And so there it was and it was gorgeous and I had to have it. I'm getting it at Cabela's in Reno,NV so it has to be ordered. Should be here on Thursday the 12th but I'll have pick it up on my way home from Pyramid Lake on the 15th. Non Tribal folks can't have firearms on the Reservation. I haven't decided on optics yet but it will probably be a Swarovski but might be a Leupold. Why a 7mm Remington magnum? Well, believe it or not I was on Brownel's website putting together a 6.8 SPC II and I have 80% of the parts but I was climbing up on 900.00 really quick when I realized I could have a much nicer rifle for just a few hundred more. I have a 30-06, 300WSM, .308, 6.5 Grendel , super match .223, a 5.56 home defense and a 5.56 3 G. So, it was either a .270 or 7mm and I settled on the 7mm. Why go with the Magnum. We'll a 7mm-08 is just a .308 necked down with a little better ballistics and I wanted something a little more than my .308 but without the recoil of my 30-06. All my research say's that's where the 7mm mag fits. So why not a 6.5 Creedmoor? I'm not jumping on that bandwagon. It's a good round but everybody is trying to cash in on it and it's the hype that's making it popular not it's broad ranging capabilities. I would wager that the next newcomer, the .224 Valkrie will become so popular that it will push the 6.5 Creedmoor aside as the hot item. Just my .02. FYI - 1/6.75 is optimal twist rate for the .224 V and no one is making one yet. You can get a 1/7 twist but you won't get the 1300 yards its capable of. Note: The picture is a stock picture from Browning's website.
Well..... the rifle came in at Cabela's in Reno, NV and I went to pick it up. It is a beautiful rifle but something about it just didn't feel right. To be honest, I haven't a clue what it was but after shouldering it a couple of times at the gun desk I just could not get that feeling of confidence that I'm used to. I ended up refusing it and getting my money back. Call me a traitor but I got my hands on a Weatherby Laser Mark V in .270 Weatherby Magnum and that feeling I had with the X Bolt was not there with the Weatherby. When I got home I picked up my Hells Canyon Speed and it fits me like a glove, just like the Weatherby. Like I said, I really don't know exactly what it was about the White Gold Medalion that made it not feel right. It's not the first time I've walked away from a great rifle just because of a feeling and I'm sure it won't be the last. I've made the costly mistake of thinking I'd get use to it before so I've learned my lesson I guess.
First it was nice you could get your money back from Cabelas. They are a class act. The White Gold Medalion I have had here for a couple of weeks as I get to photograph firearms for those trying to sell them. I also have owned a Weatherby Mark 5 Ultramark in .257 Weatherby Magnum. Both rifles are hard to photograph by the way! And both are really nice. I sure prefer the Browning checkering over the Laser Mark 5 machine checkering. Both are done by machine. But if you have a feeling for a rifle that is what makes it right. I will say over time you will find the Weatherby .270Magnum will be hard to find ammo for, but I doubt you will burn up ammo anyhow. I myself keep wondering what the Hells Canyon Speed will become when they discontinue the Dura Touch Stock. I regard the Hells Canyon as one of the best offerings. The Hells Canyon Pro are being pushed back for delivery dates. Sounds like you have one of the best practical collections out there! The White Gold Medalion I would buy if it came in a satin finish. I dislike the high gloss. In terms of fit for me, I sure admire the X Bolt All Weather! I am really happy you held out for what appealed to you.
I do regard the Browning White Gold Medalion as one of the prettiest rifles ever made. As a pro gun photographer along with my other work, it is too glossy. The Miroku Japan plant is very enamored with high gloss finishes. I think unfortunately they many times look too glossy and need to be toned down some. I do a lot of wood finishes. High gloss rarely gets as high ratings as Satin Gloss. Add to that the Satin Gloss durability and ability to rub out scratches better on Satin Gloss makes the high gloss look like a bad choice. The Miroku plant has been doing some of the best gun finishes and manufacture since during then Occupation years following World War II so I do not know why they cling to high gloss finishes which are actually falling out of style. A little bit of Birchwood Casey GunStock finish containing Carnuba wax, silicone, etc., will make a scratch look a lot less evident, whereas the scratches on a high gloss finish will stand out worse than a sore thumb. When so little needs to be changed to make the Browning White Gold Medalion even better, why they persist down this primrose path I cannot comprehend. But I should note, Wood Browning Stocks hold up as well as Dura Touch, or a lot better!
