Rifle stocks..Wood or plastic crap - Page 2

BrownBear416 · #31 03-24-2011, 11:04 PM

I wont ever buy another wood stocked gun...

Plastic all the way as I hate having to worry about scratching a fancy gun..

Arn?Narn. · #32 03-24-2011, 11:39 PM

if ya got good wood, she don't need plastic...and that's a lesson in life lads

Leeper · #33 03-24-2011, 11:45 PM

I find it strange that people moan about the possibility of scratching a nice wood stock but have no problem with an ugly, beat up glass stock.
I bought my first glass stock in 1976 (Brown Precision) and have used a few. I now have no glass stocks except for a couple of BR rifles.
I like making my own rifles. I like doing every aspect of them and that includes making the stock. Making a wood stock allows me to make it as I wish, if I buy a glass stock I'm kind of stuck with what the manufacturer made.
Many years ago, a fellow brought in his sheep rifle for a new barrel. The rifle was a Mauser actioned 308 Norma which had been built by Al Biesen. The gun had been hunted with for twenty years in very tough conditions and it was worn, scratched, gouged andthe checkering was practically gone. Still it did it's job and it just looked like a well used tool. If it had been in a glass stock, it would have been just as beat up and would have still been doing it's job but I don't think i would have liked working on it as well.
I build a lot of rifles with glass stocks and I don't dislike them. In fact, from a functional standpoint they may even be superior but I don't do them for myself. Leeper

209x50 · #34 03-25-2011, 06:40 AM

Nothing looks a pretty as a fine wood stock and nothing looks as ugly and sad as a beat up wood stock.

Pathfinder76 · #35 03-25-2011, 07:27 AM

Here is a nicely wood stocked rifle that has seen a pile of use. It is well worn, but you can hardly call it sad and ugly.

ACKLEY ABE · #36 03-25-2011, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike_W

Just finished redoing a1975 model 70 Winchester I think it turned out pretty nice with the oil finish!!
It's amazing how much the oil enhances the wood over varnish.

Not the best pic but all I have right now.

That's what I'm talking about... Nice job. There's a rifleman's rifle.

LongDraw · #37 03-25-2011, 08:05 AM

Nothing wrong with oiled walnut and character marks!

ACKLEY ABE · #38 03-25-2011, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitetail Junkie

I like the wood.it's Fancy and easy to work with.You can take the worst beat up wood stock in the world and make it look like new again after Alittle refurbishing!!

Two years ago there were 4 "Plastic" Rifles in the Gun safe that have since been Punted.Nothing but wood For now on

Very nice....I like the looks of the "Bavarian". I've been tempted myself. Nice lookin blank. What's it gonna be?

......and CAT...I never said I was un-biased......

Grizzly Adams · #39 03-25-2011, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrownBear416

I wont ever buy another wood stocked gun...

Plastic all the way as I hate having to worry about scratching a fancy gun..

Come on, now.

I guess that holds if you think a fancy stock should spend most of it's life in a gun cabinet. Know one guy like that. He has a .460 Weatherby that he has owned for 25 years and never fired a shot out of . Still Gorgeus, but just a display piece. Good wood is very hard and damage is mostly superficial. With an oil, not acryllic finish, easy to repair.

Grizz

ACKLEY ABE · #40 03-25-2011, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Come on, now.

I guess that holds if you think a fancy stock should spend most of it's life in a gun cabinet. Know one guy like that. He has a .460 Weatherby that he has owned for 25 years and never fired a shot out of . Still Gorgeus, but just a display piece. Good wood is very hard and damage is mostly superficial. With an oil, not acryllic finish, easy to repair.

Grizz

Sorta like a nice car. When I got my old beast it was a Concours restoration. Now it's a nice driver, not a trailer queen.

Leeper · #41 03-25-2011, 08:58 AM

Chuck,
Is that Jerry Fisher's 7mm? That is a rifle which wears it's experience well and is what a well used rifle should look like. Leeper

roger · #42 03-25-2011, 09:09 AM

nothing finer than a belguim browning olymipian graded or a top end weatherby rifle stock to look at.
nothing better than a kevlar, fiberglass, to use

I prefer stainless and exotic type metals only cause i cant 'afford' wood.

Jamie · #43 03-25-2011, 09:37 AM

WOOD!!!!

Every scar tells a story.
Plastic has it's place though. Especially in wet enviroments.

Jamie

Pathfinder76 · #44 03-25-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leeper

Chuck,
Is that Jerry Fisher's 7mm? That is a rifle which wears it's experience well and is what a well used rifle should look like. Leeper

It sure is.

Racer31 · #45 03-25-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.

if ya got good wood, she don't need plastic...and that's a lesson in life lads

Haha now thanks funny .....i don't care who you are.

Oh yeah,it's just a tool what ever feels good works for you. Wood guns are nicer show pieces.
If its wood and stays home cause your to $3al to take to the field thats sad. chicks dig scars

I have one of each for hunting and love both,

duffy4 · #46 03-25-2011, 01:29 PM

I reckon if I had to choose between a beautiful wood stocked rifle that wouldn't shoot worth a damn and a plain looking "plastic" stocked tack driver, I'd take the latter.

However if they shot about the same I'd take the wood all day.

I usually fall in love with the looks of a gun and then how it shoots redefines our relationship.

My wife bought a Rem. 7600 pump in .35 Whelen for me once. She had a friend of mine with an FAC pick it up from WSS in Calgary. He later told me he had them bring all four rifles they had in the back out so he could look at the wood and pick the nicest. He did a good job.

209x50 · #47 03-25-2011, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck

Here is a nicely wood stocked rifle that has seen a pile of use. It is well worn, but you can hardly call it sad and ugly.

