Steve,
"I do not believe that the big rifle manufacturers stopped making them because the are a zillion out there. Production of wooden stocked rifles is more costly than plastic ones. I believe the manufacturers do not see a market for them - except as special order firearms or custom shop pieces."
Well, duh!
No, manufacturers did not stop making wood-stocked, blued rifle JUST because there are already a zillion out there. But that was a major factor. Why wouldn't it be, when anybody who wants a "classic" Savage 99 (or even a "shooter" pre-'64 Model 70) can purchase one TODAY for a price comparable to a new, plastic-stocked rifle?
The overall trend in rifle manufacturing, especially since WWII, has been toward quicker, cheaper mass-production methods. Among the first examples are the Remington 721/722, introduced in 1947 for a MUCH lower price than the Model 70 Winchester, due to methods in large part developed when Remington made 1903A3 rifles during the war, including button rifling and stamped sheet-steel parts.
Some shooters complained about this back then, which sounds very much like the complaints here. Yet the 721/722 rifles succeeded, to the point where they morphed into the highest-selling bolt-action centerfire rifle of the last half of the 20th century, the Remington 700. The 700 essentially killed off the pre-'64 M70, despite the 70 being made the "classic" way, and the 700 having stamped ALUMINUM parts, and impressed checkering. (In fact many hunters today consider the 721/722 "classics," because they have wood stocks.)
But the big point is that the average hunter or shooter has never considered "classic" all that important. If the rifle functions correctly, why not? Another good example is the Savage Model 23, another wood-stocked "cheap" rifle that shot more accurately than more expensive "classic" rifles. This was because Savage used various less-expensive, quicker manufacturing techniques, including machining the very simple bolt-action out of the rear of the barrel.
ALL such stuff (including injection-molded synthetic stocks) has been the overall trend for rifle manufacturing ever since mass-produced rifles appeared. But many rifle loonies tend to bitch about every change made since THEY started shooting, even though they (if they really want to) can buy the "classic" rifles of their youth for very affordable prices.
