The Omark Model 44 is a

bolt-action Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed). Most bolt-action ...

single-shot

target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

made in Australia. First released in 1968 as the Sportco Model 44 produced in

Sportco Sportco was an Australian manufacturer of rifles and shotguns in Adelaide, South Australia, from 1947 until the early 1980s. Founded by Jack Warne, also known by its full name Sporting Arms Limited, began by manufacturing single shot 22LR rifles. ...

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

factory, production was taken over by Omark in the 1970s, then by MAB Engineering in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

in 1984. The rifle was the mainstay of Australian full bore

target shooting Shooting sports is a group of competitive and recreational sporting activities involving proficiency tests of accuracy, precision and speed in shooting — the art of using ranged weapons, mainly small arms ( firearms and airguns, in forms su ...

for many years replacing the .303in.

Lee–Enfield The Lee–Enfield or Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the British Army's st ...

. Being a purpose-built target rifle it soon showed its superiority against rebarrelled surplus rifles. It was also popular in Canadian competitions. The Omark Model 44 was tested as a

sniper rifle A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper. The modern sniper rifle is a por ...

by the

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...

but not adopted, as it is single shot only and the design could not easily be changed to a repeater. Originally just produced in 7.62×51mm it was later available in 5.56×45mm and others. MAB Engineering also produced a pistol version.{{Cite web , url=http://www.mab.com.au/products/firearms/pistol.htm , title=MAB , access-date=2008-06-01 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719161813/http://www.mab.com.au/products/firearms/pistol.htm , archive-date=2008-07-19 , url-status=dead

References

External links

sportco.org.au

MAB Engineering
5.56 mm firearms 7.62×51mm NATO rifles Single-shot bolt-action rifles Weapons of Australia