Why so many "sporter" stocks?

G

gringojosh

New member
I'd like to know why so many rifles have the "sporter" style stocks. What makes them inherently better for hunting? Or is it cheaper for a gun company to put a sporter stock on a rifle rather than a thumbhole?
 
Sporter is a pretty loose term.

Most thumbhols are not ambidextrous making a rifle with the thumbhole on the right side a no go for a lefty.
 
I tried cycling the bolt on a thumbhole stock rig one time. Danged near broke my thumb. It takes an extra motion to cycle the bolt, which slows things down. They're fine for benchrest where you're never in a hurry...
 
I consider thumbhole stocks to be a worthless gimmick with no advantages. I have heard some extolling the virtues, but I just dont get it. Any advantage it may have could be had with a conventional stock with a steeper grip angle without being enclosed at the top. The thumbhole style makes it harder to manipulate controls, slower to use, etc. How can the enclosed top portion help with off hand accuracy ? Wouldnt a stock with the same grip profile but with an open top be the same, yet allow easier and quicker manipulation of controls ?

It is especially ridiculous in my opinion on bolt action rifles with thumb safetys, and the TC Encore with a hammer. Not quite as bad on firearms with a crossbolt safety, as the thumb does not have to be removed and replaced through the thumbhole to ready firearm to fire.
 
the thumbhole stock can also help with recoil management given that you have more hand and a better angle on the grip to catch the rearward motion. its nice for certain things and not for others. my varmint guns and my semi autos usually get thumbholes because i can take my time or i dont have to work the bolt as fast. It does suck when i want to shoot lefty though(still better than shooting a standard bullpup semi auto lefty though)
 
I consider thumbhole stocks to be a worthless gimmick with no advantages. I have heard some extolling the virtues, but I just dont get it
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No you don't get it. But then you never tried to GET IT.

Funny thing happened when I first tried to use mine. I placed my right hand (yes I am right handed) on the stock as if it was a normal ordinary rifle and then wondered why I couldn't reach the trigger. (LOL) It was funny, but you had to be there.

Advantages? Well quite a few, the first being that the form of the stock places me more in line with the barrel and gives a much more comfortable purchase to my scope as well as less recoil. The second is it squares up on the shoulder more exactly and I am not riding the butt plate half way down my shoulder. Third the comb of the stock places my check just where it needs to be at the right angle for a scope and allows for the scope to be set with a lower set of rings. (but that might just be me).

As to cyclling the bolt, I guess no one takes their hand off the gun to feed a new round in a bolt action and it does it all by itself (that's called an auto-loader or semi-automatic). It is no different that a standard stock in that regards.

What burns my butt, is everyone who expresses an opinion (you have the right to) that has never shot a thumbhole stock rifle and goes off telling everyone that they are useless or junk.

There are disadvantages to a Thumbhole Stock, one they are heavier and give less felt recoil, two they are laminated wood and hold up better than the standard wood stock because of the layered construction. The third disadvantage is that you do not want to take them out and get that nice laminate scratched up on a hunting trip (or carring that much weight for that matter.) Forth they tend to be more accurate because of their rigid construction. Now if you can live with those disadvantages I know if you can afford one, there will be a Thumbhole Stock in you future.

Good Luck and Safe Shooting.
Jim

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Jim 243,

How do you know I never tried to "get it"? I have handled and shot numerous thumbholes, including bolt actions and TC Encores and I stand by my statement. That does not mean my opinion works for everybody. That is a nice rifle you pictured, now imagine the same shape grip, just open at the top, so you could access the safety it without threading your thumb through the hole.

I have a custom stock for my Encore. It feels like a thumbhole, with an open top. That means I can cock the hammer without pulling my thumb through the hole and replacing it, but it retains the angle and feel of a thumbhole. I do believe the steeper grip angle does reduce felt recoil, as the hand is absorbing more. I just dont like the top being closed.
 
I find that I am forced to take off-hand shots sometimes; meaning that I normally shoot lefty, but I will attempt a shot right handed. I am three for three so far! A t-hole would not work in this application.
 
I'd like to know why so many rifles have the "sporter" style stocks.
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Traditional sporter stocks are what the buying public wants, when the consumers start demanding thumb-hole stocks then the manufacturers will respond buy producing them in greater numbers.

What makes them inherently better for hunting?
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Standard sporter style stocks are lighter and ambidextrous. Try shouldering a thumbhole stock on the other shoulder sometime and see how that works for you.

Or is it cheaper for a gun company to put a sporter stock on a rifle rather than a thumbhole?
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I don't know if they are cheaper to produce, but it's defiantly more profitable for a company to standardize it's product to appeal to the widest possible costumer base.
 
I understand the point of a thumbhole stock. For some uses they have their advantages. For my uses they are more of a hindrance than a help.
 
I have a custom stock for my Encore. It feels like a thumbhole, with an open top. That means I can cock the hammer without pulling my thumb through the hole and replacing it, but it retains the angle and feel of a thumbhole. I do believe the steeper grip angle does reduce felt recoil, as the hand is absorbing more. I just dont like the top being closed.
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Let me appoligize if I have offened you, but words like
worthless gimmick with no advantages
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tend to raise my hackels and have no place in an evaluation of a product. If you had said "they have no advantage for me", now that would be totally acceptable. (there are too many bashers on the internet).

Many people use the McMillan stock with no top on the grip, which I understand and can accept.

McMillan.jpg


The Savage has the lever for the safety right behind the bolt an can be worked with the thumb without taking your hand off the rifle.

Try shouldering a thumbhole stock on the other shoulder sometime and see how that works for you
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You are correct, they are not made for Left Handed shooters. I'm not sure I could even shoot a rifle from my left shoulder.

This rifle is used for benchrest shooting and all my hunting rifles use a standard stock.

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Not all thumbhole rifles are thumbhole rifles and each person must decide what works best for THEM.

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Good shooting and stay safe.
Jim
 
I have a Jaeger 270 Mauser in a thumb hole stock. Never thought I would like a thumbhole for the interference with manipulation, but my wife gave it to me for Christmas, so I have one. At 200 yards I normally shoot 5 shot groups within 1". Good enough for me. I like the stock because of less felt recoil and I feel it increases my control. I'm not going to be lugging it around much anyway. Maybe to a deer stand. This is the best shooting rifle I have ever owned to this point and I won't part with it. To each his own.
 
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