For the love of wood

[Lrhxr9]

I completely understand and agree with the reasons why people have leaned towards composite stocks in recent years. But I just seem to have a love for the wood stocked firearms of previous decades. I personally own a 700 classic (albeit not fancy wood) but wood nonetheless. My latest purchase was a wby mark v weathermark. It has its purpose as well. The old woodstocked rifles just seem to hold a certain nostalgia and warmth that has been lost with the plastics and fiberglass.

 

[Durango Mike]

I get it, my favorite rifles are all wood stocked and looking at the swirls and colors while sitting in some beautiful country just makes me feel good. There is a warmth to beautiful wood and checkering that a synthetic in camo just does not have the same calming effect.

 

[JLS]

I love wood stocks. It was a tough transition for me to go synthetic in my rifles. The shotty is still walnut though.

 

[Durango Mike]

View attachment 155929I love wood stocks. It was a tough transition for me to go synthetic in my rifles. The shotty is still walnut though.

cool piece, interesting combination of a pistol grip, very American, with a cheek piece very Germanic, with a splinter forend and double triggers, very British. along with some nice walnut!

 

[elkhnter]

I also love a fine piece of wood. It makes my heart hurt to hunt with a rifle with a beautiful stock. That’s why I pulled the Super Grade stock off my .325 a put it in a laminated stock.
Have a Kimber 84L that has a beautiful stock on it also. Trying to find a synthetic stock to drop it in, but no luck so far.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Wood has worked for the last 500 years. I'll keep using it.

 

[Ben Lamb]

This one is currently at the smith getting fixed after I bungled putting it back together after refinishing the stocks. Hope to have it back in time for Pheasant opener.

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

I love a wood stock, but hate hunting with them cause I don't want to ding them up. I like synthetic for busting brush and falling down with me

 

[OntarioHunter]

I only own two hunting rifles, both from my dad. The Springfield 30-06 he built in 1962 I had to restock in 1981 when my horse rolled on me and broke the Herter's wood in half. Les Bauska in Kalispell had this blem semi-inletted stock on the shelf and gave me a good deal. The "defect" was a small birdseye knot opposite the cheekpiece. I recently refinished it a second time again in Linspeed oil. I love the feel of oil finish. Having said that, if I decided to get back into the kind of "hard" big game hunting of my younger life, I would definately go with synthetic. Less hassle. My hunting shotguns are both synthetic because I'm still hunting them hard. In fact, the last three years for uplands in Montana were VERY hard work. And every year I shoot thousands of rounds through the same well worn Magnum A5 humpback at the range wearing the same field synthetic (although it's very easy to change to wood). Changing guns or stocks when accuracy is at stake doesn't make sense. Because that can mean unnecessary pain and suffering for the game if my shooting isn't up to speed due to an unfamiliar tool. Anyway, I'm out there to experience the wild or, at the range, to bust targets. Not in it for the style show.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I love a wood stock, but hate hunting with them cause I don't want to ding them up. I like synthetic for busting brush and falling down with me

Chicks dig scars, pain fades, glory lasts forever and a beat up wood stock has more stories than Hemingway at the bar.

 

[Lrhxr9]

I love a wood stock, but hate hunting with them cause I don't want to ding them up. I like synthetic for busting brush and falling down with me

I am the same way. My 700 classic has a few scars but they also are reminders of the places we have been. At a time in my life with 2 young kids and a new requiring me to be out of town alot those memories are certainly cherished. My father has a 700 BDL that was bought new in 1980 and topped with a gloss vari x III. It will be passed to me or my brother one day and then further down the line.

 

[Bambistew]

I like wood, and also like plastic... both have their place. My favorite pattern is a M70 featherweight with the schnabel forend. I need to finish the bubba-smith job I did with a M98 I stuffed into a M70 stock. Need to clean up the checkering... this winter's project.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I like wood, and also like plastic... both have their place. My favorite pattern is a M70 featherweight with the schnabel forend. I need to finish the bubba-smith job I did with a M98 I stuffed into a M70 stock. Need to clean up the checkering... this winter's project.

Those feathweight w/ the schnabel are still too klunky. Need to be slimmed down a lot to match the German Patriarch.

 

[Talk2elk]

I also love a wood stock, have a Model 70 300win with stainless barrel love that rifle it is the only one is use.

 

[Bambistew]

Those feathweight w/ the schnabel are still too klunky. Need to be slimmed down a lot to match the German Patriarch.

The featherweights feel really good in my hand. The next project 7x57 may go more traditional.

The stock got tuned up bit... Bolt clearance on the comb required about 1/2" to be taken off.

 

[Ben Lamb]

In the end, how it fits the hand is what truly matters.

 

[Nameless Range]

Wood vs synthetic stocks.

 

[Jape]

Nothing prettier than a wood stock, but usually prefer the practically of synthetic for hunting applications. Only have one in wood that I love.

 

[Happy Myles]

A dandy. Tell us a little more about it

 

[Jape]

A dandy. Tell us a little more about it

Browning White Gold Medallion RMEF edition in 325 WSM. Thought about changing the scope, but it's not a super common caliber and it kicks like a mule, so it mostly sits around and looks pretty. Used it once on an elk hunt. Now I mostly use 300 win mag, 28 nosler, and 6.5.