I’m not telling you anything you didn’t already know, just thinking out loud. Has the Golden Age of bolt action rifles as we knew it come and gone?
Nothing desirable from Kimber (Montana, Classic, Classic Select). Ruger 77’s or Hawkeye’s have mutated into a techno/tactical version that doesn’t appeal to me. Remington 700’s are shipping in a few forms, but they’re just using up old parts. The new “Alpha” 700 has me interested, but no idea when they’ll ship. I don’t think stainless is an option either. No Barrett Fieldcraft’s for now and I don’t expect them ever to return in the same form. Winchester isn’t the old Winchester and they’re not shipping well either. Tikka still makes a good stainless hunting rifle, but shipments are far and few between. Christensen has done a decent job keeping rifles on the shelf. Proof has been shipping a few too.
I know all about the manufacturing challenges. Maybe I’m getting old? Not that I don’t think there is a place for the Ruger American or the Savage Axis, I just think there is a huge segment of the bolt action market that wants something better. It appears as if every manufacturer thinks dipping their stocks in some god awful camouflage and cerakoting the action is innovation.
I know I can’t be the only person out there disgusted with what’s currently available on the market?
Chalk me up as another one who is glad to see you back. I can imagine the past few years have kept you busy.
Christensen has seemed to keep product moving. My own experience and reading around the web tells me they have some QC issues. Bergara has also done a pretty good job of keeping some product out there. Not as good as Christensen, but better than average.
Ruger has lost me. They used to be a favorite. The "frosted" stainless they have used in recent years mars ridiculously easily. I much prefer the stainless they used in the skeleton stock days. Some manufacturers are cerakoting stainless. That's a great big WTF to me.
The bolt action market has turned into a collective yawn for me.
