I have to put the Mannlicher Schoenaur near the top of that list!

The indoor pics just didnt do it justice so I stepped out into the damp outdoors:

MS is a very elegant little rifle.

Personally I'd put any high-quality break action single shot stalking rifle that is not over-ornamented at the top of my list of rifle pulchritude. The English and Scottish seem more restrained in their approach to ornamentation, but I've seen German, Austrian, and Belgian guns that I would gladly accept.... For a FACTORY rifle, I'd probably want a mid-1930s Merkel or J.P. Sauer, make it a 6.35x52R or a 7x65R.

To me, near-perfect fit, finish, and form of the metal and stock trumps anything you can do afterwards, like stock carving, inlays, and scratching.

Checkering needs to be just enough to accentuate gripping (see MS above).

I DO like inclusion of a LITTLE of the intended prey in the rifle, such as a horn forend tip or a perfect, simple engraving of an appropriate animal. "Effective symbolism is the antithesis of complexity." To put it differently, you don't use a symphony orchestra to call an elk.

But if you did chose, say the London Philharmonic, perhaps "Peter and the wolf" by Prokiev (sic) might do the trick??

Two votes for factory rifles: Some of the Savage Model 99's or some of the Ruger No. 1's. Antique factory, would vote for the Henry or Ballard.
Chuck

Dear Chuckster,
I sometimes agree with you but in this case I'lI have to state that I think the Savage 99, all Savage 99s are about the ugliest factory rifles ever produced. IMO there is no such thing as a "pretty" 99!
The "prettiest": In my opinion the 1970s era Winchester XTR, Featherweight M-70, with the scroll style checkering and schnable forend tip.
Steven

For me a pre 64 Winchester Model 70 is one of the greatest looking and performing factory rifles of all time, something about the overall style of these rifles.
1953 Featherweight .308 and a 30-06 standard

It is interesting how people's tastes differ. I always considered the bolt rifle of any flavor to be the least attractive of all rifles - until the AR15 "platform" came along. But then, maybe a "platform" is not a rifle at all...

Anyway, I'm in agreement with Steve about the 99s, and find Marlin 93s and Winchester 92s and 86s to be the celebrity-level lookers of the lever guns and multishooters.

But when it comes to just best looking factory rifles across the board, then it has to be the 1885 Winchester Special or Special Sporting Rifle by a country mile and a bit more with only a couple of the Ballard variants still within view.

These top even their predecessors, the English muzzleloaders (Alex Henrys and Rigbys etc), which would be next in line.

Sadly, among currently manufactured rifles, I see nothing out there that is anything but an eyesore. Why modern firearms have to be so darn ugly is beyond me. It can't cost much more to make an aesthetically pleasing rifle than it does to make one with the proportions of a brick.

I'll second the M-S as being tops, but I also find vintage Savage M1899's to be exquisite. To each his own, but I don't get what people have against the Savage rifle.

If I were to begin to make an ugly rifle, I'd start with a Mannlicher stock, add the spoon bolt, then perhaps some gaudy gold inlay.

For me the Win 1886 or a Dakota 10 is where its at.

If everyone had the same taste, there would be only one happy woman and one color car in the whole world.
Mike

For me, it is the acres and acres of blank nothingness on both sides of the receiver-grip thingy. You could plant corn there. And no hammer. What's my thumb supposed to do? At least the other ugly lever (1895 Winchester) has a hammer.

The later M-70 Featherweight also look to me like a nicely proportioned and executed design. For older American long range single shots, I think the Sharps 1877 can be a really nice package. I'll tend to do a double take on nice clean MS's, and some Oberndorf Mausers as well. Decent Winchester '92's can be good lookers to my eye, also.

edit to add, I like Savage 99's, but I'm not the biggest fan of their looks. The sometimes overly slim fore end, to me clashes with the long receiver and perch belly stock, but I was tempted to get one a while back and wouldn't have wanted it any other way. For lever guns with big long receivers, I think some of the Bullard's are lookers.

