Traditional Sporting Rifles

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Mak
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A traditional sporting rifle is one with a certain pedigree. It is intended to be taken into the field, sometimes undergoing quite harsh conditions. It may, or may not carry optical sights, but it always wears a wood stock. Examples of traditional sporting rifles abound, from the Savage 99, to the Winchester model 70, and everything in between.
The best examples of this pedigree display an obvious nod toward quality, a factor that often includes some type of skilled finish work. It is not important, the specific action type, other than the requirement that it be tuned properly enough to work correctly, every time.
It is not important the exact cartridge it is made for, as long as that cartridge has proven itself in the field.
What then, is the usefulness of such creations in todays' world of plastic parts, modular guns, and magazines that devour entire boxes of ammunition?
First and foremost, the average hunting situation demands accurate shooting first, and multiples of bullets showering the target second. Thus, we can conclude that limited magazine capacity is no drawback for the traditional gun.
Second, while some modern guns may be capable of excellent accuracy off the bench, the accuracy that matters is that achieved in the field. A 2 MOA rifle is fully capable of taking game in excess of 300 yards-assuming the cartridge is up to the task. Thus, little iddy bitty groups might look good enough for oohs and ahhs, but are in essence purposeless. Most traditional rifles will shoot at least one load 2 MOA or better, so traditional sporter accuracy is no drawback, either.
Despite many words to the contrary, I've never watched in horror as my stock swelled up due to humidity. I've never witnessed rain spotting up my barrel to instantaneously turn it into a rusting crowbar, either. However, I have discovered more than a few "synthetic"-read plastic stocks-that wobble around, weigh more than a truck, put uneven pressure on the barrel, and come along with bizarre racing stripes. I've come to the conclusion that its just cheaper and easier for today's gun companies to dress rifles in plastic, and that any advantages of plastic stocks are minor, until one begins to consider exotic materials. Thus, once again, the traditional sporter is at no genuine disadvantage.
Now, dear reader, you may have something to add to this debate, but from where I currently stand, I find no real practical advantages to modern modular, plastic, high capacity guns. This means that traditional sporters are every bit as viable in the field as they always were...and a number of them are beautiful to boot.

mworkmansr
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Yer right

Walnut and blued nickle steel are the hunters' guns. If it's raining cats and dogs, stay home and reload. I wouldn't even take my AR's out in crappy weather. It's like fishing; if it ain't fun to be there, why are you there?
Mike

Don't worry. Be happy.

Amityslim
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Dang Near Right

Some years and during some hunting seasons in the Coast Range, if you are going to hunt at all you are going to get very wet. For some of us weirdos,  the wet can still be fun. Ain't too many $50 haircuts out there. But a time or two I've had wood stocks warp from this and when they dry out they aren't always inclined to unwarp fully and according to regulations. This was annoying. So some of my bolt guns wear plastic.

But agreed, you lose something that way. To me a good plain walnut stock beats every synthetic I've ever seen in aesthetics. And the only handgun I've got that isn't wearing wood is my Colt SAA .44 Special.  Even there, still heard is the siren call of nicely figured one-piece walnut.

What's so good about wood? Warmer and quieter, yes. But it also lived and grew,  and lives on in its beauty. Part of the Maker's handiwork.

Keith
NRA Benefactor Life

Chris3755
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Alas, Tradition!

The poor sailor's lament, a becalmed sea and no fair wind to blow his ship to a friendly shore! Sad too are we old codgers who lament the new forcing our time treasured, traditional weapons out in the not too distant future. While we honor those traditions our future generations may only know the things their recent relatives hand down to them and it may only be a "Plastic Rifle" that some grandparent bought to remind him or her of that old war in Afghanistan or Iraq of years long gone. We should not lament the old traditions passing as long as the future generations still like to hunt and shoot, we should lament the possible future where no one hunts or shoots! Chris S

mworkmansr
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My lament ain't only aboot wood stocks

it's aboot the progressive dumbimg of America. Which of the fatties coming out of Wally World with a basket full of potato chips and chocolate milk can appreciate any of what we old timers call art? 
walmart
You reckon they crave a nice Model 70 or 700 BDL? They DO speak a foreign language, though. Mississippi Geechi Gulla.
Not an unusual sight in my 4th world country of North Mississippi.

Mike

Don't worry. Be happy.

Mak
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To The Point

Chris & Mike,
Both of you make points that are disturbing, but very true. Do modern "Americans" really care about art, about being challenged, about the skills our forefathers used to survive? I know that some do, but are those enough to check the tide of ignorance and stupidity?
I hope so.

mworkmansr
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We need

a good ebola plague. And I think our president has arranged one.

Don't worry. Be happy.