Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What are the 10 most important developments in the past 40 years?

Since we are asking "WWJD", or "what would Jack do", lets expand on the topic. While some here are not even 40 years old, what do the more senior members of 24HCF think are the ten most important changes to the hunting/shooting world? This could encompass, rifles, optics, bullets, or whatever you think is important.

For longrange shooting I think the laser range finder with angle comp and other features is a good candidate.

Better everything.

Online mapping.

I'm only 34 so I'll let you old [bleep] figure this out.....grin

(if I was old I'd say Laser and maybe Depends for those long days in the stand)

That's [bleep] funny Sam. Maybe for some of these old fuggers the invention of the electric powered golf cart would get er done... . Sneak up on those 8 year old dinks and azz shoot them when they don't know you are there.....

CNC machining.

Bigwhoop: I would rate the dependable and weatherproof variable scopes as one of the more important improvements to the Hunting clan over the last 4 decades.
I use variable scopes now with such complete trust that I no longer even consider fixed power scopes for my Hunting.
There were GREAT Hunting bullets back 40 years ago (Nosler Partitions) but now they are everywhere and commonplace and of many manufacturers.
I seldom go Hunting anymore without my Leica 900 laser rangefinder - these contraptions are light years ahead of what we tried to get to work for us 40 years ago!
I also am greatly impressed with the variety and prevalence of shooting bi-pods for Rifles - led by the new swiveling Harris types - in fact I just switched my high swiveling Harris bi-pod from my Deer Rifle to my Elk Rifle this evening as tomorrow is time to head into Elk country.
Bi-pods are another thing I seldom go afield without anymore.
40 years ago there just wasn't anything to compare with todays Rifle bi-pods.
I got to speak with Mr.O'Connor at an N.R.A. Convention in Portland, Oregon many years ago - a tall and pleasant man was he, with his wife in tow that day.
It would be interesting to know what he would consider to be the most important improvement for the Hunter/shooter in the last 4 decades?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

That hurt.

37 here and have been big game hunting since '86. Yes, lots of improvements from scopes, ammunition, range finders, etc.


But for me personally I'd say the biggest thing in that time period are GPS units. I've always had a good sense of direction and wondered the North woods of Minnesota for countless of miles with the Superior National Forest literally in my back yard growing up and only once got slightly lost in a cedar swamp approaching dark but I have to say it sure is nice pressing a couple buttons and not really having to second guess where you want to go or what you want to find again.

[bleep] Sam..........I am "almost" 42..........will I need the walking frame soon???

Heck!!

Gus

Fiberglass stocks.
Fleece/polypropylene
4831sc
certain models of Danner boots (pre-China)
But actually, nothing I couldn't get along without.

Actually scopes have come a long way in the last 40 years!!!

Gus

LRF's
High BC bullets
turrets and dots

Lets see...

1. Lee24
2. Lee24
3. Lee24
4. Lee24
5. Lee24
6. Lee24
7. Lee24
8. Lee24
9. Lee24
10. Lee24

1) The 24 Hour Campfire
2) The 7-08 cartridge
3) The 7WSM cartridge
4) The Leupold VX-3
5) The Talley Lightweights
6) The Brownells Acraglas
7) The McMillan Edge
8) The Eberelstock packs
9) The Swarovski range-finder
10) The Kimber 84M rifle

Can we add Reloder 17, Accubonds, and TSX in there too......

early warning pregnacy tests

I find rifles to be more accurate, generally, now. And scopes are MUCH better, and as Mule Deer pointed out in one of his columns, their prices have actually decreased somewhat WRT the price of guns and ammo.
Premium ammo is not really necessary for most applications, but it is a boon for hunters of bigger-than-deer game who want good bullets without handloading.
I'm a big fan of a couple of cartridges since 1971: 7mm-08 and the .260 Remington.
I personally own nothing stainless, but that has its good points too, as do plastic and laminate stocks.
GPS units and "miracle-fiber" clothing work well.
The Internet for its educational value and entertainment.

Scopes,bullets,LRF's and poly pro underwear.

In rifles the only one's that strike me as unique and truly novel are the NULA and the Kimber,especially the Montana because it comes as a complete factory offering.

Even back in the 80's we wanted "light" we stuck a Rem Mountain Rifle in a Brown stock and you were way under 7 pounds...but we had to go custom, and it took the factories a long time to give us SS and synthetic light weights that were worth anything.

The variable scope is still in need of an update IMHO.They are better today optically,but a lot of stuff hawked as "tough"....ain't.....At any price.If the scope can't live through shooting out a barrel,it isn't "tough".Optically they are better.

Clothing today lets you stay warmer, dryer, longer,today than before.

For me it would be the much improved varmit bullets. They have made a whale of a difference for my beloved praire dog shooting.