Boyd's Gun Stocks

[LRShooting]

What do you all think about the different styles of stocks that Boyd's offers? They got the Featherlight thumbhole, classic, prairie hunter, and Tacticool. However, I want the stiffest one they make. I hate not being able to use a bipod because of the stock flexing and changing POA from touching the barrel. I really like the look of that thumbhole stock, but that tacticool is pretty sweet too. I can stiffen them up a little if need be, but I want the stiffest right out the gate if I can help it. Weight is not a issue, nor is size. Main thing is that they are stiff and will help out with accuracy. Anything beats the factory stock at the moment.

BTW, gun is a 308 savage M11 Trophy Hunter xp. A little disclaimer says I will need to get the metal component system so Im going to look for a deal on one, but if you all happen to know of a good place, let me know. Thanks!

 

[kevinakaq]

Intended use for the rifle?

And the tacticool is very stiff since not only is it a laminate but also has a wider forearm than the hunting styles. I have one on my Savage 308 110fp tactical and like it very much. BUT i use the classic on my 7mm rem mag to reduce recoil a bit as monte carlo seems to transfer a bit more to the shoulder. Not a problem with your 308...but goes back to intended use of the rifle....

 

[LRShooting]

On second thought, is the stinkin' bottom metals for that really gonna be as high as what I have found? I mean, Im not spending 205$ for one. I'm on a budget. This is the one I just found. I want to get away with as little as possible. http://store.accurate-mag.com/savageshortactionbottommetalkit.aspx Anybody have a cheap alternative. Just what I need to make the stock fit?

 

[ngnrd]

Any of the laminated stocks from Boyds should be plenty stiff.

 

[LRShooting]

Intended use is basically hunting. However, I like to test my skills in long range too. This gun will shoot sub-moa with my handloads. But my form has to be perfect to accomplish such groups. I like wide forestocks. They fit my hands better. And like I said, weight still isn't much of a issue with hunting either. I usually have enough junk on my Rem 700 sps varmit to make it heavier than my 308 ever will be and I have't had any issues so far.

 

[StrutStopper]

I've got a Rimfire Varmint Thumbhole from Boyd's and its very solid. No flex at all.

 

[kevinakaq]

Might want to look at that prarie hunter.....a hunter that fits the bill for distant shooting as well. My two cents (and overpriced at that). Like was said above any of those stocks are going to have a strong forearm and little to no flex. Hard to go wrong. Just make sure you free float the barrel.

 

[TRX]

I bought a "pepper laminate" Prairie Hunter for a naked Mosin action I had on hand. It came with a buttpad and sling swivels already mounted, and though it was advertised as "unfinished", it came with a smooth flat finish that I found entirely acceptable as it was.

Since Mosins vary a bit, they had inlet the tang area a bit on the tight side. It was my first time doing any woodwork, but a $7 Harbor Freight chisel set and an hour or so took care of that.

Downside: at that point, my wife walked in and said, "That's so pretty!" and announced the rifle was now hers. Drat.

 

[Float Pilot]

My thread about my 375 Ruger / rebarreled 1917 Enfield action have some photos of my Boyds stock... They are pretty stiff. Although if you go for the completely inletted version they may not be exactly inletted like you want it to be...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=739837

 

[dpowers311]

go to the savage website/parts enter your serial # and find the parts. https://store.savagearms.com/partfinder

It says on boyds site to call savage to find out parts needed. It would be very nice if boyd's contacted savage and had a list of parts you would need listed on there website.

I will be calling savage soon to find out so I can replace my stock also.

 

[LRShooting]

Look into Pacific Tool and Gauge. They offer one. Its a DBM that works with AICS mags. Ruger also offers Polymer mags that will fit as well. 30 bucks for a 10 round mag vs 50 bucks for a 5 round savage mag. Even with AICS, mags are only 60 bucks for a 10 rnd mag. I used that part finder you were talking about, but it says my serial number can not be found. The only number on the gun was a J******* number above the on the left side of the action near the back. Mayb thats the wrong one?

 

[Cee Zee]

I have a Boyds stock on my .22 MkIIBTV Savage. It is a very nice stock. It's a thumbhole but it's an older design than the current stuff. I don't know how different they are but I know my stock is very stiff. It has never caused me any problems. It laminate is good quality too so it isn't going to come apart if you get caught in the rain. If I had it to do over again I would have swapped them much sooner.

