What rifle?

[mackie]

I'm now a year in as a target shooter and I'm starting to think about getting my own kit. I'm also interested in keeping my options open and being able to use said rifle with a scope and maybe doing F-T/R with it too.

Primarily though it will be for use as a target rifle at 300 to 1000 yards and needs to be compliant with the rules. It'll need to be .308 and probably a 28 to 30" barrel.

To make the excercise worthwhile however it needs to be as good as or better then the RPA2000/Bartlein club rifle that I use but with a better fitted/more adjustable stock. Chances are I'll have to spend time saving up as I suspect the answer is not going to be cheap!

Any advice welcome :)

[The Gun Pimp]

45 views and no replies!

Probably because for Target Rifle the specs are 'tight'. Max. weight and min. trigger-pull and calibre are fixed. Your only real options are action and barrel (manufacturer).

Most TR shooters appear to like the RPA Quadlock/Quadlite type of action - Barnard is another option. These are heavy actions - around 3lb so barrel-profile will be light - or maybe heavy - Palma.

Length should be 30 inches so that your sights work on a 36 inch radius to keep MOA true. Any of the aforementioned actions will probably come with their own two-stage trigger.

You can go your own way with the stock but you may want a thumb-hole, adjustable butt and cheek-piece. If you intend to do a bit of F/TR with it, a butt that will work with a back bag is a good idea.

Maybe the biggest decision - do you intend to reload? A good gunsmith will chamber your barrel to suit your chosen bullet - or the NRA's chosen bullet - if you don't.

[Steve E]

The real question is how much do you want to pay?
I would suggest a secondhand Swing/Paramount/RPA 2000/RPA Quadlock or Barnard with a 30" barrel on a traditional wooden stock.
If you buy carefully you should be able to get one of the above (Barnards excepting) for any thing from £750-£1500. Expect to pay a little more for a Barnard. Factor in that you may need to re-barrel in a year or twos time and that is going to cost £650+ depending on barrel and gunsmith.
As a relatively new TR shooter I would steer away from thumbhole stocks, they can cause inconsistency in shooting if your position is not perfect.
If buying new, just get a Barnard built with either a Kreiger or Bartlein Barrel. Its going to cost though, probably £3000+.

I use two rifles, one a Paramount that is used for both TR and MR and is chambered with a Palma 95 reamer so that it will shoot the Sierra 2155/2156 155gr bullets. (also shoots 180gr SMKs very well) It is on a traditional stock. The other is a RPA Quadlock on a Gemini Stock, still chambered with a Palma 95 reamer. Both barrels are Kreiger 1/13 30" medium Palma profile to keep within the weight limit.
I use both to great effect shooting for England and GB.

[dodgyrog]

There's an old Parker Hale 1200TX at the next Scotarms auction that should go for a very reasonable price - buy it and take it to Armalon to have it rebarrelled.

[mackie]

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping to pay no more than about £2,500 with sights but that may be a little optimistic. I'm a lefty which makes second hand purchasing a little more challenging too I suppose. I'm not in a great rush but I would like to get something that fits me better - I'm currently resting my jaw on the stock rather than my cheek.

I have to say I rather like the look of the Savage Model 12 Palma as an off the shelf rifle but I don't know if they do a left handed version.

[IainWR]

Keep looking. Steve E is talking sense, and as he is playing near World Championship level, he must be doing something right. If you want to be competitive at top level in TR you need a good quality rigid LH action married to a 30" barrel and well-engineered 1/4 min sights. Stock to your preference, but if you are an odd build, you may find one of the adjustable metallic stocks preferable to a standard wooden one.

Do remember that a really good jacket that fits properly, and a top notch scope that enables you to see the mirage even on dull days, will do more for your scores than the latest snazzy gizmo attached to your rifle. The club RPA / Bartlein, if properly maintained and not shot out, will shoot to World Championship standards if you can get a consistent position. I set the Queen's 2 record in 2002 (which still stands despite improvements in ammo etc) with a 15 year old off the shelf Swing that required me to reset my position after every shot.

[The Gun Pimp]

Thanks for the replies. I was hoping to pay no more than about £2,500 with sights but that may be a little optimistic. I'm a lefty which makes second hand purchasing a little more challenging too I suppose. I'm not in a great rush but I would like to get something that fits me better - I'm currently resting my jaw on the stock rather than my cheek.

I have to say I rather like the look of the Savage Model 12 Palma as an off the shelf rifle but I don't know if they do a left handed version.

I happen to know where there is a nice Swing/Paramount TR rifle for sale and it's a lefty. The owner converted to F Class and used it as such for a while. It's in nice condition and would make a good starter rifle for not much over a grand. PM me on vinceb@targetshooteronline.com if interested.

[mackie]

Don't get me wrong, that club rifle is very good indeed, and probably the most lightly used of the bunch due to there only being one other member who uses it (a whole lot less than I do too). I'll keep on doing my research and see how I get on. Can anyone recommend some good target rifle suppliers?

Thanks for the advice so far :)

[Steve E]

If Gun Pimp knows of a left handed secondhand Swing/Paramount, get in touch with him now. Second hand left handed rifles don't hang about long and you never know when you will find one.
As to the Savage I have not seen one being used in this country in competitive TR. If you wanted one you would probably have to import it yourself. I would stick with the actions that I previously mentioned.
As to recommending suppliers, where in the country are you? Where do you shoot? Contact/join your County Rifle Association as they may know of rifles that are available.
In the South try Fultons of Bisley as they always have second hand stock, or Norman Clarke in Rugby. TR rifles often turn up in the most unlikely of gunshops, you just have to phone around. In the shooting circles that I inhabit it is often word of mouth that a rifle has become available, usually because a new rifle has been commissioned and funds are needed.

[mackie]

My FAC application is still in the early stages, otherwise I'd be very interested.
I live in Herts and shoot at Bisley and am a member of Welwyn Phoenix RC FYI. I also now do .22 TR at a small club in Radlett.
Am I right in thinking it would be perfectly possible to buy a good second hand rifle and then get the stock changed for something with more adjustment?