Fibreglass stocks, what's the market like?

Ian Robertson said:
I think the Robertson web site may change shortly with some news that will make many around the world very happy.
Click to expand...

Ian Robertson said:
Not quite free but an expanded line (there is already over thirty models that many don't know about, Savage as well), deliveries the way it used to be, less that four weeks with some off the shelf while still maintaining the best quality in the world, and much more.
Click to expand...

Ian, don't be cruel. Stop torturing us. Give us a sneak peek, please.

:cheers: Kazimier
 
No sneaks just yet. We have had many models that have never been on our web site and these will be published and available. Some really nice models. We will also add some new models and variations for other actions (like Savage).
 
Ian Robertson said:
Sorry to Armedsask for hijacking. Fibreglass stocks are a tough business. If you want to manufacture actions etc. you can buy what you need off the shelf and hire a machinist. If you want to build stocks you need to be inventive and do a lot of searching to figure and find what you need and a lot of experimenting. I have been doing it for at least 32 years and sometimes still Black Magic gets involved.
Click to expand...
No worries. We have a fiberglass shop at work that isn't doing much and I was just brain storming with the guys one day on things to do. I'm starting to think it won't be worth the hassle.

warrenb said:
X2.
For some reason I believed Robertson Stocks to be in New Zealand
Click to expand...
I did too for some reason!
 
new zealand here is why perhaps

is that where the nice barnard (I cal them barnyard actions when I want to beat people as I borrow toms gun and outshoot them with toms barn--yard action)

is that where some nice barrels come from that won the worlds f class or something like that

IT IS BECAUSE THEY BRING IN NICE STUFF FROM NEW ZEALAND, and the folks at barnard are working with the usa guy and maybe the canuck guy on a br action (but maybe not for this year as they are busy also)

once the website gets updated and you see all the choices, BET YOU CANT JUST HAVE ONE

later eh!
Jefferson
 
We have a fiberglass shop at work that isn't doing much and I was just brain storming with the guys one day on things to do. I'm starting to think it won't be worth the hassle.
Click to expand...

If your plan is to make $600+ stocks with a 4 month wait time, I would say don't bother. If you can produce a decent (rigid) stock starting at $200 - $300 I would think you'd do quite well.
 
Yes, everyone wants fast good and cheap. Unfortunately you can usually only get two of those choices...

You can have Fast and Cheap but it won't be Good
You can have Good and Cheap but it won't be Fast
You can have Fast and Good but it won't be Cheap

If you've got a stockmaking outfit that can produce all three you'll be a millionaire in short order. :D
 
Why do they have to be fast? Maybe I'm out to lunch but would be having some stock on-hand (blanks) for the most common choices (Rem 700, Savage) be absurd? And $250-$300 would be a 'starting price'.. price is obviously more as more bells & whistles are added. An example is the new Choate A-5 stock priced at $250. Is it a McMillan? - nope, but is it priced like a McMillan? - nope.

Anyways, I know nothing about making stocks.. just more or less thinking out loud.
 
You would be very surprised at what it costs in reality to make a stock. I am not talking about McM as they have found obvious ways to keep their labour costs very low, or so I am continuously told. Choates are injection moulded and if they suit you and if the block fits you action you are ready to go. Costs for quality are an unusual thing. If you want the quality to be 10% better then it will cost you about 50% more to make the product considering waste etc. For example compare the price of a Copper rifle vs a Dakota. The Dakota is better quality without question but costs a lot more. It is better but is the customer willing to pay the increased cost, he does if he wants the quality. There is also a lot to quality that you can not see in a fibreglass stock beyond the obvious difference in surface finish. What resin is used, what fabrics are used and so on. There is a big difference. I have repaired competitors stocks for free to see why they broke and the reason was always the effort those employees put into the job in the first place. If you want a cheap stock then go that way and be happy with what you get for the price. If you want a quality product then don't expect to have it for $250. We charge $240 to bed and finish out a stock. You know what? We have never had a complaint about the quality of our work or the value from our customers. We may be in a different league than what some can afford to pay and that is to be expected, so be happy with a Choate. Some of us can not afford a Choate either. This reminds me that we need to increase our prices.
 
Ian Robertson said:
No sneaks just yet. We have had many models that have never been on our web site and these will be published and available. Some really nice models. We will also add some new models and variations for other actions (like Savage).
Click to expand...

