Savage Stocks from Boyd's

[ldlfh7]

I have a Savage model 11 in 308 win which came with a plastic synthetic stock. I am looking to replace it with some wood furniture and have been looking at Boyd's for options.
Does anyone have experience with Boyd's stocks?
Will the accuracy change either for the better or worse?
I really like the look of real wood vs the black synthetic but I would prefer not to sacrifice accuracy for aesthetics.

 

[1948CJ2A]

I've got a couple of Boyds stocks bolted to Mauser 98 receivers. I've had good luck with them. They're not the fanciest looking things on earth but for the price they're hard to beat.

Accuracy is going to be relative to how it shoots now in its current config versus what you decide to do. Stocks that come in contact w/ the barrel can reduce accuracy. Look at the setup now and see if it's free-floated or touches. You can use a dollar bill's thickness to test. Run it up and down the channel with the rifle assembled and see if you hit any snags.

If you're considering restocking, you have options. I like glass bedding. You can also pillar bed the receiver pillars. You can also free-float. Lots of info out there on the old interweb. Brownells and MidwayUSA have DIY glass bed gel kits now that aren't as messy and work pretty well IMO.

 

[ldlfh7]

Today, the barrel is free floated.
I am getting really good accuracy with my reloads as is but just like the look of real wood.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Boyd's...

Idlfh 7--I too have had really good experiences working with Boyd's Stocks. Strongly recommend that you (1) plan to glass-bed your receiver, and (2) buy the Boyd's stock "unfinished." That's Boyd-speak for not varnished nor finish-sanded; the inletting is all done, and done well.

You Dremel out the stock, around the recoil lug and the tang, coat the receiver WELL with release compound, put in the glass-bedding compound, put in the receiver, let the compound set, and voila! your stock is custom-bedded for your receiver.

Then you sand. And sand. And sand--it's the most tedious part of any woodworking project, but necessary for decent looks. You can also make any small alterations to the outer contours of the stock, that might please you, during the sanding.

Then you put on 3 or 4 or 5 coats of finish. I've used plain hardware-store satin spray-can spar varnish with good results. Lightly sand between coats. BTW, you do finish the inletted part of the stock--gotta seal out the moisture.

My project took me an hour a day for a week, or so, and then 1/2 hour/every other day for another week during the varnishing.

The 'phone people at Boyd's are used to talking newbies through the process--very helpful. You can get glass-bedding kits and finishing kits from Boyd's, but I used a Midway glass-bedding kit, IIRC, and sandpaper and varnish bought locally.

NOw--Accuracy improvement?? Only if your original stock was negatively affecting accuracy. Your accuracy will not be degraded, unless you REALLY screw up your glass-bedding. Looks improvement?? 100% at least!

Tell you what, though: I'd do a "practice" rifle first. Myself, I glass-bedded an SKS in a cheapo plastic stock, before doing my Boyd's project. Figured if I wrecked the whole thing I wouldn't feel too badly about it. But, nothing went wrong, which greatly encouraged me to proceed.

Whatever you decide, good luck on it, and please keep us posted. With pix. We all like pix.

 

[ZGunner]

I have a Boyd's thumbhole on my Savage Mk II. It makes the rifle seem so much better. A far cry from that cheap piece of maliable plastic that came on it. The stock is truly free floated until about 1 inch from the receiver. And the straight comb brought my eye to where I could actually get a good check weld, so I would say accuracy improved.

I know it's not on a centerfire and will never experience any recoil what-so-ever but I would not hesitate to buy another stock from Boyd's. I like the way the laminate looks and the price can't be beat.

 

[gpb]

I used a Boyd's "Classic" laminated stock on a Stevens 200 that I converted from 308 Winchester to 30 Remington. The Stevens plastic stock was just too light and flimsy for my purposes. The Boyd's stock offered a heavier and more rigid base to build on. The laminated stocks are noticeably heavier than the plastic stocks. So if you're looking for light weight, you're not going to find it with the laminated Boyd stocks.

If extra weight and rigidity are your goal, the Boyd's are a good value for the money. I would buy again.

 

[TIMC]

I have a Boyds on my Savage Hog Hunter in .308 which is basically just a model 11, huge improvement over the factory piece of junk it had on it.

 

[TNBilly]

Agree with all the rest. Some slight fitting may be required but I've always been pleased with the improvement over plastic stocks. I've learned to like the thumbhole models myself but they make other models of course.

