I'm plotting a build for small bore silhouette and would like thoughts on stock material. As Kitty suggests, I am a blue steel and wood stock kind of guy in a decorated Kevlar and stainless era.

Wood is traditional and beautiful, of course, but it does shift some with weather changes. Because of this even I have to admit it won't make a good foundation for a custom competition rifle.

Kevlar / Carbon with aluminum stiffeners is the current bench mark and the clear pragmatic choice. It just isn't traditional! (Whine, whine, whine...)

Laminates come in many forms, from traditional to bling, and are stable. They're also comparatively heavy, but I would still like to use it for appearance.

What do y'all think?

If you really like wood, splurge and spend some money on a very fine piece of walnut. I figure that if the action is glass/pillar bedded and the barrel is free floated, that changes in the behavior of the wood probably won't affect the accuracy of the rifle very much anyway. Don't a lot of the benchrest guys still use wood for their "sporter" stocks?

If you can live with the laminate appearance, you should be able to have just about anything built more cheaply than "real" wood, but it just doesn't have the same look.

If you go with carbon/kevlar/aluminum, you will know that you've got the technologically best stock, but will it have a "soul"?

SteveM.

Don't discount the benefits that a wood or laminate stock can give that the kevlar stocks can't. As an example, my new Mark Pharr stock's foreend is still a little too wide for my split-finger hold, even though it's designed to be better for split-finger shooters. If I had gotten it in wood or a laminate instead of the carbon fiber shell with foam in it, I could slim it up myself just like I did with my CZ Varmint's factory stock. That's not an option with the "shell" type stocks. Sure, they're lighter but they're not better in every respect.

If you have to have wood, get the straightest grain piece of walnut you can find. Carve the inside oversize and seal many times. Then pillar bed the thing. You are killing yourself. Get a plastic one.

If you are really looking for a wood stock for a silhouette rifle, go with a Richards Microfit stock, they are available on any kind of wood, semy, or fully inletted for just about any kind of action available. I have used several of them for High Power, and also smallbore rifles. Boyds also have some fine stocks.
They both have a website, where you can look at what is available.
Evelio.

Only bad thing about wood is that it's hard to match with powdercoat.......

Kitty

BlauBear
I see no one has had the audacity to suggest a compromise. One option might be a used Anschutz 1710 synthetic wood grain stock. Possibly one
discarded to be replaced with one of the Kevlar creations. If my
recollection serves me, McMillan at one time moulded these as blanks for
bedding to any action. Might be just enough appearance for you as well as
fulfilling cyber stock benefits.

Dryfire

jneihouse wrote:Only bad thing about wood is that it's hard to match with powdercoat.......

Kitty

John/BlauBear

Who cares if the powder coat matches when the wood looks this good!

Later, Paul

Mark Pharr Maple RT/s with Remington 40x, Lilja Barrel, Jewell Trigger, Pearson rings, and Weaver T36.

And the gun is even prettier in person.....And this gun from a guy with a red Leupold scope.....Paul, are you bi-polar??????

Kitty

I sure hope you guys get this bling thing out of your heads before the real shooting season begins. I'd hate to see a fight on the firing line...."We'll mine's prettier than yours", "We'll mine cost more", "We'll no one else has one like this". etc.
Fellows I have to admit I'm a little jealous and all the guns look "marvelous" . If only I had the money.

All in fun, all in fun....Now, if Victoria Secret would just start carrying gun socks..........

Kitty

Now that gives me some ideas...

Walnut, blue steel, satin finish...

And a Victoria Secret gun sock............

And a Victoria Secret gun sock............

Paul
That 40x is 'THE LORD OF THE BLING'. I have a couple that only see the
public on special occasions but they pale next to yours.
Jessica Simpson is the Ogre under the Bridge next that rifle and you only
had to pay for her once.

Dryfire