Yes I do feel that the older guns are better made and for teh main it's the consumers fault. Especialyl the American consumer
sorry bout that but it seems that Americans especially want it cheap. Now as for wood used today unless you go to a well established custom builder who has had the stock blanks in stocl for a long time then the wood used is kiln dried and not as good as the old method air dried. Firms like Holland & Holland won't offer a stock blank until they had it in stock for at least five years.
The idea of using Horn for trigger guards and bolt knobs is beacuse in extreme cold, yes they do get in it Europe
, Horn does not stick to flesh like meatal does. Now they use thermo plastic
I ahve a modern mauser with a trigger guard and bolt know of thsi palstic, would have preferred metal but they are palstic as is the mag follower.
If you ever get the chance to lift a real classic rifle out of it's stock I am sure you would be amazed at the inletting. The craftsmans work that went into this has to be seen
. I have several rifles made way back, classed as antiques in the US, like a DWM "Plezier" or Special Sporting rifle made for the Boers in about 1897 and a Rigby Mannlcher built on a Mdl 1892 rifle. The firm of BSA was also very good at this quality work despite being a mass producer.
I suppose here in the UK we are not used to the cheap market prices as things have always been expensive here
a new Remington model 700 costs about $1500US and upwards. A good S/H rifle cost around $500-$800 US dependign on make and chambering. Even the "cheap" British guns especially shotguns which normally means SxS are well made and regulated. I brought a low end model by Cogswell & Harrison, the sort aimed at the junior worker heading out in the colonies of the Empire so it's slightly heavier built than a typical English Game gun as it would often be used with heavier loads for larger flowl or even for Wildfowl on the British marshes. Because of it's age it's chambered for the old 2 1/2" cartridges and yes it's a 12 Bore of the Non ejector type.
Last year I acquired a 1955 FN Auto five, the bluing is a little thin and it has signs of slight rust in places, not uncommon here as it likely spent time on the salt marshes after fowl during it's life as we are close to the fens and marshes, however the quality is nice but it's unfair to compare this auto to an English SxS, they are just so different in feel and design.
The CZ & Brno rifles often need a little smoothing of the action but this of course is due to costs
final polishing in the internals of the actions simply cost too much today for the market they are aimed at. Use normally smooths them up! In the past labour was cheaper and customers expectations it seems were higher as the older ones certainly seems to be betetr finished internally.
So I don't buy new now although there is a limited production semi-custom CZ .243 Win int eh local shop which calls out to me every time I go int here. it had a twisted hammer forged barrel liek the Mannlichers have and a nice walnut stock even if I am nott hat keen on the Germanic cheekpiece
and nice deep blacking. if it was a 222 Rem then I think I would be lost but the 243 does not call to me so much.