To elaborate on my earlier comment, I don't believe it is debatable that the XCR is a well made rifle and thousands are enjoyed by their owners. The quality of workmanship is high - no tooling or machine marks, slick action, close tolerances. The overall design is reasonably sound and I'm not convinced the barrel retention method is the Achilles heel many make it out to be; while it's not optimal it is at least consistent and without too much testing I seem to squeeze respectable accuracy out of my two.
Asking are they worth the money is like asking is an Audi R8 worth the money. Not to compare the R8 with the XCR directly but two important factors are shared between the two - what is your desired use, and what is your locale?
Ignoring bugetary constraints, if you live in the GTA an R8 might suit you as a flashy commuter and travel vehicle cruising along the 401 going back and forth between business meetings and such. The quality of the roadways and distances make it more ameliorable than say Winnipeg, where you're more likely to catch a $5,000 repair bill for hitting one of our vehicle-swallowing potholes in the springtime. For my uses it would be reasonably useless as every weekend I'm heading off-road and carrying equipment, so I drive a pickup.
The XCR is much the same. In the GTA the non-restricted status means less because the closest shooting venues are indoor ranges where you can take a restricted firearm. You can get ARs starting at $500 so to punch holes in paper you can accomplish it with a greater breadth of hardware and for less money. On the prairies where Crown land and open fields abound we may not want to be constrained to a range and shoot in more casual spots. Enter the XCR and other non-restricted black rifles where the price tag is justifiable given the flexibility in use. It's a price many of us are willing to pay.
Once you can answer the two questions about use and location you will know whether the XCR is "worth the money" for you. There isn't a right or wrong answer, just what suits your needs.
Asking are they worth the money is like asking is an Audi R8 worth the money. Not to compare the R8 with the XCR directly but two important factors are shared between the two - what is your desired use, and what is your locale?
Ignoring bugetary constraints, if you live in the GTA an R8 might suit you as a flashy commuter and travel vehicle cruising along the 401 going back and forth between business meetings and such. The quality of the roadways and distances make it more ameliorable than say Winnipeg, where you're more likely to catch a $5,000 repair bill for hitting one of our vehicle-swallowing potholes in the springtime. For my uses it would be reasonably useless as every weekend I'm heading off-road and carrying equipment, so I drive a pickup.
The XCR is much the same. In the GTA the non-restricted status means less because the closest shooting venues are indoor ranges where you can take a restricted firearm. You can get ARs starting at $500 so to punch holes in paper you can accomplish it with a greater breadth of hardware and for less money. On the prairies where Crown land and open fields abound we may not want to be constrained to a range and shoot in more casual spots. Enter the XCR and other non-restricted black rifles where the price tag is justifiable given the flexibility in use. It's a price many of us are willing to pay.
Once you can answer the two questions about use and location you will know whether the XCR is "worth the money" for you. There isn't a right or wrong answer, just what suits your needs.
