[Drew77]

Well just had my first long range shoot today, went to the range to do some paperwork and one of the guys said "hey, just built a new rifle", "Want a shot?" (Based on a Howa .308)So of course being the social chap I am I said yeah sure. 6 rounds @ 600m mild crosswind and a bucket of haze so that the targets were doing their little shimmy thing(fires out here). 2 x targets (Service rifle long range) kinda like mini Fig 12's and I was able to put all the rounds into the score rings @ about 16" groups.

Now thats not 1 holing them for sure but for a rifle thats not mine and never shot that far without have to load belted ammo I reckon it was alright. All would have been chest shots on a deer for example.

Now I have been bitten by a new bug...

I need a .308 "Black Rifle".

I have been offered a good condiotion Omark .308 action and Barrel for a silly low price. Had the bore checked out and it seems ok.

Would this be a good start to build my own "Black Rifle"?

Cheers and thanks to all the knowledgeable guys out there. Shooting has never been so fun ;-)

Drew

[NoFerals]

Drew77, on 17 Sep 2011 - 10:16 PM, said:

Well just had my first long range shoot today, went to the range to do some paperwork and one of the guys said "hey, just built a new rifle", "Want a shot?" (Based on a Howa .308)So of course being the social chap I am I said yeah sure. 6 rounds @ 600m mild crosswind and a bucket of haze so that the targets were doing their little shimmy thing(fires out here). 2 x targets (Service rifle long range) kinda like mini Fig 12's and I was able to put all the rounds into the score rings @ about 16" groups.

Now thats not 1 holing them for sure but for a rifle thats not mine and never shot that far without have to load belted ammo I reckon it was alright. All would have been chest shots on a deer for example.

Now I have been bitten by a new bug...

I need a .308 "Black Rifle".

I have been offered a good condiotion Omark .308 action and Barrel for a silly low price. Had the bore checked out and it seems ok.

Would this be a good start to build my own "Black Rifle"?

Cheers and thanks to all the knowledgeable guys out there. Shooting has never been so fun ;-)

Drew

For a cheap starter kit you won`t do any better ever never bloody ever no matter what the aficionados tell you.
Get sick of it and you can barrel it to just about anything on a 308 case ie 22/250 243 etc.
Your barrels good you say so being omark it should be reasonably heavy as well.
great trigger / just bed the thing right and your good to go.

Love em one of the best around and easy to shoot as well.
My dog guards my Omark and they both guard my woman in sort of that order well sorta..

NoFerals



Put up some pics eh?.

[Drew77]

Yeah you are right the Barrel is very very heavy. I can only assume it's a match barrel. The trigger is also very good (so says my F class wizard mate). I found it to be light and break crisply.

The reason I asked about the Build up of a Black Rifle is the stock is some crazy stuff. It looks to be a comp type stock that someone has attacked with bog :-( i heard it was a bit of a fad with hardcore target shooters in the 80's. Maybe cause of the lack or price of custom stocks? Now days it seems that good stocks are not hard to get at all.

Cheers,

Drew

[NoFerals]

Drew77, on 18 Sep 2011 - 01:00 PM, said:

Yeah you are right the Barrel is very very heavy. I can only assume it's a match barrel. The trigger is also very good (so says my F class wizard mate). I found it to be light and break crisply.

The reason I asked about the Build up of a Black Rifle is the stock is some crazy stuff. It looks to be a comp type stock that someone has attacked with bog :-( i heard it was a bit of a fad with hardcore target shooters in the 80's. Maybe cause of the lack or price of custom stocks? Now days it seems that good stocks are not hard to get at all.

Cheers,

Drew

The probable reason it is a hack up stock is because in ----Oh god knows how long----- big bore lay on the ground hardcore shooters have been hacking and cutting and shutting stocks every which way with all sorts of fiber glass and compounds, to suit them selves for years to try and squeeze that bit of extra out of a rifle.
So if this bloke says the triggers good and the barrel s good fit it to a good quality laminated thumbhole stock-- get some one who can -not just says it but reallly can do it --- bedding job done---learn to live with single shot-- [should only need one if it`s pesky animals shooting] and for target its not rapid fire any way and you will have one bloody good rifle.

