Am I the only one that does not like the way these new toy looking rifles look ?

My son likes those plastic stock rifles. Mind you, I own several and they serve a purpose. So, one day my son was going to show me this beautiful synthetic stock rifle, and yes it was a good-looking rifle, but when I told him that all those rifles looked the same. But a wood stock rifle would stand out and not two would be the same. I don't know where I went wrong, but he couldn't get it. Give me a wood stock rifle any day, but I'll always have a synthetic stock rifle for those bad weather days.

Sabre said:

Doing the same to a nice walnut stock often damages the stock and slightly bruises my soul (being dramatic).

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I get that. And that’s why my pretty guns tend to stay in the safe or only get used for the more “gentlemanly” hunts like hunting exotics or whitetails in TX out of a blind. For a coues deer in the rocky thorny deserts I drag my carbon fiber stocked, suppressed, guns.

While I love a wood stock, the Savage Timberline with the synthetic stock, blue printed aauction and aluminum bedding block flat out shoots. Both my 308 and 300 WM are sub MOA rifles.

I do agree with Shot Show assessment. The traditional rifles where there, just had to look.

The Ruger Hawkeye Hunters where nice.

The Lipseys Hawkeye Alaskans with the laminated stock in 9.3X62 and 35 Wheelen were cool.

It was the year of the Suppressor and lever gun.
The precision rifle market is huge right now, but that shall pass.
It seemed like there was a thousand or more AR assembler companies there.

The Pedersoli (I think) double rifle in 44 Mag was kinda cool. The rail on it was a bit of a turn off.

The example of the Rizzini Double rifle felt well balanced and shouldered nicely.

Tools for a job. Having used almost every style of military weapon in combat, I could care less about AR style weapons. Feels like cosplay to me, Now a beautiful wood stock classic rifle does it for me.

They’re building what sells…

Young people want chassis guns, tactical bolt knobs, synthetic everything, and muzzle brakes… and they are the predominant consumer these days… if more of us old farts were buying up every new wood stocked, deep blue rifle they built, they’d build more… but we keep buying pre-64 winchesters…

Personally, I love them all… the wood on my wife’s double is something to behold, as is craftsmanship on my AyA 16 bore… but the precision of my factory built Christensen 300 PRC is something I could barely match with my custom built “sniper” rifle that I was using 25 years ago.. and can be purchased for about 1/2 the cost in today’s value…

Im not a fan of Tupperware stocks. Well done fiberglass or carbon fiber is another matter and functionally a step up from wood. I have a rifle with a very well done fiberglass stock and its amazing. Its going to outlive me despite having a rough life.

I do like wood stock rifles and shotguns - they can last a very long time even if they aren't babied. I have some old shotguns that have more pins and glue in them than wood now and they still function fine. Ugly to the normal man but in my mind beautiful - all those old battle scars were put there by family in years past. The good thing about wood is no matter what happens to it (short of fire), it can be fixed.

I like em all. Id love to have a Heym Express and id also love to have an AI ASX and a PRI mk12 and a glock 19 and a blued colt python. It all has a place and we're lucky here in America that the only thing stopping us is our bank accounts.

Choupique said:

Im not a fan of Tupperware stocks. Well done fiberglass or carbon fiber is another matter and functionally a step up from wood. I have a rifle with a very well done fiberglass stock and its amazing. Its going to outlive me despite having a rough life.

I do like wood stock rifles and shotguns - they can last a very long time even if they aren't babied. I have some old shotguns that have more pins and glue in them than wood now and they still function fine. Ugly to the normal man but in my mind beautiful - all those old battle scars were put there by family in years past. The good thing about wood is no matter what happens to it (short of fire), it can be fixed.

I like em all. Id love to have a Heym Express and id also love to have an AI ASX and a PRI mk12 and a glock 19 and a blued colt python. It all has a place and we're lucky here in America that the only thing stopping us is our bank accounts.

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Choupique


What part of Louisiana are you from?


I wonder how many of the avid sportsmen on here ( and there are a lot) know what a “choupique” is?

C’est si bon!

I like and use them all. With respect to rifles that have a tactical look, that has been the story in this country after every major conflict. WWI and returning Doughboys largely heralded the demise of the lever action and mid-range loads as America's primary hunting arms. WWII made semi-automatics the norm, particularly among shotgunners as M1 and M1 carbine armed GIs returned from WWII went back to hunting (remember America's big game animal, the whitetail, would not begin its explosive rebirth for a couple of decades after the war.) Today nearly 7 million Americans have served in conflicts following Vietnam including the Gulf War and the GWOT. Many millions of others served. Their youthful battle or training experiences were with things that looked much more like the current new rifle designs than a pre-64 Model 70. Like their predecessors, they are comfortable with those rifles.

I like most rifle designs and use them as appropriate for a given purpose. I have said here many times, I believe the Blaser R8 is the finest production rifle yet created, and I have used one in various calibers on four continents. It is my go to choice for almost any conditions. On the other hand, my two "favorite" rifles are my Bradshaw SS in 7x65R and Rigby in .275. My repel boarders and pig solutions are base on the AR design.

Blaser R8 in .257 WBY configuration.


Bailey Bradshaw SS in 7x65R


Rigby .275

DD M4

Las3453 said:

...<snip>...

Rachel Welch in her prime? Perfect analogy. Timeless beauty and performance never go out of style. Stick with what you love the classics are still the gold standard. What's your favorite old school rifle in the safe right now?

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Just a little reminder and example.

