I think the rifle is perfect the way it is right now and should not be touched. You should instead focus your resources on something else. Making any changes to the rifle only means making it weaker, and that would make me a sad panda.
A battle rifle wouldn't be all that awful, especially if you change the name. I don't think you can fix it without some model work removing the scope and speeding up the action animation (i.e. never), but you might just be able to make it not destroy pubs by playing with scripts.
If you make it like this, with manual bolt clocking, and and an option of removing the scope, I will most likely stop having tantrums in the corner.
This made me remember the NF heavy rifle, I forgot because I havent seen it used at all. Dont think I have been killed by one at all since I returned.