If it`s for range work an adjustable cheek piece is a big + so order that in your custom stock.
See a pic for an example----its got no adjustable cheek piece so you `l need to imagine a vertically adjustable comb just to bring it up in line with your sighting arrangement.
An a adjustable butt plate is handy as well but you can add that as a separate piece later on if you want.

Enjoy your Omark they are one bloody good rifle.

NoFerals

[NoFerals]

harro, on 18 Sep 2011 - 05:51 PM, said:

G'day

Good luck with your Omark build.
I have owned a couple of them over the years, and I really believe they are under valued for what they are, and what they are capable of doing.We are actually very lucky in Australia to have these rifles avaliable on the second hand market for a low cost option.Good luck and keep us in the loop as to it's progress.

Thankyou for your time

harro

Have a squiz at what 6.5Kizza posted topic/cheap tack driver.
You could do that with an Omark and have a very nice rifle and pretty as well [like he has ] that shoots well even though it`s single shot learn to live with that.
I believe the cylindrical action with out the mag well slot cut in the bottom is just another reason why these rifles shoot as well as they do.
I am addicted to mine.

[Drew77]

Thanks for the info guys, over the weekend I found out the history of the rifle. It was purchased new and owned by one of the old timers here at the local full bore club. He used it in comps until ill health made him give up the sport. He passed away and the rifle left in storage for a number of years and was then sold to the local dealer. It has not been drilled for a scope and the only thing i can see is the possible attachment point for a peep sight. I'm being offered the rifle for $300 so I figured that I may as well grab it and build it over time as good buys come up (scope etc).

Cheers,

Drew

[NoFerals]

Drew77, on 19 Sep 2011 - 08:26 AM, said:

Thanks for the info guys, over the weekend I found out the history of the rifle. It was purchased new and owned by one of the old timers here at the local full bore club. He used it in comps until ill health made him give up the sport. He passed away and the rifle left in storage for a number of years and was then sold to the local dealer. It has not been drilled for a scope and the only thing i can see is the possible attachment point for a peep sight. I'm being offered the rifle for $300 so I figured that I may as well grab it and build it over time as good buys come up (scope etc).

Cheers,

Drew

Grab it while you can as those rifles are being bought up and converted to 223 [ or = similar 5.5 some dam thing or other ] the target blokes use as they get older and don`t like the kick and lying on the ground etc from 308.
Saw a shiela shoot one with iron sights a few years back at 600 meters she shot a double possible 50/50 with 20 v`s , 20 shots in two separate rounds / cant get better than that , and no 10 shot group was bigger than an apple at 600 meters.
This was off hand lie on the ground with a sling stuff like full bore shooting .
I wouldnt want to tell her to "get off my frickn lawn ".

Hand loads are normally 80 grn projectiles in 1 in 8 ?? [ i think ] but fast twist barrels .
Recently I heard they are getting 90 grnrs in that caliber to shoot as well but that`s just some ones here say for me.

that girl and her old Omark could shoot, no doubt about those Omarks if there done right.

[Joorsh]

I just bought an Omark myself and it's at the Gunsmiths as we speak getting a pic rail, trigger job, barrel re-crown and springs changed. I can't vouch from first-hand experience, but everything I've read seemed to indicate it was a great place to start F-class from. Had a chat to the gunsmith and he said the same thing - perfect entry rifle for F-class.


Can't wait to get my hands on it and give it a try!

[Drew77]

Joorsh, on 19 Sep 2011 - 03:32 PM, said:

I just bought an Omark myself and it's at the Gunsmiths as we speak getting a pic rail, trigger job, barrel re-crown and springs changed. I can't vouch from first-hand experience, but everything I've read seemed to indicate it was a great place to start F-class from. Had a chat to the gunsmith and he said the same thing - perfect entry rifle for F-class.


Can't wait to get my hands on it and give it a try!

Thanks Joorsh, That was my thinking. New stock, bed the action, drop a rail on it, rings and scope, bipod and bag.

