Ruger bolt actions and canoe paddles

HeadDamage

HeadDamage

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Not to start anything ( ;) ) but I really like Ruger bolt actions for hunting rigs. In particular I have a thing for the older canoe paddle stocks. Just thought I'd post a pic of my hunting rigs up and see if they are as ugly as some anti Ruger guys say or not. Who else likes the canoe paddles?

From top to bottom; 338win, 7.62x39, 22mag, and 308win.

RugerBolts.jpg
 
I used to sell them back when I was the sporting goods guy at Woolco twenty years ago, back when this model just came out. They were fairly hard to sell as they very quickly developed a reputation for the stocks being incomfortable and hitting hard, unfortunately.

Yours look great. What have you found in terms of comfort/felt recoil?

I've never been lucky enough to shoot one (yet)?
 
I wouldn't even paddle my canoe with something that ugly :D

But then again, I've never shot a deer with my canoe paddle. the dead animals don't care what a rifle looks like. Though I may hide them at the back of the safe when I show people :)
 
When the first came out I hated the look of them and thought they would be uncomfortable to shoot but then a few years ago I got the 7.62x39 for the cal and quickly found I loved the feel of the stock and they seem to be really great shooters. The 338 has had a softer recoil pad put on it by a previous owner and with that it feels great to shoot, it's nicer than my old tang safety 338 m77. The stocks are really light weight but surprisingly stiff. The 7.62x39 came with the wood inserts but I added them to the 338 and the 22mag, just take the screws that hold the plastic panels in and put the wooden inserts in, Numrich Arms has the wood inserts in stock.
 
Great looking and great work horses. I was looking to buy one but they are in short supply. I remember shooting a lotta goats with a .223. I've never seen wooden inserts in the stock before!
 
I have owned a few, always liked the look but never liked the feel of them. I swapped the stocks for new models, and never looked back. I betchya if he sees this thread, the new owner of one of those stocks is going to pop up and post a pic of it.
 
I have one in 338 win mag as well, topped with a Burris safari 1.75-5x32. No they are not the prettiest guns but I bought it as a work horse, I don't feel bad about taking it out in bad weather. As for the synthetic stock, I like the fact that it doesn't have the hollow feeling/sound due to the skeletontization.

Head Damage I'm definitly liking those wood inserts especially with that camo paint job, looks great!.
 
Not only can you not feel bad about taking one out in bad weather, you can not feel bad about dragging it behind your truck on a chain or using it to mix concrete, pound tent stakes, beat out grass fires, or scrape manure from your boots.
Actually, I always kind of liked them. To me, they were utility taken to extremes. I have no doubt, the designer has since moved into the tactical design arena. Regards, Bill.
 
Always thought they were hideous. Still do. So what? Some things become beautiful to us by virtue of their functionality and longevity.
I always thought the stock on my A-Bolt was ugly too. Yet I've kept it close to 20 years and won't sell it. It's got it under the hood.
 
I always was a fan of those stocks, in fact I was trying to find out what to call them last week and tried all sorts of terms till I stumbled across "boat paddle".

My thinking was if its not made out of some nice hardwood; (walnut, birds eye maple, and a few other exotics) then its function over form and appearance hold zero value. This style of Ruger stock seemed to have great rigidity as well as keeping the weight down.

Much prefer it over the Savage/Stevens, my one week old 10/22, and the Weatherby Vanguard my buddy purchased last fall. Cant say for the others (Rem, Win, etc) as I have not handled them, but of the composite stocks on todays budget rifles, (not including higher end composites that come with some of the precision rigs offered today) I have to say I prefer the Ruger boatpaddle over all others.



Did they ever sell the Ruger 10/22 with that style of stock???
 
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Very nice rifles, OP! I don't like the thin part of the buttstock. I don't like the recoil from those stocks. I once tried finding wood inserts for the buttstock, but had no luck and didn't heavily persue the thought of finding someone to make a couple. My #3 son now has his M77 s/s metal in walnut stocks and looking and shooting awesome (260 & 270). Have one short action canoe paddle stock to swap for a nice walnut stock for future use, if any one is interested in a swap.
 
HeadDamage said:
Not to start anything ( ;) ) but I really like Ruger bolt actions for hunting rigs. In particular I have a thing for the older canoe paddle stocks. Just thought I'd post a pic of my hunting rigs up and see if they are as ugly as some anti Ruger guys say or not. Who else likes the canoe paddles?

From top to bottom; 338win, 7.62x39, 22mag, and 308win.

RugerBolts.jpg
Click to expand...

When I lived up North I ordered a Ruger in Stainless .308 with the "canoe paddle stock". I liked it so much I got one in 77/22 for small game. I didn't know the stocks were called "canoe paddles" nor did I know they were supposed to be recoil challenged. Ignorance is bliss I guess. I just shot them and brought home a lot of game. My .308 will still shoot an inch or less at 100 m. I have lent the .308 to my boys on occasion and they didn't know about the recoil either. They did bring home a couple of nice bears though.

Head Damage: You told me about your 7.62 x 39 at a shoot in Kamloops a few years ago. Had me drooling. If you ever get tired of it- please let me know!! Very nice pics, by the way! Rugers forever!!!
 
When hunting I don't feel recoil.

BUT

I'll admit that I did purchase a Past shoulder pad just for my 338 canoe paddle when at the range. :redface:
 
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