Wood vs Synthetic, whats your stock preference?
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Antique Shooter
New member
Definitely wood. I do not own a plastic gun or any non wood, and don't plan on owning a plastic gun for as long as I am alive. I absolutely hate when people say that they didn't take a gun out because of bad weather.What do you think guns were made for? I don't know about all of you, but I will hunt with any of my guns in any given weather on any given day. Antique or new. I don't have any gun in my house that I call a wall hanger. If that is all your going to do with the gun, why don't you just take a picture of it and put it on the wall, and sell the gun to some one who is going to use it.
Plastic guns all look the same, you couldn't tell the difference if they all were lined up without a scope or some attatchment. Each one of my guns in unique, and even one of the same model will look exactly the same.
I don't think that hunters in the early 1900's used plastic guns, and they seemed to do just fine.
Antique Shooter
Plastic guns all look the same, you couldn't tell the difference if they all were lined up without a scope or some attatchment. Each one of my guns in unique, and even one of the same model will look exactly the same.
I don't think that hunters in the early 1900's used plastic guns, and they seemed to do just fine.
Antique Shooter
That's true, but they didn't have a choice. Stocks dried out and cracked and got all chewed up and damaged, inaccurate shots were taken because the wood swelled or receided and animals were injured and not killed outright.
My first car a 1955 ford, didn't have power windows, power steering, air conditioning or bucket seats, but I can tell YOU I am not going back to 1955, you have to learn to get use to progress. Live in the present not the past. Or spend $1,000 for a $550 rifle with fine walnut furniture.
Jim
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Ideal Tool
Moderator
All my rifles are stocked in wood, either English or American walnut..except an original
.32 M.L. It's curly maple. Someone mentioned plastic not around in early
1900's. There have been more that a few Winchesters, and others stocked in ivory..the 19th centurys equlivant of todays plastic..but I don't think they did it for weather resistance!
.32 M.L. It's curly maple. Someone mentioned plastic not around in early
1900's. There have been more that a few Winchesters, and others stocked in ivory..the 19th centurys equlivant of todays plastic..but I don't think they did it for weather resistance!
Antique Shooter
New member
Jim, I don't recall saying that I ever purchased a gun with fine walnut furniture. Do Krag Jorgenson's, K98's, Remington model 14's, 141's, 25's, Savage 99's, Enfields's, Winchester 97's, 73's, 95's come in fine walnut??? How is that for progress? Progress leading right back to the good ole days when guns were made of wood.
The way you talk it would seem like guns from the past don't exist anymore because they withered away to nothing. Not everybody mistreats guns. If you know how to take care of a gun, why would a wooden stock be any more damage prone than a plastic one. I personally don't us my guns as hammers.
Have you missed game in which you are 100% certain that you missed because of wood swell or receide? I know I havn't. Maybe while you were using your gun as a hammer the scope got bumped, or maybe you just missed.
I think I'll stay in the past where times were good. I'll hunt with my recurve bows, fish with flies, and buys guns made with wood.
Antique Shooter
The way you talk it would seem like guns from the past don't exist anymore because they withered away to nothing. Not everybody mistreats guns. If you know how to take care of a gun, why would a wooden stock be any more damage prone than a plastic one. I personally don't us my guns as hammers.
Have you missed game in which you are 100% certain that you missed because of wood swell or receide? I know I havn't. Maybe while you were using your gun as a hammer the scope got bumped, or maybe you just missed.
I think I'll stay in the past where times were good. I'll hunt with my recurve bows, fish with flies, and buys guns made with wood.
Antique Shooter
I have afew rifles with wood stocks all have been bedded rest of my rifles have McMillian etc type stocks.
IMHO type of stocks is what the shooter likes. I must admit those fancy wood stocks sure are pretty to look at vs looking at one of my rifles with a plain black McMillian stocks or the Holland stock I got for the 270Wby I'm having build.
