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Shultz and Larsen Legacy

Shultz and Larsen Legacy

The Schultz & Larsen (S&L) range continues the Danish heritage of excellent sporting rifles! Synonymous for their excellent cut-rifled barrels their new, up to date CNC machinery has allowed S&L to offer a quality product at affordable prices. The Legacy is the baby of the range and is a lovely proportioned, trim and light sporter.

It’s chambered for smaller cartridges; 222/23 Rem and my favourite; .300 AAC Blackout (Blk). It’s a switch barrel design with a walnut stock and detachable magazine along with dedicated, QD scope mounts and the build quality is impressive! Barrels are changeable and come factory threaded. Weighing only 2.8 kg (un-scoped) even with a scope and moddy, it’s an ideal walk and stalk rifle! The steel action is drilled and tapped as well as cut to accept the QD mounts but I fitted a 1-piece Picatinny rail, so that I could use day scopes or NV optics as desired.

ACTION AND BARREL

The bolt uses a 3-lug locking system that engages directly into the barrel and a Sako-type extractor and a strong and positive plunger-type ejector. The bolt handle describes a 60° arc and I like its straight stem and tear drop-shaped polished knob. It is marvellously smooth in operation and has three gas ports along its length in the event of a ruptured primer, directing gases away from the face and releasing pressure. In fact, the Legacy is designed to withstand at least three times the normal load pressure. The switch barrel system allows it to be changed for any other in its calibre group with just a simple wrench (supplied). The 300 Blk tube is a compact 17” in a 1-7.5” twist rate to suit the necessarily heavy bullets required for true sub-sonic effect. In 222 Rem the twist is 1-10” and in 223 Rem 1-10” and also 1 in 12”.

Barrels are all cut rifled as opposed to button rifled, the former being far superior, as they are stress relieved as each part of the cut to form a rifling groove imparts very little stress. The end result is a straighter, truer and more accurate tube. This is perfect for fitting a moderator and also means as the barrel heats it uniformly expands, so maintaining stability and therefore accuracy! S&L also hand lap their barrels for less fouling and the bore towards the muzzle end is left slightly tight or choked, again for better accuracy potential. Which also makes the Legacy less fussy in terms of bullet weight and loads it can digest.

 

ALL CHANGE!

Barrel removal is easy but normally necessitates stock removal to access the clamp. However, this rifle had the new quick removable system that can be retro fitted to any model. First, remove the mag and bolt, and then loosen the two breech clamping screws accessed through the right side of the stock. Slacken off by half a turn and slide the barrel out from the action. This Q/D model has a wider channel so it slides free easily.

To replace, make sure the barrel and clamp inside is oil free to ensure a secure grip. There’s also a tennon to correctly align and it slides in to a positive stop against the action. Now replace the bolt and lock down and you can retighten the two clamp screws to 6-8N/m. The trick is to use a consistent pressure to torque each time and tighten both a bit at a time.

The safety catch, sited behind the bolt handle, is a lever type with three positions. Forward is FIRE, middle SAFE with bolt operation, rear SAFE, bolt locked. It’s a little tricky to engage the central position. The trigger is a slim and well curved steel blade and of the single stage type with an ultra crisp let off. The Legacy has a detachable, 4-shot (all calibres), all-steel magazine, is nicely blued and removed by a small button in front of the mag; it’s a bit small for my fingers though!

 

STOCK

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The stock design and quality of wood, as well as the bedding of the action, all make for a good-looking yet practical sporting arm. It shows a classic, under stated yet pure design and oozes quality. The slim uncomplicated forend has no tip of contrasting wood, which is perfect and the hand-cut chequering enhances the look as well as the grip.

The rear section has a slight cast and classic profile with elevating comb for a proper scope/eye alignment and a superb pistol grip and palm swell that offers a comfortable hold. There is no cheek piece but it does not need it. The best though is the finish, which is hand-rubbed oil, which sets off that classic look as well as being the best practical option for real field use, so scratches can be touched up easily. The wood is walnut and on this rifle I opted for the Grade 2 upgrade. Inside it’s both synthetic and pillar bedded!

 

OUT IN THE FIELD

I fitted the S&L MC 44 Superdome sound moderator. This is a blend between effective sound suppression and light weight and suits this trim sporter perfectly. This model was a muzzle can, although reflex is also available. I fitted a Hawke Frontier scope with its TMX reticule, which is ideal for the super and subsonic trajectories. The 300 Blk is basically a clone of the original 1990s design by J.D. Jones of SSK Industries and a cartridge that I have idolised for years!

Originally the Whisper used a shortened 221 Fireball case necked up to .308”. The 300 Blk was developed in 2011 for use in the M4 carbine tactical system and, and as the original designed for super and subsonic use. These days 223 Rem seems to be the favoured base brass! A 110-grain bullet could be launched at 2400 fps, for subsonic use a 240-grain + round could achieve a stealthy 950 fps. Its length was perfectly suited for the M4 platform but as a sporting round I love the ability to be used for silent pest control, as well as supersonic for small deer species.

 

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

Being a 1 in 7.5” twist barrel, the Legacy favours the subsonic loads but watch pressure issues with lighter faster bullets; as they rise, flat primers result. Hornady factory 110-grain loads gave 2465 fps/ 1485 ft/lbs, higher than the advertised 2350 fps due to fast twist. So really good as a woods, small deer load in GB and Roe in Scotland. A reload of 17-grains of Vit N110 and Federal Match primer gives 2298 fps/1290ft/lbs and 0.75” groups. Subs are my thing and so I started a small choice of loads that have worked for my Whisper.

From many years of sub-sonic use, I know fouling is a problem and so heavy Lapua 200-grain B416 bullets with the twin driving bands for sealing maintains velocity and reduces copper fouling significantly. In a .308 Win I used Vit N320 powder but for this small case, 8.5-grains of Vit N110 gave 1044 fps/484 ft/lbs energy and 0.75” groups at 100 yds.

Subs really have no legitimate use other than law enforcement but I have successfully used them for pest control but bullet expansion still remains an issue. However the next article solves this using saboted rounds and paper patch bullets. I have only scratched the surface with the 300 BLk round here, as this is more about the S&L rifle. I have a real passion for sub-sonic ammunition and so a more in-depth review of the 300 ACC Blk cartridge will follow!

PRICES: £1715 (Grade 2 walnut)
QD BARREL CONVERSION: £100

CONTACTS:
Alan Rhone 01978 660001
Schultz & Larsen rifles and moderators
www.greatdanerifles.com
Deben 01394 387762
Hawke Optics
Edgar Brothers, 01625 613177
Hornady bullets and dies
Reloder powder
Henry Krank 0113 2569163
Sierra bullets
Hannam’s Reloading
01977 681639
Lapua bullets and Vihtavuori
Powder
Norman Clark
Reloading supplies

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gun
features

  • Name: Schultz & Larsen Legacy
  • Calibre: 300 Blk (on test)
  • Capacity: 4+1 (DM)
  • Barrel: 17” (1-7.5” twist)
  • Switch barrel : Y
  • Weight : 2.8 kg (un-scoped)
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