Richard's Microfit Rifle Stocks
- Thread starter Silverado
- Start date
Check out http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/
They are really courteous on the phone and I had the product within 1 week of ordering. It went right through Customs and I paid at the Post office. I bought a Factory second and I expected a piece of junk for less than $30, what I got was a reasonably straight grain quarter sawn stock complete with recoil pad, it needed some finish sanding and inletting for the barrel. I am cheap on this one so I inlet a commercial barrel in a military inlet stock, worked beautifully, you can barely detect the transitions.
Here's a pic, http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/ringo338/4848004.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/ringo338/4848001.jpg
They are really courteous on the phone and I had the product within 1 week of ordering. It went right through Customs and I paid at the Post office. I bought a Factory second and I expected a piece of junk for less than $30, what I got was a reasonably straight grain quarter sawn stock complete with recoil pad, it needed some finish sanding and inletting for the barrel. I am cheap on this one so I inlet a commercial barrel in a military inlet stock, worked beautifully, you can barely detect the transitions.
Here's a pic, http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/ringo338/4848004.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y151/ringo338/4848001.jpg
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I just got a Richard's, and am about to find out how good their money back garauntee is, because the POS is going back to them.
They did not line the blank up with the centerline of the inletting, either lengthwise or axially, which on a laminate makes it funny looking on one side, and very awkward to work on inletting, since the mag-well and vertical surfaces are not parallel to the laminations.
Also, the 98% inletting they claim is more like 85%. I know they have to leave some wood proud so it can be fit, but there is also overinletting and oversanding by a monkey running a belt-sander.
It also took them 2 weeks to ship from the time I faxed them an order, and would have taken more if I hadn't called them twice looking for it.
If you are looking for a classic style, I would go with a Boyds JRS if they inlet for your gun.
They did not line the blank up with the centerline of the inletting, either lengthwise or axially, which on a laminate makes it funny looking on one side, and very awkward to work on inletting, since the mag-well and vertical surfaces are not parallel to the laminations.
Also, the 98% inletting they claim is more like 85%. I know they have to leave some wood proud so it can be fit, but there is also overinletting and oversanding by a monkey running a belt-sander.
It also took them 2 weeks to ship from the time I faxed them an order, and would have taken more if I hadn't called them twice looking for it.
If you are looking for a classic style, I would go with a Boyds JRS if they inlet for your gun.
It depends what you want in a stock and how long you can wait.Boyds does factory grade stocks,they were quick and courteous.Again a second.Epoxy filler is great for inletting.Richards took a longer time and their stock was more expensive ,a deluxe 2nd.The grip cap and the forend rosewood didn't match.It will match bloodwood.I ordered a rollover to get more wood to chew on and the small flaws will be easily fixed with epoxy.It's good looking peice of Claro walnut that needs to be sealed with epoxy.Both stocks will work well for the rifles they were ordered for.For a drop-in,a Boyds #1 worked very well for a fellow at the range.
Parker-Hale Mike
CGN Regular
- Location
- Beautiful Victoria
Good luck trying to return a stock to Richard's.....If you think waiting to get the stock is a pain in the ass, wait till you try to send it back! About three years ago I ordered a stock for a single shot, and they sent me one that was inletted for a repeater, I called them to tell them I was returning it and they said that I got what I ordered, when I explained to them that I had requested a single shot they argued with me and would not let me return it.
- Location
- calgary alberta
I have used a few, mostly out of desparation, but in my opinion, they would be dead last on my list suppliers for stocks. Boyds, are pretty good, depending on the item
I got a Richards Microfit wildcat for a smith&wesson (Howa) It fit like a glove all it needs is finish sanding on the exterior.On the same note I have had real good Boyds Boys and real bad Boys Boyds. Flip a coin.
Rich
Rich
I've had both Richard's and Boyd's.
I like the Boyd's stock better, but the 1st one i got from them was messed up in the bedding. I called them, talked to the right person, e-mailed him some pics and got another in the mail right away. Good customer support, for me anyways
SC............................
I like the Boyd's stock better, but the 1st one i got from them was messed up in the bedding. I called them, talked to the right person, e-mailed him some pics and got another in the mail right away. Good customer support, for me anyways
SC............................
I've used both stocks. Honestly, I won;t use a stock from EITHER place again as we have better sources right here in Canada!
That being said, my Richard's experience beat the pants off my Boyd's experience.
Boyd's over-inlets their stocks a few thou so that they can guarantee a drop-fit for any action of a given design. While this is great for the basement gunsmith with low expectations, it sucks ass for the custom gun builder as you end up with unsightly gaping all around the action inlet once assembled. Also, the stocks are finish sanded to 200 grit which again helps the basement dude, but for the custom builder there is not meat left to sand away and get the exact custom shape you want. Also every Boyd's I've ordered had to most uninspired straight plain grained wood I've ever seen. Most of what they sell is black walnut which doesn;t checker as finely as bastogne, circasian or claro walnut.
Richard's customer service is HORRIBLE. Last stock I ordered had to be custom lathed (ie, not a stock pile item). They quoted me 10 weeks to delivery. It actually took 23 weeks! It would have taken longer but I called and harassed them every day for the last three weeks of the wait.
The inletting was true and NOT a 98% press fit as advertised. The bedding was 98%, but hte receiver fit was over-tight and the barrel channel was at least 40 thou under sized. IMHO this is a VERY good thing for the custom builder. It made me fondly remember Fajen who also used to make 'em like this. Pisses off the basement guy but makes the custom builder get a boner. Can you say custom tight fit?