IMHO type of stocks is what the shooter likes. I must admit those fancy wood stocks sure are pretty to look at vs looking at one of my rifles with a plain black McMillian stocks or the Holland stock I got for the 270Wby I'm having build.
yep, I remember puting 50 cents in the gas tank and getting 2 gallons of gas too. And cigerattes were 35 cents a pack and a double feature was less than a buck and a large popcorn was 50 cents. But those days are gone.
Even back then the stocks were made of pine to keep the costs down and good french walnut was expensive even by those standards. (I love french walnut). But most of those wooden stocks were passed down from father to son and the kids were not too carefull as to how they were stored or used.
So synthetic stocks are the current rage, and a lot more pratical to use in the field, better fit more flexable and cheaper to produce, AND more accurate because of the construction and materials.
Yes, we all love the look of wood, but when push comes to shove todays synthetics are a better way to go, even if they have to take us kicking and screaming into the 21st centry.
Stay well and keep those firearms safe, we may never see them again.
Jim
curmudgeon1
New member
Well-maintained wooden stocks on rifles have much visual appeal, but cleaning my two rifles after regular visits to the range take up enough of my time (especially the DI action of the AR-15) already, and thats why I favor the maintenace-free synthetic stocks. Don't need to be concerned about dings either. Still like to see the traditional well-maintained pretty wood on other peoples' rifles though.
Have a WIn M70 Black Shadow as only composite..
am frustrated with trying to get a group and sighted in. Have a post-64 M70 first edition [No "G" in SN] and have that sighted in with 6 shots.
I'm now looking at replacing the "pos" composite stock with a wood laminate form a place out of Texas. Both rifles are 7mmMag and I enjoy the wood post -64 over the black shadow,
[which is a polite way of saying "MALE BOVINE MANURE".]
Commercial 150gr amm used for sighting-in.
Only firarm that composite is a Marlin 2000, others are wood.
am frustrated with trying to get a group and sighted in. Have a post-64 M70 first edition [No "G" in SN] and have that sighted in with 6 shots.
I'm now looking at replacing the "pos" composite stock with a wood laminate form a place out of Texas. Both rifles are 7mmMag and I enjoy the wood post -64 over the black shadow,
[which is a polite way of saying "MALE BOVINE MANURE".]
Commercial 150gr amm used for sighting-in.
Only firarm that composite is a Marlin 2000, others are wood.
Antique Shooter
New member
You are very right Jim, we may never see them again. Someday they will all be behind glass. I enjoy them while I can. Don't forget the good ole days.
Vale, Amice-Antique Shooter
Vale, Amice-Antique Shooter
jroth
You are aware that the laminate stocks are not a single peice of wood, but are in fact composite plywood that is formed into shape and covered with a nice glued on viner. I have two of them and they look great. The problem is they tend to be much heavier than a standard wood stock or synthetic.
Jim
Thanks AS I won't forget.
You are aware that the laminate stocks are not a single peice of wood, but are in fact composite plywood that is formed into shape and covered with a nice glued on viner. I have two of them and they look great. The problem is they tend to be much heavier than a standard wood stock or synthetic.
Jim
Thanks AS I won't forget.
bailey bud
New member
Everything I own is wood. I like the look and feel.
However, when I visited Sportsman's warehouse the other day - a sales lady placed a browning with a composite stock into my hands - and DANG - it was light!!!
I'm an aspiring wilderness (no motorized vehicles) hunter --- and I can see how a light weight composite just might feel fantastic (my sites are about 5 miles into the wilderness area).
That said - I keep cringing at the price of plastic - and simply have not been able to bring myself to drop quite that much money on something that isn't wood.
However, when I visited Sportsman's warehouse the other day - a sales lady placed a browning with a composite stock into my hands - and DANG - it was light!!!
I'm an aspiring wilderness (no motorized vehicles) hunter --- and I can see how a light weight composite just might feel fantastic (my sites are about 5 miles into the wilderness area).
