Ash
Member
Alright, I have come on the side of saying the 798 is inferior to previous incarnations of the Zastava product and have been unimpressed by the 700 CDL.
But, today I had a chance to handle them all again, as well as the new Marlin bolt action as well as the BDL.
The 798 could easily catch my attention over the 700 of any flavor. I doubt it would be as accurate as the 700, but it sure has a good heft. The action is rough compared to other Zastavas and it priced too-high, but it is all the same a pretty decent hunting rifle. I actually like it, which is a reverse for me.
The CDL is a fine rifle and while the finish is not as nice as the BDL, the wood on the several I saw today was actually very nice, as was the checkering. If Remington does get rid of the BDL, the CDL seemed to me to be a nice rifle except in finish of the metal, which was not as nice a polish as the BDL. However, the CDL still looked like a good rifle to me. The BDL is certainly nicer in finish, but the quality of the wood didn't seem any better, just different.
And lastly the Marlin XL-7. That really is a light rifle (too light for my tastes) but is has a nice finish (the metal seems better than the CDL) and has a good overall feel. It doesn't feel anywhere near as solid as the 700 or 798, but it sure is way better than the 770 (which I looked at again, and am just as underwhelmed, if not more, than I was before looking at the Marlin).
Ash
But, today I had a chance to handle them all again, as well as the new Marlin bolt action as well as the BDL.
The 798 could easily catch my attention over the 700 of any flavor. I doubt it would be as accurate as the 700, but it sure has a good heft. The action is rough compared to other Zastavas and it priced too-high, but it is all the same a pretty decent hunting rifle. I actually like it, which is a reverse for me.
The CDL is a fine rifle and while the finish is not as nice as the BDL, the wood on the several I saw today was actually very nice, as was the checkering. If Remington does get rid of the BDL, the CDL seemed to me to be a nice rifle except in finish of the metal, which was not as nice a polish as the BDL. However, the CDL still looked like a good rifle to me. The BDL is certainly nicer in finish, but the quality of the wood didn't seem any better, just different.
And lastly the Marlin XL-7. That really is a light rifle (too light for my tastes) but is has a nice finish (the metal seems better than the CDL) and has a good overall feel. It doesn't feel anywhere near as solid as the 700 or 798, but it sure is way better than the 770 (which I looked at again, and am just as underwhelmed, if not more, than I was before looking at the Marlin).
Ash
