First fullbore target rifle .. Advice please

[zzr1100]

I'm looking for my 1st Tr .. I've got .303 and .308 on my ticket, I'm thinking of a p14 or an Enfield for the .303 . But any advice for the .308 ? 1200tx ?? Finances are tight so it must be second hand ...

[IainWR]

This has been discussed before.

A basic TR is worth: The secondhand value of the action and stock + the sights if they are in good condition + the remaining life on the barrel (a new TR barrel fitted and proofed comes in at approaching £600 and has a typical life of 6-8 thousand rounds) + the trigger.

Actions: At the cheap end, comprising typically less than £100 towards the overall cost: No4 variants; P'14, Mod '17. Around £100-200; Mauser 98s and derivatives of, which includes the PH, and towards the top of that range, Musgraves. Upwards from there, the modern actions based on or derived from the SwIng: SwIng mks 1-5, Paramount, RPA in various marks, HHE and so on.

Stocks: Other than the fancy metallic ones (which have yet to shine in competition at really elite level), usually worth very little indeed - basically the value of the rails, handstops etc bolted to them.

For a first TR, the important considerations are: does the stock fit you (fixable if it is too big, not so easy if it is too small)?
Are the sights in good condition (no backlash, clear scales, mounted square, mounting screws undamaged)? Sights are expensive to buy new and to repair. What is the remaining life in the barrel? Does the trigger break cleanly at a legal pressure that you are happy with?

Note that the action isn't mentioned in that last bit. There are limitations with No4s, and there are small performance advantages with more rigid modern actions, but provided they work, a wide range of actions will give good results if the rest is right.

[Dougan]

Hi Zzr,

Are looking to join the 'bondage brigade' (traditional TR with jacket and sling), or F/TR style with a scoped rifle on a bi-pod?

[zzr1100]

I'm leaning more towards the scoped rifle route .... So many choices ... Could do witha lottery win !!

[Steve E]

I'm leaning more towards the scoped rifle route .... So many choices ... Could do witha lottery win !!

So you are not actually after a Target Rifle then, though all rifles could be construed as target rifles.

[Dougan]

I'm leaning more towards the scoped rifle route .... So many choices ... Could do witha lottery win !!

I'm with you on the lottery win...so many new disciplines to try...

I only know about TR rifles and classics, and that's limited - Shuggie (from the forum) converted an old Swing TR rifle into an F/TR, but if you're going down the scoped route then there are a lot of options...

...how about a new thread; 'First F/TR rifle'...?

[waterford103]

tx1200 , accurate , easily scoped up and very long lasting .

:goodjob: