All of the currently produced savages are fine weapons for the price .
As mentioned the application is the key to selecting the caliber the manufacturer is somewhat irrelevant
Frank, the point I was trying to make was that 'Caliber & Manufacturer' are NOT irrelevant...
There isn't much use for a caliber that you can't get ammo for about anywhere in Alaska...
And since we were talking about a rifle purchase for Alaska hunting...
AND,
You can't fly with loaded ammo anymore, I would think that would be an issue to cover.
As for 'Rants', I didn't know I was on one...
I just covered the maker/caliber issue Binary Encryption and tried to 'Clear Up' and/or correct what you wrote,
Then moved on to what I though might be useful information about optics.
Since I have done gun smithing work, for over 35 years, and I was a military weapons and weapons systems specalist,
AND,
I've been to Alaska 10 or 11 times hunting, hiking, ect down through the years, I though I might have an idea or two that could be considered by Binary Encryption.
Sorry if that offended you.
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CoinGuy, I've seen some .45-70's up there, but a .45-70 isn't what I'd call a 'Tack Driver' at ranges you often take shots from in Alaska.
My last bear shot was about 425 yards, and my last wolf shot was right at 600 yards.
I don't think a .45-70 is up to that, although I have to agree, it packs quite a bit of energy at the target!
Since any modern .45-70 has to keep chamber pressures that won't blow up the older black power guns, I don't see any resurrection of the .45-70 anytime soon...
CoinGuy, If you are a .45-70 fan,
Have you seen the .45-70 conversion barrels for the British SMLE rifles that came out in .303?
That conversion REALLY makes an old, cheap British .303 SMLE useful!
I think 'Gibbs' is making the rifles, and kits to convert the rifles over still.
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Binary Encryption,
AR-50 is quite the rifle!
The first round of Gail McMillan bolt .50 BMG rifles and Barrett .50 BMG semi Autos were operational when I was in the military, and I saw them do some really impressive things!
As it stands right now, the sniping record is held by a Canadian sniper with a Gail McMillan .50 BMG and it's slightly over 2,800 yards!
I remember in testing we were able to hold on a target at 2,000 yards and I was just DUMBFOUNDED!
The Royal Marines are using a Accuracy International (AI) .338 Lupua Mag, and they qualify at 2,000 yards now with that!
BUT,
That .338 Can't disable Light Armor at 2,000 Yards like the .50 BMG rifles can!
I have a 'Ferret' .50 BMG top end for my AR lowers, and it's just plain BRUTAL to shoot for me anymore...
I'm getting too old for 'boomers' like that thing!
I'm going to sell it over the winter or at the machine gun shoot next spring...
If I get another 50 BMG, it's going to be a Barrett or something that will tame the recoil!
If you see the new 'Cobb' 50 BMG rifles that are manually operated but magazine fed (left hand bolt, almost as fast as the Barrett semi auto, but with none of the 'Failure to Feed' problems that dust and moisture can cause with the Barrett M-82.
Slick, well made piece, and if they ever hang a ban on semi auto .50 Boomers, this is Manual, stright pull bolt gun!
AND,
I can't blame you, While actually getting to use a .50 BMG for something other than paper targets would be fun,
There is no damn way I would want to drag a 35 pound rifle up and down mountains at 6,000+ Feet!
I crank about a 7 pound Mountain rifle!