Sure are looking better and better now (at least to me ). From wood stocked adl and BDL Remington's the classics the winchester model 70 all versions rugers weatherby browning and all. I know some of the newer Cnc machined and synthetic stock rifles are nice but those days of blue and walnut and even glossy scopes are calling to me more and more glad I have collected a few here and there already.....: they have seemed to have increased in demand and value to many as of late The first BDL remington I purchased was in 1987 a 300 win mag in surplus city in Jackson ms. I still have it was $380 out the door and yes I still have it still shoots around 1.25 at 100 yards with factory loads and that's good enough for me on a 33 year old rifle

I’m with ya on the looks. Just bought a Weatherby Mark V in wood stock. Just loaded up a few rounds and shot 3 shots into 1.620 group at 200 yards. That will work also. Edk

I know where a mid to late 80s remington 700 mountain in 280 is sitting at a hole in the wall pawn shop. Needs a little love but could be done easily

I'm definitely "old school", still feel guns, and not just bolt guns, were meant to be made of blued steel and walnut, and gloss scopes. Like to go further back than the 90's also.
1960 vintage Marlin 336 in .35 Remington with Denver Redfield 4X with Post/crosshair gloss scope.

1993 Remington 700 BDL 7MM Remington Magnum with Nikon pre Monarch Scope, and March 1952 first year production Remington 760 in 30-06. 760 has since been set up with gloss El Paso Weaver V4.5 scope.

Another Marlin 336, 1980 vintage in .35 Remington with gloss El Paso Weaver wide tv view ocular lens V4.5 gloss scope in Weaver pivot rings.

1976 Remington 700 ADL in 30-06 with Leupold Vari X II 2X7 gloss scope

1979 Remington 760 Carbine in 30-06 with Leupold 1.5X5 Vari X III gloss scope

1973 Remington 700 ADL in 6MM Remington with Denver Redfield traditional 3X9 Gloss scope

And my 1991 Remington 7400 "Jam O Matic" (which functions flawlessly) in .308 with Denver Redfield Widefield 2X7 gloss scope

All of my guns are from that period, except for some pistols and a Browning O/U i just bought...

I remember being in a gun store in the 80’s and they had 2 brand new 700 BDLs in 8mm Rem Mag right after they came out for under $200 apiece. Hindsight

My crap is newer or older than the OPs criteria

Early '80's BDL in .270 WCF.


Bowlin'-pin finish and black walnut stock hard as woodpecker lips.




GR

I like the older Remington rifles too. 30-06 built in 72

Some beautiful rifles pictured in this thread, I especially like the 6mm. We sure have come a long ways, but I'm not sure it's in the right direction.

Some very cool rifles in this thread, they remind me of a few rifles I owned back in that day I wish I still had, Like the 700 BDL 308 Win. That had a beautiful dark walnut stock (I cant remember how good it shot though) and I had some Ruger 77 Mark II Ultralights chambered in .223 Rem and .308 Win with some old school blued Leupold vari-x II 2-7x33 scopes that were both excellent rifles 👍......Hb

I’ve got a model 70 xtr from early 81 chambered in .257 Robert’s. Without a doubt the best piece of factory wood I’ve ever seen. I wish I could get the hang of posting pics on this site so they would be visible without clicking on an imgr link!

Walnut and blue steel rifles from the 80s and 90s? How about:
Ruger 77/22 22lr
Kimber of Oregon Custom Classic in 22 Hornet
Remington 700 Classics in .250 and 350 RemMag (along with .280 and 300 SAV 700 Classics from 90s!)

Have some older stuff from 20s, 50s, 60s.

Only have 3 rifles newer than the 90s.

I have one of those Ruger 77/22 22LR made the first year of mfg. Bought it in a Pawn Shop and it's like new. Beautiful little gun.

Where are the boat paddles?

I never owned one but was in a few camps that had good stories connected with them. Might buy one for nostalgia if the right one came across my radar.

I just can't stand that skip line checkering and white lines on the recoil pads.

if you get rid of those, most of the guns from that era are very attractive.