The outside of the stock looks like it was finished by a beaver, but there is ALOT of meat left with which to work with and for my purposes this is a good thing. Also they do inexpensive installation of a pachmayr decelerator which I highly recommend. If you get claro or black walnut spend up to the ebony accents. The rosewood is too light for dark walnut. I'd also recommend considering a 90 degree tip if you get one. This way if you don;t like the stock proportions you can cut it off and set it back on the forestock. Good luck doing this properly with a slant cut...
Richard's has the benefit of offering more imaginative wood. As a minimum I would suggest ordering Select grade A. This is more realistically what Fajuen used to call just plain "select". Expect nice mineral streaking and wavy figure but no crotch feather or fiddleback unless you step up to AA or AAA grade.
Did I mention it's meaty and chewed by a beaver? This is a real custom builder's blank and you'd better have appreciable woodworkign skills if you go this route. Duplicator marks are still present and only some areas have been sanded to around 50 grit or so.
Here in Canada there is at least one stockmaker who will duplicate from a stock blank bedded to your exact action for not alot more money than Richard's Microfit. I'd go that route next time.
Boyd's IMHO, is suitable only for replacement milsurp wood and I will personally NEVER use them again. Their Mauser 98 inletting is truely atrocious, vey gappy. Also their botom metal inletting leaves gaps as large as 1/8" in places which I'm not willing to live with. Too bad you can't order an uninletted shaped blank from them - that would be better than their lathe and pray inletting - yuck! If you get a Remmy 700 blank from Boyd's, I;d suggest ordering an ADL stock and doing the floorplate cut yourself. Seriously.
I still have an "as received" Richard's stock at home that I haven't found time to work on yet. I'll try to get some pics up of it if anyone's interested. It's not pretty when rough, but I can tell it will be a really great stock when done.
That being said, my Richard's experience beat the pants off my Boyd's experience.
Boyd's over-inlets their stocks a few thou so that they can guarantee a drop-fit for any action of a given design. While this is great for the basement gunsmith with low expectations, it sucks ass for the custom gun builder as you end up with unsightly gaping all around the action inlet once assembled. Also, the stocks are finish sanded to 200 grit which again helps the basement dude, but for the custom builder there is not meat left to sand away and get the exact custom shape you want. Also every Boyd's I've ordered had to most uninspired straight plain grained wood I've ever seen. Most of what they sell is black walnut which doesn;t checker as finely as bastogne, circasian or claro walnut.
Richard's customer service is HORRIBLE. Last stock I ordered had to be custom lathed (ie, not a stock pile item). They quoted me 10 weeks to delivery. It actually took 23 weeks! It would have taken longer but I called and harassed them every day for the last three weeks of the wait.
The inletting was true and NOT a 98% press fit as advertised. The bedding was 98%, but hte receiver fit was over-tight and the barrel channel was at least 40 thou under sized. IMHO this is a VERY good thing for the custom builder. It made me fondly remember Fajen who also used to make 'em like this. Pisses off the basement guy but makes the custom builder get a boner. Can you say custom tight fit?
The outside of the stock looks like it was finished by a beaver, but there is ALOT of meat left with which to work with and for my purposes this is a good thing. Also they do inexpensive installation of a pachmayr decelerator which I highly recommend. If you get claro or black walnut spend up to the ebony accents. The rosewood is too light for dark walnut. I'd also recommend considering a 90 degree tip if you get one. This way if you don;t like the stock proportions you can cut it off and set it back on the forestock. Good luck doing this properly with a slant cut...
Richard's has the benefit of offering more imaginative wood. As a minimum I would suggest ordering Select grade A. This is more realistically what Fajuen used to call just plain "select". Expect nice mineral streaking and wavy figure but no crotch feather or fiddleback unless you step up to AA or AAA grade.
Did I mention it's meaty and chewed by a beaver? This is a real custom builder's blank and you'd better have appreciable woodworkign skills if you go this route. Duplicator marks are still present and only some areas have been sanded to around 50 grit or so.
Here in Canada there is at least one stockmaker who will duplicate from a stock blank bedded to your exact action for not alot more money than Richard's Microfit. I'd go that route next time.
Boyd's IMHO, is suitable only for replacement milsurp wood and I will personally NEVER use them again. Their Mauser 98 inletting is truely atrocious, vey gappy. Also their botom metal inletting leaves gaps as large as 1/8" in places which I'm not willing to live with. Too bad you can't order an uninletted shaped blank from them - that would be better than their lathe and pray inletting - yuck! If you get a Remmy 700 blank from Boyd's, I;d suggest ordering an ADL stock and doing the floorplate cut yourself. Seriously.
I still have an "as received" Richard's stock at home that I haven't found time to work on yet. I'll try to get some pics up of it if anyone's interested. It's not pretty when rough, but I can tell it will be a really great stock when done.
You'd think I could tell you. Honestly I've not used the guy yet but friends have. He's out west, named Chris something... someone here will chime in with the name and contact info. I had it written down but can't find it now
There is Wilcox in BC, and someone named Wilson(?) in SK. I think that he acquired Don Robinson's equipment. I think that Wilcox does Paul Reibin's laminated trarget stocks, and they are nicely machined. Does Cary Stricker in SK carve stocks? Years ago there was a chap in Tottenham - John Clark - who had a really nice carving machine, but I do not know if he does gunstocks any more.
Boxhead
CGN Regular
What do you need it for? I have a brown laminate Boyds for a long Rem 700 I can sell you. Only need to inlet the barrel, the action came inletted. I reshaped the cheek piece to the British "pancake" style, hollowed the butt to lighten it and fitted a 3/4" Decelerator pad and generally slimmed the stock down some as they are rather bulky in my opinion. Needs barrel fit, sand and finish. Let me know.