It's no secret to me but may be confusing to others that a grade IV/V Claro Walnut stock is by far the strongest stock available. It is as strong if not stronger than any Laminate or Glass stock available. I love to work with fancy woods and when I see a laminate stock it reminds me of a piece of plywood. The glass and composite stocks do nothing for me aesthetically. So the question begs to be asked; Why aren't all stocks made of walnut? Simple, there's not enough of it available and the cost can be more than the actual rifle components. In other words, it's not affordable anymore. Claro Walnut comes from the crotch of a California black walnut tree. The black walnut is very sturdy and tall making it difficult to harvest so farmers graft it with a white walnut which is typically shorter and easier to harvest. Therein lies the problem of availability of black walnut crotch wood today. As for finishes, a satin finish is not nearly as hard as a high gloss finish but a scratch or ding in a high gloss finish is far more noticeable. My feeling is that a used rifle with a few scratches and dings that I personally caused is fine because they're memories. I'm not interested in owning someone else's memories unless there was a backstory to go with them. In conclusion, I love a beautiful high gloss claro walnut stock because none of my rifles are wall hangers or safe bound. I use them to hunt with and if I ding it in the process I will definitely have a back story and a memory to go with that ding. I didn't refuse the rifle because it wasn't pretty, it simply didn't feel right.
The military spent a far amount on testing stocks. Laminates won. But they are heavy. To some, including the best single wood worker I know and he says laminates look like plywood to him. He is right as that is what it is! I have always been surprised that a number if people think some laminates are beautiful. They certainly can be tough. Claro Walnut stocks are stronger? I work with a number of wood rifle stocks, including Claro. Call a big volume custom stock company and ask them if a Claro Walnut stock is stronger. Look at the Janna hardness tables. Sugar Maple and Red Maple measures harder, Claro Walnut measures what Black Cherry does. Big Leaf Maple s fast growing and weak Maple is slightly softer than Claro. All this stuff is on Wikipedia, etc., What REALLY counts to both you and I is the look and practical strength of a rifle stock. No class of stock has been as over rated as the synthetic. My wording on Satin Gloss was incorrect. What I meant was satin finish. It is not as hard as High Gloss which is why Browning Miroku uses it. Even less hard is oil finish and that is the best often over time! So I do agree with your selection as as always, each piece of wood is different. Some attract me others are just wood, always it has utility, but when you are picking a walking stick or a Thunderstick the one that looks best to you, and feels right is the right one. I myself guess that Claro Walnut is not just the crotch wood but I do get that almost every one comes from that part of the tree. Wening just bought a batch of older Claro blanks, Lincoln Missouri, that they feel are pretty close in hardness to American Black Walnut, maybe even close to English Walnut. Of course the other question is how does the Weatherby shoot?
To sschefer: I have been in the Tree Farm industry all of my life. Always there are references to grafting, planting, etc., However in reality many hardwoods harvested are natural regeneration and onlynas small percentage is planted in the Americas, higher proportion of silviculturally managed hardwood timber in Europe. Claro Walnut current stands being harvested in fact and to some degree American Black Walnut is cultivated. The reason is partly hardwoods require a long time to grow to maturity compared to soft woods. The only native Claro Walnut stands I know of and have visited are listed as endangered. But that is just a footnote I ad which does not add much that many would be interested in. Sometime it would be nice to see this rifle photo! I am not sure seeing such photos make me need to not to buy one, or make me think I need one like it? I would derive the most pleasure it getting to see some of the best stands of Claro and getting to meet men growing them. I guess though my first question would be “How do you pay your taxes”!
The best discussion I have ever seen in print of rifle stocks is Chuck Hawks article on rifle stocks. Despite all of my exposure to this topic I have never seen as accurate or telling an article on this topic about the varous stock materials, strengths, myths, and financial and most important how the buyers perceive this and experience over time. Bottom line is synthetics are not that great, unless they are engineered and built on an expensive level. Walnut is one of the best Woods. Maple was once the most used rifle stock for fine American Rifles and is coming back. He contends that with similiar rifle barrel and receivers though weight on various stock material rifles will be still pretty close.
