Walnut, Blue, Old School Rifles?

[DaveTN]

Are there any modern production rifles that meet these requirements?

Bolt action

Fancy walnut stock, no laminates.

High gloss blue finish, no flat blue.

.223, .243, .308

[gregintenn]

Cooper and Kimber come to mind.

http://cooperfirearms.com/our-rifles/our-rifles

http://www.kimberamerica.com/rifles

How about a new model 70 Winchester?

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/rifles/model-70/model-70-Current-Products/model-70-super-grade.html

Savage American Classic?

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/14AMERICANCLASSIC

They're still being made, but bring your wallet!

Edited October 21, 2017 by gregintenn

[Chucktshoes]

Everything Greg mentioned as well as my personal choice, the American Standard Rifle from the Montana Rifle Company. 

http://montanarifleco.com/?page_id=149

I absolutely love mine and will be proud to pass it along to my kids  

Edited to add: I just realized that the finish might not be gloss enough for you with the MRC.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Edited October 21, 2017 by Chucktshoes

[Garufa]

Remington 700 BDL?  Not sure how fancy the bluing is...." Metalwork has our rich, deep bluing for beauty and protection ".

https://www.remington.com/rifles/bolt-action/model-700/model-700-bdl

Or maybe something from CZ.  They have always had very nice bluing IMO.

Edited October 21, 2017 by Garufa

[Chucktshoes]

The Winchester Model 70 Super Grade has the high polish bluing. 

[DaveTN]

Good finds. It looks like the BDL and Model 70 Super Grade may be what I’m looking for. I guess I assumed since the CDL was a matte blue, they didn’t offer high gloss blue, but the BDL does say “Polished blue”.

I would try a Savage, but all I saw was “Matte”.

Around $1K for new is in my price range; $2K is not.

[gregintenn]

1 minute ago, DaveTN said:

Good finds. It looks like the BDL and Model 70 Super Grade may be what I’m looking for. I guess I assumed since the CDL was a matte blue, they didn’t offer high gloss blue, but the BDL does say “Polished blue”.

I would try a Savage, but all I saw was “Matte”.

Around $1K for new is in my price range; $2K is not.

The Model 70 Winchester is, in my opinion, a superior rifle to the Remington 700.

[mikegideon]

http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/x-bolt/current-production/x-bolt-medallion.html

[Chucktshoes]

1 minute ago, gregintenn said:

The Model 70 Winchester is, in my opinion, a superior rifle to the Remington 700.

Without a doubt. 

[DaveTN]

8 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

The Model 70 Winchester is, in my opinion, a superior rifle to the Remington 700.

 

6 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

Without a doubt. 

Do your comments apply to the Model 70 that appears now to be made in Portugal?

[gregintenn]

13 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

 

Do your comments apply to the Model 70 that appears now to be made in Portugal?

My comments apply only to the design of the rifle. The FN made model 70s, as well as the New Haven made pre 64s and Classics (not push feed post 64 models) are great.

I have not seen the Portugal assembled rifles, but the reviews I've read speak well of them.

[xtriggerman]

29 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

My comments apply only to the design of the rifle. The FN made model 70s, as well as the New Haven made pre 64s and Classics (not push feed post 64 models) are great.

I have not seen the Portugal assembled rifles, but the reviews I've read speak well of them.

^ I agree. Iv tuned numerous M70 triggers for folks back in my shop days and the design cant be beat. Simple, straight forward and can handle decades of in the field service with nothing more than a brushing and blow gun air if you felt the need to see bare metal there. The Rem 700 triggers used to be OK with detailed maintenance & proper lube & settings. Then they F***ed that all up with new cast triggers (2008?) with terrible pivot pin tolerance that made the triggers flat out unsafe at anything under a 6 lb pull.  

  The foundation of a fine sporting rifle is what ties you to the shot...... the trigger. All other attributes fall in line after that.

[Chucktshoes]

1 hour ago, DaveTN said:

 

Do your comments apply to the Model 70 that appears now to be made in Portugal?

 

1 hour ago, gregintenn said:

My comments apply only to the design of the rifle. The FN made model 70s, as well as the New Haven made pre 64s and Classics (not push feed post 64 models) are great.

I have not seen the Portugal assembled rifles, but the reviews I've read speak well of them.

Yes. While I was selecting a rifle for my hunting rig, with many of the same criteria you had, I handled a few new Super Grades. I was thoroughly impressed. It was going to be the one I purchased until I was able to handle an MRC. After that, it was no contest. The Rem 700 was never truly in the running due to the long running design problems and even the higher end models didn't match up to some of the others I looked at like the M70, the MRC or a Weatherby MkV that was in contention. I know that Made in USA is an important checklist item for you. The Weatherby Mark V might be another option to check as they are still produced in MN. The Vanguard line have their barrels and actions made by Howa in Japan. 

