What is the best rifle of each decade/era?

Let's say:

Pre WW1
The inter-war years
The 1940s
The 1950s
The 1960s
The 1970s
The 1980s
The 1990s (or is that a bit recent?)

What do we mean by best? Whatever we want it to mean - best handling, looking, feeling, functioning, most innovative.

I'm no expert but I'll have a crack at a couple:

The 1940s - It surely must be the BSA Airsporter.
The 1950s - To ignore the HW35 would be an injustice beyond comprehension.

What to the esteemed members think?