Taking suggestions for new sniper rifle

J

johnwaynejeep

New Member
I'm interested in getting into long range shooting, It looks like fun. I want an american military rifle. Anything from WWI to current. I've researched the M1903-A4 and it looks like a good option for sniper rifles from the WWII era. If I get an older rifle I'll also be looking for equipment from the era that was issued with the firearm.

Can anyone suggest something better or offer any information on it's accuracy? Any rifle I get needs to be a conversation piece as well as a functional firearm.

From my very brief research I've seen reports suggesting it can make a 3.5in group of 5 at 600 meters with the right equipment. That seems pretty dang good to me. I've also seen reports of failed actions due to poor casting in the lower numbered M1903's so I know to stay away from those.

Any information ya'all could provide would be helpful in deciding whether I'm gonna get into this sport or not.
 
M1 Garands are real popular for that, too. As I think you are a U.S. citizen, you should look into the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) that the U.S. government funds. You have to qualify, but that's not real hard to do.

They refurbish old service rifles specifically for use in competition. You can get either the M1903, M1903A3 or the M1 among others. And you can't beat the price.

M1 prices start at $595
Looks like the M1903s are sold out at the moment.

They even have some really old Krag rifles.

http://www.thecmp.org/
 
Are you getting into Tactical Long Range Shooting or Bench Rest shooting or simply Long Range shooting. All are different disciplines all require different weapons systems, with different style equipment and optics.

Any weapon you choose is going to need to be tweaked for accuracy, smoothness, and fit to you. Setting up a sniper system isn't just slapping some optics on a weapon and calling it ready.

Any 1903 or M1 will need a complete shake down from muzzle crown to butt plate. Barrel scoped maybe replaced depeending on it's condition. If the stock is in bad shape it will need to be bedded at the very least and barrel floated. Reciever will have to be drilled and tapped for optics. Trigger and sear deburred and smoothed etc.

If your doing this know it costs more than the price of a weapon and scope.
 
I've been thinking about a Remington 700 of some sort for myself. If you want to get into long range shooting you have to give it a look at least. And it has history in the U.S. military.
 
A Remington 700 just like any 03 or M1 is going to require modification and work to make it a sniper system. They are base platforms. It all depends on how much money you want to spend and how much accuracy you want.

The 700 in its M40 design as a sniper system is heavily modified to the point that it is almost totally stripped and rebuilt with custom or semi custom parts by armorers before issue.
 
Oh, a model 700 is definitely a great rifle. But his choices are probably going to be influenced greatly by what type of matches he wants to compete in if competitively.

For example, he can shoot in a specific class (M1 shooters compete against M1 shooters, ect.) or a general service rifle/pistol class.

And they are generally pretty strict about what modifications are allowed on the weapon. "As is" or "as issued" is pretty common.

But, like anything you can generally find a organization that runs competitions catering to how you want to shoot. The big ones though are CMP and NRA driven.
 
You are describing a standard NRA class rifle match.

He wants to set up a sniper/DM type system.

That indicates he wants his weapon optically enhanced for engaging targets at distances that excede typical rifle match distances.

I was asking him what discipline of long range shooting he was looking at and named the three major disciplines of long range/precision rifle competition.

By understanding that a better picture can be seen of what type of weapon or platform he needs.

All rifles in long range/percision competition are modified. None are stock out of the box smoke poles.

Funny. You aren't this helpful in the armor threads. After all shouldn't that be your bread and butter?
 
Since the time frame is between WW I and current times, here's a few observations.

In World War I our Armed Forces had the 03 Springfield with the Winchester A5 (sometimes B5) sight or the Warner-Swazey optical sight. Finding an 03 Springfield is not easy, but doable. Getting a Warner-Swazey is going to be tough. You might find a Winchester A5 on a second hand gun or even that anti-gun auction site, E-Bay. Now, try to find the bases and rings. Then you have to find a competent gunsmith to assemble them for you. Note, according to Senich, some Enfields were also equipped with optical sights.

World War I, the army went with the Springfield 03A3 (or 03A4) but equipped with that miserable Weaver 330 (militarized as the M73B1) that was mounted with Redfield rings and base. This may be the cheapest way to go, provided you can get the parts and have someone assemble them for you. More expensive would be to try to get a 03A1 Springfield with an 8x Unertl scope. Late in the war, we had Garands and the Griffin & Howe detachable scope mounted M81 or M82 (militarized Lyman Alaskans) M-1C. These would fit your bill, if you had the wallet for one. The M-1D with its simplified mounting system (the barrel was machined down to take a slip and pinned on scope base) was really too late for WW II and is more properly a Korean War and Vietnam Era weapon.

Speaking of Vietnam, here's where you can get affordable. Heavy barrel Rem 700 with Redfield 3 x9 variable power Accu-range scope mounted with Redfield base & rings. You can still scope second hand at gunshows and the base and rings should be readily available. You'll have to get a heavier barrel and another stock (walnut, probably no checkering).

Replicating post-Vietnam era stuff can get very expensive. A bunch of ART-II scopes were sold off by the ODCMP over ten years ago and you may still find one, but it may take a while. Going for the more modern stuff, a Leupold MK IV will run over $1k alone.

Want the bargain foreign rifle? The Russian M91/30 with the PU scope. IMO, it was superior to the 03A4 (the Weaver couldn't take the punishment of the PU). But then again, it's Rooskie.
 
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