Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Is Winchester rifles a thing of the past?

Then why don't the young people of today want a quality rifle?

Bob may be right in that the majority today's hunters, for the most part, don't hunt all that hard physically, but do their hunting mainly out of stands. Yet it seems as if many of the hard core hunters that post here are willing to buy quality.


Back in the day, good rifles were not cheap. A Model 70 based on current dollars cost at least as much as today and maybe more.

Have small groups from Bic rifles taken the place of the desire for a good rifle that has proven itself over time? As if a 0.25in smaller group is going to save a hunt.

Have places like the fire, with its many nitpicking threads on this caliber vs another birthed a new generation that is willing to be satisfied with a throwaway rifle? It works for now, I'll want something else tomorrow. So what if it is only worth $50. 20years down the road?

I don't see it as a disposable income issue. At least not all that much from what I see here. Many go thru them like buying and trying different brands of boots.

Interesting change in values from back in the day.

Good is good, I'm personally not all that concerned with where it is made.

Depending on the area of the country you live...the Model 70 has been a thing of the past long before BACO took over. Which may have something to do with BACO taking over...

We've got a generation that will spend a day waiting in line for a phone, I don't think they'll ever be convinced that something should be almost a permanent fixture. Everything is temporary and the only thing exciting is the next thing.

Maybe it all started in 1965 at Winchester and had been spiraling down ever since. I've only handled a few pre '64 70's and never felt such a smooth bolt. I'd argue it's custom by today's standards and the lack of CNC and hand fitted parts is what made them what they are.

No significant improvements in factory rifles over the last 50 years? Sure the basic concept of a bolt action hunting rifle has not changed nor should it but What about the rifles these days that are made with computer controlled CNC machines with tolerances that could have only been dreamed back in the "Good old days"? Not to mention the new synthetic stock materials that have made modern day high end rifles almost impervious to weather and hard use?....I say the the high end rifles coming off the lines today are light years ahead of rifles built half a century ago.........I do agree that the market for quality rifles has shrunk considerably and will only get smaller..........Hb

Then why don't the young people of today want a quality rifle?

Bob may be right in that the majority today's hunters, for the most part, don't hunt all that hard physically, but do their hunting mainly out of stands. Yet it seems as if many of the hard core hunters that post here are willing to buy quality.


Back in the day, good rifles were not cheap. A Model 70 based on current dollars cost at least as much as today and maybe more.

Have small groups from Bic rifles taken the place of the desire for a good rifle that has proven itself over time? As if a 0.25in smaller group is going to save a hunt.

Have places like the fire, with its many nitpicking threads on this caliber vs another birthed a new generation that is willing to be satisfied with a throwaway rifle? It works for now, I'll want something else tomorrow. So what if it is only worth $50. 20years down the road?

I don't see it as a disposable income issue. At least not all that much from what I see here. Many go thru them like buying and trying different brands of boots.

Interesting change in values from back in the day.

Good is good, I'm personally not all that concerned with where it is made.

Addition: And who does make a great American rifle today? Many say Remingtons suck. Winchester the same with the trigger. Kimber roulette. Rugars are crude, heavy and should have left the safety on the tang. And those beetches don't always originate with the younger crowd. Maybe the back in the day boys are the reason.