Reshaping Boyd’s Stock in the British style

[SwampTrooper]

Boyd’s stocks have their detractors but they are convenient and typically fairly priced and affordable for someone like me. However, they are chunky with redundant wood almost everywhere. Your rifle feels more like a boat oar rather than a refined sporting rifle if you just drop them in. That being the case, they are workable. I have a classic Boyd’s stock that I used as a base for bedding, floating, a new ebony tip and cross bolt plugs, heavily thinned the forend, re-contoured to a taper, stained, hand finished, and checkered. It came with me to Africa and took some plains game. You do a lot of work to get the stock looking good, it’s a shame and almost insulting they give you a surcharge to leave it unfinished. Anyways, I’m building a new gun in left hand for my dad and am looking again at Boyd’s because I don’t have the time to learn to carve out my own blanks. On my own Boyd’s I never contoured the butt end of the gun and it has always bothered me. You can see how rounded and bulging the cheek piece is. The grip angle just seems clunky, and again, there’s just too much material. I have a sentimental attachment to it as one of my early projects but my skills have improved and want to do better next time. I took a photo and drew over it to simulate reshaping, knowing that material can only be removed, not added, to create an improved design to my eye. I’ll post the photos here for your thoughts and reflections, but more importantly, has anyone turned a Boyd’s stock into something more sporting? Surely some of you must have. Ironically the owner of Boyd’s has been getting into African hunting and has been popping up on YouTube. I almost want to write them an email that they really need a design that fits a classical safari rifle but he’s a very successful businessman and my advice would likely go right in the dustbin where it belongs. But, if you have great-grandpa’s Rigby with a broken stock, why would you ever chose any shape that Boyd’s currently offers?

 

[cash_tx]

I think you might actually be on to something. If Boyds did an off-the-shelf stock with the same dimensions and general look of something like a Rigby Highland Stalker, I would think there would be a decent amount of market interest. I've got at least two rifles that I'd look at putting one on.

 

[SwampTrooper]

I think you might actually be on to something. If Boyds did an off-the-shelf stock with the same dimensions and general look of something like a Rigby Highland Stalker, I would think there would be a decent amount of market interest. I've got at least two rifles that I'd look at putting one on.

I agree 100%!! I feel like it’s an easy move. Since they CNC cut their designs they just need to design a file by using a duplicator. Directly copying the rigby highland stalker may have legal issues but they can design their own that is similar. Hell, I or many others would be happy to make a stock that they could copy in their duplicator.

 

[SwampTrooper]

Here is a rough drawing I made on my phone while on an airplane, lol. You can see the shadow of the Boyd’s stock underneath the redesign. The British spot to be rifles always have straighter wrists, and now essentially all bespoke dangerous game rifles follow this conformation. Luckily the Boyd’s stock is very wide with little taper between stock and wrist, so you have material to work with. They’re supposed to be for faster handling like a shotgun when things get hairy, but they also just look really good. To be clear, I really like Boyd’s as a company, but every wrist seems to be varmit style which is great for bench shooting, but misses the romance of the classical British sporting rifle.

 

[cash_tx]

Interestingly, my 1927 Remington Model 30 Express has more of those British styling cues than their later model sporting rifles. Makes me curious what all went into Remington's stock design and production at the time.

 

[SwampTrooper]

Interestingly, my 1927 Remington Model 30 Express has more of those British styling cues than their later model sporting rifles. Makes me curious what all went into Remington's stock design and production at the time.

View attachment 778133

Yes very much of the time period, and looking very slick. Here is a Lee Speed of the same era with a similar fast action wrist-style.

 

[deewayne2003]

Isn’t Boyd’s doing a TIA stock with Andy Buchanan?

 

[400Jeff]

You did a damn fine job reworking that stock and if they made it, I would buy at least two. Now, you have to tell us about the rifle and especially what stains, finish did you use as that is the classiest laminated stock for both color and shape I have seen in a long time! Some close-up pics would be nice also. Congrats on a great job!

 

[SwampTrooper]

Isn’t Boyd’s doing a TIA stock with Andy Buchanan?

Yes but it’s not a reworked design to my knowledge and just has TIA laser engraved on the side. I think it’s more of a custom job for Andy and his brand, rather than a new shape. No judgement, love Andy and his show!

 

[JPbowhunter]

Yes very much of the time period, and looking very slick. Here is a Lee Speed of the same era with a similar fast action wrist-style.

View attachment 778135

There is something…no, lots of things to love about a Lee Speed/bsa sporter!. I’d never part with mine.

 

[SwampTrooper]

You did a damn fine job reworking that stock and if they made it, I would buy at least two. Now, you have to tell us about the rifle and especially what stains, finish did you use as that is the classiest laminated stock for both color and shape I have seen in a long time! Some close-up pics would be nice also. Congrats on a great job!

