Omark Model 44 Sniper Rifle

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For lack of a better fitting subforum I thought period-wise it would correspond the best with the PH rifles ..


Having picked up yesterday a by then to me unknown single shot bolt action rifle on occasion I had wondered if there is more to learn on these rifles. The particular rifle has scope bases, as well as the lack of a open rear sight and absolutely no holes for a front sight indicate it was always and only used with a scope, which unfortunately seems to be gone.


I read these were extensively trialed by the Australian Army, but were never introduced for being single shot only. Does anyone know with which scope (and scope mount) they were tested?


The particular rifle originates from Malaysia. Note it has some Malaysian inscribed tags attached to it too. The one added to the trigger guard (according to Google Translator) reads as "Exhibit 1" over "Sniper Rifle Omark 7.62mm" over "No SDW213") over "Repeat Date (?)" over "11th December 2017". The sticker attached to the stock is similar and translated as "Sniper Rifle Omark 7.62mm serial number SDW213".


Does anyone know if Malaysia officially used these as sniper rifles? Or any other information possibly available on it? Can someone tell me, based on the serial, approx. when it was made?



PS: the red paint was used to mark rifles to be sold/unserviceable/withdrawn from service - at least I've been told that way. Yes, I know, still need to remove it.

[CINDERS]

Just check that it has the larger pin installed in the floating bolt head this was a mandatory thing to be done if you wanted to shoot the rifles in competitions or on rifle ranges in Australia.
The reason being a competition shooter years ago allot of years I may add the small bolthead pin failed for what ever reason allowing the bolt body to exit the action and hitting the shooter on the Rt side of his face with resultant non fatal devastating injuries.
I've owned and competed with an Omark in 7.62mm (Rubber gun we call that calibre) mine had a Black mountain barrel, they are still accurate but find it hard to compete with the likes of Barnard actions
tbonesmith in Sydney Aus may know the dimensions of the larger pin.

[WGB-762]

Re: Bolt Head Pin in M44's.
Just checked the five (!) I have on the wall, and the pin od's are 5.5 and 7 mm.
Latest I have is an early '80's 'D' model, bought new, SDX2nn, and it came standard with the large pin, and interestingly did not have a 'safety' fitted, by that time it was 'bolts out'.

(I have a pic of said pin, can't quite see how to add attachment).

[Omark]

For lack of a better fitting subforum I thought period-wise it would correspond the best with the PH rifles ..


Having picked up yesterday a by then to me unknown single shot bolt action rifle on occasion I had wondered if there is more to learn on these rifles. The particular rifle has scope bases, as well as the lack of a open rear sight and absolutely no holes for a front sight indicate it was always and only used with a scope, which unfortunately seems to be gone.


I read these were extensively trialed by the Australian Army, but were never introduced for being single shot only. Does anyone know with which scope (and scope mount) they were tested?


The particular rifle originates from Malaysia. Note it has some Malaysian inscribed tags attached to it too. The one added to the trigger guard (according to Google Translator) reads as "Exhibit 1" over "Sniper Rifle Omark 7.62mm" over "No SDW213") over "Repeat Date (?)" over "11th December 2017". The sticker attached to the stock is similar and translated as "Sniper Rifle Omark 7.62mm serial number SDW213".


Does anyone know if Malaysia officially used these as sniper rifles? Or any other information possibly available on it? Can someone tell me, based on the serial, approx. when it was made?



PS: the red paint was used to mark rifles to be sold/unserviceable/withdrawn from service - at least I've been told that way. Yes, I know, still need to remove it.

I’ve never seen any concrete evidence that 44s were trialed or used apart from use by army and other services rifle team members. I’m sure some of the marksman amongst them would have tried fitting scopes etc but nothing was ever official to the best of my knowledge.

[CINDERS]

I shot with mine in the late '70's they never had a safety catch installed it was as you say bolts out before you left the mound, nowdays we have to have the check scorer clear the action with the bolt out then put the breech flag in before leaving the mound the flag having to stay in at all times.

An interesting story from my early days of shooting at the Harvey Rifle range which believe it or not had the High school on one side of us and on the right hand side we had the town cemetery and at times because there were bush tracks behind the stop butts had to stop firing due to trail bike riders roaring around behind the butts!!
Anyway the mounds needed mowing and we had a nice chap who was 95% deaf that shot there came in to mow them Rob Holthouse a local chap our club was small only about 10-15 active shooters and our range was 300 yds - 700 yds any further and we would have been on the highway.
Anyway Rob was happily mowing one of the mounds when unknown to him a loose round had been left there hidden in the long grass well the mowers blade hit fair on the primer setting the round off which blew a sizable chunk out the side of the mower and scared the living heck out of Rob, who never mowed the mounds again.
I think we were paying 18 cents a round then as the army supplied our ammunition to us in those days, not now just a projectile costs around a $1 now!

Information regarding post #4 - Omark Model 44 - Wikipedia para - 5

Quote ~ The Omark Model 44 was tested as a sniper rifle by the Australian Defence Force but not adopted, as it is single shot only and the design could not easily be changed to a repeater

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I’ve never seen any concrete evidence that 44s were trialed or used apart from use by army and other services rifle team members. I’m sure some of the marksman amongst them would have tried fitting scopes etc but nothing was ever official to the best of my knowledge.

Do you know if the Australian Army trialed these rifles with scopes? If yes, do you know which one?

[CINDERS]

Not sure if Peter Laidler would be able to answer that one or have knowledge of the facts, as he was over in Aus for a time.

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I stripped that red paint from the stock and took better pictures. Find them attached. And yes, of course I preserved the sticker that was attached to the stock.


The bolt matches the serial of the rifle (with full letter prefix on the underside of the handle), the stock on the inside is also serialized to match the action (without letters). Note there is no provision for a front sight on the barrel. Also the holes on the receiver for the rear sight are covered by wood - it never had open sights on it. Edit: forgot to mention, the middle swivel is Parker Hale stamped with a part number on it additionally.

[desperatedan]

Georg

If you've not seen it already here's a link to the AWM citation in that Wiki article quoted above (it's original link is dead). There are a couple of pictures which might be of interest. The rear PH target sight looks like it fixes above that rear scope mount and uses the top screw hole in the receiver. Interesting to see how a foresight is mounted too.

I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out they used a ZF69 scope for that trial. Same as the PH M82.

Omark (Sportco) M44 Target Rifle | Australian War Memorial -

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After some trying I finally figured that (at least in my Browser) I need to click the image and drag it to the left to see the second picture. Interesting, this would then mean the same rear sight would work on my rifle, despite my rifle does not have the stock cut lower to clear the two holes in front of the bolt release, as done to the AWM rifle. Mine does not have a compartment to the pistol grip. Based on these pictures I cannot make out how the front sight was mounted to this rifle.


Speaking today on a phone with a friend of mine and knowing (based on a GB thread) the serial of my rifle dates it to 1986 I said to him maybe the original scope on it was actually a Kahles ZF69 (but then thought the bases might be a bit too high for this). Now you make me want to try and find out if Parker-Hale rings would actually fit these bases. Only where to get them ..