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Real Steel Which Gun Thread...

5925 Views 51 Replies 9 Participants Last post by  dragon64, 
dragon64
Seriously, I would like to look into getting a real sniper rifle, and maybe even try my hand at competing at local gun clubs. What would be a good consistant sniper rifle?

Prices get pretty scary when I search around for various platforms, so if you knew of any places I could start researching, that would be great... real steel is a whole new world, I hate being a noobie again.

Here is my favorite forum to frequent:

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=cfrm

Many a nice thread on this forum... I lurk only.
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dragon64
Fair enough, I will cease discussion on real steel and keep on topic... But if I manage to settle on one, I'll post pics of it in the real steel picture forum.

Thanks for all of the posts and help guys, I appreciate it.

edit: In departing this thread, I will say that I am kind of partial to the 22 cal, as I already own a nice old Sears & Roebuck bolt action (Marlin). I'll get it out and and maybe get it going this weekend, should be nice weather I hope.
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dragon64
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Budget: I do not really have one, but I would imagine I would keep the initail puchase under $1000

Ammo: $5 a round is not my thing, I just quit a hobby that was shooting anywheres from $7 - $23 a round. I would like to keep the expendable prices low, and I would venture a guess that I would be looking in the direction of the .223

Action: Bolt action is my forte.

Competition: I would be fine with punching paper or steel targets. I'm not at all interested in actual "sniper" role type comps with map reading etc. I would do just fine with bench resting...

meteba, you mention M14, and the M1 Garand comes to mind. And when I hear Mosin Nagant, I think of the 1903 Springfield. I purchased a surplus rifle some years ago, a rather nice looking bolt action with a 5-round magazine. Sold when a gunsmith told me that there was a good possibility that the bolt would let loose and hit me in the face on any given trigger pull, I traded the rifle off. It was vintage surplus from some war.

So that brings my experience into play. I can shoot a rifle, heck we all can, but my over all knowledge shooting leaves me far from knowing just exactly what I am talking about or what I am looking at. But I will research more of that off-site and try to keep this thread more on topic.

Here is my .22. It was given to me by father-in-law before he passed away. He was very adamnt that I take it...


It is a Marlin Model 80


I use it as a training rifle for now...


I need to fit a scope, and soon...
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dragon64
silentfury214 said:
Bench rest fun shooting, or bench rest competition shooting? Bench rest competition shooting is one of the most competitive out of the competitions and gets down to the minute (and I mean minute) details.
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We'll go with just for 'funzies' right now.
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dragon64
Not a problem woogie, thanks.

If I mod anything on the little Marlin, it will be to add a scope that I can see out of. That little 2X is pretty clouded.

Edit: I have about decided on the Rem 40XHB

Typical; it's expensive, it is rare, it is accurate, and I can't find one...sounds like the rifle for me.
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dragon64
woogie said:
You can get them through the CMP ;)

Look at the Sakos, ... damn can't think of others.

But on the forum that you listed, they have a rimfire side of things. Spend some time reading through there.

The 40x is a nice rifle, but good lucking finding parts for them. Through the CMP you can get a barreled reciever. You need to find the bolt, and a trigger. The trigger is easy as you can use any M700 trigger, but the bolt is a pain in the butt to find.
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Yeah, I like the CMP, especialy since they are only 2 hours or so from my house. I want to make a road trip to that place one day.

As for the 40X, I would probably come closer to getting a new R700 for the same price.

I will take a look at targettalk.com but I am not ready to drop any cash anyway. I may door shop at a few of the local rifle shops, and put a selected rifle on lay-away.
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dragon64
So I shot my father-n-laws Marlin 80 yesterday, and it is defective...the safety as I have found out, has been filed down...bummer!

Anyways, I am looking into getting a rifle from the CMP, buty they have some serious hoops to jump through i.e. CMP affiliated club members only. The club closest to me requires NRA membership to, so that is $95 in dues before I can even file an application for purchase. It is worth it I suppose, as the CMP provides an excellent service here locally, plus the local CMP affiliated club looks like a great group to shoot with.

Anyways, still looking for a rifle... I am having to liquidate some of my airsoft to afford anything, and my wife says that the Marlin has to go to. She does not like rifles anyways, so one with a defective safety just eats her up.
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dragon64
We compromised, I told her it was not right getting rid of her dads rifle, so I removed the bolt so it can't be fired ::) What ever it takes to keep the piece and the wife happy.

I plan on firing it more and more, but I hate to say it, the trigger mech on this rifle just plain sux!

As for the CMP, I'm not going to try for the piece-mil 40X. Instead I will hunt for an M1 Garand or will try to bring home a Rusty Kimber 82G.
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dragon64
woogie said:
Keep us updated man.

Depending on how old the rifle is, you may be able to find some parts for her.

