What's hot: and what's hotter

Guns Magazine, August, 2008 by Dave Anderson

The first Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show I attended was in Dallas in 1989. It was a big show then and has only gotten bigger. Frankly it verges on being too big. It has gone from three days to four, and even so I have to plan carefully and do a lot of walking to cover what I need to see.

The firearms industry is an interesting one. It is affected by the same factors as affect other consumer goods such as cameras and skis--the state of the economy, employment levels, consumer confidence and the availability of credit.

It is also affected by unique factors such as firearms legislation. The computer revolution has affected the firearms industry only indirectly. There has not been anything like the effect on (for example) the photographic industry where one type of technology (chemical, as in film) has been overwhelmed by an entirely new technology (digital).

Certainly there has been an impact, notably in manufacturing. Computer assisted design (CAD) and computer numeric controlled (CNC) production means components can be fabricated to extremely close tolerances and marketed at relatively low cost. But the firearm's technology is the same. It still involves using an explosive to ignite a combustible solid and using the expanding gases to accelerate a bullet down a tube. Ray guns still seem a long ways away.

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What's Hot

Black rifles. The AR has indeed become America's Rifle. There are more AR manufacturers, more calibers, options and accessories than I can keep track of with new ones appearing regularly.

The .223 Rem is still the most popular cartridge, but there are also .204 Ruger, 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 Rem and .50 Beowulf on regular ARs, and .308-based cartridges right up to .338 Federal from DPMS. Stag Arms even has a true mirror image AR for left handed shooters.

Part of the demand is no doubt fueled by fear of more "assault rifle" legislation, but there is another factor at work--pure performance. These rifles are reliable, durable and the accuracy can be astonishing. With good free-floated barrels, an AR will outshoot all but the best bolt rifles, and competition has brought prices down. And custom triggers are available to make the best of the accuracy potential.

Triggers

Good triggers are hot. For years it seemed we weren't going to get crisp, light triggers on most factory rifles, maybe due to fear of lawsuits, maybe because fear of lawsuits was a handy excuse.

I give Savage a lot of credit for introducing the Accu-Trigger and demonstrating a good trigger was possible, even on moderately priced rifles. Both Remington and Ruger have introduced improved triggers on their flagship 700 and 77 bolt rifles. A new trigger design is a big talking point for the new Browning X-Bolt and reintroduced Winchester 70 rifles.

Accurate rifles are hot. The level of accuracy available even in moderately priced rifles never ceases to amaze me. To give just one example, a while back I was shooting a Weatherby Vanguard .270 (the lowest price version with injection-molded stock) and with factory ammunition it shot consistent .5" to .6" groups at 100 yards. A heavy barrel Savage varminter routinely shot 1/4" to 1/3" groups. And we almost take it for granted.

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Most Accurate

When top custom rifle makers really pull out all the stops, the results are truly astounding. I've been shooting a custom Remington 700 built by David Rooney of Tactical Rifles and will soon have a full feature article on it. So far the best group I've got has been under 2"--at a lasered 518 yards.

Value is hot. I often hear shooters talk about the good old days, like 1955 when a Winchester 70 Featherweight cost about $110. Right. And a good middle-class wage was $250 a month. Today you can buy a quality rifle for more like half a week's salary than half a month's.

The previously mentioned Weatherby Vanguard and Savage rifles are excellent examples. The Tikka T3 is another tremendously popular model, and there are excellent values from Remington, S&W and Ruger among others. We've never been able to get so much performance for our dollars.

Big Ticket Items

It may seem wrong to speak of outstanding value in rifles with 4-figure price tags, but several semi-custom rifles are truly impressive. Cooper Arms is making the model 52 repeater in hunting cartridges of the .30-06 class. Those I looked at were beautifully made with slick actions and nice lines. I don't think Cooper knows how to make a rifle that isn't accurate and I am sure these will be worthy of the name.

The Kimber Caprivi in .375 H&H simply exudes class and good taste. Stocks on those I've seen are of high-grade walnut, with classic lines and quality checkering. Anyone handling one of these fine rifles just has to start thinking of Africa.

New Ultra Light Arms (NULA) rifles are famous for their light weight. These aren't just regular actions with light barrels fitted; every component, starting with the action, is designed and built to be light. As a result they balance and handle as a rifle should, without the muzzle-lightness often seen in other rifles.