Shot show: changing times
While this is my first ever Shot SHow, I got a chance to spend a LOT of time with several dealers, and of course, my sponsor- and the consensus is, the “black” rifles have diminished.
It’s not that they aren’t popular, of course, I think the people who are into militaria are just as interested as ever- but the show has (according to most I spoke with) become more focused on wood.
There’s a lot fo plastic, for sure- but the people I spoke with at most of the major mfrs claimed that the plastic was less abotu cost and utility as the lack of adequate manufacturing resource. A lot of people are buying plastic stocks and later upgrading to wood.
The prettiest and nastiest things at the show were one firearm: the new Mossberg lever action. Fit and feel, trigger pull, easily the equal of the finest offerings by marlin- of course, these were prototype guns and not production, you expect them to be better. The problem was, the stock SUCKED. They actually had one which had a checkered walnut stock (nice, but shaped wrong) and a plain Birch forend. And the combination looked like crap. I hope they get this right- because this rifle is AWESOME.
Does my Ruger K77 Mark II in 7MM Remington Magnum count as a “Black Rifle”?
I mean it does have a black plastic stock. But it is of course neither semi-auto nor is it military.
Then there is my Thompson Center System One .54. It has a camouflage plastic stock, but it’s a muzzle-loader.
I call the System one my Martian Space Rifle, since it really does look pretty weird.
Heh. You said people are interested in wood.
Wood: It’s not just for girls anymore.
You say “black†rifles have diminished?
It must be the Jim Zumbo effect =)