My Brother in Law has always been a die hard Browning fan, me, I've been off and on with the outfit. They have always been an importer, not a US manufacturer, with most of the stuff coming out of Japan.

Maybe it's me, maybe I'm just getting older, maybe I'm getting wiser. Just maybe, I'm tired of getting screwed.

If a person can buy a Marlin or a Mossberg rifle for say $365, and that rifle consistently shoots 1.5 MOA, why then would someone pay $1200 for a Browning rifle to do the same thing?

The gun metal is shiny, the wood has a high gloss? Both things SCARE game. They claim "The Best There Is". Over the years I've owned some real clunker Browning firearms. When the original BLR came out with the straight stock and the magazine that hung out below the frame making the gun a bear to carry one handed in a low carry, it was claimed to be the berries and then some.

Those rifles kicked like a mule, were far from accurate, and when you went to work the lever it would rip the rifle right off your shoulder, In addition, IMHO, it was damned ugly to boot.  The rifles didn't sell, and typical of Browning, they decided to re design the BLR.

Low and behold, they got it right the second time around. They changed the grip to a full pistol grip which put the lever at a mechanical advantage so you only needed to flick your fingers to empty the gun in short order. It was everything the original was not. Not sure if the element of greed set in, or, they still were in disbelief that the original design didn't sell, so, they "re introduced"  it.  At more than 3 times the original price.  This caused me ponder. To this day I still haven't made any sense of it.

Myself, I'm not keen on the A Bolt. That huge bolt release is some ugly. For a while the rifles carried a BOSS gizmo that was supposed to  make a varmint rifle out of a sloppy barrel. In addition, it sported a ported gazinta on the end of the barrel that was supposed to greatly reduce recoil. To a degree, it did. Howsomever, out in the field on a hunt, if you fired a shot it was so loud it hurt your ears enough to make you cry.  Enough of the boys screamed about it so they also offered a solid model without porting. Porting barrels is not new. Done right, with the holes angling forward it forces the sound AWAY from the shooter while greatly reducing felt recoil.  Somehow they missed that lesson in Japan.

The original "Hump back" was, and still is a wonderful classic that operates on the long recoil system. It got so expensive that sales went to the dogs and they dropped it. That was just about as tragic as Winchester dropping the Model 94.  Over time Browning has come out with a wide array of gas auto loader shotguns, each claiming to be the next wonder in gun evolution.  And every one of them has fallen flat on its face, which is why they keep coming out with new models about every year.  Again, gas operation is not new, nor is it rocket science. Remington has had a fail safe system for a very long time and now offers the Versmax that will eat any  2 3/4, 3 inch, or 3 1/2 inch shell without any fuss at all.

Over the years, it seems the under dogs have been busy trying to gain some market share. Years back, Mossberg and Savage made some very ugly guns that looked more in tune to prying up tree stumps than launching precise bullets at game animals.  Some shot well, others did not. The triggers would break at between 7 and 10 pounds and most of the rifles belted like Mike Tyson. And did I mention, they were butt ugly.

It would seem the under dogs have done some homework as their offerings now are pleasing to the eye, shoot wonderful right out of the box, triggers can be set at right around 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, and they cost 1/3 of what the big boys get for an equivalent offering. And, they are made right here in America!  In this economy, that's a win win all around in my book.

Even Thompson Center is in on the game with a new bolt rifle for under $500 that is guaranteed to print 1 MOA groups right out of the box. Also 100% American made.

I used Browning here in this stint as I find them to be what Occupy Wall Street is all about, Greed. I can say the same of some of the big names in fly fishing rods. Imagine, $700 for a pair of waders! If that was the average price of fishing waders only politicians and rich people would be fly fishing.

The computer has put much at our finger tips. Myself, I don't buy anything without looking at reviews on it first. People are brutal when evaluating products. When you find something with 1000 reviews and 990 are 5 star chances are you'll be happy with it too.

