I had no response so I thought I would vent:
Dear Winchester Firearms,
Congratulations on the introduction of the new Timber Rifles. If you have competitively priced them to the Marlin offerings, I hope that the market will justly show it to be a winner. You have the Ashley Sights and the scout rail straight out of the box! That is great! However, I hope to convince you to make this idea even better.
First, offer the Timber Scout in a beefy enough .45/70 Government to handle Garrett type loads. This will be a more flexible and powerful package. I could load it down for plinking or up to near .458 Winchester Magnum performance. I can understand the argument for a non-cuddly bear country rifle not needing a scope; however, there are enough people who will disagree. I believe that it is sad that on the Scout you only allow receiver mounting of a scope and not allow a scout scope on it. Please drill and tap the barrel of a Scout mount like the other Timber. If I was a shooter with failing eyesight, that would force me to the Marlin camp were there is a mount available.
Again, you have the advantage of having correct sights for that type of rifle just out of the box. You have a great idea. Please, follow it through.
Also, make a pre-64 like Winchester Lightweight Model 70 in .30-06, put Lyman or Williams peeps on it and sell it as a retro piece with pictures of Hemingway, etc. There are some of us who love the old Model 70 / Springfield NRA Sporter concept that would gobble it up. Place a decent trigger on it or have it compatiable for a no-gunsmithing after market trigger if your lawyers get in the way. Please have your trigger break at three and a half pounds like a glass rod. With such a rifle, I could shoot my local friendly informal CMP club matches, load it up, down and sideways for any game in North America and use it in Africa as a light rifle. It would be a great lifetime companion and a honor to the Winchester name.
Holler if you need some product testing on the above ideas. Funded field research by a real person, not a TV talking head, may be required to help you provide the best products possible.
Thank you for your time,
Jeff Kerns
