Wood Vs Synthetic?

[Offfhand]

Here is an Anschutz .22 RF I've used In silhouette competition for quite a few years. When other shooters see it in the range racks at matches they always comment on the beautiful "wood" stock and they are amazed when I tell them it is actually synthetic. As Varminterror noted in post on this thread, not all synthetic stocks are created equal.

 

[Shimitup]

I do appreciate the fact that you could toss a stainless rifle with a synthetic stock in the lake a day or two and take it out and shoot it but I just can't pass up wood. I posted this on the hunting rifle thread the other day, here's a close up of my cheap old Remington ADL I bought in about 1980. Photos don't do it justice, the colors shimmer and change like a kaleidoscope when you turn it in the sunlight.

 

[Hookeye]

I want a Merkel Helix. They offer a few grades of wood $$$
They look great.
But if I get one, it will be the synth stocked Alpinist model.
Proly send the stock off to be film dipped in wood grain

 

[cdb1]

Everyone of my bucket list rifles is wood stocked.

 

[GBExpat]

Why do you choose which and why?

Like most folks (I think), I prefer the look of a blued-steel, wood-stocked rifle ... but I would not subject a nice one to "weather".

For "weather" I have a few synthetic-stocked rifles, a couple of beaters and a whole LOT of milsurps.

 

[herrwalther]

For a rifle that is going to go through rain, snow, brush, and every sort of nasty thing I can find in the woods I prefer synthetic. For a clear day hunting rifle I will take wood.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

On of the aberrations in the market place is this goop that are putting on synthetic stock that frankly suck. I had one rifle where the maker replaced the stock because that coating started to peel. This next problem involved an X-Bolt. I thought it would be necessary to buy that rifle. The goop was tacky and I was becoming stuck to the gun. No doubt Browning would take care of the stock problem. Owning one kind of stock does not exclude the other.

 

[Nature Boy]

This next problem involved an X-Bolt. I thought it would be necessary to buy that rifle. The goop was tacky and I was becoming stuck to the gun. No doubt Browning would take care of the stock problem.

My buddy has the same problem with his X-Bolt. Browing quoted him some ridiculous turn around time to fix it so he’s just going to have it cerekoted after hunting season

PS. I should note that my Browning Gold 10ga also did this. The camo dip they put on it turned to goo. These coating don’t hold up to the common solvent used for gun cleaning. I also had my shotgun cerekoted

 

[someguy2800]

I own some of my guns specifically because they are beautiful and I appreciate them. I also enjoy working on and finishing wood stocks. Other guns are tools and I am perfectly content with a quality polymer stock or aluminum on them and I have no reservations about scratching them up and dragging them through the willows. The way I see it a guy really needs both.

One thing that has no place in my safe is flimsy tupperware stocks. There is a difference between a nice stiff carbon filled nylon stock the like of which come on say a Tikka, vs the floppy cool whip tub stocks on a savage axis. Not disparaging anybody who owns or likes that kind of thing, but for me they would go straight in the garbage as soon as a boyds could be sourced.

 

[someguy2800]

Another thing I will mention too is that the quality of wood used on some guns today is so poor I don't know why anybody would bother. I see a lot of guns now with plain figurless birch stocks dyed to look like walnut with spray on matte finish. Sorry but that's not an improvement over polymer. If you can't use a decent walnut blank to make the stock then don't bother.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

Goop: Yes, and we are not talking about Big Box blue light specials. Thompson Center did better on my rifle. There was a warning the many solvents would dissolve that stuff. In my case there were there were a number of areas affected. Also, this stuff scratches easily. Basically, that coating cancels out durability to some degree. That X-bolt otherwise is a very nice rifle.

Addendum: Can you remember those color green wood stocks with impressed checkering on Savage firearms years ago?

 

[Garandimal]

Wood 'n' Steel.

Have exactly Two(2) synthetic stocked rifles - both RUGERS - because that was all I could get w/em (and I'm too cheap the replace'em).

77/357

​

RAR(Compact) .22LR

​

GR

 

[joed]

Funny how times change. I used to buy blue and wood but over the last 10 years it's stainless and synthetic. My complaint with wood has always been they needed bedding even then moisture would effect them.

My first synthetic was a Win 70 Steath. Out of the box that rifle shot amazing groups, not the 1.5" I was used to with a new wooden stock. The next rifle was a Rem 700 Stainless SPS that I changed to a B&C stock. Again nice groups.

The exception was a stainless Win 70 Featherweight. So far it has needed no bedding and shoots great.

But, now days I prefer stainless and synthetic. It's nice not to have to worry about the beating a wooden stock takes or the blue finish getting messed up.

 

[bearman49709]

My buddy has the same problem with his X-Bolt. Browing quoted him some ridiculous turn around time to fix it so he’s just going to have it cerekoted after hunting season

PS. I should note that my Browning Gold 10ga also did this. The camo dip they put on it turned to goo. These coating don’t hold up to the common solvent used for gun cleaning. I also had my shotgun cerekoted

I've owned my X-Bolt for 10 years and don't have any problems with the Dura touch stock, maybe because I don't slop cleaning solvent all over my stocks.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I had also shared about faulty stock finish on the X-Bolt. This X-Bolt was new in the store with the hanging tags. I want none of that finish. That finish was a flaw in an otherwise exceptionally good rifle.

