Wood rifle stocks

[Random 8]

This is a Savage M11 LH in a Richard's Semi-Fancy American Walnut "Frontier Sportster style. The fat belly and slimming to the forend is deliberate to fit my wife's hands and give her natural indexing for the leading hand and required significant sanding. This stock is built for woods "snap" shooting. Came with plenty of wood to leave a more gradual taper and fat forend for shooting from rests if that's what you desire. Fitting was minimal (they had some issues with the LH cut, I had to inlet a bit for the bolt release with a dremel). Otherwise barrel and action were nearly drop in. I did some extra inletting for glass bedding. I shortened the LOP 1" from standard as my wife has short arms. It improved the handling by light years and the accuracy slightly on an already accurate rifle vs. the factory stock. The design makes the recoil of full power .308 feel significantly milder than the factory stock despite being aprox 6 ounces lighter.


Mauser 98 in RM dual grip thumbhole. Lighting is not the best, does not show figure which is significant. Claro walnut, looks dark from a distance, figure is subtle but pronounced. Semi-fancy grade. I really like this stock style on a heavy hunting rifle. Carries like a traditional stock, but the thumbhole comes into play when stationary or stalking. It's a significant aid to stability shooting from field positions.

 

[kmw1954]

Folks, had to revisit this as I just purchased a Savage Model 11 SA 243 that is stock-less. So I believe the Model 10 will stay original and am seriously thinking of taking the gamble on the Richards Microfit stock. My preference is leaning to the same 3 I linked to above and also maybe the the Wolverine Thumbhole stock. At this time I am leaning most towards the Field Trekker stock for bench shooting.

Since that last posting by me I have read many more reviews and comments with many of them not so nice. Still some of the comments I read my impression was that those people were looking more for a drop-in piece than a piece they actually needed to finish and do some fitting. So I am willing to take the gamble that my impression was correct and that these stocks can be finished to as nice as what you all have shown.

Also there is a youtube series by Social Regressive where he is redoing a Boyds Pro Varmint and actually did major changes to the stock to fit him and his liking.

 

[Barnfixer]

A long time ago I was in the market for a new stock and checked out Richards but ended up getting a Fagan. Last year I picked a thumbhole style from Boyds for a 96 Mauser and I’ll buy from them again. Not saying anything is wrong with Richards! (Nice pig pen I have going)

 

[kmw1954]

It's OK I can see through the mess!

Been seeing many thumbhole stocks at the range and just not certain I like the feel. I like my thumb over the top pointed at the tang.

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Your timing is good, as a Richard's 90% stock I ordered just arrived here this week.

I was dissatisfied with my first attempt to restock my altered Swiss K31 in solid walnut, and now that Richard's offers several styles for this action inlet I decided to give them another try using laminated wood.

Their K31 action cut was limited to relatively few patterns, and I had to compromise on a sporter stock design with features I didn't want on this rifle, specifically a Monte Carlo cheekpiece w/rollover comb and a flared grip. I also didn't realize the Pachmayr buttpad I ordered came with a white line down the middle, so I replaced that with an unmarked plastic buttplate I had in my parts box, cut off the bottom 1/2 inch of the grip with a hacksaw and then spent an hour removing the Monte Carlo with my bench sander. I mention this because these photos were taken after I did the external reshaping work:



I wanted this stock to be ambidextrous, and I needed a lower comb to go with my chosen aperture sight combo. I still need to remove the right side palm swell. The photos show Richard's machine inletting as received -- my barreled action is being refinished, so I haven't begun fitting it to the stock. The barrel channel is reasonably straight this time; the bottom metal inletting looks to be a tad deep, so I'll probably need to remove some wood after fitting the triggerguard to bring it flush. I can't evaluate the rest of their inletting until I've finished, but it looks OK to me right now.

 

[Skylerbone]

Richard’s 90% Fancy Claro Pioneer (iirc) fitted to a used M70 blind mag. It was a bit more work because of the receiver inletting and at times I was sure I’d break it, but it looks decent enough for my $220 rifle.

You’ll need to budget for time and shop supplies to do it right but worth it for the price. After bedding I felt the need to have it pinned thus the brass you see.

 

[kmw1954]

Skylerbone that is very nice indeed!

Last night I did a comparison of the Richards Field Trekker and the Boyds Pro Varmint and by the time I added an upgrade in wood and a pad to the Richards and then added shipping it was the same price as the Boyds with an upgrade from the solid black and still w/o shipping.

I still like the shape of the RichardsTrekker over either of the Boyds Pro Varmint of Spike Camp.

Once again I am aware that the Richards is NOT a drop-in stock and will need fitting and finishing. But also in the end it will be a One-Of and not a One-Of-Many.

 

[kmw1954]

Now if only there were someone with pictures of the Field Trekker and Wolverine models to look at finished ones.