Do you prefer all weather or traditional rifles?

[Hokkmike]

Which combination of rifle construction do you prefer? Can you explain? My preference runs to synthetic stock and stainless metal. Why not go with the best that technology has to offer?

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

Depends on the application. If I am out in the wilds hunting mule deer I would prefer a rifle in stainless with a synthetic stock. However my aesthetic sensibilities draw me towards blued steel and walnut.

 

[ArmedBear]

I like a gun that looks nice.

Ignoring other things, that's fancy figured walnut and polished blue -- and yes, you can even make a top-notch varmint rifle that way.

However, walnut and blue don't look so good after being dragged through gravel. So there's sure a place for stainless/synthetic.

I hate rust, so stainless especially can appeal to me, but then again there's not much of it in my safe.

WRT technology, synthetic stocks can be the worst, not the best. Sure, some modern composite stocks are amazingly stiff, light, durable, ergonomic, textured for great grip, attractive, and really expensive. Most base model "synthetic" rifles, though, sit in something only a step above tupperware. Plastic molding can be cheap junk.

So don't think that synthetic necessarily gives you "the best technology". If you're not paying a lot for the rifle, it's probably just the cheapest thing the manufacturer could screw a barreled action into.

 

[Cougfan2]

Depends on the application. If I am out in the wilds hunting mule deer I would prefer a rifle in stainless with a synthetic stock. However my aesthetic sensibilities draw me towards blued steel and walnut.

+1

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

I like em all.

 

[Hoppy590]

Mosin nagant.
Steel + Wood

about as "all weather" as you will ever need.

 

[W.E.G.]

Wood stock and RUSTED metal for me.

 

[akaduck]

I like the "warm" look of wood stocks and blued metal.

 

[esheato]

Depends....

In most situations, I prefer fancy walnut and blued steel. Hunting and truck use, I require something a bit more durable and usually end up with synthetic and coated metal (teflon or some other coating).

Ed

 

[Rebailey]

All-Weather Rifles

Personally, I like the Brown Laminated stocks. They are a little heavier than Synthetic but on my .300 Short Magnum you need a little extra weight. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[eliphalet]

Walnut & blue for me unless I lived next to the ocean or hunted a lot West of the Cascades or hunted in a swamp or from a boat. Even then unless I had real problems.

 

[Bartkowski]

I prefer the look of a nice walnut stock, with a somewhat glossy finish and a deep blue. But I voted Wood and stainless because, I have an old stainless 700 BDL that is blued, the blueing just isn't as dark.

 

[30-06 lover]

Looks (Cabinet Gun): Blued/Walnut
My favorite for hunting: Brown Laminate/Low Luster Blue or Grey Laminate/Stainless with Brown/Blue being my preference of the two.
Although synthetic stainless are great for what they are intended for, I just never warmed up to them. With wood or laminate it makes me feel that the gun is unique and has it's own personality.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

However, walnut and blue don't look so good after being dragged through gravel.

I strongly disagree. Worn or even abused walnut and blue look far better than new stainless and synthetic.

 

[BobMcG]

My preference is for a nice wood and blued metal firearm by far. I do have a synthetic and stainless HP rifle I use often for the crappiest of weather but it's a loner in my collection. I do have one laminated stock & blued rifle too that I like but it too is a loner in that regard. This doesn't mean I won't buy any other laminates or synthetic & stainless rifles but just reflects my choices so far.

 

[glockman19]

I have a number of different rifles but like the classic Walnut & Blued.

 

[Snapping Twig]

On the basis of looks alone, fine wood and royal blue steel.

For field use, synthetic and bead blasted stainless.

I have some Colt Sauer rifles and I believe they are the ultimate in beauty with fine wood stocks and inlays with the deepest royal bluing I have EVER seen. Truly they are easy on the eye.

My hunting rifles are all synthetic stock, some are hard chromed with a satin finish and one is matte blue (mini 30).

Beauty can be either aesthetic or functional in nature, so it depends on what the rifle is used for.

 

[kcmarine]

Two words: Black Rifle.

 

[Cannonball888]

You left out the cosmo-soaked wood and Parkerized steel option

 

[DMK]

Do you prefer all weather or traditional rifles?

Yes.

 

[Boxhead]

Both. It just depends upon the rifle and what I plan to use it for.

One of my 35 Whelen's,



and yet another 35 Whelen.



The top one will see moose and bear in BC, while the bottom one has seen nilgai and hogs in Texas.

 

[jpwilly]

I like them all really but my favorite bolt action is laminated with stainless. But I also like synthetic and parkerized a bunch!

 

[Funderb]

Good old plywood and blued steel.
M/N

quote:
"I strongly disagree. Worn or even abused walnut and blue look far better than new stainless and synthetic."
-revolvingcylinder


amen.

 

[atblis]

Yeah

There's something to be said for a gun you can clean with a garden hose.

 

[elmerfudd]

In good weather and on the range, I like nice wood. Bluing isn't critical. So long as the finish looks good I'm happy with it be it stainless, parkerized, blued or even painted.

For rough conditions, I like a good beater. To me this means a gun that shoots 3 MOA or better, is missing half of it's bluing, has a dinged and dented stock and has been casually refinished with three shades of camo spray paint. It's cheap, effective and you can beat the snot out of it and not lose any sleep over it.