LF info on Sportco rifles

Can't say as I've ever seen any site about them. A 10 second Yahoo search turned this up. Add the W's. .sportco.org.au/history.htm
They were made in Australia, but not any more. Closed in 1980.
Used to be the preferred rifle for DCRA shooting when the CF used the 7.62 NATO round.
 
If you can find a good one they are terrific rifles. Unfortunately a lot of them have been butchered now. I took mine out this past fall just to load test from a bench. Using the Central aperature sights at 100 m my 5 shot group was .770" wide by .490" high right on center 2" high, right where I wanted it. Either I or a puff of wind probably have to take responsibility for the width.

They are a bugger to re-barrel because the bolt lugs lock in to recesses in the barrel and nobody makes the barrels anymore.
 
I have one in 5.56
It has a barrel extension so it is easy to do a barrel change.
It shoots great.
hs
 
Sportco

hs said:
I have one in 5.56
It has a barrel extension so it is easy to do a barrel change.
It shoots great.
hs
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've seen that done due to the problems getting a new barrel. You take a couple inches of the old barrel with the lug recesses in it and use it to make an extension of the receiver, then thread the new barrel in to this extension.
 
.... As previously noted, they're, or rather were, made in Australia. The bolt action "big bore target" rifle was incredibly accurate, and for a moderate price. They also produced a very extensive line of .22 rifles, bolt, semi auto and pump. My favorite used to be the single shot "Martini Action" ... It's really a shame that changing economic circumstances and public attitudes forced their closure ! .... David K. .. ( Perhaps a web search of the Australian Shooters/Gun Magazines would produce articles and further information ?)
 
There is a chapter on Sportco in the latest edition of "Bolt Action Rifles" by Frank De Haas and Wayne Van Zwoll. I had a Sportco barrelled 98 Mauser a few years back, and while it was a moderately good shooter, it never really excited me, so I dumped it.
 
Sportco

...Further to my post, SPORTCO also produced their Martini Actioned rifles in .218 Bee and .22 Hornet. Although I can't specifically recall their bolt actions in either caliber, it's likely that they also produced them in .218 and .22 Hornet ( calibers aimed at the fox and dingo shooters mainly ) .... 'Company was either tied to, or taken over by Slazenger , as in Tennis Racquet's etc.; it's a long time ago, and I was more, or less out of the Country when Sportco finally died. ..... David K.
 
sportco,

google for, mab engineering , the old parent company name , was bought by ,total solutions enginering now in operation making the full line of sportco products hope this helps,
 
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