BTW I found my stock on eBay where Boyds sometimes sells their seconds or at least they did when I bought mine. I saved a lot of money because of the stock being a second. The only thing wrong with that stock was that the color was too dark and it was out of the acceptable range of colors for Boyds. I actually like the darker stock better. I bought my bottom metal from Amazon too. It was cheaper there. I wish there had been more wood between the bottom metal and the pillar the action screw goes in. But that was something Savage did, not Boyds.

 

[TIMC]

Put a Boyds thumbhole varmint on my Savage Hog Hunter and like it a lot! Nice sturdy stock to work with.

 

[richie]

I really like my Boyds stocks.

 

[tallpaul]

I have a couple of the rimfire thimbholes and a set for my contender and LOVE them! I am seriously contemplating another for a remington sps .223 stainless I got in a trade... should be great for a multi use light rifle!

 

[jutinlee]

TIMC/ richie that's some nice looking rifles. Gonna have to look into those stocks myself after seeing these pics.

 

[JBrady555]

I've got a boyds thumbhole stock on a old mosin nagant. Looks great but it shoots two foot high now lol. I free floated the barrel and apparently on a mosin that can screw up the harmonics, that's the only thing I came up with after trying to diagnose it in a thread right here on THR.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

 

[LAGS]

@ JBrady555
All of my Mosin Nagant Custom rifles are Free Floated, and it never effected them or made them shoot high.
It actually made my groups smaller especially after the barrel warmed up.
All of my Actions are also Full Glass Bedded, including the Magazine Box and front and rear tangs, so there is no chance of the action binding, or even putting undue pressure on the chamber area of the barrel.

The Stock is not going to effect how a rifle shoots, but How the metal is FIT to the stock will effect the whole rifle.
I think you have more issues then just the barrel being free floated that is making it shoot High.

 

[gdcpony]

Boyds are awesome stocks? I like them on my bolt and single shot pieces.

 

[JBrady555]

I hear ya, it was my first ever stock fit and I probably fouled it up. I'm gonna buy that arch Angel stock that is supposed to be a drop in fit. If it starts shooting point of aim again then I'll know for sure.

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

 

[LAGS]

@ JBrady555
When fitting a action to a stock, it is important to have your Action Seated Firmly, before you finish free floating the barrel.
That is why I Glass bed the action first, and then free float the barrel.
You do not need to Full float your action.
You can Point Bed it on the rear tang and on the front lug as well as the chamber area of your barrel.
But Pay close attention that when the bottom metal is tightened it has a firm point to bed to also, or you can bind your action as you tighten your action screws, especially on a M N.
If you pay close attention to how your action beds against your Metal on the receiver, you dont have to Glass bed the action.
I also Glass bed the action and Barrel Channel at one time with the Free Floating already installed for .010' clearance from the barrel channel glass bedding to the barrel.

 

[Cee Zee]

I pillar bedded the action screws on my MkII and I use a torque screwdriver to make sure the torque is right on those screws. It makes a lot of difference with the accuracy too. And yes, when I was fitting the stock to the rifle I had to do some inletting here and there to get a nice snug fit. I used a Dremel for that. It's a snug fit and there is metal right behind the thin part of the wood under the bottom metal now. Before there was nothing behind that thin piece of wood and it wouldn't take much pressure without starting to crack. I didn't crack it but that's only because I knew it was too thin to hold much torque.

Once I got the stock set up well the accuracy really improved a lot on that rifle. I was able to go from 12 inch/lbs to 18 inch/lbs on the front screw and it made all the difference in the world. My group size got way more consistent and that's the whole trick for a good rifle.

 

[LAGS]

@ Cee Zee.
I like Pillars, but they dont work as good on a Nagant stock as Full Glass Bedding the front recoil lug.
And the Back screw is on an angle, so bedding top and bottom works better for what I have done.

 

[Cee Zee]

I would guess glass bedding always works better than pillar bedding. I just didn't want to go that way because I would have to practice at it some before doing it to a nice rifle like my MkII.

 

[hardluk1]

I have a ruger 77mkII custom made 17 years ago and use what was then called the Boyd's JR Classic now just The Classic. It has held up very well and it is blocked and glass bedded and even with a slight twist to the forend do to to much rain over the years still extremely accurate and still dollar bill free floating. I practice left and right handed shooting and that's my reason for a regular symmetrical stock profile instead of a one side high comb or thumb hole.