Do the research before shelling out the money these days, get the most for your dollar. You'll be happier for it in the end.  I know I am

 T Bone

Over the years I've owned a few Orvis rods. I never really cottoned up to them as most were soft as puppy shit, and those were carbon rods. Also never went in for the pregnant ferule look either.  The only ones I had that weren't bad from Orvis were the Western series in 4 weights. Had one of the very first 2 weights Orvis ever came out with. The rod was a true whip stick and anything above a #16 dry fly simply could not be cast or controlled.  I got into it with Orvis a while back about their deceptive advertising posture on their web site. I've been at this game for so long I can look at something and tell you where it was made, even from a picture. I asked a dude at Orvis where a particular fly rod was made. After a long hesitation, "China".  I knew that, just wanted to see if they'd fess up.  When I told him it said no where that the rods were imported he responded with, "An oversight"  Sure it was.  Funny, it still is. And, it has a healthy made in America price tag on it too.

My dealer in CT says Orvis fly lines are the worst. He claims they don't last, they're brittle, and they crack and break. I hope not as I dumped $70 into a comped fly line from them to troll with.  I only went that route as they were the only ones who had a dark green line which is my favorite color for trolling.

So, lament not for an Orvis rod my friend. IMHO, they are not all that and a bag of chips.

Let's move on to another much lusted after rod, a Sage. When I bought my first one from Kittery Trading Post up in Maine, I paid right around $125 for it. Still own it, still use it for trolling flies, and it's 30 years later.  Is that rod worth $700 these days? Nope.  Then I got a pair of their LL rods (light line).  Those went fast, didn't like them at all. Along the lines of the Orvis whip sticks.

In both cases, Orvis and Sage, they have managed to attain a cult like following through wonderful cocking bull claims and advertising.  I do not believe that a competent caster can't make just about any rod perform, and I've seen Jamie out do the best Sage has with a junk rod from China that costs $35.

When all the smoke clears, Timmy the trout really don't care which fly rod is in hand. If a fly lands in his vision lane, appears to be a juicy meal, he will inhale it.  That can be done with a $20 Eagle Claw glass rod from Wally World.

Oddly, one of the best fly rods I've ever seen comes from China out of the Redington factory. Right around $150, in most cases delivered. Now that is a beautiful rod, a very nice casting rod, and it won't take the ice cream money away from the kids.

I think the days of the "Jones" have pretty much come and gone.  We have evolved into a country of haves and have nots. I can sell $29 fly reels, hundred dollar ones don't move at all, folks just can't afford them. Those that have the bucks go for the Hardy reels or some other high end stuff.

Sad to say, for most of us, if we have a spare $10 it comes down to - Do we pay a bill, buy food, get something for the kids. Fun stuff is usually at the end of the list.

No matter, we make do and don't look back. I quit smoking 3 years ago because I got tired of getting it stuck to me by "The Man". Tax this ya SOBs. $300+ a month to heat the cabin with K1.  I think not. I cut the wood and put in the work, now it's toasty in here with no fuel bill. Grow it, hunt it, fish it, plenty of food out there. 

Buy American when you can afford it because, it's the right thing to do. Shun the companies that build nothing here but take advantage of cheap Chinese labor and other foreign entities, yet charge Made In America prices. Myself, I have a HUGE problem with that.  And these same scum bags want more tax breaks to make an even larger killing.  Time we stop em, and as consumers, we have that power.

The other option is the used market. A lot of the older stuff is far and away better made than the newer stuff where they like to cut corners. Evil Bay once in a while can have a great deal, but like anything else, lizards lurk there as well. 

With the new arrival on the way I'd expect you to spoil the child rotten.  That's what good parents do. By that I mean take the youngster afield early in life and show em the ropes of the wilds.  As you already know, it's not always about material things.

I've never been a big Chevy fan myself. Had one when I got out of the Army. Couldn't start it, and when it did start, couldn't shut it off. I grew weary of that gig quick. Ford is a good rig, save their front end design. Eats tires like a starving dog eating meat.  Myself, I've had great luck with Dodge trucks. You can pound the piss out of them and they just keep right on going.  I don't need a big truck any longer so I drive a Nissan these days. Easier on gas and the pocketbook all around.

Not fond of the mirrors on the Nissan though. Left a couple of bags of sunflower seed on the back seat and the bears winded them. Mirrors aren't rugged enough........

Notice the muddy paw prints all over the truck. They WANTED those seeds!