I was never fond of the ebony fore end tips either

I have a hard time passing up the bolt action rifles I grew up with--the 700's 70's, 77's, etc. Especially when I see them at the pawn shop surrounded by a bunch of them scary black rifles and ugly military surplus stuff.

You guys would laugh if I told you how many no prefix, A and B series M700's I have...............

Good call, I like them in pictures, and even better in the glamour shot adds but never could find oneI really liked in person.

That is what I like! I still have a few in the safe. Heck I drop Hawkeye M77s in the Zytel stocks!

I've got one in a 22-250 in the safe.

The older I get, the more I am drawn to blued steel and hand checkered walnut. I never owned any back in the day, but would like to get my hands on a couple.

I have a soft spot for the bolt action rifles I grew up with—700, 600, 660, 788, 77, 70, and so on. When I see a older bolt action sitting on the gun rack all by its lonesome surrounded by those scary black rifles more times than not I “rescue” it and bring the rifle home with me.

Wring it out, make it shoot well, then sometimes sell it, but often keep it.

I’m afraid I’m gonna end up with so many rifles I’m becoming the rifle loony version of the crazy cat lady......

In the end, as much as I like blued/ walnut, all my serious hunting rifles are SS/synthetic.

Here are three. The Ruger MKII .300WM on the left was factory, $395 at Sportsman's Warehouse on close out, 2001. Liked it so well I purchased a .270 Win take-off for a laminate MKII .30-06 I purchased used in 2010. When I cobbled together a .338WM on a naked Ruger MKII action, I bought another boat paddle from gunpartscorp.com for $70. Stuck a Limbsaver 1" pad on that one.

You folks have no idea. I think that I have between 50 -70 rifles from this period. I picked up a Mohawk 660 in 350 Remington yesterday for 450. It is a little earlier. One of the hidden gems are Weatherby Vanguard(Pre DLX) that are accurate and very nice rifles. They came with a target. Mine was and is half MOA.

If I ever run across a 660 in 6.5 RM at a decent price.......

My two favorite Walnut stocks are the Remington 700 Mountain Rifle stock and the Ruger 77 Hawkeye walnut. Have an unfired stainless 77 MKII
Zytel with sights in .243 that I removed from the factory boat paddle stock and put in a walnut Hawkeye stock.
A favorite combination!

Yes sir that happened to me....: I have a mixed bag of stainless synthetic and blues walnut guns. But my heart goes for the walnut wood but on rainy deer hunting days my stainless synthetics come out.

Just dropped my .308 boat paddle off at a shop to consign.
Neat rifle, but w my #1 kinda sorta behaving, and me liking my Steyr PH.......kind of a duplicate.
Have a beater 760 for timber duty as well.


Odd, I have two new rifles and three from the 60's. Only one from the 80/90 was the boat paddle.
Had plenty in the past, couple dozen over the years, but don't need more rifles.

Need more time, health.......and a camper so i can get out and use what I have.

Couple rigs I've had from the 80s...kinda miss both. 243 mtn rifle and 270 winlite.

I like the old Sako’s

I like the old 1950’s Savage 99’s too

Have done that a few times LOL, recently a Sako Forester.
Nobody paid any attention to it at the LGS.
But to avoid being a loony, have decided to let it go. Have another rifle in same (.243 win) that I'm deeper into.

Thanks for a great Thread with greater message!!! Blued steel & wood +++++1!

My stable pointedly reaching back into the interwar years with due representation from Winchester Model 54 and Remington Model 30 rifles! Honest, simple heavy duty guns. Due consideration & mention of the Remington pump series Models 14 & 141; the several fine lever guns as Savage & Marlins reflected above; of course the Winchesters! I could too easily start waxing nostalgic about S&W and Colts as well! For me, the 'sweet spot' in guns, the Twentieth Century with the high point perhaps fifties to early sixties! Such as myself 'coming of age' in USAF!

I can appreciate the 'new stuff' attraction and more power to those, many of whom more focused on 'techie' elements; "specs" absolute focus as a generational phenomenon. Myself, specs important; but the means rather than the end! Ultimately, as owning a classic car, appreciating the 'object' for itself, enjoying 'gettin' down the road. Smelling the roses... and the gun oil!

