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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
dirtyhabit
Tikka T3s
Tikka T3 in 7mm/08 there must be thousands of them in nz now
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Well the other option is sticking with your rusty old full wood longtom .303 with open sights? Better yet a flintlock?
This is all I can think of, add what you can:
*Stainless barrels and synthetic stocks - Practical (not pretty).
*Suppressors - Very practical not fashion.
*Exciting calibres like 270SSWM and 7mm08 that are somehow better than older calibres - Maybe? some are good like .17HMR
*Impressively large magnums with muzzle breaks - Yeah they are annoying at the range. BUY if you want to shoot long range for fun...
*Bolt and barrel fluting - could be fashion :D
*Tacticool scopes with huge turrets cos we are all going to shoot at 1000m - fashion if you are bush hunting!
*Super amazing polymer tipped projectiles that will allow us to shoot at 1000m - could be fashion :D
*Bipods cos you need one to shoot 1000m - with your Impressively large magnum with a muzzle break?
*AR15s as a hunting rifle - nah no more fashion than a .303 and a much better medium game rifle. Sorry people don't just buy them for looks, ok maybe some do.
*Carbon fibre stocks and wrapped barrels - could be.
Look at history, most of your "Classic hunting rifles evolved (or were) military firearms. I would love an original Mauser (6.5 of course) for my collection but I don't miss my rusty old cut down 303.
Fashion? some of it maybe but most of it is just plain old evolution.