 

[Curator]

I have two Savage Mk II restocked wit Boyd's laminate stocks. I couldn't be happier! Great fit and function. This is my fourth Boyd laminate so they must be doing something right@

 

[BruceB]

I agree 100% with the desire for a wooden stock, over the "plastic fantastics" that are so common these days. There's just nothing else as warm, quiet, and beautiful as a wooden rifle stock.

BUT..... my only Savage rifle just now is a .338 Model 116, stainless steel, fluted barrel,and ....yuck..... the plastic stock.

The trouble is, the blasted thing shoots like a dream. Think three-round 100-yard groups UNDER 1/2 ", consistently. The problem with changing to a wood stock is that we have no guarantee whatever that the accuracy will remain the same, and indeed the wood stock brings with it some potential problems such as warpage, or absorption of moisture, or any of a number of other difficulties.

Even so, I have TWO rifles in synthetic stocks, and nineteen in wood..... I suppose that tells where my heart lies with regard to stock material! (One of the wood stocks is a laminate... you may want to consider that as an alternative.)

 

[Cee Zee]

I have a Boyd's thumbhole on my Savage Mk II. It makes the rifle seem so much better. A far cry from that cheap piece of maliable plastic that came on it.

Me too. I swapped out the el cheapo Savage scope that cam on my Mk II for a Boyd's thumbhole. I actually would have preferred the Monte Carlo stock but I got a great deal on the thumbhole. My accuracy got much better with the addition of a better stock too. The old stock just had way too much flex in it.

 

[zerobarrier]

I just got one for my marlin and I love it. I got the 90 degree finish and added a dragon engraving. mine has a completely free floated barrel and did not change accuracy. I think it is pretty comfortable. Bedding may be required on some of the stocks with the longer handgaurds but I am not sure. You can't beat them for the price. I shoot .5moa at 100yds with it.

 

[TRX]

I've only placed one order with Boyds. They said what I wanted was out of stock, and it would take three weeks. The package showed up two weeks early, the "unfinished" stock had a really nice satin finish I decided to leave alone, and it took a full ten minutes to finish-inlet the receiver satisfactorily.

They sell a nice stock, but they lack the kind of surly, customer-unfriendly American business attitude I'm used to...

 

[1948CJ2A]

I just got one for my marlin and I love it. I got the 90 degree finish and added a dragon engraving. mine has a completely free floated barrel and did not change accuracy. I think it is pretty comfortable. Bedding may be required on some of the stocks with the longer handgaurds but I am not sure. You can't beat them for the price. I shoot .5moa at 100yds with it.

Wow! Now THAT is a free-floated barrel!

 

[zerobarrier]

Wow! Now THAT is a free-floated barrel!

Yeah no bedding required

 

[hardluk1]

Boyd's all ready makes ALL of savages wood or laminate wood stocks . They fit well but you will need the bottom metal unless savage his changed how they make those plastic stocks. Boyd's sell that too and DIP has upgrtaded metal you will want if you bed the stock. My 2 boyd's are blocked and bedded.

 

[Cee Zee]

I should have pointed out that I had to modify the way my Boyds stock mounted to my Savage MkII. The action screws tighten down to a thin layer of wood that can easily be crushed if you tighten them too hard. And if you leave them too loose they will back off and your accuracy goes out the window. My solution was to pillar bed that stock and it made all the difference. I can now add all the torque I need on the action screws and nothing is in danger of being destroyed.

The fault really lies with Savage on the design of their rifles. Boyds makes stocks for Savage and the problem is right there on the factory produced models that are sold in the shops. It's a fairly easy fix though. The thing is that Savage rifles are sensitive to torque variations on the action screws so invest in a torque wrench that measures inch/lbs. in the 12-25 range. You will be glad you did because your accuracy will really improve. I check the torque on my action screws every time I shoot my MkII. And it shoots very well IMO.

 

[SGW42]

I put a Boyd's laminate on a Stevens 200. Another satisfied customer. Dropped right in, well finished, the recoil pad was well fitted and even with the butt (thin rubber, but nice, and mine is only .223).

I got my initials put on mine and it looks really good, but I kind of wish I hadn't, as I feel like I might want to get a different laminate color, or walnut, and the initials make it hard to sell/pass on to someone else.