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Where is the wood?
wolfpack
Member Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭✭
I have been looking around for a possible new rifle and probably 90% or more of what I see is synthetic. Now synthetic definitely has its place as it is much more impervious to weather, abrasion, swelling and probably cheaper to produce but I like a good piece of walnut. I guess I am a dinosaur about certain things.
Comments
No sir
I still get wood and enjoy it too
I have had to buy some Boyd's wood stocks and replace the synthetic stocks
What kind of rifle? I see lots of Model 70's, 700's, and Tikka T3's on GB that have wood stocks.
Neo what I am stating is that browsing gun shops, manufacturers web sites and on line like GB for a new rifle the market is definitely dominated by synthetics and I own several rifles in synthetic myself. Nothing at all wrong with them but I do like walnut but the choices in wood are nothing like the synthetics available.
I'm with you @wolfpack, nicely figured walnut beats the look of a synthetic stock by a wide margin. The popularity of synthetic stocks has been a boon for the gunmakers. Cheaper to make, easier to source materials, way less labor intensive because they don't need finishing or separate checkering steps, but they just don't look or feel the same. Most of my, admittedly old fogey, friends agree with me. One day at the range, I had 3 Win 70's laid out on the bench, One synthetic, one laminated and a walnut featheweight. I got lots of compliments on the walnut, a few on the laminate and none on the synthetic. However, when the weather warrants it, I have no qualms about carrying that ugly synthetic. If I could only afford one rifle, I would grit my teeth and opt for the practical, but ugly, synthetic and I think that's what drives the sales. Bob
I don't care at all for "plastic" rifles, I'm not a survivalist so I see absolutely no need (for me) to own an ugly plastic stocked rifle and if I were, I'd still only own rifles with wooden furniture.
Part of the love I have for rifles is the wood, the way it looks and feels in my hands. You could take a 3000 dollar rifle and put a plastic stock on it and it would look like a cheap 400 dollar rifle.
Metal should be blued, stocks should be wood. Maybe not the most durable or stable but so what? Some things just are, just because.
Yep, me too.
I don’t think you’re a dinosaur, but one that appreciates quality workmanship. There is a certain beauty to blued metal fitted to a quality walnut stock. I will admit that plastic has its place and when the weather turns bad my place is inside out of the weather. With the varnishes or synthetic finishes they have today, if a walnut stock is finished properly it can withstand the harshest weather.
Don't forget a gloss scope to go with the wood/high polish blued rifle. Terrill
As for me, WOOD is the supreme choice!
Count me in maybe just old school
But a true nice figured walnut stock and nice bluing is a pleasure to look at well even just a plain wood stock is fine over the plastic wonders
I understand the cost down injected molded to fit and endless supply to help keep cost down for the consumer
All stainless and synthetic stocks are not terrible to look at and have a lot of advantages no doubt
A lot of people just look at a gun as a tool and treat it like they would a common shovel
Very nice XP's Ken.
The new world is an IKEA people .. just some basic firearms that are more disposable . Its ALL cost nowadays
There are some decent synthetic stocks and there are some terrible ones. I have a weatherby vanguard g-2 made by Howa that uses a decent synthetic stock. For the price, I have no complaints. I do prefer walnut but I don't like having to be careful and constantly aware of not tearing it up.
Just #one of the many commandments of hunting.
Life is too short to hunt with a ugly gun.
Okie........you stole my line😉.......been sayin' that for a few decades.
I've been a self-professed wood nut/w***e even longer.
Here's one of my nicer ones........a Winslow/Sako 17-222........taken a few yotes too!😎
Enjoyment........always.👍
Yep, I borrowed your saying and I live by it. (and I do not hunt with people that hunt with ugly guns)
When someone asks me what caliber of gun I like, I say I like them all.
I borrowed another from someone that I use quite often on people.
The more people I meet the more I like my dogs. (and cats)
I'm also thinking that Will rogers never did meet some of the people I've seen. (or he lied about such when he said, he never met a person he did not like) But again he was a politician so that should help explain some of his comments.
Okie.......
I honestly can't remember who I swiped the saying from......bit it's a good one.
BTW.......I grew up in OKC and Caddo County......and spent 4 years in Stillwater.
What county/area do you hail from?
Also.........more un-ugly wood
.......needs a scope.....🤓
Nice wood on those rifles.
I reload and glass bed bolt action hunting rifles for max accuracy. (mainly, Winchesters, Rugers, Remingtons, and Custom Mausers) Reloading supplies been scarce last 4 years in my neck of the woods, have to make every shot count, not as much target shooting now days due to such.
What action's are resting in those 2 rifles?
62vld2042
You asked? What county/area do you hail from?
I grew up up on a cattle ranch around Haskell, Latimer, Lefore counties from Poteau to Wilburton area roamed Ft Smith area for hunting supplies and hunted/fished on about 4,000 acres of private property in the San Bois Mtns as a Youth/teenager until I was in mid 30's and then went to NE Okla, Deleware, Mayes counties area. Still hunt whitetails and hogs in Haskell/Lefore/Deleware county areas. We are having a feral hog explosion. what is strange is feral hogs were around when I was a teenager but did not multiply (were not allowed) like they do now days. Years ago most everyone hunted for food and had hunting dogs and kept the hogs under control.
I own a few old inexpensive guns, most have better wood than most of the new top shelf guns these days. Walnut has gotten pricey.
Nice wood now days can cost more than total price paid for a old new gun.
I went to see a friends widow and looked at issues with a small flood. His father worked at Winchester. Unknown to her is a old dry box in a cabinet filled with much forearms and maybe more. I just moved it up a shelf. Maybe later
Nikko Golden Eagle 7mm mag
Okie........
Both the Winslow and O'Brien rifles make use of the Sako L461 action.
Seems you got around Oklahoma pretty well. I was there until '73........been in North Texas ever since. Still have family and friends there.
Here's another nice 2x4, for the L461 action.
Finished it looooong ago.........
Nice wood. Have to keep quite a heads up to prevent dings, even when in a gun safe.
I got into wood checking about 5 years ago. Mostly re-cutting checking that got damaged/dinged or checking that a Bubba has sanded thin on on nice wood.
Hand checkering is quite a time consuming thing and has a learning curve. It makes one realize why some gun makers went to pressed checkering to keep the price down.
If you ever tried gun stock checkering you will appreciate nice checkering on a gunstock when you see such.
BUT some nice wood looks A-ok without any checkering.
Many years ago I bought a Rem. 541-T. The curly maple stock is what attracted it to me! Only 250 made. REALLY a beauty. A few years back out at the range I had a guy offer me more for just the stock than I paid for the complete gun.
In the mid-80's.......like you.....I got into re-cutting checkering, and invested in some Gunline and Dembart tools. It is tedious, time consuming, and tests one's patience. It's said that women are among the best......due to their improved hand/eye dexterity.
Anyway.......among the first, is the refurbished custom rifle below. It's another Sako L461/AI action, with a 20" Shilen barrel......on a Fajen Aristocrat stock. I reshaped the forend and grip cap areas, upgraded the rifle pad, refinished(Pilkingtons)/bedded the wood, and recut the (bad)checkering.
Turned out pretty well.........even though the wood is nothing to write home about......
.......but good enough to bloody a few yotes. 😉