 

[LoonWulf]

Depends on the rifle, tho most of my rifle once again ware plastic stocks.

 

[doubleh]

I own exactly one plastic stocked rifle. The wooden stock for it is under the Christmas tree. Wife said I couldn't have it until Christmas but she did let me peak at it.

 

[WVRJ]

I used to cherish pretty wood on a rifle.As I matured and advanced as a hunter/shooter,I came to notice that it had to be an annual thing to sight in my deer gun,partly because the stock would warp and mess with the zero.In 1981,I had a custom 280 done and put it in an HS Precision fiberglass stock.I hunted with that rifle for 28 years and never took the caps off the scope.It never needed re-zeroed.Wood is beautiful,but I no longer own a hunting rifle stocked in wood.My last build is a 308 that I did up with an old Ram-line fiberglass stock that I totally reshaped to fit me exactly.The wonderful thing about the older fiberglass stocks is that fiberglass is easy to work with.I wanted a cheek piece and a palm swell.Some carefully placed Dura-Glass and some sanding and presto,great feeling custom stock.I am working on an old B&C stock as my winter project this winter.I can't do that with wood.And if I'm carrying a beautiful rifle stocked in good wood,I am putting too much focus on protecting the gun and not enough on hunting.Synthetic for me all the way.The money it takes for nice wood is added to the optic budget.

 

[cheygriz]

Wood is yesterday. Synthetic is tomorrow.

I wouldn't even consider any weapon with a wood stock today.

 

[chicharrones]

On of the aberrations in the market place is this goop that are putting on synthetic stock that frankly suck. I had one rifle where the maker replaced the stock because that coating started to peel. This next problem involved an X-Bolt. I thought it would be necessary to buy that rifle. The goop was tacky and I was becoming stuck to the gun. No doubt Browning would take care of the stock problem. Owning one kind of stock does not exclude the other.

I really, really dislike the glued on rubber inserts, sprayed on rubberized coatings and such. It's basically a 50/50 chance of it turning to goo in 5 years or less. And some of the rubber inserts just start grinding off even if touched only by your hands.

Admittedly, most of my experience with this is with name brand power tools and the like. I avoid it with firearms if at all possible due to my experience with the tools. Although, I finally pitched a cheap red dot last month because the rubberized paint turned to a sticky goo after several years.

BTW, I don't use gun cleaners on tools. Tools just get wiped down with a rag or blown off with a compressor. The rubber and coatings turned to goo all by themselves.

When it comes to synthetics, I like molded in checkering or texturing that is as hard as the stock. The checkered areas on Garandimal's 77/357 in post #37 is what I like when it comes to synthetics.

 

[Hookeye]

I'd like an HS Precision for my 700.
But after stiffening the factory Tupperware, and getting decent groups.......what would the $370 more get me?

 

[Nature Boy]

I've owned my X-Bolt for 10 years and don't have any problems with the Dura touch stock, maybe because I don't slop cleaning solvent all over my stocks.

Neither do I and neither did my friend. Not sure what caused it to soften into a sticky mess, but I am pretty sure it wasn’t because you’re so smart and we are a couple of dumbasses

Browning is quoting an 8 month lead time on fixing the issue because there are so many people with the same problem. I’m happy for you that you aren’t one of them

 

[IdaD]

I have both and like both for different reasons. My favorite stock overall is the walnut one on my Mark V 300 Wby. It looks awesome with the blue barrel.

 

[joed]

I used to cherish pretty wood on a rifle.As I matured and advanced as a hunter/shooter,I came to notice that it had to be an annual thing to sight in my deer gun,partly because the stock would warp and mess with the zero.In 1981,I had a custom 280 done and put it in an HS Precision fiberglass stock.I hunted with that rifle for 28 years and never took the caps off the scope.It never needed re-zeroed.Wood is beautiful,but I no longer own a hunting rifle stocked in wood.My last build is a 308 that I did up with an old Ram-line fiberglass stock that I totally reshaped to fit me exactly.The wonderful thing about the older fiberglass stocks is that fiberglass is easy to work with.I wanted a cheek piece and a palm swell.Some carefully placed Dura-Glass and some sanding and presto,great feeling custom stock.I am working on an old B&C stock as my winter project this winter.I can't do that with wood.And if I'm carrying a beautiful rifle stocked in good wood,I am putting too much focus on protecting the gun and not enough on hunting.Synthetic for me all the way.The money it takes for nice wood is added to the optic budget.

So true, I no longer want wooden stocks, my first synthetic stock showed me that and has continued showing me for 19 years.

 

[CANNONMAN]

I have a Rolex that was a 10th anniversary present from my Wife. That was 15 years ago. I've worn it off and on. Every nick and scratch drives me crazy. Then I have it re-finished. I just love that watch. I really don't wear it that much because I cringe every time I hit it on something. I thought that when I retired I'd live a less caustic life. Not so. My Wife say's to wear and enjoy it. With a stock as beautiful as what I found on this 6.5cm I am fraught with indecision on whether to use it in the field or not. Here's a kicker, one of my past time hobbies is custom woodwork. Game boards, bowls, jewelry boxes. I'll post a pic soon of this stock. As soon as I can as I'm not supposed to really know about it until Christmas. Thank for the sentiments folks.