ERA-TAC picatinny rail - Antonio Zoli 1900

Introduction

Picatinny rail consists of slots with 5.23 mm spaces between one another, which means that it can be used across its entire length. It is simple to mount and interchangeable – if something is made for a Picatinny rail, it will fit regardless of the manufacturer or manufacturing date. It is affordable, resilient and reliable – this is why it so commonly used by professionals and military. Because of all its great qualities, Picatinny rail has been dominating the rail market in the recent years.

Picatinny is a big step forward from the Weaver standard. Weaver has a few predesignated slots while Picatinny has slots all over its surface, allowing the device to be mounted wherever the user finds it fitting. Weaver's slot is 3.8 mm wide, which is why ring mounts made for a Weaver rail will also fit on a Picatinny rail while ring mounts made specifically for a Picatinny rail will not fit on a Weaver rail. This is one of the main reasons why Picatinny is a far better mounting solution.

Recknagel is currently the biggest manufacturer of mounts in Germany. Their Picatinny rails, known for great fit and finish, are mostly made of high-grade aluminium (a few are also made of steel), which is why they are very reliable. Screws are included. Currently, a common trend among rifle manufacturers is making receivers out of aluminum – mounting a Picatinny rail made of aluminum on one of those receivers is thus not problematic. Their products are marketed either under the name Recknagel or Era-Tac.

About the rifle

Antonio Zoli is one of the oldest Italian firearm industries – records show that ancestors of the company founder, Antonio Zoli, built locks and firearms around the year 1500. Antonio Zoli – as we know it today – was formed right after World War II. In the 60s, they were already appreciated for their quality and interesting designs. Today, Paolo Zoli, the current company owner, strives to enhance every gun with features which used to be typical for firearms of high quality that were produced in small quantities.

Antonio Zoli 1900 is a bolt-action rifle, introduced in 1989. The rifle is a continuation of Swedish tradition – it is a kind of a reincarnation of Husqvarna 1900 rifle which was released in 1967 and featured an innovative bolt construction (even today, many models are based on it). Its action runs very smoothly (comparable to Tikka T3). There are two holes drilled on each of the two mounting surfaces, separated by the ejection port. Two barrel lengths are available: 53 cm (Battue) and 60 cm. Magazine normally holds up to 4 rounds. Antonio Zoli chambered this rifle for .243 Win., 6.5x55, 6.5x57, .270 Wheaton, .270 Win., 7x64, 7 mm Rem. Mag., .30-06 SPRG., .300 Win. Mag., .308 Win., .338 Win. Mag. and 9.3x62. Over the years, more Antonio Zoli 1900 variants were introduced. The most renowned and recognizable were: AZ 1900 50th Anniversary rifle, AZ 1900 Battue, AZ 1900 Carbine, AZ 1900 Lux, AZ 1900 Lux Battue, AZ 1900 M, AZ 1900 M Lux, AZ 1900 Stutzen, AZ 1900 Stutzen Battue, AZ 1900 Super Lux and AZ 1900 Stutzen Lux.

Rifles Antonio Zoli 1900 Repetierer, Carl Gustaf 1900 and 1896 have similar actions. The radiuses of the mounting surfaces are the same but there is a difference in B distance (see the picture below). This is why two-piece mounts made for Antonio Zoli 1900 Repetierer will fit Carl Gustaf 1900 and 1896 while one-piece mounts made for Antonio Zoli 1900 Repetierer will not fit Carl Gustaf 1900 or 1896.

A: 21.84 mm
B: 95.8 mm
C: 12.74 mm
BHU: 2.5 mm
Fi: 6-48
R1: R16.5
R2: R14

Mounting instructions

Remove all the stains (grease, oil etc.) from the rifle's receiver with a cleaning fluid (acetone). Once the surface is clean and dry, check whether the screws match the rail and the holes on the receiver. Make sure that the Picatinny rail is compatible with the rifle by inspecting the mounting holes on both. Before mounting the rail permanently, apply a minimal amount of thread-locking fluid 278 or 648 on screws and contact surfaces. Be careful not to get the fluid in or near the mounting holes. Carefully clean the remaining excess fluid around the rail with a cleaning fluid. Using a torque driver, screw the screws appropriately (up to 2.2 Nm) – do not overtighten.

Warranty

The product has a warranty period of 10 years.