That said - I keep cringing at the price of plastic - and simply have not been able to bring myself to drop quite that much money on something that isn't wood.
There's something about a walnut or even a nicely finished birch stock on a richly blued rifle, it's often a thing of beauty that many consider art. I don't find the appearance of synthetic stocks and stainless steel objectionable, they just look like tools to me. There may even be a few rifles in my safe that are there only because they have exceptional wood. 
Laminated stocks have a certain appeal but I've never kept one. I have nothing against modern materials, one of the best rifles I'll ever own wore a synthetic stock for over 15 years of often hard hunting in severe conditions. It takes many years to grow a mature walnut tree and most are not suitable for gunstocks, a precious few have the figure for fancy grade. Someday we won't be able to walk into a store to buy them, that day is probably closer than I want to think.
I'm not afraid to take a pretty rifle into the field, I just want to make sure that it will be just as pretty 20 or even 50 years from now.
Laminated stocks have a certain appeal but I've never kept one. I have nothing against modern materials, one of the best rifles I'll ever own wore a synthetic stock for over 15 years of often hard hunting in severe conditions. It takes many years to grow a mature walnut tree and most are not suitable for gunstocks, a precious few have the figure for fancy grade. Someday we won't be able to walk into a store to buy them, that day is probably closer than I want to think.
I'm not afraid to take a pretty rifle into the field, I just want to make sure that it will be just as pretty 20 or even 50 years from now.
Ideal Tool
Moderator
+1++ Antique Shooter! Alot of the newbies think the same about blued carbon steel also. What they seem to forget is that the country was conquered, and settled...terrible wars fought..all with wood stocked and iron..or carbon steel firearms..Even the ones that didn't go thru a war..considering the conditions they were used in and stored..no central heating, no "space-age" lubricants/preservatives..and last but not least..corrosive priming and black powder. Have come down thru the years in pretty fine condition..just stop and take a good look at some that were actually used next time your at a good gun show.
.300 Weatherby Mag
New member
I like Walnut, Laminate and high quality synthetics such as McMillan... Currently I have no injection molded plastic stocks..
Vt.birdhunter
New member
Wood is warmer.
I think its a specific heat thing, but Ive always noticed wood is just much warmer to the hands than synthetic. Always been a big selling point to me.
During whitetail season my rifle keeps my hands warm. Synthetic stocks feel cold to the touch and suck away heat from my hands.
I think its a specific heat thing, but Ive always noticed wood is just much warmer to the hands than synthetic. Always been a big selling point to me.
During whitetail season my rifle keeps my hands warm. Synthetic stocks feel cold to the touch and suck away heat from my hands.
I definitely prefer wood stocks. They just look... right. I like both blued and stainless steel aesthetically, and which one is my favorite depends on the gun.
However, depending on the role of the gun in question, I would tend towards wood or synthetic. If I ever get a gun that is supposed to go wandering in the rain, mud, etc, with me with any frequency, it would be a synthetic stocked stainless steel rifle. No, it wouldn't be as pretty as the premium walnut stocked rifle with top-notch bluing... but it would be much lower maintenance. And... a rusty blued finish isn't as pretty as a pristine stainless one!
I think proper synthetics can offer certain advantages over wood (at least in the short term, before chemical leeching and UV take their toll) - dimensional stability being the most important.
However, depending on the role of the gun in question, I would tend towards wood or synthetic. If I ever get a gun that is supposed to go wandering in the rain, mud, etc, with me with any frequency, it would be a synthetic stocked stainless steel rifle. No, it wouldn't be as pretty as the premium walnut stocked rifle with top-notch bluing... but it would be much lower maintenance. And... a rusty blued finish isn't as pretty as a pristine stainless one!
I think proper synthetics can offer certain advantages over wood (at least in the short term, before chemical leeching and UV take their toll) - dimensional stability being the most important.