowbird, 10 rounds on the card. Told me shoot the last target, they can only take it away. Geared back up and shot a 10.

    Coach told me later Mr. Wigger scored that card. He gave me the shot. Coach told me he said that they were there to reward good shooters not penalize them for silly mistakes.

    Before anyone get their panties in a wad I came in 186th. I was in no danger of ever being remembered in the precision shooting sports.

    But I never forgot that small gesture of friendly competition from a true champion.

    Thank you,
    MrSmith
     
    More Olympic rifles:

    Here is a bad picture of the last scoped 22lr that won gold in the Olympics. (1988 Seoul, Korea)
    Walther Moving Target with Nickel 4-16x56 twin post scope.
    1652162593402.jpeg
     
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    This is Ole Lilloe-Olsen's Krag in 6.5x55, Steyr 1896 production, serial nr: 6979.
    Lilloe-Olsen was a master shooter:
    1918 National 300m Champ
    1920 Olympic Gold, Running Deer Doubles
    1920 Olympic Gold, Running Deer Doubles Team
    1920 Olympic Gold, Running Deer Singles
    1922 Scandinavian Championship Gold, Pistol, Duel
    1923 Scandinavian Championship Gold, 50m, 22lr, position.
    1924 Olympic Gold, Running Deer Doubles
    1924 Olympic Gold, Running Deer Singles Team
    1924 Olympic Silver, Running Deer Doubles Team
    1929 World Championship, Silver, Pistol, Duel
    1932 Scandinavian Championship, Gold, shotgun, Trap
    1936 Scandinavian Championship, Gold, shotgun, Trap
    1937 World Championship Gold, Running Deer Singles
    1937 World Championship Gold, Running Deer Doubles

    1652164696500.jpeg


    Running Deer doubles. The shooter is the '88 Olympic Champ owning the Walther 22lr:
     
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    Are these still available? The stories those rifles could tell!
     
    The family of Lones Wigger recently donated a number of his guns to be auctioned off to benefit USA Shooting's Lones Wigger Youth Programs Endowment with the MidwayUSA Foundation, a cause near and dear to his heart. I first met Lones Wigger at the 1980 Olympic trials at Black Canyon, now Ben Avery, shooting range in Phoenix, Arizona. I had just been Commisoned in the Army and was awaiting my orders to my first assignment. I had been in contact with the Army Marksmanship Unit about joing the team. I introduced myself to LTC Wigger, and he said "Oh yeah, we tried to get you but your branch wouldn't release you...you're going to Germany". Sure enough, I called home and my orders had arrived. It was the height of the Cold War and the Army decided I was needed immediately on "Freedom's Frontier" defending the German border so it was off to the 1st Armored Division as a Mech Combat Engineer. I would meet LTC Wigger again in Germany as the Unit came over to shoot in matches that the US Forces Europe Shooting Team also shot in. US Forces Europe Shooting Team was an Ad Hoc group of US servicemen serving in Europe who were also competitive shooters. So, when I left for Germany in 1980, I ended up in a carreer path that would ultimately lead to Special Forces, while all my Junior Rifle Club friends...David Johnson, Mike Anti, and Tammy DeAngelis, and my college rifle team mate Bob Foth, took a path that ended in Olympic and World Championship medals. A path I am proud to have taken as far fewer have worn the Green Beret than have won Olympic medals.

    I am now the proud owner of two of Lones Wigger's target rifles. The first is an Anschutz .22 LR. Serial 190241 wears a 25-inch J.M. Penrod # 7 Match barrel (.905 muzzle diameter) with a tuning collar. Features include a dovetailed action, backswept bolt with large knob, forend accessory rail, adjustable comb and adjustable butt plate.
    View attachment 7839829

    View attachment 7839828View attachment 7839831 View attachment 7839841

    And it shoots.
    View attachment 7839838

    The second is a Winchester Model 52E custom .22 LR. Serial E123255 has been fitted with a 28-inch Douglas stainless steel barrel (1.140-inch muzzle diameter, recessed crown). The action has been fitted with an aperture base and the safety has been removed. The aftermarket stock is a broad laminate with forend accessory rail and adjustable comb (can be raised approximately .25-inch, spacers are absent). OPTIC: A Unertl 24x scope (serial 19961) with adjustable objective and dot reticle is mounted on barrel blocks. Per the Wigger estate, this rifle was gifted to Lones Wigger by his good friend Herb Hollister and is the same rifle pictured with Hollister on the cover of the October, 1983 issue of American Rifleman.

    View attachment 7839832

    View attachment 7839834 View attachment 7839833


    View attachment 7839836

    And it also shoots. Herb Hollister was known as the "1600 King"

    View attachment 7839840 View attachment 7839839

    And, for those unfamiliar with Lones Wigger:
    LONES WIGGER: Widely regarded as the finest competitive rifle shooter to have ever taken aim for the United States, Lones Wigger was a member of four Olympic Teams, winning both Gold and Silver in 1964 and a second Gold in 1972. He also set 13 individual world records and shared another 16 with team members. Over his storied career, Wigger won 91 National Championships across several events. He shot for 20 major American teams on the world stage, including the four Olympic Teams, seven World Championships, five Pan-American Games and four Championship of the Americas with a record of 67 team and 44 individual medals. Additionally, Wigger was a member of 12 Council Internationale Sport du Militarie (CISM) military teams, winning 34 CISM medals. He also proudly served with the United States Army Marksmanship Unit and competed in international matches representing the United States for 23 years. Lones Wigger was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in June, 2008 - the only shooter in history to have received this honor. All proceeds from the auction of Lones Wigger's firearms will be directed to USA Shooting's Lones Wigger Youth Programs Endowment with the MidwayUSA Foundation, a cause near and dear to his heart.
    That was amazing post. Inspirational one might call it.


    Sound the Charge.
     
    On a college 3 position smallbore team in the late '70s. I shot second team. ISU full course, 3 hrs - 14 minutes on the gun. 3 day match at Kemper Military Academy. During a stand card I let one get away for a snowbird. Finished the card with an open target. Broke down and sat waiting for time to complete. Coach comes over and tells me I left one open, I pointed out the snowbird, 10 rounds on the card. Told me shoot the last target, they can only take it away. Geared back up and shot a 10.

    Coach told me later Mr. Wigger scored that card. He gave me the shot. Coach told me he said that they were there to reward good shooters not penalize them for silly mistakes.

    Before anyone get their panties in a wad I came in 186th. I was in no danger of ever being remembered in the precision shooting sports.

    But I never forgot that small gesture of friendly competition from a true champion.

    Thank you,
    MrSmith
    What's a snowbird in shooting? Hard to look up especially since the snowbird ski resort isn't too far away.
     
    I have a 1935 Win model 52 with G.Titherington barrel Wright-Allen trigger Weitek Vaver rear sight 13.5 lb.
    In 7 years, I have not managed to shoot ANY 13 pound rifles.
     

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