Very nice article. It stitches together much of what I have read over the years. Thank you for writing it.
As for the short action vs long action--like the differences between "formal china" and "everyday china"--I did not care until I got married. For me, useful cartridges started at .30-06 and went up from there. Big boys shot big rifles chambered in big cartridges.
Post-nuptuals I learned to care, as my wife was not built to shoot your average 7.5lb & 14" LOP sporting rifle from Rem/Win/Rug in .30-06.
Nowadays I give every rifle the gimlet eye:
1. Can it be chambered in shorter cartridges and is it short action?
2. About 38" OAL or less and is it or can it easily be had in 12.5" LOP?
3. About 6lbs or less?
4. Oh, and left-handed bolt action?
Yeah, tough set of requirements. And thank Mauser and Remington for short actions.
