Need your opinions on a rifle, boys...

OP: You mentioned that one of your possible choices is a Win 70 ...

In the past, I have been guilty of being a tad snobbish - refusing to even look at anything less than a Sako. But recently I have changed.
What opened my eyes? I inspected a FN Winchester Featherweight in stainless. Then I went online and read everything that I could find:
All of the old diehards on every forum (albeit grudgingly) post that the new FN's are even better than their beloved pre-64 'rifleman's rifle'.
So, I bought one. The verdict: well, after comparing it to my Sakos time and time again ... I just LOVE it.

OP: I strongly recommend that you check out the new Model 70 Winchesters. You will not be disappointed.
(I like them so much that I just posted an WTB/WTT ad on EE to acquire another).
 
Well, I picked up my Christmas gift. I went to Cabelas and WSS to see what they had in stock and handle a few guns. Long story short, Sheephunter, Kurt505 and Bulletman got me thinking of a Sako A7, as I read posts on this forum (and others). I did a little digging on Sako's website and saw that in fact the A7 is even a little bit lighter than the Finnlight which I have always really liked. Anyhow, I compared the Finnlight and A7 side by side, taking the guns apart, and while the Finnlight certainly has a few nicer features (steel mag, steel bolt shroud, aluminum trigger guard, one piece bolt, and "pseudo" controlled feed), I honestly couldn't justify the $650 price difference for a rifle that will not shoot any better, and will be used in an admittedly utilitarian manner. I liked the stocks equally well, and the soft-touch finish on the A7 is actually quite nice and doesn't scuff easily like I found Browning's Dura-Touch finish prone to do. I also liked the A7 action better than the Tikka, largely because it is of a normal size, not like the narrow "coin-slot" that the Tikka possesses. In addition, I can order one of the aluminum bolt shrouds from Down Under to replace the plastic job they come with. Throw in the fact that the A7 comes with rings and a Burris Fullfield E-1 scope that I will be able to sell or put on a different gun, the decision was becoming pretty clear. I then had to make a decision between the A7 and the Winchester Extreme Weather. It didn't take long. The Bell and Carlson stock, which for all intents and purposes is essentially a Medalist, just didn't feel great in my hands. Further, they only had one in stock in a round I was not interested in. So the decision was made for me. The added bonus was that both Cabelas and WSS had them in stock in 7-08. I convinced WSS to match Cabelas' price which was $50 cheaper before I scratched the coupon. I asked the gal at the till to let me see a bunch of cards. I quickly scratched 4. The kid from the gun counter, who walked my gun to the front, asked me what I thought I was doing. I told him I was trying to get a good deal:) All four were 10% cards anyhow. The bullet shelves were pretty picked over, so I ended up getting a box of Nosler 120 gr B-Tips to load up before a trip to the range. We will see if I keep this one for more than four months. My wife is betting against it. She thinks I am nuts when it comes to buying and selling guns.

Thank you to all who contributed their experiences and opinions with the various guns I was enquiring about. They were helpful. I will likely use the money I get for the scope to put a deposit on a McMillan stock. Before I do, I will need to find someone on the forum who lives in Edmonton, and will let me handle their McMillan first, as a guy doesn't want to make a mistake on a stock that costs that much.
 
sheephunter said:
I don't own a hunting rifle with a wood stock...I'm emotionally okay with that ;)
Click to expand...

sheephunter said:
Just giving you a hard time. I've got zero appreciation for wood stocks but I get there are those that do.
Click to expand...

This is me. Total utility. I hunted a long time with milsurp rifles, adding synthetic stocks when I could since they invariably had longer LOPs. When I hunt, I HUNT. Weather won't keep me in, esp if I have travelled. Day hunting from home...maybe not so hard. I don't really care, just so it shoots each time and doesn't need to be babied. I won't intentionally mistreat a firearm, but falls happen, fences are crossed, slings break...

ETA: Last year was the first year I turned down an invite to hunt. Too much snow to walk through, combined with -45 temps. Nope, 50 now and hunting 'yotes is not that important.

Dogleg said:
Keeping a rifle looking good is pretty easy when you can make it to a nice dry, heated cabin everyday or leave it cold and dry outside. Its different when you spend couple weeks in the rain, and sleep in a two man mountain tent that is about as wet on the inside as it is outside. In between it might get used as a walking stick in the mountains or go for a boat ride. I left a rifle hanging in a tree for two weeks in the rain once, if someone would have told me I'd do that to a rifle I'd have told him he was crazy. All considered it wasn't any worse than the other options.

I like a nice walnut stock as much as the next guy, but there are times when they should be left home. A guy could argue that there's times when the hunter should just stay home or inside too, but that's not always possible.
Click to expand...
I remember a week long hunt with canoe access only. Second week of November so it was cool enough to need to be dressed warmly. Long Lake, Hants Co, NS. It RAINED the entire week. Two guys left and went home.

Everything was wet, even though tarps were up. Rifles hung in trees thinking it was better than on the floor of wet tents. My nicely sported Lee Enfield's finish was quite cloudy by the end, while a couple of synthetic stocked ones showed nothing (I began looking for synthetic for my #4 right after that).

I had canoed some river and almost the entire length of the lake in an 18' cedar-strip cargo canoe with gear packed in around me. It was FULL, 4 others were not. I was NOT going out until my week was done! Although we hunted hard, only one shot was fired and only one of the 8 of us got a deer.

A pretty rifle would not gave done well there. My father would have died!! He has 2 scratches on the butt of his M94 .30-30 and he can tell exactly what "shenanigans" put them there. I don't recall my father hunting in extended poor conditions and later in life only hunted from a blind (read finished shed complete with insulation, propane heat, a cot, and a Coleman stove) over a bait. LOL!
 
Last edited:
i've actually seen wood stocked rifles handle the elements just as well as systhetics....I personally just don't like the look and feel. i respect those that do though.
 
If they held the other two guns you have listed to my head I "might" by a tic tac 3. Otherwise the Win. is the winner. If you would consider other I'd go with an A-bolt stainless stalker.
 
To the O.P., thanks for following-up with us.
Often times someone will start a thread like this where everyone invests a little time and then we never hear from them on the matter again.
Let us know how that Sako shoots, and good on you for wanting to try that Mcmillan first.
I've had more than one and I feel they are way overpriced for what they are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom