Being old school it has to be wood, I have a number of rifles that I purchased in the late 60's early 70's that are still serving me well to this day. With a little maintanance and a wipe down before putting them away after each hunt or trip to the range, not an issue. After close to 40 years of hunting yes, I suppose they have the odd nic or scratch on them but thats just adds character, each of those nic's or scratches has a story to tell. Natural wood has a warmth and a unique graining to it that you don't find with synthetics or laminates
Walnut, Laminate or Synthetic?
- Thread starter deerfarmer
- Start date
You misunderstood me... I was not saying that I wouldn't know what to do with that beautiful walnut blank on my rifle... I was saying that I wouldn't know what to do with it from a "woodworking" perspective... My skills are limited when it comes to fine woodwork (especially when working with a $550 piece of wood) I would love to have a beautiful stock from that blank... I'd probably sleep with it!
Most hunters (99.9%) don't have the craftmenship to perform such a task, therefore a qualified gunmaker is almost an only option. I know of at least three in Canada who will perform the job near perfection, but it's not cheap.
Sorry for misunderstanding, sometimes people have to paint by numbers for me to understand............I'm old. LOL!!!
tylerjwitty
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Northern Ontario
like the ones on stevens?? my word those are terrible
my word those are terribleYou got that right, and it feels good to walk, stock, crawl, sweat, swear, spit and everything else that go's into a day of hunting. The only thing I dislike, especially when your an old man like me, is a branch in the eye or fogged up glasses.
Its funny how a "walnut makes me feel warm all over" type will attach that spring loaded contraption to the end of it. People crack me up.
ipscgraz
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I am not a hunter any more and I do like a good wood stock for display.
However I do carry in the bush, in the wet. Serviceability makes me lean towards my 77 Mk II and my 77/44 both stainless and synthetic.
And a Harris bi-pod isn't a bad idea on any rifle you want to hit something with, when you are breathing hard.
However I do carry in the bush, in the wet. Serviceability makes me lean towards my 77 Mk II and my 77/44 both stainless and synthetic.
And a Harris bi-pod isn't a bad idea on any rifle you want to hit something with, when you are breathing hard.
Neither is fiberglass or graphite.
- Location
- Dah Soo,ON
I was trying to make a play on words...getting more wood....ya know...
Like I said wood is pretty, but when a gun gets banged around its hard on your heart. Wood doesnt do much for me anymore because its hard to watch it die.
I have a Walnut CDL stock on my Model 7 SS to look pretty in place of the factory tupperware while McMillans being ordered. Other than looking pretty and replacing tupperware I just dont personally see the need for wood.
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
I was trying to make a play on words...getting more wood....ya know...
Like I said wood is pretty, but when a gun gets banged around its hard on your heart. Wood doesnt do much for me anymore because its hard to watch it die.
I have a Walnut CDL stock on my Model 7 SS to look pretty in place of the factory tupperware while McMillans being ordered. Other than looking pretty and replacing tupperware I just dont personally see the need for wood.
Yup I got the play on dem words.
I agree with you on the banging them around though
- Location
- lower mainland BC
I like wood on all my guns. Having said that, my moose gun is synthetic. I hunt moose out of boats and in swamps. I hunt deer in fields/clearcuts.
every gun i have ever owned is wood stocked. even my first pellet gun when i was 14yrs old. not sure why. i am not easy on my gear when in use but i also clean and maintain when done. my parkerhale split the original wood stock but it was old and not taken care of by the previous owner. ordered a stock and custom fitted it. bolt binds a bit and all the metal is rusty but 1" all day long.
Actually the cheap tupperware stocks warp and twist as much or more than wood in temperature extremes. Moisture not so much. A well finished wood stock will put up with a lot of crap from mother nature. A high end synthetic will be tough to beat in the long run. I prefer wood but have a few synthetic ones also. no tupperware.
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
I found that out when I was stuck in the mud 10 feet from the shore in a slough. Put the butt end of the rifle in the water and used it to lean on to unstick my boots
Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
walnut
Laminated is my choice.
Good walnut well finished is beautiful but expensive. It can swell and shift bullet impact.
Injection molded stocks are inexpensive and durable but tend to move too much (not rigid). Also cold to the touch on a winter's day.
Hand laid glass stocks are stable, strong and light but expensive, rattle on brush and cold to the touch on a cold day.
Laminated is strong, stable, easy to refinish, look good, are fairly cheap but are a bit heavy.
This post made me realize that the only wood stocks I have left are on my shotguns and one 22 because in some cases they are older than me and only came that way. All else has migrated to synthetic. All but one are also stainless or duracoat. I agree that synthetic is cold to the touch compared to wood. What I want though is a combination of light weight and durability. Great walnut has beauty but the stories that go with the marks are not ones I want to hear or relate. I too find laminate heavy; many of them have their own beauty too. I am sure as well that synthetics started with creative marketing with the end goal of creating more profit. Ultimately it has likely also allowed many people to be able to afford a hunting tool of better overall quality and helped the sport in the long run. Choose what you like and can afford.
