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

Times change and it's nothing new.

How most people hunt is changing. Most of the new guys are afraid of learning how to work a pump or they will miss an opportunity in the learning process.

Like days gone by maybe the TV "stars" and magazine adds subject them to a subliminal peer pressure not realized. Can't deny that "back in the day" O'Conner, Jobson, Trueblood, Woolner, Tapply, Spiller, etc, etc, influenced a couple generations of us.

History repeats and TC Encores and such are the new rage.

Then again, many don't shy from spending big dollars on scopes???? The scope has become the quality status symbol for many. Interesting stuff.

And snuff has replaced the pipe.

16: The stocks are very nice. The metal is a little more refined than a pre 64 but otherwise, mechanically there is little difference. They have a Mauser-type breach.

I think they don't get mentioned because they are carriage trade items and pricey for the average guy.

Battue

Hunting has crossed to a skateboard, Supercross, flat brim, $500 techno Ralph Lauren camo outfit and the antler backpack stuffed selfie in front of a vast horizon to end up on Instagram bullschit look at me I'm joe long range mentality. Phuqq Kuiu nation.

Bob

Didn't see any sort of stainless, but they are nice looking deals. Way outta my wheelhouse though.

That's just what I was thinking.

Skateboarding, Supercross and such are instant fun and not much of a hassle to just go do it. Hunting takes patience in the long run. Posted land for many kids here in the East is a hassle and kids today don't need hassle when it comes to finding ways to have fun and I get it.

I'm probably going snowboarding on Sunday. I'll forgo the flat brim cap. I'm not good at it, but like a pump will eventually make do. It will be fun, if nothing breaks.

Yeah that's the problem....they are a carriage trade item....


I think they do make a SS version.

The most primitave activity known to man, besides phuqqing, has been made complicated for no reason other than marketing.

We were a big Dakota dealer at one time (75+ in stock). As a customer, I noticed the same rifles on the shelf for years. After I came into the business, I really started tracking turns -- about 1 every 120 days. We had a tremendous amount of capital invested in the line. They were in prime retail space and it was costing us money to keep them. I decided to liquidate the inventory. We sold a few on Gunbroker and then I worked a deal out with another shop to buy what was left.

More to the point -- the guys that did buy them weren't youngsters! No doubt financial stability and attention to quality played a huge role in that, but the younger crowd just wasn't really interested in wood/walnut.

Funny story -- when Harry (Battue) visited a few years back, he barely left the Dakota and Cooper racks. I honestly can't believe he didn't take one home! He talked about those rifles for the next couple of days.

Sorry Harry. Couldn't resist in sharing it!

I think the young'uns are more worried about 5# ultralights and shaving their balls.

I was tempted, but one thing good about age is some temptations you learn to fight. Beautiful rifles, and one nice wood stocked rifle has always been thought about. Scratches wouldn't bother me, but have more than enough good rifles that suit me fine.

Now, the right shotgun may have been too much. 😳

Addition: 5 are Model 70's, 3 of which are pre 64. The best shooter is a Classic .308W with a Bartlen barrel. A good Smith that knows his stuff is the shortcut to a great rifle.

Young people TODAY are more concerned with EXPERIENCES than they are with STUFF.

All you 'old guys' with vaults full of stuff have shown the young 'who gives a [bleep] about stuff'

I applaud them for that, because they are right.

How may 20 year olds are you around on a daily basis?

Work with at least 20, three to four days a week.

Young guy that took my snowboarding is a hoot. The switch is young guiding the old.

They're more interested in the number of "likes" they get for the experience, than the experience itself. It's a world of selfies and look at me.

But a picture really is worth 1000 words because the communication skills are absolutely pathetic.

We have created a world of 'narcissism' !! PITTY

LISTEN to real people on TV - news broadcasters, etc. proper English.....hahaha Pathetic!

They don't KNOW ...... Ridiculous!

edit: on top of that 40% of Young Adults STILL live at home w/mommie & daddy....

Jerry

Some really do need to be around some of the younger crew. They are not all like you make them out to be.

You would be surprised at the ones that voted for Trump in the group I work with. Prior to the election, we had some interesting conversations. Some were undecided and some were sure they were going to vote for him. Some didn't, but there were enough that saw thru the BS on their own that gives hope.

I'm fortunate to have the work I do and can do it part time. I'm also fortunate to work with a much younger generation.

I've taken groups of them shooting sporting clays. Most will probably never hunt, but they saw a part of something most didn't know existed and came away asking to do it again.

I work with more than a few that are paying out $800 to $1100 a month on student loans. That have apartment roommates or are married and working at getting by. Some putting in 60hour weeks to do so.

Funny how that works out most of time. Non shooters getting to go shooting will get plenty of them hooked

THOSE are NOT living w/mommie & daddy. correct ?

Most of the better hunters up here buy quality and have very good taste in rifles. There is a greater demand for Kimber Ascents and Winchester Extreme Sporters than Remington 783s. The stores order tons of the cheap rifles to make money on all of the accessories that go with them but up here its harder to find a good rifle than an accurate rifle that looks like a Chinese manufactured farming implement.

A young hunter has to have a rifle malfunction once out in the field facing a grizzly bear or losing a big moose to figure out that," Yes Virginia. You get what you pay for."

Yes there are people who have safes of good serviceable safe queens up here that might not get dirty. But a rifle like a good woman should not be measured by her appearance but her performance out in the field.