thinking of ordering a semi-custom rifle

[pricedo]

The Winchester was strong in South Texas but died slowly in the 70's. By the 80's the Rem 700 was King. And yes, betrayed is a good way to describe the feeling.

That didn't have as much to do with Texas as it had to do with decisions made by the Winchester company.
The Winchester model 70 died all over after 1964. The model 70 was most affected by the cost cutting measures Winchester undertook in that fateful year. The pre & post 64 model 70s were essentially different rifles.
I bought a post model 70 in 1974........it was junk.....sold it to a guy I didn't like within 6 months of the purchase.
Winchester never recovered from 1964 (customers never forgave them) and bled market share to other brands (Remington was the big winner here) until it finally bled out in 2006 when FN picked up its blanched corporate corpse for a song.

[Archer]

Winchester never recovered from 1964 (customers never forgave them) and bled market share to other brands (Remington was the big winner here) until it finally bled out in 2006 when FN picked up its blanched corporate corpse for a song.

IMO they bled out before 2006, more like sometime between 2000 and 2002.
Kinda stinks that FN made them into Browning LITE.
Neither is producing enough product currently to have much if any market share.

IMO FN really doesn't like civilian sales.
I'm not sure WHY they bothered to pick up Winchester OR why they maintain Browning over the years.
They don't seem behind either of them except at collector's prices and they change the available models and options sort of like the Post Office putting out stamps for the collector's market rather than as postage.

[pricedo]

They don't seem behind either of them except at collector's prices and they change the available models and options sort of like the Post Office putting out stamps for the collector's market rather than as postage.

They or more precisely the Winchester-Browning surrogate manufacturer Miroku of Japan turns out a heck of a fine rifle though.
I own 2 x BLR takedowns, a model 94 Trails End & a 1886 Extra Light.........superb workmanship & impeccable fit/finish
Ironically the highest quality Winchesters (the symbols of American freedom) ever produced are made thousands of miles off American shores by a nation that denies access to firearms to its own citizens.
Ain't that a kick in the _ _ _ s !

[Archer]

I really like the Miroku's.
EXCEPT for the price, the availability and the fact they are made in Japan.
The workmanship, fit and finish are excellent.

I hadn't really paid that much attention to the fact that the Brownings are made by Miroku but I've got one of the BLR TDs, a BL-22 and a ATD that are all Japanese manufacture.

[Ranch Dog]

it's interesting that you say the .264 was more popular that at that late of a date, I wasn't even born then. but most of the nay-sayers would have us believe that the .264 was nearly dead by '62 or at least that it died an instant dead in '62 when the 7mmRM came out.

I thought you might enjoy my find this morning 444WCF! It was down in the high twenties with a heck of a wind so I told my wife that I would go into town for for her and buy groceries. I found a parking spot out away from all the "shoppers", pulling in nose to nose with another Dodge farm truck. I saw a cartridge box on the dash...

dodge_264.jpg

From the looks of the truck I suspect that 264 Win Mag has been around for a long time, I don't think this fellow gets rid of much! I've seen the truck around, just never paid much attention to it. If I see the driver, I will ask him about his rifle. I suspect it has killed a bunch of whitetails and hogs.

[akuser47]

I wish I could have ammo on my dash and a rifle in the window rack but it would be stolen the first night left like that.

[44WCF]

nice find!

[44WCF]

just got the email that my barrel is on it's way!

8weeks ain't bad for a "full custom" barrel, I was initially told 12weeks and that would still be faster than the other barrel makers.