Reshaping Boyd’s Stock in the British style

rookhawk said:

The forestock looks good, the butt stock has a parallel comb which isn't a British styling. The reason for a tapered drop at comb and heel is that your muscles contract as you elevate the rifle or gun which in turn moves you up and down the comb. Your eyes still perfectly align to the iron sights whether shooting near horizontal or near verticle.

In short, I'd put some declining drop on the comb if you want it to look traditionally British.

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That's absolutely true, but no current British gunmaker does the droped comb anymore due to the prolific use of scopes. I have a few old stocks from the age of iron sights and the drop is so perfect for putting your eye in line with express sights. I think there is a good compromise that Rigby has achieved in their current production that allows for a classic look but without forcing a chin weld to use a scope or squeezing your face down to use irons. I can add a slight drop as a compromise too.

SwampTrooper said:

That's absolutely true, but no current British gunmaker does the droped comb anymore due to the prolific use of scopes. I have a few old stocks from the age of iron sights and the drop is so perfect for putting your eye in line with express sights. I think there is a good compromise that Rigby has achieved in their current production that allows for a classic look but without forcing a chin weld to use a scope or squeezing your face down to use irons. I can add a slight drop as a compromise too.

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I do not own any rifles with fixed scopes, all my optics are in QD mounts for two reasons. 1.) To remove them in transport for protection, 2.) In case they break on a hunt or I'm following up shot dangerous game and need faster target acquisition.

For me, I install optics in the lowest possible rings possible and use straight tube scopes, occasionally very small stalking optics with 36mm exit objectives. This ensures that the optics work very well with a British stock when shot horizontally, but it also guarantees that if the scope is removed, the iron sights work properly with the angled comb in any direction including 3 paces away at my feet, or near vertical shooting up a kopi.

I understand the economics of the decisions and lament the ugliness along with all of you. Morebpeople shoot off a bench and use scope sights to do it (usually crazy huge scopes for long range ). But surely it is just a relatively low cost option for Boyds to do the computer work- even if it becomes an order only with a couple of week delivery ? I am guessing people would wait a little longer for what they want. I have nothing against chassis rifles or hard-core target shooters, I just see the massive shift away from the the rifles I like- wood and blueing.

Nhoro said:

I understand the economics of the decisions and lament the ugliness along with all of you. Morebpeople shoot off a bench and use scope sights to do it (usually crazy huge scopes for long range ). But surely it is just a relatively low cost option for Boyds to do the computer work- even if it becomes an order only with a couple of week delivery ? I am guessing people would wait a little longer for what they want. I have nothing against chassis rifles or hard-core target shooters, I just see the massive shift away from the the rifles I like- wood and blueing.

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I completely agree. The work really is in designing the CAD file for their machine to cut out the blank. They do it pretty bespoke based on the grade of wood, laminate color, etc. Once they have the file, they run it as ordered like everything else. I don’t really understand why it isn’t done by someone, especially with the economy of scale of Boyd’s.