Wood or synthetic?

[Hyena]

I say get the wood AND hunt with it everywhere. Being your R8 is easy to break down, if you have adverse weather you can clean it quickly and have no issues. Have brought my professional stock to Africa and it was noisy as hell in the bush.
Also, if there is some wear, it is a memory for me. Not a closet queen

 

[Scandihunter]

I say get the wood AND hunt with it everywhere. Being your R8 is easy to break down, if you have adverse weather you can clean it quickly and have no issues. Have brought my professional stock to Africa and it was noisy as hell in the bush.
Also, if there is some wear, it is a memory for me. Not a closet queen

Out of curiosity, how was the professional noisy?

 

[45-70guy]

View attachment 771863

Not to hack the post, This is one of my favorite movies.

 

[meigsbucks]

I have about a 50 / 50 synthetic v wood mix. None of my wood is of grades to write home about, but I do prefer the feel and look of wood & blue. However, you can’t beat the durability, stability and weather resistance of synthetic. Most of my wood rifles were purchased years ago and more of my recent purchases have been synthetic.

 

[Hyena]

Out of curiosity, how was the professional noisy?

My apologies, I meant the off-road stock being that it is hollow and every thorn and twig amplifies the sound

 

[Newboomer]

I prefer the prettier wooden stocks. No doubt synthetic stocks are more practical, I just can't get past my mental block of Old School wood. I do have one composite stocked rifle just in case i am hunting locally and it is pouring raining, snowing, etc. I may also take it to Rockin G for our get together to go after the feral hogs. It is a simple Savage 110 in 7MM Mag. Not a pretty rifle, pretty banged up composite stock, but it is a SHOOTER.

To me shooter is the name of the game. Form follows function. I prefer good wood and blue steel but I like a good gray or green laminated stock and stainless metal. too. Geography dictates which.

 

[Newboomer]

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.

Nice. Wonder how a clear plastic coat would look on a wood stock. You'd have the look and it would be sealed against weather.

 

[MS 9x56]

My apologies, I meant the off-road stock being that it is hollow and every thorn and twig amplifies the sound

Before I go stalking or still hunting I give all my gear the scratch test. With my fingernails I run them across clothing, boots, hat, and gun. If the emit any noise they are omitted and replaced.

 

[Robmill70]

I have both, never really cared either way.... I do like a high-grade wood stock, but man are they expensive!!

 

[Xpraetor]

Prefer wood stocks , but due to the locations I hunt - wet & humid or wet & cold , all of my bolt action rifles are synthetic. All lever actions are wood, but my shotguns are a mix of wood & synthetic, my doubles are wood - quail and pheasant , pumps & semi-autos are synthetic - duck.

 

[Spearhead]

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

Kevin,

My thoughts are wood is beautiful and synthetic is practical. I like the idea of one of each. Also very smart to swap to synthetic if you were to loan out.