Best bang for the buck

[Charlotte]

IMHO is the Izmash CM-2. The rifle looks remarkably like my avatar. ;D
The rifle costs less than $400, comes with match sights, sling, Dewey style cleaning rod with brushes and jags. It is a real bargain. It is available in the Adult version which weighs nearly 12 lbs and the Cadet which weighs a little over 7 lbs. You can get them from saigacentral.com
I doubt that anyone of you could shoot this rifle and resist buying one. I have the Adult model and would recommend it over the Cadet since the stock is identical on the two.

[OldSwede]

I contacted saigacentral.com recently. Unless their stock situation has changed, they only have the Cadet model in stock.

[Charlotte]

Terry Stanley is the owner and the store, Stanley's Pro Shop, is located in Blue Ridge, GA. His prices are very good on everything, so if you want a T/C R-55 or something else, you might find he has the price you are looking for. I priced a Classic (not the R-55)from him @$304, but that was 4 or 5 months ago.
Anyway, I had to wait on mine too, but he e-mailed me the day they came in.

[Jordan F.]

I will have to look into the Izmash rimfires. I have heard many good things ago but never really considered these guns as an option (maybe because there not that popular from what I have seen). They sure are nice guns and for only $400 they are probably worth a try.

Thanks for the information

[Charlotte]

The Biathlon Basic is an Izmash and it is also a very sweet shooter with a really nice trigger. I've heard the stock called "butt ugly", but I don't really think it looks all that bad. Mine likes Federal 714 just like the CM-2. I've got to get some Tenex and see what else is possible with these two rifles.

[chalmitch]

I realize the value or quality of the product. But does anyone, other than me, have an issue with buying soviet or Chicom stuff. Yea the Cold War is over, the wall is down, they ain't us and jobs are leaving the country.

Sorry about the hijack of your thread.

Best regards,
chalmitch

[Charlotte]

Hey chalmitch, I understand your question and do not take offense in the least.
The problem is that American companies are neglecting this particular class of rifles. Anschutz, CZ's, Biathlon Basics, CM-2's are fine rifles and if Marlin wants to jump back in and start making the 2000L again I'd buy one of those too.
It's kind of like Japanese cars and the impact they had on Detroit. Americans wanted better cars and management at American car companies were comitting suicide with their planned obsolescence method of manufacturing. They eventually hired W. Edwards Demming and turned things around. When Marlin, Savage, Remington and the rest take notice that some of us aren't happy with lawyer triggers and stamped sheet metal sights, maybe they will give us some options.
Since this is written, not spoken over coffee or a beer, sometimes what can seem snotty, really isn't. I hope my reply seems conversational, not argumentative. You have a good point and one worth discussion.

[The Highlander]

chalmitch,

There are really two items to consider here. Best Bang For The Buck, regardless of where it's made, is just what it is.

I own, and have owned many fine American-made match and target rifles as well as sporters. Unfortunately, almost none of them was (or has been) made since the late 50's or early 60's. between the changes of ownership at Remington, Browning and Winchester, and Bill Ruger pro-actively making his excellent guns "lawyer proof", much of the quality has gone out of the American firearms market. What remains (and there is some), is usually higher-priced than comparable if not better foreign products, and still lacks many of the refinements that are taken for granted on some European firearms, even former Communist firearms manufactured by workers who might have been making tractors the week before.

There is also the collector's factor. I personally have owned most of the US firearms that I've ever wanted and have now moved on to collecting, and shooting, Eastern European Match rifles. My collection includes Russians, Czech's, Chinese, has included former DDR (East German) firearms and may soon include a couple from Romania and Yugoslavia. It's really not a question of "buying American", it's simply a personal choice for my current collection. Who knows, a couple years from now they may all be gone and I may be collecting English rifles or Military Trainers (I've actually started both before but lost interest).

[macc]

In the vein of the above comments, I think the best bang for the buck in an "American" bolt action 22 in recent years was the Winchester 52B japanese repro. (though current prices seem to much higher than the original prices).

Now that, was a real oxymoronic statement.

[Scotty]

i think a savage is mighty good for what they cost, and ol daisey was made in the good old?? CANADA , same place one of the greatest young shooters" Jordan" is from

close enough to made in the USA for me

scotty

[chalmitch]

Not that I wanted to speak of politics or $$$ or quality I am a baby boomer and see good quality arms coming here and cash leaving in the "balance of trade". Even I have a CZ rifle, a Remington "Spartan" and an IZH 46M. But this really bothers me. Charlotte has not offended me by her remarks or analogies. I offend myself by my position and then by my purchase of the offshore stuff, whether new or used.

I am also offended by
~ Detroit, for giving up the market place
~ NAFTA
~ Most Favored Nation status {China, Russia}
~ the old Smith & Wesson as owned and ruined by the Brits.

Again, sorry for the hijack. Carry on!

Best regards,
chalmitch

[Charlotte]

Great post, chalmitch! This makes me think about starting another thread discussing the reasons why we don't have the American made products we want.

[macc]

Scotty,

One of my favorite guns right now is a Canadian Savage BVSS in HM2, that I bought used for $150, sold the lam. stock for $70 and paid Richard's $130 for AA+ rollover walnut stock with rosewood caps and rubber buttpad. IMHO it is gorgeous, quite accurate, and fits me near perfectly. My math isn't too good but I think that adds up to $210 sans scope. It's probably about the best gun I have for the money.

[Jordan F.]

scotty said:

i think a savage is mighty good for what they cost, and ol daisey was made in the good old?? CANADA , same place one of the greatest young shooters" Jordan" is from

close enough to made in the USA for me

scotty

Thanks Scotty

[Big G]

I really love my CZ trainers for the money they are truley hard to beat. The guns just fit me soo good. ;D