movie "sniper" rifles from briefcases

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cavman

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First off I am a pistol shooter, but have read the rifle postings frequently regarding accuracy issues such as rings too tight, not tight enough on a scope, and infinite other variables such as bedding, etc., that rifle shooters discuss influencing accuracy issues.

I was watching a movie , Absolute Power with Clint Eastwood, and the bad guys were taking their rifles out of their cases in pieces and assembling them on the spot. One was even adding the barrel to the stock. (a non-bedding issue that accuracy shooters ofter refer to as important).

My question is: is this merely Hollywood? Or, are these rifles really able to be assembled and have the capabilities of making highly accurate shots?

thanks
 
Speaking of Eastwood, have you seen the old movie Joe Kidd?

http://www.imfdb.org/index.php/Joe_Kidd

Some gorgeous turn-of-the-century firearms in it, including this 1910 Ross takedown, being assembled here by Joe Kidd, played by Clint Eastwood. The idea of a full-takedown scoped rifle is not new, and can be done. It just costs a bit more than your basic production bolt gun. A good bit more.:)

600px-JKRoss1910-2.jpg
 
They exist, and like AB said it is nothing new. The only penalty that I can think of is extra weight, but that can be a worthwhile trade-off to gain better packabilty for a remote hunt.

:)
 
HS Precision has one in their catalog. I haven't shot it, but it's supposed to be pretty good.
 
I used to run X-Country. Now I think I need to start X-Training, pistol and rifle!

It may be time to get a Nemesis! What a neat rifle. Spartan is right, that is a bare bones set-up, but the possibility to have three common cartridges on one highly precise platform is very appealing.
 
btw, you might want to search on threads started by semmerling. i think there were like 2 or 3 different parts
 
Spartan is right, that is a bare bones set-up, but the possibility to have three common cartridges on one highly precise platform is very appealing.
Click to expand...
You may want to take a good look at the Desert Tactical Arms SRS as well, it isn't a take-down design, but it is compact (bullpup), extremely accurate (Krieger bbl is standard), and affords quick and simple cartridge conversions (from .243Win.-.338LM with the SRS, up to .50BMG with the new monstrosity). I considered both (amongst others, to include: AI, Sako, Barrett, and Armalite) before deciding on the SRS.

:)
 
One of the neatest rigs I've seen (in pictures) is the "Rambling Rifle" made by Patrick Smith of Kifaru ( https://www.kifaru.net/ ). He was planning to commercialize it, but I think his pack business really took off.

It is an ultralight with screw-on barrels, so he can hunt elk in the mountains, while living off small game. With the right combination of barrels in different calibers, it can be a single rifle that will work for rabbit hunting, long-range big game hunting, and animal defense.
 
I am speaking from a shotgun perspective but I am pretty sure this applies to any firearm.

What determines the path of a bullet is the barrel more than anything else. The sight on a weapon is mounted so when the firearm is held properly the sight displays the projectile Point of Impact. This is why correct and consistent Eye Relief matters on scopes, and coincidentally why I hate Iron Sights because I cannot every line them up consistently.

So what we have is a barrel, and a sight mechanism. As long as those 2 objects are mounted securely together the zero on the sight should ALWAYS be the POI of the projectile no matter how many times you disassemble and reassemble a weapon.

A common example of this is shotgun slug barrels with Cantilevered scope mounts. Shotgun barrels get removed for cleaning a lot, especially on pumps and don't seem to lose the zero point.

Now the placement of the barrel onto the action may matter some but I am assuming we are talking centerfire which means the initial primer charge is always going to be in the same place so the powder will always burn in relatively the same pattern, making this a near non-issue. Lastly we can talk about mounting the barrel, action and any other extraneous pieces onto the stock or grip of a weapon. Here I am going to go back to eye-relief and lining up the sights, if you line up the sights correctly then you are good to go and nothing else should matter. If you suddenly start missing targets after remounting a stock then I would take a minute to relax and check that you are using the sights properly, and also holding the weapon securely.

So really disassemble and reassembly should be a non-issue when the sights and barrel are mated securely.
 
it's a little more complicated than just aligning barrel and sights. things like breech lock-up and lug engagement, headspace, bedding of the action in stock, solidness of stock during recoil, etc. sure, the bullet leaves the barrel fast, but it's in there for long enuf that the rifle has begun to recoil before we go to exterior ballistics. this assuming you have a free floated barrel. if not, add barrel bedding.
 
Doesn't it depend on the task? I mean, how far you wish to shoot, and how many shots you intend or need to take vs. the amount of time you need to take them?

In Day of The Jackal (this thread started about "movie rifles") the Jackal's rifle is meant to allow him to conceal it so he can get it close enough to hit his target with a supressed round. He only needs one shot, ends up needing more, and slow reload gets him killed.

IF you need to go long range, you need a better system. If you are closer, and don't need to be supressed, might you do with less precision?

I have a H&R Handi-rifle, single shot, break action, bull barrel, in .223. The scope mounts on the barrel, and the barrel and chamber are a single piece. Using prefired cases, I can reload ammunition for that rifle with very good results, and..., I have disassembled it and reassembled it and it keeps its zero (the scope is not removed). It is not all that expensive, though a proper scope costs as much if not more than the rifle.

It will do quite well out to 600 yards (OK fine in little or no wind, and not too much heat rising off the range..., ) but it's not a 1000 yard rifle, and will easily fit into a case when taken apart. I think Hollywood works more on the "cool appearance' of guns, than actual needs. Who among the masses would think a handi-rifle was "cool" no matter what it could really do? How many folks in Hollywood really know firearms?

Again, in reality, doesn't it all depend on the task?

LD
 
Some of the coolest I have seen are take-down big-bore marlin builds; .45-70 guide guns, I think it was "Alaska Guide" or something like that. pricey & beautiful, small fitted case to make it easier for small plane carry.
 
I always thought the Walther WA 2000 was a pretty badass and compact sniper rifle.

If I'm ever in a position to I'll buy one.
 
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