Guns nowadays trying to compete in an ever "new & improved" mindset market, requiring ever increasing hype & gismos where logic doesn't always follow. The 'quick fix' techie gadget assist for deferred acquiring attainable skills... Not the answer!

Just my take
Best! Happy Holidays & Keep Safe!
John

I'm kinda old school, set and forget scopes of duplex reticle.
Like em on fantastic plastic and older walnut rigs equally.
I rarely shoot past 300 around here (even on varmints).

Must say, real or imagined, late season hunts the wood stocks feel better on my hands/cheek.

Used to see ADL's and Sportsman 78's as cheapies. They were.

Now, compared to today's stuff, they are pretty nice.

Those ADL's used nicer walnut than many better guns get today.


Favorite deer rifle is a 660 308.

After it got a shortened Brown Precision with a Decelerator.

Yeah, I had a Mohawk .243, the ol lady liked it.
As a kid had a 660 in .222

Been thinking a reg 600 in rib..........just to be goofy LOL.

The old Kleinguenther K-15’s are nice too!

This is my best looking rifles, the left is an Iver Henriksen marked 25 Niedner and a C grade 700, 7 mag.

Kleinguenther k14's weren't so bad either I do have one in a 25/06r and one in a 308 win

Crazy, I always hated those zytel stocks, I just don't understand the attraction to them. LGS I frequent sold this today on their GB site.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/886766464

People have money that they have nothing better to do with...Beauty must be in the eye of the beholder. At $4275, good for the gun shop, just made his whole month

Those look a lot like a rifle marketed by Mauser in the 90's. They called it a Mauser 99 but i think it was actually Voere. I had one in 300 Weatherby.

That's insane. I guess 7-08 boat paddles must be rare

From Ruger Forum.

I have looked for value of this particular rifle and can find nothing on it. I have never saw another one not even a picture of one on the internet. I have saw discussions on forums where people say ruger never made it and etc. They did make it because I own one. Gun is a ruger M77 MKII 7mm-08 stainless with zytel paddle stock Ultralite model 20" barrel. I have been told to put it in safe and not hunt with it because it was too valuable. Just wondering if anyone on here has ever saw one before.

The 20" bbl Lightweight is a rare bird.

Bought a lot of guns from that gun shop..

I bought a gently used Remington 700 Mountain Rifle in 280 Rem in 1987, shot my first deer with it that Fall. Thing fits me like a tailored suit, I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in China.

Rich

Hunted with a 1970 win model 770 in '06 this year. Haven't used it since Colorado in the mid '80's. Been using a '90 Rem 700mtn in 7-08 most of the last 30 yrs or my BAR in 7Rmag I got in '74 if stuff was bigger. I've got a '94 win model 70 classic featherweight in 7-08 I've never shot because I preferred the 700 but I think going forward in 2021 it will be my go to. I'm too old to warm up to black plastic & matte finished metal. I understand the appeal, I have enough kids & nephews to know that care and maintainance sucks for young people. Hell, I like the smell of Hoppes & Remoil(to name a few) and I ENJOY cleaning my guns. All the little marks bear witness to the adventure.

I would hate to have to pay the crack bill for that buyer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn nice payday for the seller. Mb

Mauser bought Voere, called it a Mauser 99 I believe. Voere called it the Titan I believe

In inflation adjusted dollars, they were considerably more expensive than cheap rifles of today. I agree they were rather nice for what they were.

Those are some good looking rifles. It sure fun to see all those shiny rifles in the rack in the gun stores. I have Sako 25-06 I with for a long time. It has shiny wood and gloss blue. That sucker will shoot 3/4 groups all with Remington cor-Loks. I still hunt with from time to time.

I’m in the blued/walnut camp as well. I have a soft/sweet spot for a nice blued rifle with a wood stock. 700s, BARs, browning and Remington shotguns, I am just a sucker for. I also have a hard time looking past a nice 22 with a walnut stock..