Target Rifle for under a grand?

[petedea]

Well my fac application is in the post, so I can start turning my attention to finding a rifle.

My budget is limited to under £1k and it needs to be a competition compliant Target Rifle. (I've been shooting with a club Swing so far)

Lots of people are warning me about ending up with a barrel that's shot through, which I understand but don't have a clue how to tell when looking (I'm guessing I need to look for wear on the rifling?)

Does anyone have any ideas on what sort of thing might fit the budget, or am I being completely deluded and don't stand a chance of finding anything in that price range?

[phaedra1106]

Depends on what you mean by competition target rifle, are you talking primarily short range like CSR?, looking to stretch out to 1000m or something like F class or bench rest competition?.

[petedea]

It would need to cope with 1000m NRA Target Rifle shoots (iron sights, single point sling etc).

The competitions are more for fun at the moment - my shooting is too variable to be serious!

[Gaz]

Depends... do you want something cheap'n'cheerful to get started with now, or do you want something that'll be good enough to take you to proper competitive level (i.e. prizelists in the Imperial Meeting and so on)?

If the former, you can pick up something cheap and cheerful by Parker Hale - or a converted Mauser - for around £300 if you're sharp enough. Those usually come with shot-out barrels and battered sights, though, and a new barrel alone is usually worth more than the rifle once you factor in labour costs and proof.

If you want a properly competitive rifle from the start you'll be hard pressed to find one for under a grand. It's not impossible, but you do run the risk of finding a pig in a poke. That said, you can still find early Swings, Musgraves and Paramounts for under £1000 if you start haunting sites like Gunstar and Guntrader. They're usually missing the mod cons like adjustable buttplates and handstops, but if you're willing to splash out it's quite possible to get some very good scores out of rifles and stocks that richer shooters turn their noses up at.

Try asking around your club. I picked up my Musgrave second hand for £250, never having seen it before buying it - admittedly by being in the right place at the right time. That rifle, with what was declared to be 2,500 down the barrel at the time I bought it, will quite happily outshoot me if I'm doing everything right!

Couple of handy tips: don't buy anything with a black barrel unless it's truly dirt cheap - chrome moly barrels are generally not as good as modern stainless steel barrels - and when you inspect a barrel, look at the crown (the bit of the muzzle where the rifling meets the exterior). If it's not a clearly defined "sharp" edge (sharp as in readily apparent, rather than knife), or has any nicks, scrapes or dents at the critical point where the barrel meets the exterior of the muzzle, it's best avoided. If it looks like a bread knife, steer well clear!

Oh, and avoid 7.62mm No.4 conversions. They're great rifles in their own right, but not really competitive any more. If you find any cheap ones send them to me so I can warn others

[petedea]

Thanks Gaz, that's some really useful info.

I guess I'm looking for something to last the next couple of years whilst I improve! Certainly no imperial top score requirements in the near future, so sounds like I might be able to find something.

A number of people have warned me against Musgraves on the basis that you can't get parts any more - not sure how much of an issue that would be though if I can get one in the sub £3-400 price band though.

Gunstar / Guntrader here I come!

[Gaz]

Can't get the parts? Rubbish, Musgraves are just a Mauser bolt in a different receiver. The only part that tends to break relatively often is the bolt release catch. Admittedly the catch itself (or, more specifically, the arm which stops the bolt at the end of its travel) is harder to get hold of, but being gentle with the bolt should help you avoid any breakages.

I should point out my £250 Musgrave was definitely a "too good to be true" price - reasonably it was worth around £600. They're still good platforms for hanging quality components off, though. A bit old fashioned (ideally you'd want a 3 or 4 lug action) but still up to the job.

Be aware that parts availability for early Swings can be a problem; I know a few owners who are always shopping around for bits whether they need them or not. Early models (I want to say up to the Mk.3, but someone else on here will know better than me) have a problem where a round imperfectly fed into the chamber will catch on an internal lip and stop dead, which is a right pain. Not to mention the truly heroic effort needed to open the bolt...

[petedea]

Thanks Gaz - that's real food for thought

I agree with what you are saying about the Swing bolt - i've been using one recently and i certainly wouldn't describe it as a slick movement!

On the logic of your advise i'll add Musgrave back on to the list

[hitchphil]

From Experience (I own 5 of the makes below!) & just my darned humble opinion & e.g. because you are in GB (so getting bits) - there are 4 classes of target rifle to consider:

Premier Plus: Quadlite / Quadlock / Barnard. (Just look at what a lot of people are using in the GB teams)

Premier: Grunig Elmiger / Paramount (not also ran's but they were new +15 years ago)

First Div: Musgrave / Swing (often lack the stock / sight refinements but you can retro fit - beware of bolt retaining buttons on Swing they are a pain if they go missing.)

2nd Div: Voere, Accuracy Int, BSA Majestic, Stolly Panda (shoot perfectly well, just rare, parts might be an issue)

Obsolete: but can be competitive if good: Parker Hale / TX1200, P14, Winchester, Wichita with open receiver, Sportco, Mauser, Fultons Reg Enfield 7.62/L39.....

......no doubt I just upset a load of owners who will be along shortly to remonstrate......but i never see any of these in top TR events for a reason.......

PM sent re a good Swing.

Spec 30inch barrel stainless, if no adjustable cheek then fit an adjustable foresight. 1/4 moa sights fit an iris 2.5 to 4.5mm & an adjustable rear iris 0.5 to 1.5. Fit an adjustable butt plate. get the chamber checked for rule 150 (groan) & get it ream cleaned & de-coppered. before use.

A bad Swing can be a good Swing with good bedding so remove the gun from the action & inspect the bedding.

Sometimes an old barrel can be fine my Madco is proofed in Tons /Inch2 & has had er +8k rnds thru it & it shoots better than 1MOA. one day it will let go but till then its free barrel life.

Tip put 15p aside each year per round fired & save for a new barrel.

Good luck.

[Strangely Brown]

Depends on what you mean by competition target rifle, are you talking primarily short range like CSR?

CSR is shot out to 500 yards......... :roll:

[Laurie]

The official definition of 'short-range' by ICFRA and its members including our NRA, US NRA, DCRA etc is 200-600 yards. 'Long-range' is 800 yards and up.