An S Class rifle

[ovenpaa]

I was recently asked to supply and fit a GRS Sporter stock for a .243 Sako 85 and pillar and glass bed it as well in readiness for the 2013 S Class comps and here it is. I do like the GRS stock and the weight at 3,9Kgs keeps it well within limit, I have a feeling this is going to be a nice out to 600 yards.

[Sandgroper]

Very nice What scope did you end up putting on it?

[ovenpaa]

It still has his Swarovski on it, I need to decide on what to suggest as an alternative.

[Christel]

That is a very very nice stock in the flesh

[Steve E]

I have'nt really had an opinion until now about 'S' class but I have formed the opinion that it should be restricted to 'off the shelf rifles" in 'off the shelf calibre's for which factory ammunition is available. That way it would be in the spirit of the class (of keeping it affordable), otherwise it will become another discipline for which some shooters will have bespoke rifles built that squeeze into the rules.

Nice looking rifle though.

[Sandgroper]

I have'nt really had an opinion until now about 'S' class but I have formed the opinion that it should be restricted to 'off the shelf rifles" in 'off the shelf calibre's for which factory ammunition is available. That way it would be in the spirit of the class (of keeping it affordable), otherwise it will become another discipline for which some shooters will have bespoke rifles built that squeeze into the rules.

Nice looking rifle though.

Disagree. My rifle will have cost me just over £500 to build and even if I stuck with 257 Roberts over the AI version you can't get Roberts ammunition for love or money in the UK. Even if you could, it would all be hunting ammo anyway.

Where do you draw the line at 'off the shelf?' Howa, for example, give you so many options that are you really getting an 'off the shelf' rifle? I haven't checked the weights but someone could equally shoot S-Class with a Blaser or a Mauser 03, both of which will cost over £2000.

Affordability, is important but so are the restrictions which make up S-Class. Given these restrictions how much of an advantage will a custom rifle/ammunition combination offer - none or very little in my opinion.

In my case, with my rifle/ammunition - I'll be pushing sh*t uphill to get anywhere near troubling the scorers but it'll will be fun trying!

[dromia]

I'll be shooting 6mm Musgrave, not commercially available ammunition. The rifle was in commercial production but 60 years ago in South Africa but is no longer so.

My total rig including scope and bipod, all second hand, will have cost me £450. Whether it is competitive or not remains to be seen, and if it isn't then that is probably me rather than the rifle.

One thing I do know is its a proven Bambi killer.

For the spirit of the game a cost cap would be a better control but still difficult enforce.

The fundamental problem with all this is people. With some competitors the spirit of winning is more important than the spirit of the game.

BTW if I can get a proper fitting mould in time I'll be shooting cast boolits.

[ovenpaa]

Steve E raises and interesting point. Regardless of discipline money is going to play a significant part, be it the ability to get to every competition or the very best 12X glass. A 6BR is going to be more competitive than a 7,92x57 Mauser however the cap on weights, bipods, barrel lengths and glass (If used Steve!) should even things out to a degree.

The rifle I have just re-stocked is a fine example of what I would expect some S Class rifles to look like. It is an absolutely standard .243 Sako 85 complete with skinny barrel and a stock the shooter likes the look of, it is 2Kg's under weight right now so add a Harris bipod and it is still well under limit. The part that really interests me is he is an F/TR shooter running a Dolphin system yet he seems to be more excited about S Class.

Personally I would be more worried about Steve showing up at the firing point shooting with open sights than others with GBP1500 scopes....

:lol:

[Scotsgun]

For me its about improving my shooting and competing without all the silliness of F-Class, etc. If I wanted to rely on the performance of the rifle and with minimum effort from me then i'd drag out my Steyr SSG69 or my 6.4x47. I doubt my AI AW would be in spirit of the comp

So i've decided upon a Rem700 in 22-250 with bell & carson stock, Zeiss Conquest 3-12 scope that i had spare and a cheap harris bipod clone. I may slap on a moderator purely because I shoot with them so often that i now prefer a muzzle heavy gun. No bedding, no trigger job - I just can't be a r s e d .

Each to their own.

[spud]

is there any thing stopping me using a sako 75 with a varmint stock and in 7wsm flavour?