QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Improving and repairing firearms. Rifle bedding, barrel work, stock replacement and other ways to improve your firearms.

Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by boingk » 30 Sep 2021, 9:35 am

No1Mk3 wrote:I can't agree with the sentiment that "quality has fallen in recent times". This is, and always has been, a function of growing and widening markets from a makers viewpoint regardless of whether we are talking firearms, motor cars or yo-yos.
<snip>
It is a consequence of markets that although improved manufacturing processes and materials may make a better operating system for any device the apparent quality look of that device reduces, but it is not a lesser device.


That's it mate spot on and my sentiments exactly. In part its just market competition - people want an accurate, functional rifle more than anything else most times and those that want a premium offering are generally willing to pay for it.

Have a look at the true cost of what you're buying - a $750 rifle from most manufacturers nowdays is widely known to shoot MOA or better out of the box with factory ammo. 30 years ago, 50 years ago that wouldn't be anywhere near the case especially considering that $750 nowdays is actually slightly under a week's wages at minimum hourly rate.

Now, in 1970 the minimum wage was $56 and in 1991 it was $250 - that's weekly. I've no doubt you could buy rifles for that amount then, but I would suggest the type, variety and accuracy of those rifles would not be anywhere near what we see today in the current market.
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by Die Judicii » 30 Sep 2021, 11:08 am

Thanks Wyliecoyote that was a good read.
Especially with regard to the chromium dispersion,,,,,,,,,,, and as a result one would/could wonder why the manufacturing process
has not been changed or modified as a result.
Maybe it could take a few deaths that are attributed to such before any change would be made.

And with regard to synthetic stocks,, I only have a few mainly because I just love "good" timber.
The best one I have in synthetic is a Bell & Carlson which I find is REALLY GOOD.

The worst one I've ever had was a Ramline that used to be on my .375 H+H Magnum.
It was so bloody slippery that it was really difficult to hang onto so it didn't jump out of my hands when firing it.

Horses for courses I guess. :unknown:
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by Downunder » 03 Oct 2021, 7:44 am

Consumer driven but influenced by manufacture profits and ease of supply of raw materials.
Nice timbers are still reasonably easy to come by but pricey as they’re are more widely available from small boutique timber suppliers who specialise in urban recovery and salvage from storm events these days.

As an example this is a Black Walnut we milled in Nth East Vic, I sawed probably enough for 10 stocks out of the best featured and slabbed the rest for furniture.
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by bah! » 03 Oct 2021, 8:57 am

I've had a bit of lumber from a lucas mill, and even a lewis before them but the woodmiser pips it, got 5 cubes of sawn spotted gum coming my way.
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by Bugman » 03 Oct 2021, 10:43 am

Downunder wrote:Consumer driven but influenced by manufacture profits and ease of supply of raw materials.
Nice timbers are still reasonably easy to come by but pricey as they’re are more widely available from small boutique timber suppliers who specialise in urban recovery and salvage from storm events these days.

As an example this is a Black Walnut we milled in Nth East Vic, I sawed probably enough for 10 stocks out of the best featured and slabbed the rest for furniture.

Terrific bit of lumber there. :)
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by Die Judicii » 04 Oct 2021, 12:50 am

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This is a piece of hardwood timber that I got out of a tree on my property.
Maybe I should start making stocks.

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100_3849.JPG (469.26 KiB) Viewed 1941 times
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100_3859.JPG (706.8 KiB) Viewed 1941 times
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by cz515 » 04 Oct 2021, 7:07 am

Getting good quality timber for 1 - 2 or 10 rifles is comparatively easy, but when you look at sako they are producing 120,000+ rifles a year and probably more than half are wood stock and doing it year after year.... you are cutting down old growth forests... abs even a firearm manufacturer has to be sustainable now a days
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by Oldbloke » 04 Oct 2021, 7:51 am

Nice DJ, unusual
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Re: QUALITY in general now a thing of the past.

Post by Downunder » 07 Oct 2021, 9:47 am

cz515 wrote:Getting good quality timber for 1 - 2 or 10 rifles is comparatively easy, but when you look at sako they are producing 120,000+ rifles a year and probably more than half are wood stock and doing it year after year.... you are cutting down old growth forests... abs even a firearm manufacturer has to be sustainable now a days


Good quality timber isn’t hard to come by, highly figured timber is a bit harder.
Its supply that’s the problem it’s not wanting to pay the price or look for it.
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