Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles The rifle market sucks…

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?

I still do not understand why Ruger abandoned the Hawkeye in the stainless/plastic stocks and blued/walnut. They were the best feeling, rendition of the 77 action. Ruger really messed up in my opinion.


A Ruger American is not something I would take on a hunt outside my backyard

I feel your pain. What you are saying is also true of rifle scopes. Go and try to find a compact scope today that will fit on a long action. The new tactical styled scopes made today do not have the mounting space that the old scopes did. It's also hard to find a scope that has just a duplex. I don't need a scope that is illuminated and has the mil dots. I'm not saying they should stop making the newer stuff but continue to offer some of the older simpler stuff as well.

+1

I've gravitated back to aperture sights more in the past 2 years, just because of that.

Had issues just locating a wood/blue 30-06. Interesting times.

Mike78, I use aperture sights too. They work well for me.

Agreed

Scopes are another issue of mine. I just want a good, dependable scope made in America….period.

The (Portugal) M70 FWTs are still very high quality, at least. The pre-64s were obviously made here, but even they weren't *that* Winchester.

Ruger ditching the walnut/blued really stinks.Hoping they'll eventually snap out of tacticool phase...

I've always thought the new wood/blue Mausers look great. But you've got to spend a ton before it's really CRF. I don't need a $1600 pushfeed Mauser... sorta the opposite of the point!

They are making what most people are wanting to buy. It’s business. Most of the rifles on the shelves are 6.5 creedmore. Apparently they sell because the stores are ordering the hell out of them. Edk

Great thread and I completely agree.

Ruger DROPPED the ball cutting the Hawkeye Rifle production of Walnut/Blue and the Stainless/Synthetic rifles. Winchester and Tikka need to WAKE UP and NOT do the same.

And yes, scope are definitely NOT what they used to be. I miss the Nikon Monarchs, Bushnell Elites. These were quality scopes for a reasonable price. Now, unless you want to spend a fortune, companies want you buy JUNK Vortex Diamondbacks and other Chinese garbage!

Also, why is it so many shooters feel you need to have an illuminated Christmas tree reticle with an objective the size of the Webb telescope???

Eventually you ask - do they sell because that's all that's available?

Ruger 77 rifles, tang, mkII and hawkeye, out number all the other rifles I own. There isn't a centerfire, bolt action rifle that I would buy from Ruger today

Nope. My shelves are still full of those rifles. Customers tell you what they want and we hear it daily…and they don’t want the new stuff they’re pumping out. Not everyone wants a camo budget rifle in the color of the week.

The outrageous prices on we all see on Ruger 77’s, Hawkeye’s, 700’s, New Haven 70’s, Kimber’s and Fieldcraft’s tell us exactly what everyone is looking for.

Correct. Mosin Nagant rifles aren't the most common in Russia because they are the best

Hey, SAS, any word on whether or not somebody is going to restart Montana Rifle Company (MRC) back up?

Do those still making rifles have an answer? Or is their plan to keep giving us junk until we finally succumb to mediocrity?

I don’t have a clue. Now would be a great time though!

.............and they have that sweet MOA trigger.... OOOOOOOOoooooohhh!