I was in my local g'smith shop yesterday to order some small items. The front desk clerk was adding caps to the scope of a new rifle and getting it ready for pick-up. The buyer arrived while I was still there. He proudly showed the couple of us other customers his new rifle in .300 Win Mag. At first to me it looked like a break action but the clerk corrected me. It is a semi-auto. The buyer was so proud I didn't want to say anything negative so just smiled and nodded. To me it was downright ugly and too tarted up for my liking. Afterwords I reflected upon my opinion and perhaps my judgement may have been clouded by the price ($3300) well beyond my reach. So "Nuts" opinions please. Here is the only link I could find. BTW they have sold three of them and have orders for several more.

www.austriaarms.com/ne...er_magnum/

Looks heavy but it isn't, wood is pretty, yes it's too dolled up needs some high heels and lipstick to match the Sunday-go-ta-meetin look. Take that out in the field and scratch it up a bit, there goes the $3300 (and wax job). I like the butt pad design but the fore-end looks bulky with that rear sight so far forward, it doesn't really look comfortable but they just had to make the aerodynamics statement I guess. I suppose the receiver is drilled and tapped for a scope, so they put the rear sight up front. Wonder why they made it a foot long...ok two thumbs down for me..

That particular gun doesn't appeal to me much but a more utilitarian version might.

www.benelliusa.com/argo

The utilty version looks much more sedate. Suz, that is the fibre optic site rear rail. Quite the site from what I could see. Never used one on a rifle but after shooting a pistol with them I am thinking I might get a set for my 9mm. I know my pistol shooting can't get much worse :-).

I agree, for $3300 I'd want a gun that was nice to look at as well as shoot. For an upmarket gun is is downright ugly. The lower grade model does look better and is more to my liking.

Are you kidding me, I'm in love!

Um Ugly gun.

that's a shame ...........wasting such quality wood on a ugly gun !!!

Well the piston system is the thing that makes the front end look shotgunish. Ya know after looking at the R1 big game rifle and the price of it, I think (if I had a need) I'd get one. It comes with a 3-4 rnd magazine that's a bit lame, but the video says a new 10rnd mag is now available. Lots of adjustability for fit, interchangeable barrels, only 3 calibers but it's called a big game rifle so....

butt ugly...pun intended.

It is outside the bounds of my preferences but it is made to hide all the gizmos that make it work. I think it could have been made to look more conservative than it does.
I couldn't buy it even if I did have the extra $3300. I can get a semi-custom for less than half that much - in a bolt action so I spend my time shooting and not chasing brass.

Ok, so this gun takes some getting used to. But its growing on my ... I think real beauty goes more than skin deep. If you pick it up and its well balanced - there is beauty in that. If it shoots well, I'd take it to the prom!