Are wood stocks ever functionally better than synthetic?

Not just a cabinetmaker... a highly skilled trade. A Jointer, or Joiner, from many years past, skilled on vast variety of hand tools.
At one time, I would have agreed with your statement, with regards to a wooden stock being made economically, but even with todays technology, a milk jug synthetic (think Remington SPS) would be produced for pennies on the dollar in comparison to even the cheapest wood stock (think Remington SPS again), even with pressed checkering, and machined duplication, it would still require some degree of hand fitting, where as the synthetic would not. And even if it didn't require the hand fitting, the wood would cost significantly more as a raw material than the recycled plastic.
It is economics that drive the products, more than the consumer wants. The marketing tests the waters, and the consumer votes with the wallet. And more often than not, that ends up being a race to the bottom. Not enough folks want to pay for that kind of quality, they want good enough, not good, or better, or best. At least not in numbers great enough to support those companies that offer products in those ranges.

R.
 
its proberly a toss up for keeping one warmer in survival, long than the other but in saying that.. now im not so sure.. one would be easier to start
 
Remington Nylon 66 the first mass-produced synthetic stock rifle...."The driving force behind development of the polymer rifle was economy, Remington had hoped to reduce manufacturing costs by saving material costs of the receiver and stock."

https://www.historicalfirearms.info...e-first-polymer-gun-remington-nylon-66-in-the

3JZIKv6.jpg
 
I shot a Remington Nylon 77 for years as my "everyday use" gun on the farm. I was a teenager then, long ago and way before synthetic stocks were commonly used in any other firearms. I liked it a lot, it did its job very adequately. It was functional, in a strictly utilitarian way. But as stated before, it was noisy, cold, and didn't please my sense of style. I used it to kill a heck of a lot of rats, rabbits, gophers, crows, muskrats etc etc. It was garishly ugly. It was replaced with a Browning SA-22 that did those jobs even better despite its beautiful, solid, warm walnut stock and flowing lines and better balance. The Remington was a lot "cheaper" though.
 
Longwalker said:
I shot a Remington Nylon 77 for years as my "everyday use" gun on the farm. I was a teenager then, long ago and way before synthetic stocks were commonly used in any other firearms. I liked it a lot, it did its job very adequately. It was functional, in a strictly utilitarian way. But as stated before, it was noisy, cold, and didn't please my sense of style. I used it to kill a heck of a lot of rats, rabbits, gophers, crows, muskrats etc etc. It was garishly ugly. It was replaced with a Browning SA-22 that did those jobs even better despite its beautiful, solid, warm walnut stock and flowing lines and better balance. The Remington was a lot "cheaper" though.
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Still have two of those 77's (bought for my kids) plus a third for parts. Good rifles. Maybe the grandson will like them. - dan
 
I've been shopping around for my first big game rifle and just can't get used to the cheap feeling of the synthetic stocks, even on the more expensive rifles. I'm down to either a Walnut X-bolt or a Sig Cross. So maybe aluminum chassis should be added to the mix...
 
I think aluminum chassis sound like about the least desirable stock material. Hard and cold. Possibly not something you want to be holding in a lighting storm (joke).

BTW IMO the one FUNCTIONAL advantage I can think of - that applies to a wood or laminate stock - is that the material can be easily reworked; so a really bulky wood or laminate stock could probably be made more svelte or slimmer - or a person could rework a wood or laminate stock to give more room around the barrel to free float it better or to allow for the barrel's replacement with one having a larger diameter etc. I suppose that if a synthetic stock isn't solid (but has a hollow or foam core, etc.) there may be limits to how much meat can be removed.
 
Overlander2018 said:
I've been shopping around for my first big game rifle and just can't get used to the cheap feeling of the synthetic stocks, even on the more expensive rifles. I'm down to either a Walnut X-bolt or a Sig Cross. So maybe aluminum chassis should be added to the mix...
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Handle as many as you can, and pick the one that you like the best. ^^^^ There is that cold thing again!

R.
 
The Kurgan said:
I'm pretty certain the Canadian Rangers would have specified synthetic if it was better suited to their uses. Instead, they chose laminate, and the CZ 557 entry was beech. I have several synthetic stocks which I prefer for wet weather use, but I prefer my wood stocks for all other purposes. For tool guns, dings and scratches are ok with me. I find synthetic stocks look like royal hell after a few seasons of use.
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My bet is laminated wood is stronger than synthetic.

The drive to synthetic stocks is an economic one.
 
The Kurgan said:
∆∆∆ exactly. And if synthetic was stronger, you would see new construction houses built with plastic floors instead of plywood.
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Synthetic can certainly be made a lot stronger than plywood, but not at the price point that it can compete with plywood in the market for that application... economics, again.
 
sjstrey said:
Functionally, I’d say if wood has one advantage (apart from looks) it’s that they’re relatively easily repairable and alterable.
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I would respectfully disagree with that. That old Brown Precision pic I posted has been shortened, altered, messed up around the bottom inletting, dinged up and scratched. With a bit of TLC, body fill and a good paint job, it will look like new. Nice wood is nice but is not as forgiving when it comes time to fix them up. A crack is always a crack and though repaired it cannot be cover with paint.
 
jjohnwm said:
That has got to be one of the most gorgeous bolt rifles I have ever seen. Just magnificent...:)

But...think of how much more "functional" it could be if it were stocked in a nice textured black polymer...jeez, it would be nigh on irresistible to the soulless just-a-tool crowd...:)
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Thanks .... I like both stock types. Both have their strengths but all depends on what you need/like.

One stock I do NOT like are the cheap tupperware polymer ones. Any synthetics I own are fiberglass and much superior over plastic.
 
Rman said:
Synthetic can certainly be made a lot stronger than plywood, but not at the price point that it can compete with plywood in the market for that application... economics, again.
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My next house is going to built out of carbon fibre!
 
bcsteve said:
My next house is going to built out of carbon fibre!
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Well... if you can afford it... you can be assured that it would certainly be stronger and outlast one built out of wood, require almost no maintenance, be impervious to nature, and of course, have that sought after carbon fibre look! And the colour choices! And warm! This temp thing....

R.
 
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