Silhouette stocks on hunting rifles???

M70-338

M70-338

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Does anyone know why rifle stocks typically have that gentle shotgun type slant on the grip? Any serious target rifle has a very upright grip like 3P, sihouette, Palma and Biathlon. Even all the tactical stuff follows the near vertical grip style. From my own experience I know I shoot better offhand with my silhouette and biathlon rifles.
Are the manufacturers just afraid to break traditional hunting rifle aesthetics?
The reason I suggest a silhouette stock is because they can be made reasonably light, same weight or less than factory hunting stocks.
Here's a McMillan Anschutz that could inletted for 700 actions, picture it in your mind in a more "hunterish" hue.
Add an accessory rail or sling swivels....
 
Perhaps it's to accomadate recoil? Maybe it's just more of a traditional thing. I do agree that for shooting off hand the Sillouhette style stocks work better for me as well. Maybe a true hunting rifle needs the straighter wrist to allow for more varied shooting positions. Someone on here will know for sure. Cat what say you?
 
Pulling straight back on the trigger is ideal, so a pistol grip makes that possible. A straight and vertical trigger shoe and a perpendicular pull are the best combo in my opinion for maximum sensitivity. My trigger is a 9v battery powered 20 gram Walther trigger on a 22rifle...
 
A traditionally style stock will carry in the hand better than a match rifle stock with that has a deep , vertical grip to it.
They also come up to target question a lot fast from port arms or the sling carry.However, it seems many hunters seem to be getting away from still hunting and staking in this day and age , and do far less walkig with the gun actually in their handds.
I may be wrong, but the mew age of rifles is following more along the line of the tactical or match rifle look more out of popularity than actual usefulness in the field.
Give me a straightish comb with a gentle profile grip any day for my hunting rifles- my match rifles are another matter....
Cat
 
If you have all the time in the world to set up the shot, it probably won't make much difference what stock you use. If you have time you can adapt yourself to almost anything. When you have to shoot with speed, when you're pointing and swinging more like a shotgun than a rifle, then I find that the traditional open grip points and handles more naturally. On a good stock everything starts with the grip. If the grip feels wrong, the whole stock feels wrong. Before scopes became commonplace, most rifles had much more drop at the heel than current offerings. They point extremely well with open sights. The sights almost line themselves up when the rifle comes to the shoulder. Most of these handling qualities have been lost now that shooters are demanding straighter stocks for scope use and recoil management.
 
Bench style stocks are called bench style stocks because the are designed for shooting on... benches... they don't carry well, are very blocky and heavy and the ergonomics are all wrong for off hand shooting...
 
The straighter, more open grip allows us to absorb recoil better. Also the higher that you hold your elbow when you shoot the straighter you will want the grip. That's the reason the old-time style rifle shooting instructions show the offhand shooter with their elbow high, there were using straight gripped rifles like the Swedish mausers.

We have spent the last 50 years looking at the Jack O'Connor style rifles and we all think that in order to be classy you need to have a classic style stock.

But there's no question that a silhouette style stock (or Weatherby style monte carlo for that matter) with a nice high comb and more drop at heel, and a more vertical grip actually conforms to the human body better than a straight classic style. I own both types, and shoot silhouette. I love the classic stocks but there's no doubt the silhouette stock fits better.
 
gunlaker said:
Silhouette is offhand. That stock is specifically designed for off hand shooting.

Chris.
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It was early... didn't read clearly enough... while the offhand may not apply, generally blocky and heavy still do...

Synthetic materials are used for some that would take care of the weight issue, but not necessarily the carrying comfort issue... if it is slung for the most part, one might not care... I tend to have my rifles in my hands most of the time while hunting... of course and accurate rifle, chambered for an appropriate cartridge can be used to hunt.
 
gunlaker said:
Silhouette is offhand. That stock is specifically designed for off hand shooting.

Chris.
Click to expand...

But it would suck nuts from most field positions. I've used the Anschutz stock a lot and it is a great design, but unless you're hunting from a box blind where you have lots of time to set up for a shot then it will be a real impediment. Quick field shots are not the silhouette stock's forte.
 
BigUglyMan said:
But it would suck nuts from most field positions. I've used the Anschutz stock a lot and it is a great design, but unless you're hunting from a box blind where you have lots of time to set up for a shot then it will be a real impediment. Quick field shots are not the silhouette stock's forte.
Click to expand...

This, I'll also add that the position used to shoot silhouette is not ideal for anything with big recoil. Way too much muzzle rise. This combined with the slower speed to get into position makes it undesirable to use while hunting. Obviously the silhouette style stock is cumbersome if you're not using the correct silhouette position.
 
I appreciate the thoughts around this, some excellent points brought up here. No doubt a better fitting stock would increase ones offhand accuracy, I don't mind a slightly clunkier stock and the extra time to get on target doesn't bother me much either, the deal breaker for me would be the potential of increased recoil. 7mmRM recoil is manageable, any more added recoil due stock design and I'd need a muzzle brake and hearing protection before firing, which could be awfully cumbersome in hunting situations.
Don't look like I'll be ordering a silhouette stock for my hunting rig. I will get one on a 223 though.
 
What I'd like to see is just a slight refinement to the classic style stock. If the grip was just a bit more to vertical it would take a bit of strain out of the trigger hand. That stock posted by the OP would no doubt be pretty clunky and snaggy in the field. Need something in between.
 
A silhouette style stock would be way too painful with pretty much any caliber over 308, smashed fingers and crunched knuckles would ruin any kind of second shot accuracy one may require. The thumb hole style does seem to position the hand better and give a straighter trigger pull while absorbing recoil in the thumb/forefinger web and is more suitable for heavier recoiling rifles. However the open laid back grip it almost essential with cartridges from say the 300 WM up in order to keep your knuckles away from the back of the trigger guard. That design is not so much a left over as it is an essential evolution of moderate to heavy recoiling rifles..........the fact this stock design is used on negligible to light recoiling rifles is just style though and possibly better shooting could be achieved with a straighter grip, but then it wouldn't be as classy..............Also the silhouette style does not lend itself to pointability nearly as well as an open gripped properly designed stock does. One must very consciously position and tuck into the straight gripped stock for a very calculated shot as opposed to throw 'er up and shoot as may be necessary when hunting.
This is what a grip is supposed to look like on a moderate to heavy recoiling rifle..............

 
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For hunting off of shooting sticks I prefer the silhouette style grip. Much less strain on the trigger hand. I agree for general hunting I prefer the traditional grip.
 
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