ANGEL RIFLES

[Watcher]

My TR rifle is an Australian Angel. I know its history in as much as I know it's two owners from new and I understand it was bought new at Fulton's. Despite occassional searches I've never found out much about it's manufacturer. Can anyone help?

[Christel]

All I know is that the Angel action was made in NWS.

Maybe Woody_Rod can help?

Just wondering if the museum at NRA would cover something like that?

museum@nra.org.uk

[R.G.C]

All I know is that the Angel action was made in NWS.

Maybe Woody_Rod can help?

Just wondering if the museum at NRA would cover something like that?

museum@nra.org.uk

Christel,

Woody rod is on its way for the Albany shoot and holidays..
He also brokr his laptop this morning, then we will be at peace for a short period......

Angel rifles had a short life. It was more one of the quite few Omark clones of the time. Nothing very special on technical details . Geoff Ayling from Australia shot one at Bisley quite successfully for a few meetings in the early 80es (when he was not busy drinking my Calvados!!!). I understand he was invlved in the manufacturing or marketing of the rifle.

R.G.C

[Christel]

R.G.C,

Woody_rod broke his laptop?
Oh dear, I bet he is not happy!

Thank you for the info.
Could you tell us more?

[R.G.C]

R.G.C,

Woody_rod broke his laptop?
Oh dear, I bet he is not happy!

Thank you for the info.
Could you tell us more?

Christel,

On Woody"s laptop or on the Angel?

-1- Woody seem to be communicado again, as we discuss on .223 projects nd received message this morning....

-2- Angel: Very little. I have sem two, the Geoff Ayling's one when he demonstrated it at Bisley, and a second one in NSW in 2005. I concentrated on the action, as yoy imagine, As I said it was a Omark Sportco 44 clone with a different bolting, but the Sportco bolt.. The full rifle had no particularities I specially remember.

R.G.C

[Christel]

Thank You R.G.C

Hope life is treating you good these days:)

[woody_rod]

I don't know the manufacturing history, but they are basically a 3 lug Remington clone like the Omark M44, only with a one piece bolt. They had a much better finish than any Omark.

I have seen a few Angel actions around the place, one notable example is (was) used by Mark Buchanan, one of the best shooters in Australia.

[woody_rod]

(when he was not busy drinking my Calvados!!!).
R.G.C

Robert,

You have had many good ideas, there is no doubt about that. I can also say that Calvados is NOT one of them!!!! I reckon it would make a great powder solvent, or engine cleaner.

[R.G.C]

(when he was not busy drinking my Calvados!!!).
R.G.C

Robert,

You have had many good ideas, there is no doubt about that. I can also say that Calvados is NOT one of them!!!! I reckon it would make a great powder solvent, or engine cleaner.

Ros,

Strange, you seem to be the only one having this point of view.....

Daring to compare a some 70 years old divine liquour to cleaning solvent has no word to name the comment.... Connaisseurs will appreciate!!! HaHaHa!!
R.G.C

[bobped]

The Angel Rifle was designed and made in Australia by a bloke called Bill Angel. He was a very gifted machinist and the Angel action was the first really solid cylindrical target action made in Australia. The Omark was the first Australian action to replace the .303 when we switched to 7.62 ammunition. The Omark was relatively flimsy and in order to shoot well, had to be bedded under the barrel. It needed constant re-bedding to perform.

The Angel was a solid, cylindrical action with a small side loading port and a solid bolt head and three bolt lugs. The bolt resembled the Omark but was not the same. The Angel was the first action available in Australia which was strong enough to support a floating barrel. The original design had a slot cut in the six o'clock position half way along the action. A piece of steel was bedded in the stock and mated in the slot to form the recoil lug. Later on, many shooters had a recoil lug made that fitted at the front of the action and was held in place by the barrel being screwed up. Bill made the Angel actions so precisely that parts were interchangeable from one action to the other.

Bill formed a partnership with Geoff Ayling and Andrew Powell to market the rifle for some time. Geoff arranged for the stocks to be made. The partnership fell apart after some time. There are still quite a few Angels being used in Australia and they are still valued as being a good solid action. As mentioned, Mark Buchanan has one and its still his favourite rifle. A couple of months ago he and I spent a few days over the bench tuning a new Bartlien barrel for it.

The successor to the Angel Action is the Wilburn Action. This one is a re-design by Bill of the Angel with some modern refinements. Its now made in Victoria by an Australian bloke called Bernie Hawes. The workmanship and precision of the Wilburn is absolute. Bill Angel is still about but in Bernie's words, goes missing from time to time.

Hope this is of some use
Cheers
Bob