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

I’m all for American made, but we no longer have a nationalistic mental climate here, or a true capitalist system but rather big, global corporations. The “made in China” attitude has spilled over to all kinds of products even when not made in China. Profits — cheap means of production trumping quality, and meeting a price point are the priority. Also, the tactical style has overtaken us as you mentioned.

The secondary gun makers, niche shops, and special runs have sprung up presumably to meet the demand of ‘Fire type folks but they are small production venues and seem to struggle with any consistency, are one-of situations, or even fall out of the market..

I certainly don’t have all the answers concerning a business you are in but It seems to indicate that we — ‘Fire type folks and the desires we have in common — are a small and shrinking demographic.

GW - are you absolutely sure you're not interested in adopting any adult children? 😇😂

You mean they fibbed?


While not as attractive as "classic" rifles, nobody's convincing me to take the suppressors off of my threaded Fieldcrafts.

It’s not about the outside of the barrel (grin)

And I have 9 suppressors. Don’t hunt much with them though.

Seeing GW’s post, I have to say I think the Blaser R93/R8 straight-pull rifles, and having had both, were the most innovative guns for a hundred years, with quality throughout, but seem to be appreciated only by a certain kind of buyer here.

Again, demand.

It might be as simple as they can sell all they make of the stuff geezers hate, so why bother with other stuff? As someone mentioned, Ruger has historically suspended production of models when the supply lines were deemed full so as not to create surpluses that lead to big discounts, like the $800 No.1 V you sold me a few years back😛. I’ll bet some of their classic stuff will reappear once the huge demand for anything that spits lead subsides.

I recently bought what probably is my last rifle, at least my last new one, an M70 EW MB. I’ve played with a few M70s over the years, including a Pre64 I hunted with for 30-odd years, a Post-64 .22/250 that belonged to an old friend, and a couple of Classic SS .270s belonging to my sons. The two SS Classics were the worst of the lot, the Pre-64 and my new one the best. Except for the two-piece bolt of the new one, I’d rank it fully the equal of the old one, though they are configured very differently of course. I’d prefer the old trigger, but the new one is just fine. Machining quality, smoothness, and function are all I could ask for. Wasn’t cheap, but it was worth it.

Haven’t cared about Remingtons since I bought a 600 50 years ago. I’ll take a Howa over a 700 every time for their solid, all forged actions with one-piece bolts and the easiest take-down I’ve seen. I hope the new Remington prospers (and deserves to), but they’ll have to do it without me.

oh really now?

Imagine being a lefty.

Truth.

I'm lefty and it sucks for choices. Thankfully I have a Ruger MKII and several Hawkeyes in lefty and lefty Winchester 70 classic. My stainless lefty is an A-bolt and I have a right Kimber Montana. I just am thankful I picked up what I did, when I did. Blessed

Can't hardly blame them with the cost of rifles these days

I agree about the 77's. Now I may very well purchase an American to compliment my Hawkeye which I don't take out in nasty weather

^ this

I'm lefty and it sucks for choices. Thankfully I have a Ruger MKII and several Hawkeyes in lefty and lefty Winchester 70 classic. My stainless lefty is an A-bolt and I have a right Kimber Montana. I just am thankful I picked up what I did, when I did. Blessed

I'm a lefty and haven't owned a left handed bolt gun in decades. I enjoy having choices

Off the shelf is hard to live with 90% of the time.
Life’s too short to own junk.

Yep

I am lost on the difference between "the American public" and "the masses"?

SAS,
Couldn't agree with you more. Everything offered today is blah. The European rifle market interests me to some degree these days but they're following the U.S. market with plastic and economy rifles. One thing that I can say about the few European rifles I own that the latest American manufacturers can't seem to figure out is feeding and extraction. Kimber Hunters with the magazines are about the absolute worst for positive feeding followed by the double-stack internal mag Savage setups. Tikka feeds and extracts better than anything out there albeit they're mostly plastic.

Ruger has spawned renewed interest in Marlin and the new 1895 CSBL .45-70s are pushing $2-3K on Gunbroker. I'd like to see some nice offerings from Marlin at a reasonable price point, not $1400+. If Remington can provide what you say with the Alpha offering and pay attention to detail (e.g. accuracy, trigger, feeding, extraction, fit/finish), they'll have something. The stuff that interests me is what I own now. I don't need another expendable, economy rifle.

JB has mentioned this before , but walnut prices are unreal and are not going to get better anytime soon. Turkey is only able to put out such stocks on their guns because their regime is so corrupt. Erdogan is allowing the wholesale cutting of everything to stave off the coming collapse for as long as he can

I may be wrong, but before I would pay 2k for some of the factory offerings, I would just do a custom and get the chamber I wanted, barrel length I want, contour and twist rate, etc.
Not everyone is shooting 1000 yards or more, same as not everyone is shooting 50 gr 22-250 bullets. Get the twist for what you are wanting to shoot.