[ArmedBear]

B&C stocks have a solid reputation among rifle shooters, for both field durability and accuracy.

However, they're not cheap. The shotgun stocks are as expensive as the rifle stocks, and they're not going to improve accuracy any.

Is it really worth, say, $170 for a synthetic stock for an 870? Or will a factory one ($70 in camo) work just as well?

Is the B&C heftier, more "wood-like" in feel and balance than a Remington stock?

Anyone use them?

Any other suggestions?

[Fred Fuller]

AB,

I don't have any experience with the B&C stocks on a shotgun. My preferred synthetic stock for a working gun is Speedfeed's Solid Stock Set, referred to as the Speedfeed II. ( http://www.speedfeedinc.com/?location=products ) They are a few ounces heavier than a thin-walled synthetic stock- don't have postal scales and so I can only offer a palm of the hand estimate re. weight, but they are much beefier and don't rattle like the regular synthetics do if tapped. I really like the fact that there's enough 'meat' in the Speedfeed II to allow fitting of a recoil pad when shortened.

hth,

lpl/nc

[Dave McCracken]

Almost all handguns here at Casa McC have synthetic grips. A number of rifles came and went with them also. But, all of the shotguns here have lumber.

Wood's easier to modify if The Gods Of Fit decree. Wood's easier to obtain, carve and install.

Paint it flat black if you wish to appear "Tactical"....

[ArmedBear]

Paint it flat black if you wish to appear "Tactical"....


Ugh, no!

Sing it with me:

Wade in the WAH-TUH!
Wade in the Water, children,
Wade in the WAH-TUH!

That's the only reason I'd put plastic on a shotgun. But I'd want it to balance and feel the same as wood.

That said, for $170 I can afford to replace the wood on my beater, should it get too wet, many many times.:) But I do like the web surface on the B&C rifle stocks I've handled.

[PJR]

The short answer is no.

I've had Bell and Carlson stocks on two Remington 870s. One was on an 870 that I bought used and quickly flipped and the other I picked up in a remainder bin at Gander Mountain that was dirt cheap.

The biggest issue with them was that the stock bolt was a different size than the standard Remington bolt and required replacing the receiver stud. This was a problem for the friend who bought the used 870 from me because he wanted to put on a different stock and couldn't get it to fit. My friend was understandably concerned and I offered to buy the gun and his new stock back if necessary. We sorted out the problem and got him the right sized receiver bolt.

This episode jogged my memory. Although it was over a decade ago that I bought the B&C stock I had a hazy memory of changing the receiver stud to install the stock. I also recalled the forend didn't fit on the gun that well. This gun has also since been sold.

The stock that I am using on my predator control shotgun is a Hogue overmoulded stock. Even though it's the full-sized version at 13-15/16" LOP it's almost an inch shorter than my target and bird guns but I don't mind a shorter stock on a slug gun. The stock and forend are slightly rubberized giving an excellent grip. I have shot this gun in a downpour and still maintained a good grip on the gun despite it being soaking wet. The forend design is excellent and the thick recoil pad makes shooting slugs and heavy buckshot almost enjoyable.;)

The Hogue is $59.95 for the stock and forend and a great product.

http://www.hogueinc.com/getgrip/merchant.ihtml?pid=8&lastcatid=17&step=4

[ArmedBear]

Thanks all!

Cabela's has the Hogue for $39.95, far and away the best price I've seen.

Under 14" is a tad short for my taste for a wingshooting gun, but the design of the thing looks awfully nice.