Custom stocks. What do they cost?

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rpenmanparker

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Just wondering what a "decent" custom stock would cost and who would you recommend for the job. Not the fanciest wood, hand carved thing like from a bespoke English or Italian gun maker, but a standard quality stock made to fit. All kinds of adjustments can be made to shotgun fit like adjustable butt plate, adjustable comb, built-up rib, bent stock for cast, etc. And the result looks more like cartoon gun than a traditional shotgun. If you just wanted to replace the wood with a stock and matching fore-end tailor-made for you, what would it cost? Anyone know?

In my case I need the butt of the gun very low relative to the comb and rib and as a lefty lots of cast on to bring the barrel toward my center to get the rib under my left eye. If the stock were right, I wouldn't have to worry about the height of the original rib. It would be right too.
 
The first thing you need to do is have a fitting session with a stock fitter.
He should have a "try" gun that is adjustable so it can be adjusted to your
shooting style. This fitting session should take about four hours at the range.
After the fitting session the fitter will give you a paper with the stock
dimensions for your stock maker. The stock maker will then build/make your stock.

Not cheap.
 
The first thing you need to do is have a fitting session with a stock fitter.
He should have a "try" gun that is adjustable so it can be adjusted to your
shooting style. This fitting session should take about four hours at the range.
After the fitting session the fitter will give you a paper with the stock
dimensions for your stock maker. The stock maker will then build/make your stock.

Not cheap.
I know all that. Looking for $ estimates. But thanks.
 
I have had two customs made but that was a long time ago, and both of the craftsmen have passed on.

I have been out of the real competition scene too long to help with suggestions.
 
S&S in Montana are one of the better names in this realm. They also travel to some of the bigger shoots, so if you are there, they can build up a try stock for you to actually shoot before placing an order to make sure it fits just right
 
Too much. At the bottom end, perhaps $3,500 for a custom made stock in plank wood. Try Doug Carpenter, I've had work done with him and he's both a pleasure to deal with and econoconcious:

Carpenter's Custom Gunstocks LLC
1096 Cloverleigh Dr. , Madison
OH , US , 44057
Call: 440 479 1476
Email: [email protected]


You would be far better served by buying a proper shotgun with a fitting that has an adjustable butt plate, comb and rib. A used Perazzi, Zoli, Krieghoff, Guerini, Blazer etc., thus configured, can be had for $7500 with judicious searching.
 
Too much. At the bottom end, perhaps $3,500 for a custom made stock in plank wood. Try Doug Carpenter, I've had work done with him and he's both a pleasure to deal with and econoconcious:

Carpenter's Custom Gunstocks LLC
1096 Cloverleigh Dr. , Madison
OH , US , 44057
Call: 440 479 1476
Email: [email protected]


You would be far better served by buying a proper shotgun with a fitting that has an adjustable butt plate, comb and rib. A used Perazzi, Zoli, Krieghoff, Guerini, Blazer etc., thus configured, can be had for $7500 with judicious searching.
Thanks. That’s about what I thought. Truth is I don’t need the comb and rib adjusted, just the butt plate. I could use much more cast to get the rib under my strong eye, but I am solving that instead by canting the rib toward my center by slanting the butt plate the other way and then mounting with it straight up. So the butt plate can do it all for me if I am willing to have such a funny looking gun. For now, sure, that is fine. I was just wondering what a perfect fix would cost. One thing for sure. I’m not spending the kind of money you mention for a shotgun. It just isn’t worth it to me.
 
I’ve owned two Beretta’s, a 390 and A300. Even with the shims I couldn’t get either to fit me. I like Beretta shotguns too. If I remember correctly the DAC was too low even with shims.
 
No. Strong eye. And I’m left handed. So bending for cast requires undoing cast off before they can start on cast on.
Unless you start with a cast neutral gun; a lot of Brownings are neutral ( or were last time I looked)
 
I checked Fieldsport's web site, they do not list any prices.
You will have to call to find out how much a fitting session will cost.
They have five different "try" guns so there is one that can be adjusted
to your shooting style.
 
I checked Fieldsport's web site, they do not list any prices.
You will have to call to find out how much a fitting session will cost.
They have five different "try" guns so there is one that can be adjusted
to your shooting style.
Helpful. Thanks.
 
Good friend of mine just got fitted Monday at Wenig in Mo. The fitting was $400 using his gun, they build it up with a bondo like material and spacers. The build up comes cleanly off the gun when they are done. The guy there has been doing fittings for 45 years and top shooters and Olympians such as Kim Rhode use him.

There are gun fitters all around the country, some good some not so much. And stockmakers can be backlogged for 2-4 years while your gun sits in their shop. My friend will be getting his back on June 10th a 2 month turnaround is about the fastest you are going to find anywhere. Wenig really doesn't want you to bring your own blank and they charge a premium of something like $3,500 now if you do IIRC. And they do charge higher than most others for their own wood blanks.

Jon went with 75% Extra Select for his Winchester 21. And extra checkering and a few other extras. Total cost was $4,500 but he did get a "free" T-shirt and hat out of it :) You can see a selection of a few of their blanks here. That is for American walnut Jon went with English walnut which cost more.

If you go with standard wood and fitting you should be able to get out the door for ~$2,500. And it will be done right with a quick turnaround. I have a custom stock fitter that I use who is semi-retired and doesn't advertise, and doesn't really want or need additional business. But if I didn't already know my fitting requirements I'd be taking a trip to Wenig if it was me. Money well spent IMO. You can contact them and get a price over the phone or through email.
 
Good friend of mine just got fitted Monday at Wenig in Mo. The fitting was $400 using his gun, they build it up with a bondo like material and spacers. The build up comes cleanly off the gun when they are done. The guy there has been doing fittings for 45 years and top shooters and Olympians such as Kim Rhode use him.

There are gun fitters all around the country, some good some not so much. And stockmakers can be backlogged for 2-4 years while your gun sits in their shop. My friend will be getting his back on June 10th a 2 month turnaround is about the fastest you are going to find anywhere. Wenig really doesn't want you to bring your own blank and they charge a premium of something like $3,500 now if you do IIRC. And they do charge higher than most others for their own wood blanks.

Jon went with 75% Extra Select for his Winchester 21. And extra checkering and a few other extras. Total cost was $4,500 but he did get a "free" T-shirt and hat out of it :) You can see a selection of a few of their blanks here. That is for American walnut Jon went with English walnut which cost more.

If you go with standard wood and fitting you should be able to get out the door for ~$2,500. And it will be done right with a quick turnaround. I have a custom stock fitter that I use who is semi-retired and doesn't advertise, and doesn't really want or need additional business. But if I didn't already know my fitting requirements I'd be taking a trip to Wenig if it was me. Money well spent IMO. You can contact them and get a price over the phone or through email.
Thanks for the detailed reply.
 
I had Greg Hissom from Missouri do a BT99 for me about 19-20 years ago, and if I remember right the total cost was right at $1450, and it definitely improved my trap scores by 2-3 birds per 25, however that was quite a while ago, you could probably bring him up on line as I'm not sure if he is still in business, but he was by far the most reasonable with a lot of positive reviews.
 
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