Wood or synthetic?

[Wyfox]

The Blaser is modular, buy the wood/cch set and keep the synthetic too. Use either one depending on the hunt or conditions.

 

[Rare Breed]

I have always been a wood stock person, but honestly never owned one that was Wow. You rub them with linseed oil, put a bit of imagination into it, but at the end of the cleaning session you put away a mediocre stock.
Then I bought a Blaser R8, with the 500j barrel. It is a Professional with the plain Jane synthetic stock in olive. I admit I like the functionality of it, but it wasn't bought by choice, but because it was available in Zimbabwe, a rare find in fact.
Then I stumbled across a Selous stock at Safari and Outdoor and it fits the Wow category. This has got me thinking; a truly top level hunting companion at last. I loan my rifles out on our hunts and now an advantage would be swapping out the stocks so that lesser care won't matter so much.

I don't know. What do you think?

View attachment 771820

The wood stock is absolutely incredible!!!!! As long as the plastic is for when you loan them out makes sense. Also if hunting wet season in AK and Canada fully understand a plastic stock. Otherwise they are an abomination to me lol!!!

 

[Scandihunter]

I have a so-called “mud”-rifle (R8 prof) for rough terrain and bad weather, and a pretty stocked-R8 for the rest. I have four barrels currently to swap around depending on the hunt.

 

[Mark458]

@Kevin Peacocke - I like wood and prefer WOOD on ALL stocks, even my water fowling guns. I duck/goose hunted in Saltwater mashes for 20+ years with Remington 1148, 12ga/wood stock/blues barrels…got some “rust” but only because I left it in wet case overnight once and paid the price to “Re Blue”. When Benelli came out with the Montefeltro in LH - I got the wood/blued model and it has served me well for another 20 years HOWEVER, I did eventually buy the SBE in LH and a “camo plastic” stock but ONLY Because it was Not offered LH in wood. I don’t like the Camo (unnecessary) or the Plastic (ugly) BUT —- I do like being able to let that gun bounce around in my boat. Take a dip in Salt water and NOT Care….it’s already UGLY and can’t get any worse. It also functions flawlessly, never jams and shoots where I’m looking. It’s always going to be the Ugly-Girl-at-the-Prom BUT she can COOK !!

The good cook is always the better long term investment over the arm candy.

 

[Rare Breed]

I’ve just never seen synthetic hold its value like wood

 

[SCHUNTER73]

That selous stock is a beautiful piece. For a good while, I gravitated towards non wood stocks for durability and I thought they looked good at the time. I still have some, but as I have gotten a few years under my belt me pendulum has swung back towards wood stocks. They have so much more “soul” than the other materials.

 

[Gomer]

I have a few rifles that still have wood stocks. I do love the look and feel, but the maintenance in the climate I live in is a pain.

All of my other rifles wear laid-up fiberglass/composite stocks. Even blued metal, especially polished, can do fine in the rain with prep and care. But the stock is another beast because the effects aren’t just cosmetic.

This is my “beater” M77 in 30-06. It is nothing special, but it has been there and done that and doesn’t have a mark on it. I carry my rifles with more care than I did my children when they were infants.

 

[double rifle newbie]

my opinion only, gents:

in a beauty pageant, wood stocks are the winner every time. from a practical perspective, hunting in brutal conditions like alaska change the calculus. i am confident that many people on this forum will confirm how unfriendly the alaska bush can be on a wood stock. i have both wood and synthetic but EVERY single rifle i have for alaska wears synthetic. there are more reasons than beauty that enter into the equation. 1) synthetic doesnt expand or contract like wood does in extreme environments, changing your point of aim. this is the most important reason in my opinion. 2) you WILL beat the hell out of your rifle on your average alaska hunt. put the pretty wood stock back on after your hunt rather than scar it on a rough trip. On my very first caribou hunt north of Kotzebue, I brought my wood stocked remington 700. the wood stock now looks like a boat paddle. lesson learned and that rifle now wears synthetic. 3) synthetic stocks absorb more recoil than wood stocks. 4) dont care about a scratch on synthetic stocks.

Yes synthetic stocks are ugly compared to wood but under certain circumstances make sense.

again, just my humble opinion.

