Range rifle

[Duey]

Hi everyone fairly new to this forum and enjoying it
I've been shooting for 12 -15yrs and been reloading from day one
My rifles have been prominently brought for hunting purposes apart from my 300 winmag which is a bit of a cross over for longer range target work as well, but has the issue of HME whenever I want to use on the majority of ranges.
I have a slot on my ticket for another 308 and was looking to fill it with a single shot rifle for predominantly range work but don't want to go mad on cost of F class or FTR rifle just yet

So finally to the point, I was thinking of something along the lines of a PH M84, as I have used one in the past, and got on well with it, but finding it difficult to find one as of yet especially in 308.
I have seen a couple of 243, and although no real objection to 243, I don't want to go to hassle at moment of variation or extra slot etc and already set up for reloading 308

So while I'm looking is there anything else I should be looking for which will have a reasonably heavy barrel, single shot action, and easy to mount a scope on that won't cost the earth

Cheers

[ovenpaa]

I would give the M84 house room as well and they do exist at sensible prices, does it have to be a single shot rifle? I ask because there is a good selection of Target Rifles based on the likes of the P14 and they can be incredibly accurate albeit not as clean looking as the M84

[dromia]

Sportco.

[Duey]

Ovenpaa
I single load all my rifles when I'm on the range and have always believed that a single shot action is more suited to target shooting, stronger action, and have always hankered after one but am happy to consider other options as it will only be a club gun to save my hunting rifles for hunting and will get more dedicated target rifle if I decide to get more serious
M84 is my ideal for this but not really clued up on options in the TR world but this is only because of past experience

Duey

[saddler]

PH 1200TX

[Laurie]

As always, it depends on what you want to do, and what you're able / willing to spend. Are you talking Target Rifle with iron sights shooting with a sling, or a scoped rifle off a rest or bipod? What distances? What works well at 200-600, or even 800 in 308 is a very different and cheaper / easier proposition than 800-1.000 yards.

I'm dubious these days about 1st gen TR rifles based on WW2 era military actions unless it's an issue of sub £250 outlays. These rifles all date from the 1960s/70s and although many were rebarrelled in the 90s after 155gn ammunition became the norm in TR, anybody serious about the discipline after that moved up to the Swing / Paramount / RPA family or the SA Musgrave. P-H continued with its Mausers long after they'd become uncompetitive in TR and eventually they'd barely sell despite very low relative prices. There were a lot of OMark Corp M44 Sportcos around for a while, excellent rifle, but when shot out, were mostly ditched as the barrel isn't a conventional screw-fit in the receiver, so whilst rebarrelling is a possibility, it's neither easy nor cheap. All of these models nowadays end up mostly as club rifles or as budget first rifle jobs. You may be lucky and find a rebarrelled 'sleeper', but more likely is a 10,000 rounds through it 1 in 14 inch twist job that has a throat eroded out by half an inch and whose twist rate doesn't match most modern 155s well, never mind heavier higher BC bullets (if that's your fancy).

For mid range, scoped use, heavy 26-inch barrel sporters, new or secondhand, are generally preferable IMO, and there are a lot around in a huge range of prices. Also, there are some good 2nd Gen TR rifles (Musgrave / Swing / Paramount) that have been set up with scopes for F-Class, but are now largely restricted to club shoots and/or tyros as they struggle to be competitive at 900/1,000 against custom FTR builds.

[Duey]

Hi Laurie
I'm looking at a scoped rifle, not the iron sight type for club use, probably max 600yds, with maybe the occasional play at longer distances
I am aware of the limitations of the 308 and the need to spend lots of pennies to get good 1000yd ability from one
I think I was spoilt in the past with the M84 I played with as it had a very low round count, was used by PH as a scope testing rig apparently, so wasn't hammered, and was reasonably accurate at 600yds and able to hit the black of a 600yd target at 1100yds regularly

I'm looking to keep the costs on this 308 below £500 as only for fun. I have longer term plans for a straight 284 as a more serious long range rifle

So really just looking for cheaper option to use instead of my stalking 308 with sporter barrel, my 22-250 varmint ( don't want to burn out barrel to quick ) and to get away from the faff of HME zeroing when using the 300 win mag, especially on the military ranges

Thanks for the input and will keep eyes peeled for that sleeper that no doubt everyone is looking for, and as ovenpaa says may be worth considering something mag fed as an option, or as you say look for a little used heavy barrel sporter,

Duey

[Alpha1]

Parker Hale T4

[Duey]

The T 4 looks promising will add to my watch list
Are the PH rifles viable for barrel changes or does it depend on the model and can 308 ammo be used in 7.62 successfully or if it's 7.62 can you only use that

Duey

[Alpha1]

The T4 will handle .308 I had one it was a cracking rifle and very accurate. I should of kept it. You can pick them up for very reasonable money. Re barrelling one should not be to difficult.