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Gil Martin Super Member
Joined: Jan 28, 2005 Posts: 1837 Location: Schnecksville, PA
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 4:29 am Post subject: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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Is it just me, or do you good folks get sticker shock at the prices of firearms hawked in hunting magazines as being a bargain or affordable? Listed below is a letter that I sent to Outdoor Life. I really doubt they will print it. Just the idle thoughts of an idle fellow. All the best...
Gil
I read with interest Mr. John Snow's article "Whitetail Rifle Bargains" in the October 2013 issue of your magazine. His selection of low cost rifles was right on the money and one cannot dispute that they represent quality and real value. One the other hand, the article appears to be too brief and certainly incomplete. In these tight economic times, many hunters and shooters cannot easily afford even bargain priced rifles. Many of us no longer work 40-hour weeks or have been forced into retirement and live on fixed incomes. I believe that Mr. Snow should have written that these same referenced rifles are often available on the used gun racks in many gun shops for a fraction of the cost of a new rifle. I have recently brought three of the same mentioned rifles in excellent used condition for about half of the M.S.R.P. of a new rifle. Alas, Mr. Snow's article reminds me of a description I once heard regarding the Platte River as it crosses the American plains; it is a mile wide and an inch deep. I really do not expect you to print my letter even though I have been reading you magazine for decades. Thank you.
Gil Martin
Schnecksville, PA
_________________ Gil |
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Suzanne Super Member
Joined: Jun 27, 2009 Posts: 3323 Location: Eugene, Oregon
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 5:56 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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Yea it would be nice to read an article that wasn't a promotion for profit. Especially when you expect to find out about affordable and bargain.
Suz
_________________ May the moon keep you centered,
May the sun keep you dancing,
And the stars shed light on your dreams. |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 6:31 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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Nope these magazines are set-up to sell newly manufactured equipement and they support existing writers who have contracts to test this equipment. They won't print articles from someone not on the list. That is why I joined HuntingNut.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Grumulkin Super Member
Joined: Apr 16, 2007 Posts: 365 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:26 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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In the good old days, Outdoor Life and Field and Stream were worth reading. They now have some useful information but are mostly advertising and I no longer subscribe to either of them. Sports Afield is still a decent magazine but I preferred the older version.
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MacD Super Member
Joined: Apr 08, 2011 Posts: 1052 Location: Canada
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 8:32 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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The day of the magazine is pretty much done. Even those that have jumped online are living on borrowed time. The internet has a different economic model. I can find several well written segments on almost any topic in less time than it took me to write this comment.
BTW I have noticed that the prices of used firearms around here are getting relatively closer to new prices. I sold a like new Marlin for pretty much what I paid for it and the scope. I threw in a sling and half box of ammo so I probably took a $60 loss overall. I listed it online on Sunday and the guy picked it up on Thursday.
_________________ La a'Blair s'math n Cairdean
(Friends are good on the day of battle) |
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chambered221 Super Member
Joined: Aug 17, 2007 Posts: 3455 Location: Lost for good !!!
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 4:11 pm Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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Let all my mags expire without renewal years ago !!!
_________________ Ask as many people needed, sooner or later your question will be answered the way you want it answered !!!
A free people ought not only to be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government.
~George Washington |
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Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15704 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
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gelandangan Super Member
Joined: May 07, 2006 Posts: 6396 Location: Sydney Australia
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 6:34 pm Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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+10, reviews on magazines sux..
when writers can be sued for defamation by the manufacturer, they capitulated and smile all the way to the bank.
_________________ A straight line is the shortest distance between two points.
A smile is the shortest distance between two people.
Do - Not try!
gelandangan.weebly.com/ |
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Elvis Super Member
Joined: Jul 27, 2008 Posts: 9239 Location: south island New Zealand
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Posted: Wed Oct 30, 2013 10:59 pm Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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we have a few good hunting mags over here...but the rot does set in at times. take all testfires/reviews with a grain of salt.
_________________ You shot it You pluck it !
Them who eats the most duck eats the most feathers! |
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SingleShotLover Super Member
Joined: Dec 26, 2007 Posts: 1005 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 5:35 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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Case in point: Last month's issue of Rifle magazine featured two articles on Weatherbys (you know, those bargain rifles with ammo costing from $30 to $80 per 20 rounds) at $2,400 to $2,700, and a real bargain...a custom Hill Country rifle costing a mere $4,395. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading about rifles I know I have little chance of owning, but how about more articles on real-world rifles?
And how about optics? Why is it that the only scopes worth mentioning are upwards of $1,000? Really? There aren't good, serviceable scopes that don't cost more than that rifle you bought on a good deal?
As to buying good used rifles; two of my best rifles were used. One is a Ruger #1B in .22/250 that I had an FFL friend buy for me on an online auction site for $250. A lot of cleaning and some TLC on the stock and metalwork and its most recent group was .375" for five (5) shots.
The second is one of my .17 Remingtons that I bought for $500 complete with Timney trigger, an HS Precision stock and Leupold base. The really good buys are out there and paying retail isn't always the only option.
_________________ If you can't hit it with one, you probably can't with two either!
The biggest problem with a closed mind is that it never seems to come with a closed mouth.
SSL
Last edited by SingleShotLover on Thu Oct 31, 2013 7:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11390 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:50 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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I only get one gun rag and that's only because I am a NRA member. I don't read very much in it either.
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5001 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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I still get a few. "Rifle", "Handloader" and "Successful Hunter" are pretty good, especially "Handloader". I agree that the magazines have a lot of articles about things most of us couldn't afford. I might spring for a $1200 rifle (if it was really cool) but no way am I buying a $3000 1911! I mean, is it REALLY five times better than my Ruger?
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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Bushmaster Super Member
Joined: Jun 12, 2005 Posts: 11390 Location: Ava, Missouri
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Posted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:58 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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And I'll stick with my Browning A-bolt .30-06 I bought for $365. It was a demonstrater and had a few scratches on the stock. Whoop-tee-doo.
_________________ I have one nerve left and yer standin' on it...
DEMOCRACY Two wolves and one sheep voting on what to have for lunch...
LIBERTY A well armed sheep contesting the outcome of the vote... |
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BigBlue Super Member
Joined: Jan 16, 2006 Posts: 1108 Location: Lehigh Township, Pennsylvania
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 11:06 am Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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Some rifles are just too pretty and too pricey for me to take in the woods. As far as I'm concerned, those rifles are best left in between the pages of gun rags where they can stay pretty in perpetuity.
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PaulS Super Member
Joined: Feb 18, 2006 Posts: 4330 Location: South-Eastern Washington - the State
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 7:42 pm Post subject: Re: Whitetail Rifle Bargains |
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I have no appetite for wall hangers and safe queens. If it is too expensive or too pretty to shot it belongs to someone else.
(or left in the pages of the magazines to look at)
_________________ Paul
__________________
Speer, Lyman, Hodgdon, Sierra, and Hornady = reliable loading data
So and So's pages on the internet = NOT reliable loading data
Always check data against manuals
NEVER exceed maximum listed loads |
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