I like your thinking ;-)

[Joorsh]

Bedding the stock was on my "to-do" list as well, but I found mine had actually already been done. This might sound strange, but I was actually dissappointed to find this out. I had been watching a bunch of tutorials on how to bed a stock, and I was looking forward to giving it a go myself! I asked the gunsmiths to check it out for me, so fingers crossed they tell me it's a crap job and I get to do it myself


My scope just arrived on the weekend, Vortex Viper PST. Super impressed with it and highly recommended!

[NoFerals]

Joorsh, on 19 Sep 2011 - 03:45 PM, said:

Bedding the stock was on my "to-do" list as well, but I found mine had actually already been done. This might sound strange, but I was actually dissappointed to find this out. I had been watching a bunch of tutorials on how to bed a stock, and I was looking forward to giving it a go myself! I asked the gunsmiths to check it out for me, so fingers crossed they tell me it's a crap job and I get to do it myself


My scope just arrived on the weekend, Vortex Viper PST. Super impressed with it and highly recommended!

You gotta be lucky mate bedding does not last forever and does need redoing some times , you might get a chance yet.

[bullbarrel7.62]

Drew, you have not been ill informed in anyway whatsoever, the Omark is an awesome rifle. I once shot my way into A grade fullbore comp. with a 300 dollar Omark. Needless to say some who had spent 10 times as much on their Barnards, RPA's etc.... were pissed off. I still have this rifle, and i also have one of the first .223 conversions (1 in 9T). The .223 one i have is the better one of the 2, but sadly needs a new barrel, not sure if i will stick with the .223 or to go back to .308. I have seen .223 (1 in 8T) barrelled rifles clean up .308 rifles at 900 yards several times now. Anyway the thing i have found with fullbore shooting is its the pure shooting skill, and reading of the conditions that will win every time, not how much you spend on a rifle.
Good luck drew!
BB7.62

[NoFerals]

bullbarrel7.62, on 20 Sep 2011 - 10:17 PM, said:

Drew, you have not been ill informed in anyway whatsoever, the Omark is an awesome rifle. I once shot my way into A grade fullbore comp. with a 300 dollar Omark. Needless to say some who had spent 10 times as much on their Barnards, RPA's etc.... were pissed off. I still have this rifle, and i also have one of the first .223 conversions (1 in 9T). The .223 one i have is the better one of the 2, but sadly needs a new barrel, not sure if i will stick with the .223 or to go back to .308. I have seen .223 (1 in 8T) barrelled rifles clean up .308 rifles at 900 yards several times now. Anyway the thing i have found with fullbore shooting is its the pure shooting skill, and reading of the conditions that will win every time, not how much you spend on a rifle.
Good luck drew!
BB7.62

You are so right there mate +1

[Drew77]

Thanks guys, Made my choice easy.

Just a question. I have been told not to remove the front sight as this will ruin accuracy. I understand that anything attached to the barrel has an effect on harmonics but is this true with the Omarks? Can I just replace it with an equal weight in the same place if it is true?

The Rifle I have on hold has the target type front sight still in place although it is missing the rear. The action has not been drilled to take a scope.

Cheers,

Drew

[bullbarrel7.62]

The front sight, won't ruin accuracy, the block which clamps to the barrel can actually be used as a barrel tuner, by clamping in different positions. But I think it is a rough way of barrel tuning. There is some pretty tech tuners available nowadays

[NoFerals]

bullbarrel7.62, on 21 Sep 2011 - 11:14 AM, said:

The front sight, won't ruin accuracy, the block which clamps to the barrel can actually be used as a barrel tuner, by clamping in different positions. But I think it is a rough way of barrel tuning. There is some pretty tech tuners available nowadays

I will remove every front sight I can at the first opportunity and it has never made anything worse.
Once the scopes on and adjusted it just makes for a nice clean barrel end / no catch ups on sticks and stuff or clothing just like it that way.
And yes it could stay and help with tuning if you want to try that--- bit of try and see , I agree with BB7.62 , theres better ways.
A bridge mount or a rail and a scope to suit where and what range you shoot makes an Omark a dam good hunting rifle.

If you go the picatinny rail way you can have two scopes one for each purpose and just swap them over one for range one for hunting sure its still single shot but your "cooking with gas" as far as getting max value out of one rifle.

This post has been edited by NoFerals: 21 Sep 2011 - 01:02 PM