Johnr,
I agree with you, only change would be that the pre war 70's are the best of the bunch. The M70 pre war bolt handles define the term and by far the best ever made. IMHO.
I also like the early 1899 Savages in higher grades but not as much as the M70's in utility grade.
As for the 1895 Winchesters just remember they were Winchesters hope to own the AR-15 market of that time. Ugly!

Brent, I don't know what the actual definition of "factory" is when applied to sporting rifles, but have you looked at current Montana-made Win 1885 clones?

I have a C. Sharps that could be upgraded to "Special Sporting" status fairly easily, I think, although the "Thick Side" receiver keeps it out of the realm of "real Winchester" aesthetics. (And the schnabel could use a nose job....).

And have you looked at a recent Merkel K-1? The "plain" ones fit my preference stated above.

As far as I'm concerned, there is one excuse for bolt action rifles, and it is called "prone." Just my opinion, and well worth what you paid for it.

RWTF, I suspect you COULD pull a few horn notes out of "Peter" and call an elk. But if you played more than that, LORD KNOWS what would come to the blind....even in Idaho.

Mike, I think CSharps and Shilohs are most definitely factory, like Kimbers and Coopers in the bolt rifle world. I like the CSharps 85s okay, and I see many of them that shoot very well on the firing lines, but they seem to persist in making the thick-sided versions. I don't know that they make them slimmed down though one certainly could do that after the fact. I suppose I would rate them the prettiest of currently made factory rifles.

BTW, if you want a really nice highwall action only, MVA will have them in all configurations including all 4 trigger types and even the takedown. I have one (nontakedown) on order and wood and barrels on hand. It is expected any day now.

I don't know of many gun makers that can make a nice schnable today. The Shiloh forearms don't look right, much less good, either.

LRF, apparently the Russians bought into the 95 Winchester assault rifle, if I recall correctly.

The attraction of bolt rifles is still that anathema to me. I like seeing the quality of workmanship that custom rifles exhibited on this forum show, but ...

Who is MVA?

"It's all a matter of taste and there's no accounting for taste" as a fella I used to work for would say.

Some comments I agree with others I don't. Probably the same as everyone who has posted. While I admire the old Savage 99's and even more so the 1899 and owned an 1899 carbine for a number of years it was never their looks that attracted me to them. As others have mentioned give me the '92 or '86.

Bolt rifles, domestic I'd have to go with the Mod. 70 Featherweight. Among foreign makers the 1903, 05, 08 and '10 M/S do have a great claim, (I think I got the model years all correct). I also really admire the pre-WWI and between the wars Mauser's but am not certain most could be called "factory".

Single shot rifles, domestic, the Dakota is a very lovely rifle but I don't know if it is considered "factory". Being partial to my '74 Shiloh Sharps they have to be near the top but so is Ballard and the 1885 Winchester. Foreign, a fine German stalking rifle is about as good as it gets...according to my "no accounted for" taste. Double rifles....as much as it pains me to say it given my preference for German doubles I have to give it to the British and especially their pre-WWI and up to WWII DR's. Double guns, again I'd have to give the olive wreath to the British.

Montana Vintage Arms, or Montanavintagearms.com if you will. I doubt the actions are on their website, but they make the finest iron sights anywhere. And some very good scopes as well.

And they be nice folk to boot.

Pretty much agree with what has been said so far - but would like to add the Brno 22H / F (the ones with the integral scope mounts) to the list. JMHO of course --- John

Very well said!

Personally, for factory rifles I prefer the likes of Dakota 10s and 76s, Kimber (Oregon) Super-americas with the iron sight option, and Winchester 70s with the featherweight stock. For some reason I really gravitate to iron sights too.

I didn't mention it but CJF, I agree with you regarding open sights. I own one scoped rifle and it hasn't seen use in....at least 25 years I would bet. Oddly it is a Mod. 70 Featherweight Classic.