Lol thanks for the compliment! My stock is mid grade walnut, not laminate actually, but you could do this shaping on a laminate stock if you wanted to. With walnut you get the mineralization and detail, but laminate has its own place in a sturdy weatherproof rifle. The endcap is ebony as is the grip cap and crossbolt caps. I did a pretty commercial hardware store job with this one. I used a dark red wood stain to color the walnut after sanding to 800. I then used wood sealer from MidwayUSA, and a few coats of tru-oil buffed with 0000 steel wool between the coats. The effect was good but I still think it could be better. It'll be a longer process next time but I sourced some red oil from the UK and will hand rub a boiled linseed oil finish like the classic rifles of old.

 

[SwampTrooper]

There is something…no, lots of things to love about a Lee Speed/bsa sporter!. I’d never part with mine.

It's a dream gun for me. Hope to get one, one day. What caliber is yours?

 

[AZDAVE]

Nice work.

I have been reshaping boyds stocks for a number of years. I always just buy them with their standard finish rather than pay the surcharge. Since I am planning on taking rasps, files and sand paper to it. their finish will be gone.

 

[SwampTrooper]

Nice work.

I have been reshaping boyds stocks for a number of years. I always just buy them with their standard finish rather than pay the surcharge. Since I am planning on taking rasps, files and sand paper to it. their finish will be gone.

Would love to see some pictures of your work!

 

[JPbowhunter]

It's a dream gun for me. Hope to get one, one day. What caliber is yours?

I thought the pic must have been your own.

Mine is a 303.

 

[rdog]

Boyd’s stocks have their detractors but they are convenient and typically fairly priced and affordable for someone like me. However, they are chunky with redundant wood almost everywhere. Your rifle feels more like a boat oar rather than a refined sporting rifle if you just drop them in. That being the case, they are workable. I have a classic Boyd’s stock that I used as a base for bedding, floating, a new ebony tip and cross bolt plugs, heavily thinned the forend, re-contoured to a taper, stained, hand finished, and checkered. It came with me to Africa and took some plains game. You do a lot of work to get the stock looking good, it’s a shame and almost insulting they give you a surcharge to leave it unfinished. Anyways, I’m building a new gun in left hand for my dad and am looking again at Boyd’s because I don’t have the time to learn to carve out my own blanks. On my own Boyd’s I never contoured the butt end of the gun and it has always bothered me. You can see how rounded and bulging the cheek piece is. The grip angle just seems clunky, and again, there’s just too much material. I have a sentimental attachment to it as one of my early projects but my skills have improved and want to do better next time. I took a photo and drew over it to simulate reshaping, knowing that material can only be removed, not added, to create an improved design to my eye. I’ll post the photos here for your thoughts and reflections, but more importantly, has anyone turned a Boyd’s stock into something more sporting? Surely some of you must have. Ironically the owner of Boyd’s has been getting into African hunting and has been popping up on YouTube. I almost want to write them an email that they really need a design that fits a classical safari rifle but he’s a very successful businessman and my advice would likely go right in the dustbin where it belongs. But, if you have great-grandpa’s Rigby with a broken stock, why would you ever chose any shape that Boyd’s currently offers? View attachment 778090
View attachment 778091
View attachment 778092View attachment 778094

Great job

 

[SwampTrooper]

I thought the pic must have been your own.

Mine is a 303.

No it’s just actually a reference photo I found on the internet for stock shaping/inspiration. I wish it was mine but unfortunately not.

 

[JPbowhunter]

No it’s just actually a reference photo I found on the internet for stock shaping/inspiration. I wish it was mine but unfortunately not.

Now is the time my friend, they’re still plenty affordable but people are cottoning on to them and the prices are rising.

It’s a neat piece of history and certainly a collectors piece but more than that, they’re still very functional hunting rifles after over a century of use.

 

[rookhawk]

Here is a rough drawing I made on my phone while on an airplane, lol. You can see the shadow of the Boyd’s stock underneath the redesign. The British spot to be rifles always have straighter wrists, and now essentially all bespoke dangerous game rifles follow this conformation. Luckily the Boyd’s stock is very wide with little taper between stock and wrist, so you have material to work with. They’re supposed to be for faster handling like a shotgun when things get hairy, but they also just look really good. To be clear, I really like Boyd’s as a company, but every wrist seems to be varmit style which is great for bench shooting, but misses the romance of the classical British sporting rifle. View attachment 778127

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.

 

[Josh P]

Yes very much of the time period, and looking very slick. Here is a Lee Speed of the same era with a similar fast action wrist-style.

View attachment 778135

Since nobody makes these, that I have found, even in a semi-inleted form, I’m gonna have to pull a VG and do it from scratch. Project updates TBD, but the action is in hand.