Looking forward to seeing all these models. Hopefully there are some light sporter models in there, as I have no interest in target stocks...:)
 
You hit

Ian Robertson said:
You would be very surprised at what it costs in reality to make a stock. I am not talking about McM as they have found obvious ways to keep their labour costs very low, or so I am continuously told. Choates are injection moulded and if they suit you and if the block fits you action you are ready to go. Costs for quality are an unusual thing. If you want the quality to be 10% better then it will cost you about 50% more to make the product considering waste etc. For example compare the price of a Copper rifle vs a Dakota. The Dakota is better quality without question but costs a lot more. It is better but is the customer willing to pay the increased cost, he does if he wants the quality. There is also a lot to quality that you can not see in a fibreglass stock beyond the obvious difference in surface finish. What resin is used, what fabrics are used and so on. There is a big difference. I have repaired competitors stocks for free to see why they broke and the reason was always the effort those employees put into the job in the first place. If you want a cheap stock then go that way and be happy with what you get for the price. If you want a quality product then don't expect to have it for $250. We charge $240 to bed and finish out a stock. You know what? We have never had a complaint about the quality of our work or the value from our customers. We may be in a different league than what some can afford to pay and that is to be expected, so be happy with a Choate. Some of us can not afford a Choate either. This reminds me that we need to increase our prices.
Click to expand...

the nail on the head Ian. Robertson Composites has been furnishing a lot of JTR stocks to the Candian BR shooters this year and they are an AWESOME product. The finish is second to none. I have yet to hear any complaints from my BR Comrades..........

People will always complain about price and buy or look elsewhere. They would even drive 1-200 miles to save 50-100.00 bucks but never take into consideration what they spent on fuel, food etc for that afternoon trip.

I have no idea what processes or steps go into making one of your stocks but whatever you do keep up the GREAT JOB. Considering a custom built BR stock can run one around 1400.00 US your stocks rival the BEST of them. I shouldn't say this part when you are talking prices going up, and for a GREAT VALUE.

Hint: Don't raise prices till I have paid for mine.....;);)

Calvin
 
Sir,

greenpasture said:
Sir, is that pillar bedded, bottom metal cutout bedded and barrel channel sealed? If not, what do you do for $240. And what do you charge for the work I described. I have a masterclass stock and that is what they do. Thanks.

BTW do you have a price list for your gunsmithing services that you can furnish?
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure bottom metal cutout would be part of the inletting fee of approx 150.00 dollars. That is if they have the pattern required to inlet for the action you are going to use.

Bedding fee of 240.00 is pillar bedding if that is your desire.

Barrel channel sealing, well that could only be best answered by Ian if it is truly required.

The JTR BR stocks that we get are semi inletted. The gunsmith is required to do the bolt handle and the sides of the stock if required for the loading/eject ports.
 
You would be very surprised at what it costs in reality to make a stock. I am not talking about McM as they have found obvious ways to keep their labour costs very low, or so I am continuously told. Choates are injection moulded and if they suit you and if the block fits you action you are ready to go. Costs for quality are an unusual thing. If you want the quality to be 10% better then it will cost you about 50% more to make the product considering waste etc. For example compare the price of a Copper rifle vs a Dakota. The Dakota is better quality without question but costs a lot more. It is better but is the customer willing to pay the increased cost, he does if he wants the quality. There is also a lot to quality that you can not see in a fibreglass stock beyond the obvious difference in surface finish. What resin is used, what fabrics are used and so on. There is a big difference. I have repaired competitors stocks for free to see why they broke and the reason was always the effort those employees put into the job in the first place. If you want a cheap stock then go that way and be happy with what you get for the price. If you want a quality product then don't expect to have it for $250. We charge $240 to bed and finish out a stock. You know what? We have never had a complaint about the quality of our work or the value from our customers. We may be in a different league than what some can afford to pay and that is to be expected, so be happy with a Choate. Some of us can not afford a Choate either. This reminds me that we need to increase our prices.
Click to expand...

Good informative post, thanks.

I'd be curious to hear you opinions on some of the pros/cons of the various materials used to make stocks these days (fiberglass, kevlar, carbon fiber, other composites, etc)
 
Blargon
Ian Robertson has some very nice hunting stocks, I compared my Mc Millan
to Ian's It is lighter , stonger, feels better, and finish blows away Mc Millan and more than price competative.
I have had over 5 different makes of composite stocks, benchrest & hunting models

Robertson stock are in a class of there own, colours deep and sharp looking and extreemly tough, choices of colours availble are endless.

Even this special one he did for Michelle Sutton "Hart" cancer fund raising project done by countless members of the shooting crowd & manufatures in North America, for this special gun look who's stock they wanted.

This a a heart warming true story.
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek087.html

suttonrightx600.jpg
 
Thanks for the support guys!

When we bed and finish out a stock that includes anything needed. We custom make the pillars to suit, bed everything that needs bedding, finish and colour anything we need to notch, make screws to suit the application and use custom jigs as needed to produce a stress free bedding job. I would like to say we can do all this in a couple of hours but I can't, that's for sure!
 
As to materials, we use aircraft certified epoxy because it is the same, exactly, every drum, every time we get it, pigments and fillers which are pretty much industry standard stuff (composites industry that is). We formulate our own gel coats. For fabrics we use glass and carbon fibre. We don't use kevlar and really have no use for it in a rifle stock. All this leads to the key of fuming and steaming (mentally anyway) over the quality of every stock we make, every day.
 
Forgot to mention barrel channel sealing, on a complete gun we often spray paint the channel as this is only for looks. There is absolutely no need to "seal" the barrel channel on our stocks. 100% proof anything I can think of, the same epoxy we use is often used to build fuel tanks for aircraft.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom