Which do you prefer: Stainless w/ black sythetic stock or Blued Metal w/ wood stock?

[Dr.Rob]

After years and years of hunting in late Oct/early Nov. in Colorado with blue/wood rifles I switched to a stainless/synthetic one. I don't care if I scratch the stock, it's more rust resistant and there is no difference in accuracy or function.

Wood is still more attractive. I only have one stainless/synthetic rifle but I can hunt deer, elk , antelope, bear even moose with it.

 

[duanebuck.schultz]

Which do you prefer: Stainless w/ black sythetic stock or Blued Metal w/ wood...

I am a blued and wood guy. I absolutely love my new Remington 700 CDL Classic Deluxe 30-06.
I don't like polymer or synthetic on pistols or shotguns either.
I like some stainless guns, but not on anything for hunting.

 

[bannockburn]

Have to go with the traditional blued with a wood stock with my rifles.

 

[highpower]

I have two hunting rifles. Both are traditional blued steel-n-wood. One is a Marlin 336 chambered in .35 Remington that I inherited from my father, and the other is a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 Featherwieght in .30-06.

Both seem to do the job.

 

[Olympus]

To be honest, I can't stand synthetic/stainless rifles, but I own them. They serve a purpose. They work great for me where I hunt because the woods are thick and limbs with scratch the crap out of bluing and nice wood. And then there is the chance of rain and moisture which I can abide my blued guns to ever be exposed to. But every year, I drag them out of the furthest corners of my safe and get them ready for another year of hunting. I use them, but I sure don't like them. They are certainly a "tool" in my book, meant for being used where my blued and walnut guns are like vintage classic cars. If I had a hunting scenario where I hunted an open area and had a nice, dry box blind then I'd sell all my stainless/synthetic guns.

 

[chasdog]

Which do you prefer: Stainless w/ black sythetic stock or Blued Metal w/ wood...

I like SS and synthetic stocks for my bolt action hunting rifles. I can appreciate a fine wood stock and own a few. I however live In a rainforest and use ss and synthetic stocks.

 

[Carolina Kalash]

Yeah I'm looking to get a new hunting rifle within a few months and cant decide between a Remington 700 SPS Stainless or a Remington 700 BDL w/ Wood and Blued metal. May go with the Stainless SPS cause it's a little cheaper it seems, I've also been lookin at the Wood-Techs to.

 

[Steve S.]

Blue and wood (must be lots of figure in the walnut) - I am a sucker for good looking long guns. Someone used the term "functional art" - that is a very good description - a well made long gun with exceptional wood is like a drug to me - "My name is Steve ..... Hi Steve ..... I am a long gun-aholic and have never been clean and sober - good shooting.

 

[pcbuckhunter]

I have and use lots of different configurations.

Blued/Wood
Stainless/Wood
Blued/ Synthetic
Stainless/Synthetic
Carbon Fiber/Synthetic
Black Matte/ Synthetic

I have no real preference, when I'm buying a new gun, or a used one, it's whatever tickles my fancy at the moment.

 

[Fatdaddy]

I love both but something is to be said for the weather resistance of stainless/synthetic combo. I've got a Ruger M77 with the boatpaddle stock that looks just as good now as the day it left the factory. I've lost track of the deer it's put in my freezer over the last 14 years. Scuffs from tree climber mishaps can be blended away with some Scotchbrite pads.
This thread reminds me, I need to go put a little oil on my blued guns to fend off the rust...

 

[Legionnaire]

While I have, use, and like both, walnut and blued steel are my definite preference. Just way more class.

 

[Skyshot]

Satin Blue and satin wood with lots of curly grain and fine checkering.

 

[CApighunter]

My favorite combo is stainless with a walnut stock, but I love blued steel and walnut as well.

 

[Cee Zee]

I like both but for different reasons. I love wood for the looks and blued steel just looks great with it. But for durability give me stainless and synthetic.

 

[ColeK]

I voted OTHER.

I have stainless w/ black synthetic stock, black w/ black synthetic stock, blued metal w/ wood stock, and stainless w/ wood stock.

What I carry just depends on how I feel that day.

 

[ColeK]

Quote:
Originally Posted by pcbuckhunter:

I have and use lots of different configurations.

Blued/Wood
Stainless/Wood
Blued/ Synthetic
Stainless/Synthetic
Carbon Fiber/Synthetic
Black Matte/ Synthetic

I have no real preference, when I'm buying a new gun, or a used one, it's whatever tickles my fancy at the moment.

​

That is big +1

 

[joed]

Shoot, I've owned just about every combination. I prefer SS over blue steel as I've gotten older but I certainly have my share of blue in the safe. N

Nothing wrong with wood as long as the barrel is free floated. I've had some nice synthetic stocks too. Darn I've seen some bad ones though.

 

[Cee Zee]

I've had some nice synthetic stocks too. Darn I've seen some bad ones though.

I should have mentioned that too. Synthetics are not all created equally. Some are just garbage in fact. Free floated or not they sometimes still push against the barrel if you put any pressure on them like from a sling. Or they can be so flimsy your sight picture just won't be the same from shot to shot. You can forget about a consistent cheek rest with a flimsy synthetic stock.

Some synthetic stocks are absolutely great with no flex at all and lighter too. Even some cheaper synthetic stocks work very well. Then there's things like the synthetic stock for a Savage MkII rifle. Any of the MkII G series rifles (G refers to it having the synthetic stock) is likely to be hard to shoot well in comparison to the same rifle with a better stock on it.

 

[czhen]

As per my vote wood and blue are my primary choice. However, I have some steel with wood too. But, not polymer on my guns, yet.

 

[ExAgoradzo]

I put wood/blue. I have a Sako green/SS. I figure If I'm going 'wet', I'll take it. Otherwise I'll take my 270 Win.

Greg

 

[Sniper66]

I voted for wood/blue, but have the good fortune of having some of each type. Both of my favorite squirrel rifles are wood/blue, but my favorite prairie dog rifles are synthetic/blue and wood/stainless. I'm searching for a coyote rifle, which will probably be an AR style with camo/synthetic. Many factors go into one's preferences, but the look of a fine wood grain stock and a glossy blued barrel will always be my favorite.

 

[WVRJ]

The best for me is stainless that's Dura coated in a quality synthetic.Wood likes to shift around,and if it must be blued,it has to be matte.I like to look at pretty guns,but my safe's full of ugly guns that work.