The Current Change In Hunting Rifles

[silentflyer]

I am with you, plastic is for Tupperware, rifles and handguns should be steel and wood.

 

[Arik]

I'm in the opinion that people invest too much emotions into guns.

 

[Comrad]

I love the wood, even on my revolvers. the only plastic grip I have is on a my 6906.

 

[fyimo]

I'm in the opinion that people invest too much emotions into guns.

Old school rifles are not for everyone as they are just tools but I guess I like pretty tools. I also was taught at a young age on how to refinish wood stocks so it doesn't brother me when I decide one is beat up to refinish it. That's part of the joy of owning them and I understand when people buy the current rifles with the plastic stocks that everyone has a choice.

H&R 301 Ultra Rifle 25-06 with FN commercial action and Douglas air gauged barrel and Manlicher stock.



Custom 25-06 built on a Mauser action.

 

[Arik]

It's hard to explain typing. I have no problems with old school and own a dozen military surplus rifles. I like them, I like shooting them but I have no emotional attachment to any of them and prefer if they were self cleaning! . It's just something that I use but don't fuss over.

 

[.455_Hunter]

I am 39 and can't stand the new trend in rifles. Previously, buying something off the "budget" line got you the same fundamental quality as the higher end products, like the Winchester Model 70 "Ranger" or the Remington 700 ADL. I understand that a plastic stock has its place, especially on a rifle used in extreme weather, but the current guns just seem like junk with crude simplistic designs, as many chincy plastic parts as possible, and no attempt at finishing. The analogy to Glock is correct, and why I don't own any of those either.

 

[vonn]

For my serious hunting rifles I use function over looks when making my choice of which gun to hunt with. Having said that I have beat up some very nice blued and wood rifles and harvested plenty of game with them and would not hesitate to use any gun I have to hunt with.

 

[Big Stick]

I went to a suburban hs back in the late 80's(you remember, back before having a pocket knife would get you expelled), and more than a few kids in my shop classes brought in their own, or a family members rifles/shotguns, and either ordered precut blanks out of a catalog the shop teacher had, or in one case, turned one out of a burled walnut tree cut down from his back yard. The actions were either taken home, or, when it came time for all the fitting, were secured in a locked cabinet in the shop teachers office. Some of them even did some hand checkering and inlays. Considering I had a cheap Winchester 12 ga that I did a bunch of duck hunting with at the time, it wasn't really feasable for me to do it, as that gun was put through the wringer on a weekly basis during the fall.

Those were the days....

 

[weatherby]

My question is even though these are great values is it just us old guys that still love the old school rifles with a pretty stock, excellent trigger, free floated barrel and good scope?

I think the appreciation is there where the economics may not be.
Very few companies now put out a wood stocked gun that is affordable.
CZ rimfires may be an example of one that still does and they seem to do quite well. There FS series calls to me.

 

[Frank237]

I've got a few semi customs with nice wood and a few other post and pre 64 Winchesters in wood. But have to admit the two trued and accurized Rem 700's I have, in glass stocks see far more use.

I can appreciate a blued rifle in a nicely figured walnut stock, but you simply can't beat glass for consistent accuracy.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

My question is even though these are great values is it just us old guys that still love the old school rifles with a pretty stock, excellent trigger, free floated barrel and good scope?

I think the appreciation is there where the economics may not be.
Very few companies now put out a wood stocked gun that is affordable.
CZ rimfires may be an example of one that still does and they seem to do quite well. There FS series calls to me.

Not at all Sir, not at all. I have been in love with old school beauty and workmanship since I can remember.... But like you imply, I made do with what I could afford for awhile till I was able to get a couple heirloom pieces....

But admittedly, those danged S&W's were eating up all of my extra allowance for quite a while and kept shuffling my Super Grade to the back burner...

 

[olskool]

how is this for an olskool rifle? my model 14 remington in 30 rem. cal. made in 1912

 

[BigGman243]

I have both types and I do prefer the wood stock on rifle and handguns but I have a savage 11vt in 22-250 and plastic stock. It ain't a pretty gun plastic stock doesn't fit well and looks cheap but for the price a great shooter. I think a lot of it boils down to what you have to spend and what you are going to do with it. what about shotguns I bought a old Stevens model 77 it has walnut stock and forearm I would much rather have it than a new Remington or mossberg from Walmart with plastic or cheap wood.

 

[jaymoore]

I don't know where I fall. Can be found in the woods with a P'53 Sergeant's rifled musket built around 1860, with a .223 AR that's taken lots of deer, or a $3000 (new) Winchester Ultimate Classic Model 70 left hand that I've spray painted to cut the brightness of the factory stainless, not to mention much odder and uglier things. (SAGE stocked M1A for one.):

Still looking for a Dakota in LH and smallish bore (one of these days!), but did get an older (1990s?) blued LH Winchester '06 Model 70 Classic NIB last month, just because it looked good.

 

[gmiller0737]

I just don't care for a Plastic Stock (Except on a AR) To Me a Rifle is more than just a tool & platic stocked bolt actions have about as much appeal as a Axe or Shovel

 

[ACP230]

I hunt deer most with a Ruger 77RL in .250 Savage with a nice wood stock. And grouse with a Italian 20 gauge OU with wood that looks good too. Like them both and have taken most of the game I've killed with them.

A few years back my younger son and I went out to hunt deer after he
got out of school. It was the last day of the rifle season, snowing but not too hard. When we got to the bit of slashed woods we were hunting the snow came harder. By the end of the light the snow was coming sideways. It wasn't light fluffy stuff either but small, nasty, wet flakes that piled up quick and made getting out to the highway again a crawl, rather than a drive.

The snow got all over the rifles we had with us and made keeping the
scopes usable a chore. The rifles were a mess when we got home.
Took some work to get them dry. More work later to be sure we had
done so.

On that kind of day, or when it's spitting rain in bird season, I like to
hunt with another gun. It's a Mossberg 590 12 gauge with a black parkerized finish, and black plastic furniture. Rain or snow don't
mean a thing to it.

So, put me as an older guy with a foot in both camps.

 

[bigmoose]

how is this for an olskool rifle? my model 14 remington in 30 rem. cal. made in 1912

That Remington model 14 has what we, who live near the Ilion factory, call "employee grade wood". Every once in a while you will see a standard grade rifle with wood like yours. Outstanding.

I have a Model 12 (.22) that was originally my great uncle's with wood that is normally found on "D" grade guns.

 

[SC_Mike]

First of all, Happy Birthday.

My first hunting rifle. I wanted to wait for a .308 but when I saw the wood I "settled" for the .270, a 1994 Rem 700 ADL, Nikon Monarch scope.

Not a good pic, but.

 

[olskool]

the other side.

 

[gregintenn]

Old school...


New fangled.....


I vote "BOTH!!!"