The Bass Pro Fall Hunting Classic is every year here at the Bass Pro in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (actually Dania Beach). Anyway, I noticed in the flyers the week before that they were selling Winchester M70 Ultimate Shadows Stainless for only $449, and they normally sell for about $750. That's well below wholesale. Heck, it's not everyday that you get a rifle for a $300 discount.
Truth be told, another gun in my collection is not foremost in my mind, but I just can't resist a really, really good deal.
As most of you know, my favorite rifles are Tikkas, Sakos, and Remingtons. However, I own several Winchesters and they have all proved to be very fine rifles for me - every bit as accurate as my RemTikkos
. Of course I have great affection for my new Kimber montana as well.
All of the $449 guns were WSM or WSSM cartridges. I already own one .270WSM and two .300WSMs. I don't currently own any WSSMs, but then again I'm not really excited about any of them. The .223WSSM is about the same as the .22-250. I really have no use or find any fancy about the .243 WSSM as I already own a "regular" .243, and the .25WSSM is the same as the .25-06. Then again, the .300WSM is about the same as the .300 Win Mag., as well as the 7mmWSM to the 7mm Rem Mag, but for some reason I try to justify the WSMs more than the WSSMs. :grin:
Okay, so the bottom line is that I decided to buy the 7mm WSM. Why? Is there a need for such a rifle? No. Is there any real advantage to it over the 7mm Rem Mag? No. So then why did I buy it? Two reasons....actually three:
1. I like collecting various cartridges, so the 7mm WSM is a new addition for me.
2. I usually buy a new gun every year at Bass Pro.
3. The price was really just too low to pass up. Heck, I could probably put it on gunbroker and sell it and make $200 bucks easy. (Of course I won't because I just hate departing with my rifles. )
Now, the thing is this. I handled two exact rifles and I was not really impressed with the action. On my three other M70s the actions, even out of the box, they were/are much smoother than the ones I handled today. I should pick up the gun in about 5 days (the waiting period is longer in Broward County) and give you guys a more detailed impression after I inspect it a little better.
Zachary[/color]
Truth be told, another gun in my collection is not foremost in my mind, but I just can't resist a really, really good deal.
As most of you know, my favorite rifles are Tikkas, Sakos, and Remingtons. However, I own several Winchesters and they have all proved to be very fine rifles for me - every bit as accurate as my RemTikkos
. Of course I have great affection for my new Kimber montana as well.All of the $449 guns were WSM or WSSM cartridges. I already own one .270WSM and two .300WSMs. I don't currently own any WSSMs, but then again I'm not really excited about any of them. The .223WSSM is about the same as the .22-250. I really have no use or find any fancy about the .243 WSSM as I already own a "regular" .243, and the .25WSSM is the same as the .25-06. Then again, the .300WSM is about the same as the .300 Win Mag., as well as the 7mmWSM to the 7mm Rem Mag, but for some reason I try to justify the WSMs more than the WSSMs. :grin:
Okay, so the bottom line is that I decided to buy the 7mm WSM. Why? Is there a need for such a rifle? No. Is there any real advantage to it over the 7mm Rem Mag? No. So then why did I buy it? Two reasons....actually three:
1. I like collecting various cartridges, so the 7mm WSM is a new addition for me.
2. I usually buy a new gun every year at Bass Pro.
3. The price was really just too low to pass up. Heck, I could probably put it on gunbroker and sell it and make $200 bucks easy. (Of course I won't because I just hate departing with my rifles.
)Now, the thing is this. I handled two exact rifles and I was not really impressed with the action. On my three other M70s the actions, even out of the box, they were/are much smoother than the ones I handled today. I should pick up the gun in about 5 days (the waiting period is longer in Broward County) and give you guys a more detailed impression after I inspect it a little better.
Zachary[/color]