Any way we could get some details of the rifle? Model, make, year made, and the exact piece that is missing or broke? With all of the forums on the web someone on here, may be able to find you your part.
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Will do, I'll try to get a video together of the Marlin trigger issue, as it is kind of tough to describe.

I keep bouncing around between different platforms, but I keep coming back to a model that I have not mentioned yet; earlier I had said that I wanted to look at 223 cal prospects, and the starter sniper rifle that I would like to invest in is a Remington Model 700 SPS Tactical in 223. If I can, I may try 308, but for now I am looking at 223 options. As for glass... dang! that opens a whole new can of research. Glass choice will cone down to the final caliber I guess.
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dragon64
+1

Good points, I had not really considered my kids in all of this, although my son, while looking over my shoulder while I was at the computer, said that if I get an M1 Garand, he wants the M1 carbine... I said; "you and all of the other collectors out there..."

I believe my daughter would shoot, and not even blink at the recoil...
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dragon64
Update:

I have a line on a Remington 40XHB (based on the 700 action), at one of the best prices I have seen for a hard to find rifle...$850 I went to a local shooting match today, and the guy parked next to me had it with him, and wanted to sell it... So it will be mine as soon as I can fund it. It is a heavy rifle, but a sexy one too!!
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dragon64
He pulled from a rifle case, the cases that let the rifle sit verticle, and handed it to me...my goodness that rifle is a lead bar. I shot a borrowed Kimber 82G, and I thought it was a heavy rifle - not compared the 40X.

Anyway, it does not have the match sites on it, but he said if I get it, I could pick through some that he had available that would work. I may opt for a scope. I would love to fit the M24 stock to it for matches... but that is an additional $500 I won't have to spare.

Did I get to shoot it? No, but I will before I get it. He is selling it to pay for a new Anshutz for his match shooting, but said that I need to shoot it to enjoy it.
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dragon64
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Since I can't get the rifle till April 9th, the seller is going to try and get some candid shots of the rifle and send them to me Tuesday night or on Wednesday for sure.

Here are some shots of me shooting the Kimber at Saturday's NRA prone match.


The Kimber is another very nice find at the CMP... I wish it was mine.


My daughter made for an excellent spotter; she corrected some of my shots, that had me finishing the match in fine form...for a noob!


She was a trooper though, she never let me know that she got bored at times... she let daddy play anyways.
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dragon64
silentfury214 said:
You need to get your hand on that hand rest and under the sling, or it really isn't doing that much for you.
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Yeah, I had a lot of help from the shooters; by the end of the match I had that rifle under some form of control... I started off real sloppy, as seen in the pics, but I left the match with numb elbows (which are still sore) and a slight bruise on my shoulder.

I'm hooked!
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dragon64
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Since I do not yet posess my 40X, I asked that the seller send me some pics to fawn over in the interim...


The rifle stock is a little rougher than I remember it...




The blueing has a few worn spots, but the 40X still charms...




I talked to a gun smith today, and asked that he check the rifle over real good to make sure it is still within spec... can never be too careful.

Now I just need to sell some more of my airsoft stuff to finish paying for it. Only selling airsoft stuff I do not use...anyone want a brand new KJW M4?
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dragon64
Just a small update; I just picked up a decent Mosin Negant from a local gun shop, so I am stoked... don't know what happened, I woke up yesterday with the rifle on my mind, having never given it a second thought, but all of the sudden I had to have one...

Anyone have any pointers on how best to remove cosmoline from a rifle?
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dragon64
I disassembled the Mosin Nagant and let everything sit in the hot sun yesterday... the cosmoline drained out all of the ground. Cleaned right up with Simple Green after that.

I also shot the rifle yesterday (video to be added to my youtube channel tonight), it has a very nice feel to it. This coming from a guy who has never shot high power rifles before the Mosin Nagant.
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dragon64
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I am getting my second Mauser on Monday, a bolt action M48 in unissued condition. It shoots the readily available "obscure" 8mm round. The rifle is made in Yugoslavia, and costs about $275

The first Mauser I picked ended up being a turd... but that is what I get for not asking enough questions:


It is a mix master of parts, and was pitted out pretty bad. I have worked on the bore quite a bit, but it is quite nasty.

My Mosin Nagant rifle is quite sweet. It is all number matching, and now sports a refinished stock...


Good luck hunting... and be safe!
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dragon64
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I'm shooting the surplus from the spam can...


Thie rifle is not an ex sniper, I wish it was a real sniper... I can get a real Mosin Nagant sniper with the PU (repro) scope for about $800
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dragon64
fuzzywolly said:
Dragon, hot...
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Thanks Fuzzy, it turned out better than I thought it would, seeing as the Russians used pretty bad wood on many of the Mosin Nagants... maybe bad wood is a little harsh as the Mosin Nagant tends to survive for many years... I'll say they could have used better wood if they were not in such a pinch fighting the Nazis!
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