Yep, that is exactly what I'm talking about. All I see is a wood stock that needs refinishing.

whitetail Junkie · #48 03-25-2011, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACKLEY ABE

Very nice....I like the looks of the "Bavarian". I've been tempted myself. Nice lookin blank. What's it gonna be?

......and CAT...I never said I was un-biased......

I've looked at hundreds of other Bavarians on the internet aswell as in person and I still hav'nt found one that has nice wood like the one I Found and purchased.

The New Zealand walnut blank is going to be Turned into a Cooper Custom Classic Rifle.Still a long wait until it's built.I'm guessing September!!!

Pathfinder76 · #49 03-25-2011, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 209x50

Yep, that is exactly what I'm talking about. All I see is a wood stock that needs refinishing.

That's interesting. This is the personal rifle of Jerry Fisher one of the most premier stock makers in the world. It has been hunted extensively and taken several animals including a few Dall sheep. He has the ability to refinish it I'm sure but IMO to do so would be nothing short of a tragedy.

Some gunwriter ought to drive over to his shop in Big Timber Montana and do a piece on that very rifle. It would sure beat the heck out of reading about the newest ammunition offering or space age barrel paint.

BallCoeff.435 · #50 03-25-2011, 05:01 PM

Surely you realize there's different grades of 'plastic' just as there are different grades of wood? Haven't seen a 'wood' interior in most vehicles, but certainly have seen different qualities of plastic interior.

As such I wouldn't tolerate anything that looks and feels like a kids toy ABS rifle stock (Tikka T3 comes to mind), but an A5 would work. So would some things from HS Precision.

Couldn't see myself actively hunting with a gloss finished wood stock ever again, don't know about oiled walnut. Problem with any nice oiled wood stock is that it would have to be custom-cut/ground with a monte-carlo swell to get proper eye elevation & cheek weld for a specific scope and mounting system. Putting an aftermarket height adjustment on the stock would just kill any esthetics which you've paid big bucks for.

209x50 · #51 03-25-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuck

That's interesting. This is the personal rifle of Jerry Fisher one of the most premier stock makers in the world. It has been hunted extensively and taken several animals including a few Dall sheep. He has the ability to refinish it I'm sure but IMO to do so would be nothing short of a tragedy.

Some gunwriter ought to drive over to his shop in Big Timber Montana and do a piece on that very rifle. It would sure beat the heck out of reading about the newest ammunition offering or space age barrel paint.

LOL Chuck each to his own. You like the beat up wood, great! Me, meh I'd replace it, it would probably work to start a fire or two in the garage as kindling.

303carbine · #52 03-25-2011, 06:03 PM

I have had lots of wood stocked rifles and plenty of the non wood variety.
I like the look of wood stocked rifles better, but where I hunt, the synthetic stocks are less prone to warpage in rainy climates. Black plastic just doesn't have the look, but has it's own advantages to offset the ugly.

I don't worry about putting a couple of nicks on the wood, when this happens I strip them down and refinish to my liking.

whitetail Junkie · #53 03-25-2011, 06:04 PM

Last But not Least,the good old Timer 30-06, German Made Krico Rifle and the Newly Born, Cooper Classic 280 AI.

rembo · #54 03-25-2011, 06:14 PM

I like wood or good fibreglass for my stocks...no plastic crap here...I do have a laminate or two,...I can live with those. They have different uses...wood for sunny days......synthetics for hard use...rain, snow...etc. I like them all.

I just opened both safes and snapped a couple pics...looks like I've got a fairly even split of fibreglass and wood....and, it shows that I've sold off a LOT of rifles the last few months...starting to feel like Old Mother Hubbard here....cupboards are looking pretty bare....

I see there is a Butler Creek in there on that 10-22....might have to fix that...

catnthehat · #55 03-25-2011, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACKLEY ABE

Very nice....I like the looks of the "Bavarian". I've been tempted myself. Nice lookin blank. What's it gonna be?

......and CAT...I never said I was un-biased......

Well, maybe unbiased maybe too strong a term - how's about
" mildly opinionated"

Cat

BrownBear416 · #56 03-25-2011, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Come on, now.

I guess that holds if you think a fancy stock should spend most of it's life in a gun cabinet. Know one guy like that. He has a .460 Weatherby that he has owned for 25 years and never fired a shot out of . Still Gorgeus, but just a display piece. Good wood is very hard and damage is mostly superficial. With an oil, not acryllic finish, easy to repair.

Grizz

Hey Im not buying what your selling mister

Dont get me wrong I have some nice wood stocked guns that i use but from this point forward its straight plastic

If i want a nice chunk of walnut wood I will buy a nice coffee table

leo · #57 03-26-2011, 11:25 AM

Each to their own. There is a good reason for either depending on your hunting style . I don't presently own any with a fibre stock , but have had a 1/2 dozen or so that wore one. If one day a fine fellow invites me on a mountain hunt

, pack in or horse, I can visualize a Kimber Montana coming with me.

catnthehat · #58 03-26-2011, 11:36 AM

Shooting this with ANYTHING but a wood stock while wearing my derby hat would be just wrong- well maybe a Stetson style would suffice!!

Cat

philthygeezer · #59 03-26-2011, 07:41 PM

Wood for some days and on the range. Plastic for light weight and all-weather, but losing stiffness. Laminate for no compromise accuracy, stability, stiffness and ruggedness but at wood weight or a little more.

Mxyzptik · #60 03-26-2011, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Shooting this with ANYTHING but a wood stock while wearing my derby hat would be just wrong- well maybe a Stetson style would suffice!!

Cat

Cat , that is too cool. What is it please and tell a little about it if you would.