Excellent debate here.
I agree with Chuck on a lot of things. His general disdain for the 400 different centerfire cartridge variants out there when a deer or a moose at the receiving end couldn't tell the difference between any of them is bang on. Ditto his thoughts about too many hunters using far too large a cartridge for their prey and likely facing significant accuracy issues due to recoil and flinching.
However, to me, guns fall in two categories: some are art, but most are just tools. My hunting rifles are almost exclusively plastic or laminate stocks and stainless steel. They all shoot better than I do in field conditions and that's what they are for. After 10 years of hard use my A bolt Stainless Stalker looks exactly like it did when I bought it, and shoots just as well too. My brother has a Tikka T3 and I think it's a fine rifle. More than accurate enough for the hunting he does. If the airline loses one of my guns or I drop it in the river or run over it with a truck I'll be out some $$ but no tears will be shed. Yes, I was born after 1960 - but I do have a couple of pieces of "art" on my wall too, including my great grandfathers model 1873 Winchester. I also truly appreciate a well finished burled walnut stock and a precisely fit action - I just don't see why I would spend all that cash to knock it about in the rain and snow. On an inflation adjusted basis, guns have never been so inexpensive. I applaud modern production methods and the innovations that allow me to have a selection of reliable, accurate, reasonably priced firearms in my safe.
Sometimes the voice of experience offers real wisdom, and sometimes they are just misremembering the good old days.