[MacGyver]

I shot a Super Grade M70 not too long ago and it was beautiful.  I think they’ve gone back to the pre-64 model extractors as well.  

[gregintenn]

7 hours ago, Chucktshoes said:

Everything Greg mentioned as well as my personal choice, the American Standard Rifle from the Montana Rifle Company. 

http://montanarifleco.com/?page_id=149

I absolutely love mine and will be proud to pass it along to my kids  

Edited to add: I just realized that the finish might not be gloss enough for you with the MRC.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Beautiful rifle. I forgot about those. They appear to have borrowed liberally from the model 70 design. Not that that's a bad thing.

[Chucktshoes]

Yeah. The bolt is a combination of the M70 and the Mauser claw extractor. The action is like butter with the best trigger I have felt on any rifle. 

[DaveTN]

Thanks guys, it looks like The Model 70 Supergrade in .243 might be just what I’m looking for in a current production model. Looks like they switched manufacturing to Portugal about 4 years ago. I’ll have to see if I can find out what that did to the quality level.

The X-Bolt is another option it’s also offered in .223; the Supergrade is not.  I already have a .308 so I’m trying to decide between .223 and .243. I’m thinking the advantage of .223 is that and already have that caliber in other rifles and there are plenty of ammo options. I have never owned a .243 and it would be adding a new caliber. I don’t hunt these; are range toys.

I’m really surprised Savage doesn’t have an offering. The 14/114 is close but it’s a matt blue.

I guess either the EPA regulations or the fact that high gloss blue requires a polished finish is causing it to die out.

[mikegideon]

2 hours ago, DaveTN said:

Thanks guys, it looks like The Model 70 Supergrade in .243 might be just what I’m looking for in a current production model. Looks like they switched manufacturing to Portugal about 4 years ago. I’ll have to see if I can find out what that did to the quality level.

The X-Bolt is another option it’s also offered in .223; the Supergrade is not.  I already have a .308 so I’m trying to decide between .223 and .243. I’m thinking the advantage of .223 is that and already have that caliber in other rifles and there are plenty of ammo options. I have never owned a .243 and it would be adding a new caliber. I don’t hunt these; are range toys.

I’m really surprised Savage doesn’t have an offering. The 14/114 is close but it’s a matt blue.

I guess either the EPA regulations or the fact that high gloss blue requires a polished finish is causing it to die out.

I have an X-Bolt in .243. It's the hunter version. You're welcome to shoot it. The .243 is a necked down .308.

[DaveTN]

5 minutes ago, mikegideon said:

I have an X-Bolt in .243. It's the hunter version. You're welcome to shoot it. The .243 is a necked down .308.

Thanks Mike, I think I’ll be okay with the .243 if that’s what’s available. I just thought .223 would keep me from adding another caliber. But if it’s not available it won’t be a deal breaker.

[DaveTN]

Lets see what happens...

 

[mikegideon]

13 minutes ago, DaveTN said:

Thanks Mike, I think I’ll be okay with the .243 if that’s what’s available. I just thought .223 would keep me from adding another caliber. But if it’s not available it won’t be a deal breaker.

Looks like the Medallion grade is only available in .223 now. I'm pretty sure they made other calibers. I almost bought one instead of the hunter. Pretty rifle.

[DaveTN]

2 minutes ago, mikegideon said:

Looks like the Medallion grade is only available in .223 now. I'm pretty sure they made other calibers. I almost bought one instead of the hunter. Pretty rifle.

Their website shows 19 calibers. 

[quietguy]

I bought a Super Grade M70 in .308 a couple of years ago, and it has been a great rifle. 

I really wanted an A-Bolt Medallion, but they only make them in 3 calibers now.  

[DaveTN]

On 10/22/2017 at 12:04 PM, quietguy said:

I bought a Super Grade M70 in .308 a couple of years ago, and it has been a great rifle. 

I really wanted an A-Bolt Medallion, but they only make them in 3 calibers now.  

I’m curious why you would want an A-bolt or even an X-Bolt over the SUPER GRADE? I haven’t shot either. But most of the comparisons I read rate the Super Grade over the X-Bolt. I’m just asking; I have no idea.

I don’t know what was available when you got yours, but the Browning site shows 19 calibers available in both the X-Bolt and the A-Bolt and 10 in the AB3.

The X-Bolt Medallion would cost me $920. And I could get it .223 or .243.

http://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/x-bolt/current-production/x-bolt-medallion.html

The Super Grade would be $1083.

.243 is the only offering I would be interested in.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/rifles/model-70/model-70-Current-Products/model-70-super-grade.html

If the Super Grade is that much better; the price difference isn’t an issue to me.

I haven’t had any lucking finding anything used, even when I had a moment of ignorance and offered a Garand for trade. 

[Chucktshoes]

Well, would you look at that. Look what Hickock 45 just posted. 

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=share&v=nMXSCjN5SHA