Yeah, I get it. A clicky safety isn’t the end of the world, sharp plastic edges can be smoothed off with a bit of sandpaper, it’s not THAT hard to find the damned unicorn Ruger rings, the Savage bolt release dance isn’t that bad to do, and molded-in plastic sling studs aren’t the end of the world. So why do I pick on small things like this?
Today’s bolt action hunting rifles are ALL:
- Reliable
- Accurate (~0.75-1.25 MOA)
- Durable (enough)
- Have a great trigger pull (many copy the Savage Accutrigger to some extent)
Literally any of them would be fine for hunting. That’s table stakes. So after that, I introduce:
- Price
- Smoothness of action
- Standardization of parts
- Magazine quality
- Quietness in use
Literally any of today’s value priced bolt action rifles would be a dream come true for the hunters of the past, so I have to find the differences between what are very similar rifles.
That’s why I pick at differences or small deficiencies in design.
