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

Jerry, I agree. Have more good rifles than I need. But, just may buy a few more. With the current trend and the opinion of those in the know, they may hold their own down the line. Plus they don't eat much.

Same here, but a pre-64 will often get a look.

Bob, I can tell yo from experience, New England is different than the rest of the country as a rule... in about every area possible. Just sayin

Mr. Walker this is an honest ?

Are those "Browning" stickers or the Browning 'Buck Mark'
DEER HEAD ?


The reason I asked is that not too long ago I asked a friend who runs a Gun/Fishing shop...

Who is selling all the Brownings? He said what do you mean? I responded about the Browning Deer Head stickers.

He said, It's not the Browning guns, People like the Deer Head!

Just wondering if it's the same there.

Jerry

Most guys around here think you're talking about 1911's when you mention Kimber.

[quote=battue
But, just may buy a few more. With the current trend and the opinion of those in the know, they may hold their own down the line. Plus they don't eat much.[/quote]



Yes I understand. I have rifles/guns that I don't shoot often, some I haven't shot in a few yrs.

However, the only time ANY gun eats anything.... is when I shoot it. Otherwise they are on 'starvation'--not costing me anything.

OTOH - they hold their value IF not increase in worth.

Jerry

I'm a 60+ Canuck, and would rather build with a NH Classic, or even a Portugese (gasp) BACO, than chase parts for a pre-war transitional.
The Pre 64's are how old now?

Winchester XPR, that's the competition for the RAR etc. today;
Tikka is the standard that they compare to.

Yet that is Sako's cheaper line.

338: pre wars maybe....but I don't have to chase a single part to build on a post war pre 64 M70.

Thy don't need anything.

When Im cruising the show tables or used racks at lgs in my general area, I seldom see anything that doesn't need something. Or it is priced through the moon. If they have a pre 64, they know what they've got, and won't part with it cheaply.

Still One can hope

Good tip though about Post Wars needing less.

See more old BRNOs, than Pre 64s that get me interested, for the money and the market.

I would love a BRNO.....

They are easier to find your side of the border.

Here's a custom on a pre 64. It has been slicked up WAY beyond smooth but needed no parts far as I know. Function is perfect.

I'll agree with BobinNH that pre 64s usually only need ammo. No project necessary. Those were built by humans who cared, not robots and CNC.

My take on Winchesters is that they screwed the pooch when they left New Haven and opened up the new plant. When they started making their rifles again the price tags were quite a bit North of $700 for a stainless anything and their 94's were north of $800. When a guy could walk into a gun shop and Rem 700's, Rugers and M70's all sat side by side on the rack at or under $600 it was a matter of which one felt best or had the the best features (CRF, etc). Remington kept their price point of $550 or so for a stainless SPS, Ruger hovered around $600 and then there was the shiny Winchester without stainless and stickered at $758. I don't know anyone that's bought a new Winchester in the last 5-6 years.

On the flip side, sadly I think all 3 manufacturers are hell bent on making and selling as many of their low end almost all plastic cheap rifles anymore these days, pretty sad really.

What I couldn't do to those fludeleeeze's, you don't want to know.

Sharp rifle.

Sweet ! That's what we're talkin about. WOW Just Eye Popping


Where did that old school craftsmanship go though ?

I think Winchester is making a comeback, but looking at their catalog,
I can't help but wonder about their caliber choices, and twist rates.

They are mired in the past ( like Remington) with 14" .22-250s,
or 10" .243, .280, and of course .25-'06, and the venerable .270 JOC

^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^

Bob's rifle there is full on custom. The metal came from Winchester when they did things right. I'm not saying the pre 64's were the best (although, they were). Some of the New Haven rifles were very nice as well. For example, they went for about 17 years (with their head up their azz) without having a fwt rifle on the market. Back in 1981, they brought the fwt back and those XTR's were beautiful rifles:



Then in '92 when they brought the CRF back with the classics, things were looking pretty good for them. Now, we have the MOA and Portuguese manufacture to look forward to. Pass me an old rifle please...

Me, I'd be happy to find a used one with a WinLite stock, to swap over to my '92 Fwt Classic .280 Rem
10"

The wood on it is quite nice, but nothing like Bob's custom. Still drooling
Thanks Bob - don't bore me with details, whatever chambering & components went into the build are irrelevant.

It is Truly Magnificent !

No doubt Winchester is deader than bent nail. I have had to rescue three serious hunters from their Model 70's in the recent past. Poor guys didn't know how bad those CT rifles really were. It's tough work but I'm dedicated to helping the misinformed.

I have had two winlite fwts (06 and 270), and both were very good shooters. I always keep an eye out for another one at a decent price.

I have a Winlite in 7mm rem mag. It's about as good as a factory rifle gets IMO. The machining is better than any of the Model 70 classics and many pre 64's.