Richards Microfit Review/writeup 4/17

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Sudoko

Inactive
I've been looking for recent reviews/writeup's on Richards Microfit stocks and haven't found too much on different sites. I bought one recently so I thought id share my experience with them. I was gonna order a stock when I noticed they updated their bargain list which now has 100+ stocks. So I ordered AA Maple/Dual thumbhole for Rem700 Long Action $150. Says shipping takes a week but they said they needed to "clean up" the bargain stocks a bit, so I waited the next week and it came via UPS.

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Here's sum closeup's
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Followed by comparison with an old factory stock..

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Started with 120 grit and only took around 2.5hrs to remove most of machine markings, i've read it takes people forever to sand, but it is maple I guess is pretty soft.

Once most markings were taken off, I put on sum mineral spirits to see what the 'curl' will look like.
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After markings removed I proceeded with shaping/inletting the stock with the same 120grit.

I finished with Formbys Tung oil after sanding through 120, 220, 320, 400grits.

Richards Microfit is an old company i've heard so I saw alot of old postings online of people unhappy of either poor machining/cosmetic or not the right wood grade. In my case I think they rated the stock accurately.

Overall i'm satisfied with my purchase, the stock was about what I expected and will order again if I ever get another rifle. Anyway I hope this review helped and good luck to anyone looking to buy a Rich Micofit stock in the future.

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I've been working on a grade 6 curly maple off and on for the last five years or so. 80 grit on a jitterbug won't touch the tool marks. The only thing I found that works is grill cleaner blocks but it's a slow go. I've worn out six of them but have most of the flat parts done.
 
Hawg Damn, my stock is far from perfect I should have added, still have few check/dings in areas. The forearm and everything past the magwell was favorably not that rough like the rest when first shipped in(Seen in first few pics) but the rest rough, do you have a pic of your maple on here? I've only seen maple gunstocks couple times at gunshow but never payed attention to.
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It was a reasonable hardship sanding this part..
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How long did it take you to get that stock? I once had a stock on order for 3 months that they told me over the phone was in stock and should ship in a week. When I went to call them back the phone was disconnected. I had to get my bank involved to get my money back.

Others told me that their phone was back in service a couple days later but it was too late for me to care...

Tony
 
Geezerbiker About 13 business days. I call them 11am or earlier. Ordered march 23rd (saw list updated), called again after 7days asked if stock is ready to go they said it needed cleaning up and it would be about a week. Waited the week and the weekend as well April10th a Monday called early with same question, the person tracked it and said it will be there that day, a couple hours later it came via UPS .
I heard the fastest way to get a stock is from the bargain list because they're already made. They have 2 websites with 2 phone numbers, I ordered from the 800# on the newer site first and unknowingly called the 818# on their older site to see if it shipped didn't realize till I checked my phone records.
 
I'm currently working on a "bargain barn" stock from Richards right now, Ultra Light laminate for my Mauser action.
It was originally a model 98 stock with military barrel channel, and so I did havve to open that up a bit but inletting was 99% done when I got it.
Being its a laminate and not straight hardwood it presented me some unfamiliar problems, such as checking, and grain hair popping up from one layer to next.
Anyway I havent anything bad to say about Richards, I have done a half a dozen of their stocks over the years and know what Im going to end up with.
I use rasps and files until mill marks and profile are decent then usually start with 100 grit and go on up..
To get passed the checking and grain hairs I opted to stain heavy, and then 50/50 tru oil and mineral spirits in 2 coats figuring to seal stain down and keep those hairs from poppin..
 
I ordered 2 stocks from Richards, after receiving the two stocks I called them; I told them I thought I could teach woodpeckers to do a better job.

F. Guffey
 
Sudoko, my photobucket pics no longer work here. Here's a few pics of the stock as it was when I first got it. Deep tool marks going in all directions but it's hard to see in some of the pics. I'm not complaining for what I gave for it but after I started working on it I would have paid anybody's price to finish it out but nobody would touch it. This is a stock for my G 33/40 Mauser and the woman at Richard's called me and asked me to verify the trigger guard length as the 33/40 uses a different guard from a standard 98. Also they do not offer full inletting for the barrel channel on a 33/40 so the barrel channel is a half inch all the way down. I probably should have started with that but I figure if I mess that up it will be easier to fix. They were very nice and easy to work with so it's all on me. I've never worked with maple before and I've heard it described as a semi hard wood but all I've ever really dealt with is walnut and walnut is super, super soft compared to this stuff.

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Richards Microfit has been in business a long time. So long that I was using their stocks when I first started gunsmithing back in 1981, and they had been around a while at that time. They sell pre-carved semi-inletted stock blanks, not drop-in stocks already sanded, finished and ready to go. Their pre-carved stock blanks are just that, a pre-carved stock blank, not a finished stock. Yes, their stocks can be kind of rough, but the wood they use is typically very nice for the price paid.

I am in the process of stocking a pre-war Winchester Model 70 in a piece of black walnut from Richards, and the stock is well-inletted, has a slight cast-off, has good grain structure throughout he stock, the grip area, and the forearm. I have about 5 hours into the stock already, and in another 2 or 3 hours, I will be finish sanding it. I have bought stocks from many other stock blank suppliers over the years, and Richards' stock blanks are among the better ones. Are there better stock blanks available? Sure! But thir blanks are pretty good.

Hawg- If you really want to get that maple stock finished, give me a call. My shop name is in my signature line.
 
Hawg Thats a nice stock not an inch of plainness, looks like the dark grain will look real nice when finished. I looked up recently that hard maple weighs more than walnut nd can stand more lbf pounds of force.
 
Scorch, If I was still working I'd take you up on that but a disability check doesn't leave much play around money. I can't complain about the stock, it is what they advertised. I just didn't think maple would be that much harder to work with than walnut. I'll eventually get it. I work on it a few hours for a couple of days and get discouraged at the slowness of it and don't touch it again for months.

Yeah Sudoko it is a beautiful stock and the pics don't do it justice.
 
Your stock is looking beautiful, I have had fairly good luck with their stocks over the years. Out of all the stocks I have gotten from them I have had only one that looked like it had been inlet by a rabid crazed Beaver with one eye using a cold chisel and a 3 lb baby sledge. For the price paid I think the grain usually turns out pretty good on most of their stocks.

Steve........
 
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