Quote Originally Posted by zooma View Post
Can I suggest that an Original Model 75 would be a better choice? This is a very nice match rifle, recoilless and very accurate and as your senior coach suggests (regarding weight) it has a more typical match rifle weight. This rifle sold in it's thousands as it was a very popular rifle - and this means that there are plenty of them about for sale. Tatty ones can be picked up from around £200 and tatty ones that need new seals from just over £100.

I bought a rusted and seized one for £30 without a stock and picked up a stock for another £30 but after a complete strip ( very educational) and re-blue, new internals and a lot of time re-finishing the stock with a nice new oil finish - it would have been cheaper to buy a reasonable working example for £250 - £275 - so don't rush into a tatty re-build as it may end up more expensive than you think - but lots of "fun" to work on.

Even the best ( almost mint) examples seldom fetch more than £325 so with such a wide price range there should be a Model 75 out there somewhere for you
Now see, I'd finally made the decision to order the HW30 from Germany, then you post that ^^^ !

Seriously though Bob, Thank you for the advice You are probably right of course, but my dilemma is - if I'm going to be completely rubbish at rifle shooting (and I do have evidence of being terrible with a heavy rifle, standing), then the lightweight HW30 might be perfect for a bit of harmless 6 yard fun...

If I get a 'proper' match rifle, I'll want one in as good condition as possible (as I've no ambition to learn how to fix the complicated things, with all those springs and cogs inside). So I'd probably be spending £300 - £400. And that money may be better spent upgrading my pistol, as I am fairly sure I'll always prefer pistol shooting, and I'm (relatively) better at it!

However, a good condition classic target rifle will very likely hold it's value well...

This is what goes around in my mind. Again and again...