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Recommend a target rifle for newbie


Offcentered

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Hi, if its OK i'm looking for advice on a fullbore target rifle for a semi newbie.

Before Covid i started with an Omark 44 (308) and really got into it, but i can't get a better stock for it over here or anything, likewise getting a barrel adaptor and upgrading the barrel is going to be hard work and possibly sow's ear territory. So i thought as club shooting is on the horizon again it might be best just to upgrade now and start fresh.

There is not going to be much value when i sell the Omark to offset the cost, and as i'm trying not to annoy swmbo would £750 be reasonable starting point for a club comp rifle? Do i need to spend more as a starter? and any rifle recommendations?  Its for 800 / 1000 yards - tried 1000, loved it and wasn't as rubbish as i thought i would be.

Thanks

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1 hour ago, Offcentered said:

Hi, if its OK i'm looking for advice on a fullbore target rifle for a semi newbie.

Before Covid i started with an Omark 44 (308) and really got into it, but i can't get a better stock for it over here or anything, likewise getting a barrel adaptor and upgrading the barrel is going to be hard work and possibly sow's ear territory. So i thought as club shooting is on the horizon again it might be best just to upgrade now and start fresh.

There is not going to be much value when i sell the Omark to offset the cost, and as i'm trying not to annoy swmbo would £750 be reasonable starting point for a club comp rifle? Do i need to spend more as a starter? and any rifle recommendations?  Its for 800 / 1000 yards - tried 1000, loved it and wasn't as rubbish as i thought i would be.

Thanks

Some questions to help narrow down the choices:

Is this to be a scoped rifle or diopter sights (assuming not iron sights for 1000yds)?  Will you use a bag/front rest/bipod?

Do you want to compete and if so what class(es)?   This may limit what calibers and bullet weights can be used

Will you reload or shoot factory ammo?  This matters for choices of barrel twist/calibre/length - reloading gives many possibilities and choices.

A .308 is a good choice for availability (and therefor cost), easy to find ammo.  A 6.5mm or 7mm is a better long range rifle but factors mentioned above may limit the choice.  A .223 is not out of the question, my mate was banging in the "Vs" at Bisley 900yds yesterday (very windy) with his using 'heavy' bullets.

There's tons of alternatives, but reloading becomes more necessary to explore exotic calibers.

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13 hours ago, Popsbengo said:

Some questions to help narrow down the choices:

Is this to be a scoped rifle or diopter sights (assuming not iron sights for 1000yds)?  Will you use a bag/front rest/bipod?

Do you want to compete and if so what class(es)?   This may limit what calibers and bullet weights can be used

Will you reload or shoot factory ammo?  This matters for choices of barrel twist/calibre/length - reloading gives many possibilities and choices.

A .308 is a good choice for availability (and therefor cost), easy to find ammo.  A 6.5mm or 7mm is a better long range rifle but factors mentioned above may limit the choice.  A .223 is not out of the question, my mate was banging in the "Vs" at Bisley 900yds yesterday (very windy) with his using 'heavy' bullets.

There's tons of alternatives, but reloading becomes more necessary to explore exotic calibers.

I'll concur with that. I too was at Bisley yesterday at 900 (NRASC) windy, gusty, changeable & cold - fantastic 😒 but with my 6.5 CM and single shot .284 Win it was certainly do-able. With a .308 it would have been a bit trickier.

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3 hours ago, ezmobile said:

I'll concur with that. I too was at Bisley yesterday at 900 (NRASC) windy, gusty, changeable & cold - fantastic 😒 but with my 6.5 CM and single shot .284 Win it was certainly do-able. With a .308 it would have been a bit trickier.

.308 was ok, I was hitting some Vs at 900 using 155gr Lapua Scenar (not optimum but all I had). 6.5CM was definitely easier with 144gr Berger Hybrids, I'm still recovering from the chill 🥶

Referring back to the OP's question on rifle choice;   as a 'case study'  my .308 required 34moa (24" barrel) @ 900 and my 6.5CM 22moa (30" barrel) (both zeroed at 100).  The slippy nature of the 6.5CM bullet makes a big difference at long distances and the extra muzzle velocity is a great help in windy conditions. 

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Before you consider a replacement,  and your budget is a little tight, there may be another way?  I'm presuming that as your Sportco is standard its a TR class.

The Omark 44 (Sportco) is a great rifle, (my wife made the Queens final with one in 1979!) and they can be updated very easily to make an even better rifle.

The Sportco still lives!!!! The company that owns the rights and tooling on them is Total Solutions Engineering Pty Ltd, (TSE) Everton Park Queensland Australia. They will supply spares, including the barrel adapter, and will even build you a new Sportco rifle to order!  They don't build a lot as there are so many S/H ones in Oz. The contact is info@tsengineering.com.au 

I have one that I did the "Aussie" mods to a couple of years ago, I bought the adaptor from TSE, also drilled the middle of the action to fit a middle action screw, then don't use the rear one, I took it a stage further because I wanted a short action, we then milled off the back action mounting. It was rebarreled with one of the last of the real Kolbe Border barrels. Mik at Dolphin did an alloy machined bedding for it in my old Walther stock, and it shot superbly, several possibles, the last at 600 yds. I also had a new Barnard/Dolphin, and the Sportco was at least as good, and my favourite rifle by far. Pics are of it as it was then, as a 7.62

I only stopped using it after a recoil related eye problem after only 250 rounds, and I'm now re building it as a .223 (The Omark was also built as a .223) so its just needs a new .223 bolt head, now being made for me by TSE. I'm modifying the stock to bring it bang up to date, and when the head arrives it will be rebarreled and chambered as .223 Wylde. You can see pics and some info on what I'm doing with that to rebuild it as a 300 mt rifle for ISSF events on my "300 mt post" on www.Stirton.com  

So don't give up on the Sportco, any stock can be bedded for it,  you find a stock,  a small bore  one, Mik will inlet it for a Sportco. it can be rebarreled easily, if you want to develop after that they are "Remington 700" footprint so better triggers are available. When mine is rebuilt as a .223, there could be a good Border 250 rd 7.62 barrel sat unused, and by then, I may know a man who had a Sportco barrel adaptor sat unused as well?

If you want to consider that route, you can email me on robin.carter80@ntlworld.com

PS You will be very lucky to get  a TR that's much better  than what you have now for £750!

Have Fun

Robin

 

Sportco Walther 004.JPG

Sportco Walther 007.JPG

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I can also solve your SWMBO issue, easy, teach her to shoot, she will quickly become better than you, and want the best kit, what you want, then pales into insignificance! 

You can see my wife's article in the next NRA journal the Spring Edition when it comes out!

Have Fun

Robin

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What RobinC just said...............worked for me and she also bought her own rifle.

I still get lumbered with the re-loading though.........🤔

Pete

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On 4/8/2021 at 2:18 PM, Popsbengo said:

.308 was ok, I was hitting some Vs at 900 using 155gr Lapua Scenar (not optimum but all I had). 6.5CM was definitely easier with 144gr Berger Hybrids, I'm still recovering from the chill 🥶

Referring back to the OP's question on rifle choice;   as a 'case study'  my .308 required 34moa (24" barrel) @ 900 and my 6.5CM 22moa (30" barrel) (both zeroed at 100).  The slippy nature of the 6.5CM bullet makes a big difference at long distances and the extra muzzle velocity is a great help in windy conditions. 

Hiya. I was using 140 grn Nosler RDF's at around 2800 fps out of a 26'' barrel. I had about 24 moa rise from 100 yd zero.

It sure was a bit nippy out there eh!

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