Which Mid-Range Target Rifle?

[Laurie]

Mossberg MVP LR..??

.223, 20'' barrel, 1:7 twist, uses M16 compatable magazines

http://www.yorkguns.com/mossberg-mvp-long-range

If it's anything like the quality of the Mossberg sporting rifles that I've seen save your money and buy something better. It certainly won't be hard to find something better than the Mossberg.

Mossberg, Weatherby Vanguard, S&W, Inter-Arms rifles and the Howa 1500 have identical - and very good - barrelled actions. They are all made and exported from Japan as barreled actions by the Howa Machinery Company whose weapons division has been making rifles since the days of the Imperial Japanese Army and its 'Arisaka' service rifles and manufactured the current Japanese Defence Forces' Type 89 rifle (alongside its 7.62mm Type 64 predecessor and various other modern military automatic weapons). The buyers in the USA select the domestically manufactured stock(s) they wish to use and sell the finished rifle in them. As the cheapest nastiest hollow plastic sporting rifle stocks were reported as having a unit cost cost under $10 if you buy large enough quantities by an American magazine a few years ago .... well, it's unsurprising that the absolute basic models leave something to be desired in quality and handling.

So, if you buy any of the above, it's a question of balancing the stock model / finish / design against selling price. If you intend to restock the rifle anyway, well buy whichever is cheapest in the factory stock.

Howa 1500s go pretty cheap secondhand, even those in the better stocks. I have a laminated stock 308 1500 stainless varmint model which came already fitted with a very expensive American made 20-MOA taper Picatinny rail and matching 30mm rings for £500. With a £115 Chinese made Fox Firearms 8-32X50 target scope stuck on, it's a quite adequate club level rifle out to 600 yards and will still perform reasonably at 800. It's only inadequacy apart from the shortish barrel is the factory trigger - no worse than those on older Remington 700s and an improvement on Remy's current poor offering - but now that Rifle Basix and Timney make replacements for the 1500, that could be rectified without spending too much money.

[mag41uk]

I actually have a Mossberg MVP with 1 in 9 twist.
I bought it as I fancied a cheapish plinker in 223.
I thought it was agricultural, which it still is in some ways - but it does shoot surprisingly well.
As Laurie has said the barrel is probably a quality item.
The other thread mentions that the factory stock is short.
I have long arms and usually have to pack out stocks so I don't keep getting bolts in my hooter.
The Mossberg stock on mine is standard and seems to fit. In any case its easy to add length with a slip on pad.
I shoot mine to 900yds with 69smk and N140 and it does very well.
As it is chambered for 5.56 its possible to seat bullets further out than you would with a 223.

[jdwoodbury]

Mossberg, Weatherby Vanguard, S&W, Inter-Arms rifles and the Howa 1500 have identical - and very good - barrelled actions. They are all made and exported from Japan as barreled actions by the Howa Machinery Company whose weapons division has been making rifles since the days of the Imperial Japanese Army and its 'Arisaka' service rifles and manufactured the current Japanese Defence Forces' Type 89 rifle (alongside its 7.62mm Type 64 predecessor and various other modern military automatic weapons). The buyers in the USA select the domestically manufactured stock(s) they wish to use and sell the finished rifle in them. As the cheapest nastiest hollow plastic sporting rifle stocks were reported as having a unit cost cost under $10 if you buy large enough quantities by an American magazine a few years ago .... well, it's unsurprising that the absolute basic models leave something to be desired in quality and handling.

So, if you buy any of the above, it's a question of balancing the stock model / finish / design against selling price. If you intend to restock the rifle anyway, well buy whichever is cheapest in the factory stock.

Howa 1500s go pretty cheap secondhand, even those in the better stocks. I have a laminated stock 308 1500 stainless varmint model which came already fitted with a very expensive American made 20-MOA taper Picatinny rail and matching 30mm rings for £500. With a £115 Chinese made Fox Firearms 8-32X50 target scope stuck on, it's a quite adequate club level rifle out to 600 yards and will still perform reasonably at 800. It's only inadequacy apart from the shortish barrel is the factory trigger - no worse than those on older Remington 700s and an improvement on Remy's current poor offering - but now that Rifle Basix and Timney make replacements for the 1500, that could be rectified without spending too much money.

Some good info there...thanks Laurie

[Chapuis]

I have no issues with Howa/Weatherby Vangaurd etc, in fact I would be happy to use any one of them. I was referring to the dreadful Mossberg rifles that we started seeing on the gun shop shelves about ten years ago. I'm not sure if the action was home grown or rebadged, I simply can't remember but I will say that I would be surprised if they even paid as much as $10 for the dreadful flimsy Tupperware stocks that were fitted.

My own thoughts on a starter rifle for mid range target shooting (say up to 600 yards) would be something like a Howa varmint with a reasonable stock (B&C, Boyds,GRS) and possibly get someone like HPS to fit a set of target sights. Something on the lines of their club gun. A rifle that will give you a choice of either iron or optical sights.