Thread: Recent trends in firearm fashion

Originally Posted by MassiveAttack

Some of the discussion on the tops rifle thread made me reflect on recent trends in firearms fashion. If we were all honest with ourselves we would admit that we are as avid followers of fashion as our wifes.

This is all I can think of, add what you can:
*Stainless barrels and synthetic stocks
*Suppressors
*Exciting calibres like 270SSWM and 7mm08 that are somehow better than older calibres
*Impressively large magnums with muzzle breaks
*Bolt and barrel fluting
*Tacticool scopes with huge turrets cos we are all going to shoot at 1000m
*Super amazing polymer tipped projectiles that will allow us to shoot at 1000m
*Bipods cos you need one to shoot 1000m
*AR15s as a hunting rifle
*Carbon fibre stocks and wrapped barrels

I am sure I have forgotten some so reply to the thread and add what you can think of.

So what is your set up?

Open sighted .303 or have you joined the trend of adding a scope to your rifle

The bush pig ?

The "long range" version of any tried and true model.

Copper bullets (faded a bit in recent months)

Moly coated bullets (flash in the pan revival of 50 yo concept).

Monte carlo stocks. (Sigh)

Extra heavy weight bullets you can't fit in your mag.

Bull barrels

Reticles to measure your antlers. (30/30)

Wide vision scopes. (Old farts will remember these)

Illuminared reticles ( an unnamed company uses these exclusively even now as a matter of pride)

Soft touch stocks

What a laugh now we look back !

Was fad a potentially better choice of word than trend in the original question, as I detected a touch of condescension.

Spending more time talking about hunting/shooting than actually hunting or shooting...

Originally Posted by Nickoli

Spending more time talking about hunting/shooting than actually hunting or shooting...

best post

BUT actually - horse and carts my example = does the job but fukin average. id take the hilux any day, i feel the same about any improvements.

trends no id say evolution

Originally Posted by rogers.270

BUT actually - horse and carts my example = does the job but fukin average. id take the hilux any day, i feel the same about any improvements.

trends no id say evolution

Depends on the individual example and suitability for purpose I think.

For example if you're spending say $500 on a scope for general hunting - you could read forums, see people showing off their LR rifles with large objective high magnification scopes and think thats obviously better than small scopes like people used to use, go down to the shop and buy a big heavy low/mid range 4-16 or 6-24x50 with unexceptional optics and big exposed target turrets that you accidentally bump in the bush and wonder why you keep missing.

Or you could decide that you don't need that much magnification for your normal hunting, and spend the same budget on a higher quality 'boring old' 3-9x40 with nicer glass, better low light performance etc.

Sometimes people think they're comparing a horse and cart with a hilux, when they're really comparing it to a steam train.

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Depends on the individual example and suitability for purpose I think.

For example if you're spending say $500 on a scope for general hunting - you could read forums, see people showing off their LR rifles with large objective high magnification scopes and think thats obviously better than small scopes like people used to use, go down to the shop and buy a big heavy low/mid range 4-16 or 6-24x50 with unexceptional optics and big exposed target turrets that you accidentally bump in the bush and wonder why you keep missing.

Or you could decide that you don't need that much magnification for your normal hunting, and spend the same budget on a higher quality 'boring old' 3-9x40 with nicer glass, better low light performance etc.

Sometimes people think they're comparing a horse and cart with a hilux, when they're really comparing it to a steam train.

I call that piss poor research given the information out there on forums mags etc, probably dont shouldnt be a fire arm locence holder if you actively do reaserch and end up with crap by accident - id say the same re a builder turning upto a site first day

Those new-fangled flint locks will never catch on, the tried and tested, faithful match lock is the only way........

I like "trendy" and if I could afford. It would have heaps more hunting and fishing gear trendy or not

Take a look at hunting clothing : we probably have available some of the most comfortable hunting gear ever created.

The trend is those skin tight camo underwear ATM :-)

Actually the more I get back into shooting the less inclined I am to like my CDS and "Side focus" too many things to fuck around with.
Seriously considering going back to a Non Side Focus / CDS

In the UK some things are popular because of the daft laws we have, 243 is normally the recomended deer legal calibre and all they will let most people have on their first firearms application, and its illegal to shoot deer after dark and using any artificial illumination so most people use scopes with a larger front end to make the most of that last little bit of daylight at dawn and dusk. Its quite interesting how laws and regulations often shape how we hunt and what we use.

Most of those things do have practical purpose. Synthetic stainless certainly can take a bit more abuse without rust or damaging your nice stock.
Carbon stock can save a reasonable bit of weight.
30mm scopes have more elevation for those who need it, as well as let in more light.
Suppressors save your hearing.
Bipods have their place for open country or when long range/varmints are the main target.
The latest cartridges seem to be much more practical than the last generation which was full of Super Ultra long magnum rounds and Super Ultra short ones. Where as the likes of 6.5 creedmoor doesn't claim to be a Super Loudenboomer, but it does what it does efficently.

The fads I don't think are necessary are:
Custom painted camo hunting rifles.
Anything other than a picatinny rail for sights or a bipod.
A hotrod cartridge in a short "bush pig" rifle (never understood why you would want a expensive flat shooting round in a ridle designed for 200m max).
Fluting a bolt to save weight, yet put a 30mm or 34mm scope on the same rifle, or a stainless suppressor.
I really dont like the latest fad of ladder reticles that allow you to use hold overs out to a 1000yards, yet is put on a scope with exposed turrets or cds turrets.

Ladder reticle on a second focal plane scope is not my favorite either.
I have a burris veracity with ffp and their balistic ladder reticle and quite like it.
No chance of goofing if the magnification knob is not on the highest power.

it seems like the younger generations coming through mostly believe that big is best ,a lot of the fakebook groups I flick through all the young fellas talk about is large calibres