| Bolt-Action Rifles of the 20th Century | |
Page Three
Bedding
System
I think the best bedding system yet is the aluminum bedding block. I first saw
this system in the H-S Precision shop, at that time in Prescott, Arizona, many
years ago. H-S has grown considerably, moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, and
the company is now making its own rifle, the Model 2000. In addition, a lot
of other manufacturers have recognized the advantage of the aluminum bedding
block. It is used in the Remington rifles, for example, with synthetic stocks.
The bedding block is stable and resists compression from action screws, which
occurs with either synthetic or wood stocks. I think the aluminum bedding block
goes a long way towards making average rifles shoot better. Aside from sighting
equipment, the aluminum bedding block may very well be the biggest factor in
consistently improved accuracy in production sporting rifles during this century.
Aesthetics
As for aesthetics, I like matte-finished blued steel and satin-finished wood.
To my eye, synthetic stocks just do not cut it in the aesthetics department,
nor does stainless steel. I best like rifles that are beautiful, and looks are
not the end of it. I simply like the traditional feel and sound of wood over
synthetic. I like the conservativeness of matte-finished blued metal rather
than the gaudiness of stainless. There are times when choices must be made,
when stainless and synthetics are preferable, but in this instance, aesthetics
are sacrificed in the hope that the newer materials might provide more serviceability.
When it comes to stocks, I think one of the best looking is the wood stock on the Winchester Model 70 Classic Featherweight. The Ruger Model 77 wood stock is another design that is appealing to me with the exception of the flat along the upper edges next to the barrel. While the Winchester also has a flat here, the Ruger is more pronounced. I like the top edge of the stock to round into the barrel. Leaving this flat probably has to do with the manufacturing process.
Riflemaker Brad Elder has an aversion to what he calls a round pipe-like receiver and a washer-type recoil lug. I have to back him up on that one. While they work just fine, they strike me as being designed to fit the manufacturing process and for economy. Another feature that I think destroys the looks of a rifle is a lock nut on the barrel next to the receiver. In my mind, a barrel should shoulder up solidly to the receiver.
I think the Winchester Model 70 is an overall good-looking rifle. So is the Ruger Model 77 Mark II. To me, part of aesthetics is the handling qualities, including action cycling, and a claw extractor is normally not as conducive to action smoothness because of the bolt groove necessary for the extractor band. The current Winchester Model 70 Classic Featherweight has a recessed follower that does not drag on the bolt body when the rifle is empty. Partially for this reason, it seems smoother than the Ruger Model 77 Mark II. Two of the smoothest actions are the Sauer, with its fold-out rear locking lugs, and the Weatherby, with its large bolt body.
By now you have a pretty good idea about my preferences in a rifle. So which rifle has the most of these features? I think that among today’s rifles, the Winchester Model 70 and the Ruger Model 77 Mark II come closest.
Page One - Overview,
Bolt Locking, Extractor, Ejector
Page Two - Gas
Handling, Trigger, Safety, Magazine/Feeding, Scope Mounting, Bolt Stop
Page Three -
Bedding System, Aesthetics, Rick's Two Favorites
Page Four - Comparing
the Ruger 77 and Winchester's 70 Featherweight
Page Five - Blaser's
Innovation, What the 20th Century
Has Brought Us For Rifles
Page Six - Lever-Action
Bolt Gun?
Page Seven -
Mauser
Influence Spans the Centuries; Jamison's Top 50 Guns
This article was originally published in Shooting Times magazine in January, 2000.