Raquel Welch with her 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Spider.






photos credit:

How Raquel Welch charmed her way into a multi-million dollar Ferrari – for free
Hollywood icon Raquel Welch didn't just sizzle on screen, she was a shrewd negotiator and managed to score a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Spider as a 'thanks' for starring in a pretty ordinary movie.
-- Drive Team | 16 February 2023
https://www.drive.com.au/caradvice/...into-a-multi-million-dollar-ferrari-for-free/

Ferrari 275
"The 275 GTS was a two-seat grand touring spider produced from 1964 to 1966. The 275 GTS was introduced at the same time as the 275 GTB and was mechanically almost identical, sharing the 3.3 litre V12, transaxle, chassis and fully independent suspension."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferrari_275

Cheers! Bob F.

Between BR and NOLA.

Flipper Dude said:

know what a “choupique” is?

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If you've never thought you had an 8 pound bass just to get your heart broken when you finally get it close enough to net, youre missing out on one of Louisiana's specialist experiences.

I might use such a rifle, but I’d never let it be in the picture afterward. Plastic black guns are a lot like fat chicks and scooters. They may be fun to hang out with, but you wouldn't want your friends to see you with them.

dgr416 said:

I looked at a run through of most all of the new rifles from the shotsow .I hardly saw any I liked most had toy like stocks and usually bolt like a doorlock bolt .The new rifles have lost my interest almost totally .I loved Weatgerby Accumarks when I bought mine 25 years ago but these plastic rail guns dont appeal to me at all .They look like they would melt by the fire or get stuck in every stray limb they touched in all those holes .I hated when they tried to make lever guns look like ar15s too not my cup of tea .I guess I just got stuck in time but my rifles still shoot cloverleafs at 100 yards and are smooth as butter to bolt .I am seeing alot better deals for a new rifle buying a classic one thats awesome and as classic as Rachel Welch was in her youth .

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As my son said recently, "they have no soul." I can't disagree. There is just something about deeply blued carbon steel and well finished, nicely figured walnut that brings that inanimate object to life, begs a name and worms its way into one's consciousness.

The issue I have is more of quality. Not saying synth stocked rifles are not or cannot be. But alot of guns are just churned out cheap stuff. For the sake of consunerism. And im not a fan. Sure they work but there junk. Highpoint pistols being a great exampld.

Flipper Dude said:

Choupique


What part of Louisiana are you from?


I wonder how many of the avid sportsmen on here ( and there are a lot) know what a “choupique” is?

C’est si bon!

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Choupique said:

Between BR and NOLA.



If you've never thought you had an 8 pound bass just to get your heart broken when you finally get it close enough to net, youre missing out on one of Louisiana's specialist experiences.

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Born in Thibodaux, and I also caught entirely too many choupique thinking I had nailed a huge bass.

I prefer wood and blue steel, so some of my rifles have 2 stocks. Yes, I have a couple of stainless steel rifles, with laminated stocks. No rail guns.

I guess you have to post dead stuff to justify rifles or toys. This SS Win M70 CRF 338-06 in H-S Precision stock, with Krieger barrel is as far as I’ll go down tonkatoyrifle lane. The only certifiable tonkatoy handgun I have is a Glock- no brain use and reliability under stress.

About 20 years ago I decided to build the toughest, most reliable mid-bore rifle I could for all conditions from Alaska to Africa. Seems to have worked ok for big caribou, 63+” kudu and 40+” bull oryx.

I like and appreciate both. As a young man, I collected a lot of "Black" rifles. I even deer hunted for a few years with a FAL. Not exactly a classic hunting rifle. It worked great. But, I grew up and matured,.. a little and these days most of my hunting rifles are classic old blued steel and walnut bolt actions. But my most accurate rifles are all synthetic stock, stainless, carbon, titanium wundarkind types. Sako S20, FF CT Edge, etc.

I will say what works great in Africa or the dry desert Southwest is not necessarily the hot ticket for Montana winters, the Yukon or Alaska in the fall of the year. For those, I would prefer a stainless, carbon option.

I will say that I am totally turned off by the bolt action 6.5cm rifles that look more like a bolt action AR15 than a hunting rifle. They may shoot great but are not for me. Nice old FN Browning for example which I used to kill my 1st African critter with one well placed shot at about 20y. A Nyala bull. Yes, we stalked on foot to 20y and all I could see was a 12" patch of hair, lol. Good Stuff. The bull took two steps and expired. 180g Fed Fusion bonded.

Handguns are the vast majority of the market. My area has three indoor ranges and parking can sometimes be an issue. There, you won't see blued steel and wood rifles, ARs and other black guns, yes. Same goes for my gun club. Pistol range gets more use than three rifle ranges combined. Other than rimfires and vintage black powder, can't remember the last time I saw a classic wood and steel rifle.

I have always viewed my firearms as tools, not works of art. I prefer plain wood or a synthetic stock on a traditional looking rifle. I’m not an AR or even a thumb hole guy, modern precision rifles with pistol grip stocks don’t excite me but I wholeheartedly support your choice to own and use them. Several years ago, someone on AH started a thread asking about your favorite artist. My answer was simple “John Moses Browing” his firearms are simple but elegant, just functional guns for the working man.

dgr416 said:

I looked at a run through of most all of the new rifles from the shotsow .I hardly saw any I liked most had toy like stocks and usually bolt like a doorlock bolt .The new rifles have lost my interest almost totally .I loved Weatgerby Accumarks when I bought mine 25 years ago but these plastic rail guns dont appeal to me at all .They look like they would melt by the fire or get stuck in every stray limb they touched in all those holes .I hated when they tried to make lever guns look like ar15s too not my cup of tea .I guess I just got stuck in time but my rifles still shoot cloverleafs at 100 yards and are smooth as butter to bolt .I am seeing alot better deals for a new rifle buying a classic one thats awesome and as classic as Rachel Welch was in her youth .

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dgr416 said:

Hey Kids! Now you too can have your very own Assault-a- Buck Rifle by Mattel!

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