Bleiker is a Swiss manufacturer of bolt-action

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

s aimed solely for use in ISSF target shooting. Unlike their larger competitors (e.g.

J. G. Anschütz J. G. Anschütz GmbH & Co. KG is a sporting firearms manufacturer based in Ulm, Germany, that makes rimfire and centerfire rifles as well as air rifles and air pistols for target and competition shooting, as well as hunting. Anschütz rifl ...

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), Bleiker has a narrow product range with no hunting line, and no entry level or intermediate models in their target line. Their product line is designed to be competitive at World Championship and Olympic Games level.

Production sites

Bleiker is based in Bütschwil,

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. As a small firm, this is their only production site and houses manufacturing facilities for Bleiker

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and

stocks Stocks are feet restraining devices that were used as a form of corporal punishment and public humiliation. The use of stocks is seen as early as Ancient Greece, where they are described as being in use in Solon's law code. The law describing ...

, along with final assembly facilities. Bleiker use American-made Lilja barrels, and in April 2014 were appointed the sole European Distributor for Lilja.

Bleiker firearms

Smallbore rifles

Bleiker's Challenger range is used extensively on the ISSF world circuit, with the actions used both in Bleiker stocks as a complete Challenger system, and also in third party stocks. At the

2014 ISSF World Shooting Championships The 51st ISSF World Shooting Championships was held in Granada, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Furt ...

, Bleiker Challenger actions were used to win 10 individual medals in the 50metre Prone and Three Position Rifle events. A Bleiker rifle was also used to set the current range record at the 50 meter Eley Customer Test Range in January 2014 with a 40-shot group of 12.4 mm (0.248

mrad The Barrett MRAD (Multi-role Adaptive Design) is a bolt-action sniper rifle designed by Barrett to meet the requirements of the SOCOM PSR. The MRAD is based on the Barrett 98B and includes a number of modifications and improvements. The Barrett ...

).12.4 mm for 40 Shots at 50m — New Record at Eley Test Center « Daily Bulletin
/ref> Aside from the build quality, the Bleiker Challenger action is notable for its extremely short bolt design. The use of a short bolt brings the breech face rearwards in the stock and closer to the shooter, allowing smaller and slightly-built shooters to load more easily. When properly set up, some users are able to load without raising their elbow off the ground, which over the course of an ISSF Prone match offers a competitive advantage when trying to maintain a consistent position compared with actions using longer bolts that require more movement to reload. * Challenger Sport * Challenger Worldcup * Challenger Metallic * Challenger LADY

300 m rifles

Bleiker 300 m Centrefire Rifles are used extensively in ISSF 300metre Prone and Three Position shooting, being used to win 7 individual medals at the

. Bleiker provide complete rifles, as well as selling their action for gunsmiths to integrate into custom builds. They are available in a variety of 6 mm and 7 mm calibres.

References

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External links