Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
Articles
Latest reviews
Author list
Classifieds
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Hunting
Long Range Hunting & Shooting
A Critical Look at the Failure of the Outdoor Media and Modern Hunting Rifles
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="woolecox" data-source="post: 595384" data-attributes="member: 18551"><p>I thought the article was more about the decline in "quality" rather than the decline in aesthetics. And I did <strong>not</strong> think he was saying you had to own an "old 1960 model number so and so" to have a pretty and accurate rifle.</p><p></p><p>Looks do not matter that much to me as long as the gun is not butt ugly. It has taken me 3 decades but, I have finally been able to afford 3 custom guns. Each a little better than the last. Neither are particularly beautiful with fine walnut and deep glossy steel. In fact, they all sport McMillan pillar/glass bedded stocks in different cammo patterns. The metal has been treated for weather resistance and glare reduction.</p><p></p><p>The actions are trued Rem 700, Rem 40x, and Bat Machine; in that order. the caliber's in order of build are; 7mm Rem Mag, 308 Win, and 243 Ackley Improved. They are ridiculously accurate and could be used as a jack handle if necessary. Glass is premium and I would expect these rifles to last many generations and need only occasionally to be re-barreled (Shilen/Krieger). The trend that Chuck Hawks describes seems to be the opposite in the custom gun world; better metallurgy, tooling, and techniques, etc. have led to more accurate and rugged rifles. </p><p></p><p>My experience with factory rifles has been similar to Chuck Hawks. I bought my first "deer" rifle from a local gun shop in S. Texas in 1983; a Ruger M77 in 25-06 Rem. It was preowned but never fired. I had been a hunter for more than a decade prior to that purchase using my Dad, Grandfather, and Uncle's guns.</p><p></p><p>I purchased that gun topped with a Burris Sig 3x9 scope in 1983 for $235.00. That is also the same year I started reloading. Fortunately I had some good teachers. That gun remains in my safe today because it will shoot 3 shots at 100 yards around 1 inch. I have owned many other guns that have passed on to Gun Broker or otherwise sold or traded. It has taken many varmints, predators, and game in my hands and in the hands of my sons and hunting buddies in the last near 3 decades. If you compare it to a new M77, you will see that the fit, finish, machine work, bluing, weight of barrel, trigger quality are all far better on the 30 year old rifle. Thus a decline in quality.</p><p></p><p>In 1983 I could certainly not afford a fancy Weatherby, Jarrett, or any other high end rifle that all the rich cattlemen and oil men where using in S. Texas at the time. In fact, it was hard for me to scrape up $235! This rifle got me in the woods and hunting. Which is really what it is all about. I wish a rifle of this quality could still be bought today at even 3 time the price.</p><p></p><p>It is always entertaining read these threads and hear of guys shooting competition groups at competition ranges (in the field) with sub $500 guns and optics. I'm not hear to say it ain't so, but in my 40 years of hunting and shooting in the fields, ranges, woods, mountains, bean fields, and planes, I have not seen it. </p><p></p><p>As for Chuck Hawks; he has vastly more experience with far more firearms than I ever will. So when people like that write or talk, I tend to listen up. </p><p></p><p>Cheers,</p><p>Woolly</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="woolecox, post: 595384, member: 18551"] I thought the article was more about the decline in "quality" rather than the decline in aesthetics. And I did [B]not[/B] think he was saying you had to own an "old 1960 model number so and so" to have a pretty and accurate rifle. Looks do not matter that much to me as long as the gun is not butt ugly. It has taken me 3 decades but, I have finally been able to afford 3 custom guns. Each a little better than the last. Neither are particularly beautiful with fine walnut and deep glossy steel. In fact, they all sport McMillan pillar/glass bedded stocks in different cammo patterns. The metal has been treated for weather resistance and glare reduction. The actions are trued Rem 700, Rem 40x, and Bat Machine; in that order. the caliber's in order of build are; 7mm Rem Mag, 308 Win, and 243 Ackley Improved. They are ridiculously accurate and could be used as a jack handle if necessary. Glass is premium and I would expect these rifles to last many generations and need only occasionally to be re-barreled (Shilen/Krieger). The trend that Chuck Hawks describes seems to be the opposite in the custom gun world; better metallurgy, tooling, and techniques, etc. have led to more accurate and rugged rifles. My experience with factory rifles has been similar to Chuck Hawks. I bought my first "deer" rifle from a local gun shop in S. Texas in 1983; a Ruger M77 in 25-06 Rem. It was preowned but never fired. I had been a hunter for more than a decade prior to that purchase using my Dad, Grandfather, and Uncle's guns. I purchased that gun topped with a Burris Sig 3x9 scope in 1983 for $235.00. That is also the same year I started reloading. Fortunately I had some good teachers. That gun remains in my safe today because it will shoot 3 shots at 100 yards around 1 inch. I have owned many other guns that have passed on to Gun Broker or otherwise sold or traded. It has taken many varmints, predators, and game in my hands and in the hands of my sons and hunting buddies in the last near 3 decades. If you compare it to a new M77, you will see that the fit, finish, machine work, bluing, weight of barrel, trigger quality are all far better on the 30 year old rifle. Thus a decline in quality. In 1983 I could certainly not afford a fancy Weatherby, Jarrett, or any other high end rifle that all the rich cattlemen and oil men where using in S. Texas at the time. In fact, it was hard for me to scrape up $235! This rifle got me in the woods and hunting. Which is really what it is all about. I wish a rifle of this quality could still be bought today at even 3 time the price. It is always entertaining read these threads and hear of guys shooting competition groups at competition ranges (in the field) with sub $500 guns and optics. I'm not hear to say it ain't so, but in my 40 years of hunting and shooting in the fields, ranges, woods, mountains, bean fields, and planes, I have not seen it. As for Chuck Hawks; he has vastly more experience with far more firearms than I ever will. So when people like that write or talk, I tend to listen up. Cheers, Woolly [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Hunting
Long Range Hunting & Shooting
A Critical Look at the Failure of the Outdoor Media and Modern Hunting Rifles
Top