OzFclass

Foxy,
It's horses for courses ---- if you want to shoot FS successfully, then build a dedicated target rifle, and get yourself another rifle for hunting. I am a FS shooter, a wind coach ( at times ), and a keen deer hunter, and in that capacity, I would offer you the following advice.
Build a target rifle on a target rifle action --- say an Omark, which you can buy for around $250 -- $350. I use Tobler barrels, but most brands are similar in price. You could have a Tobler fitted for around $700. You don't have to pay big money for a good scope -- in my club, we are using Lynx scopes 16 or 20 power, and we have had no trouble with them, and they have done their fair share of winning. Cost is around $850. Total cost of rifle is around $2000 max. I would use a bipod from Ken Larkin or Barry Davies --- don't bother with a Harris type for FS. A rifle of that description will be extremely competitive in FS, depending on user ability, of course.
I would not buy a scope with 1/8th adjustments for FS --- anyone who thinks he can read wind changes to 1/8th at long range ( 7/8/9/10/11/1200yd) is kidding himself, and if the wind is switching quickly, especially in large lumps, then it is easy to lose track of where you are on the wind arm. Speaking as a coach, they are a pain in the rear end. Get a scope with 1/4 adjustments.
The hunting rifle depends on what you are hunting, but whatever calibre you choose, shot placement is still the most important thing. I have a Tikka T3 Lite stainless in 30.06, which weighs 3.25kg with a Pecar scope on top, and a Sako .338WM with a 2 - 7 Leupold on it, and it weighs about 5.5kg. I find the Tikka 30.06 to be an excellent all-round rifle, and on a zero target at 100yds, it will shoot 5 shot groups under 1". It has accounted for small deer such as hog deer, as well as the much larger and tougher Sambar deer, and I prefer it to the .338. The Tikka cost me $850 and the Pecar was around $1200.
For your $4000 you could have two rifles which would stand you in good stead in both FS target shooting and on the hunting scene.
Regards and good luck.
John

I have a foot in each camp. For F standard I use my Rem 700 308 hunting rifle with a target scope ,then switch to the hunting scope in the Leupold QR mounts. This gun does fairly well ,especialy for a cheap hunting rifle. However if I was serious about F standard ,I would screw a 30" long 14" twist true flite barrel onto my Stohle panda in a 3" BR tracker style stock. I know the target style rifle is much more predictable and user freindly.
I think if I was to start from scratch and build a dedicated F standard rifle on a budget ,I would buy a second hand full bore rifle (lots of them going cheap), mill the stock so the fore end is flat, unless the barrel is near new ,start of with a new 30" long custom barrel and fit a 6-24 or 8-32x scope. This option should end up being about the same price or cheaper than a new Remington ,but be more suited to target work.

If you do end up getting the Remington so you can do some hunting ,then get weaver style bases and Leupold QR rings on the hunting scope and Burris signiture rings with the offset inserts on your target scope so you can swap from cheap ,low powered hunting scope to your good target scope and keep a very close zero. The off set inserts will give you more elevation for 800 meters and still be able to wind the scope down for 100-300 yds. Get a trigger job done straight away and check bedding/barrel float

I'm sure someone will let me know if this is not a good idea but because of F Class needing a somewhat bulky stock would you not be able to have another stock inletted for the same rifle in a shape more suitable to hunting and have the best of both worlds. I know it would still be quite heavy.
I have seen this done and alows for high accuracy in both sports at a reduced price.

Regards

Rob Alman