 

[MS 9x56]

Beautiful wood.

I have a few rifles that still have wood stocks. I do love the look and feel, but the maintenance in the climate I live in is a pain.

All of my other rifles wear laid-up fiberglass/composite stocks. Even blued metal, especially polished, can do fine in the rain with prep and care. But the stock is another beast because the effects aren’t just cosmetic.

This is my “beater” M77 in 30-06. It is nothing special, but it has been there and done that and doesn’t have a mark on it. I carry my rifles with more care than I did my children when they were infants.

View attachment 771966

You can get them hydro dipped in wood patterns so they are not so ugly.

 

[Gomer]

Beautiful wood.

You can get them hydro dipped in wood patterns so they are not so ugly.

I was never one to land the prom queen. I’m ok with the ugly ones that are eager and cook good.

 

[Doug3006]

I really like the wood stock! Magnificent!

 

[HankBuck]

Beautiful wood.

You can get them hydro dipped in wood patterns so they are not so ugly.

@MS 9x56 - yes but that’s “Polishing a Turd”

 

[Sideshow]

I just read this statement above,
“synthetic stocks absorb more recoil than wood stocks”.
Sorry but that’s just not correct.
More the opposite as a wooden stocks typically absorbs and dampens felt recoil better than a synthetic stock.

Also if you put it into a physics equation and you had one wooden stock that is exactly the same shape and design as a synthetic stock and swap them on a rifle firing the same bullet your recoil from that bullet will be exactly the same.
What will change is the recoil harmonics Wood’s fibrous, cellular structure acts as a natural shock absorber, dispersing the shockwave of the shot before it reaches your shoulder. Synthetics and hard polymers tend to be stiffer and transfer vibrations directly.

 

[Sabre]

I don't know why people get so dead set on one or the other like it is an either or, mutually exclusive situation. Not directed at OP specifically, just that whenever the topic comes up many people seem to get die hard on one side or the other. The wood stock guys are typically more grumpy about it.

There is room for both and both have their merits. I love nice wood stocks on guns. I also love AR15 pattern guns. I don't use them for the same purpose. I really like that some of my synthetic stocked guns with stainless barrels and cerakote paint are super resilient to weather. I really enjoy the feeling when shooting my guns with nice wood stocks and bluing as well.

 

[Zambezi]

First off: horses for courses

Secondly: personal taste.

My 2 cents

I dislike stainless and plastic/polymer intensely! BUT if I was living in a location where extreme humidity / moisture was an issue I'd go for that option... Luckily I don't so it's not on my radar. Ergo horses for courses.

You don't live or hunt where polymer is necessary so the only question you have to ask is does the beauty justify the expense and do you trust who you loan your weapon out to to not be a dick. If I was spending that much on a beautiful stock I'd be hard pressed to loan it to all and sundry.

So, buy the wood and don't loan it out or go poly and lend it out.

PS: I was always taught, from a young age, there are two things you don't loan out:.... your wife and your guns.

 

[MS 9x56]

@MS 9x56 - yes but that’s “Polishing a Turd”

Does this look like a turd? My dislike of black polymer stocks was formed over 3 years of carrying an M 16 everyday for 3 years. Just my personal bias. I won this Ruger American gen1 in a raffle but the black plastic jus offended my senses, so I had it hydro dipped in a burlwood pattern.

 

[coreydb]

You have one beautiful rifle! Like most of us I presume, we all love the elaborate wood but are reluctant (but still do) to take the gun into the bush. Why can't we have "all show and all go" wood? ......ah, the perfect world...

 

[Scandihunter]

Forgot to post pictures of my R8s - each serving different purposes

 

[txtrout75218]

Does this look like a turd? My dislike of black polymer stocks was formed over 3 years of carrying an M 16 everyday for 3 years. Just my personal bias. I won this Ruger American gen1 in a raffle but the black plastic jus offended my senses, so I had it hydro dipped in a burlwood pattern.View attachment 772060

Who did that hydro dip for you? Nice pattern.

 

[MS 9x56]

Who did that hydro dip for you? Nice pattern.

I regret to report he has moved to Colorado and I have no further details. I picked the pattern out of a book of patterns he had.