Stock recommendation needed

[Gary Rihn]

OK, I've decided that the M700 6.5-06 A.I. will be built soon. I plan to use it for long range competitions (600-1000 yds). Shooting will be prone, no BR stuff. Who has a recommendation on a stock?

Believe it or not, I'm actually thinking wood for this one for some reason. A couple years ago, I shot a buddy's custom pre-64 M70 in a sniper match & won it. It was a wood stocked rifle. Everyone laughed at me when I showed up (I was the only non-synthetic shooter there). The laughing quit three days later when I walked off with the 1st place trophy. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

That rifle just "felt" good to me & has been in the back of my mind since. Not being a Winchester guy, I'm not positive, but I believe it was a Marksman pattern stock. My buddy who owns it is a 'smith & told me to just have a blank copied off of his stock, but inletted for the M700 action.

Anybody think I'm nuts? Any suggestions?

[Steve Shelp]

Gary,
Your not crazy. Their is a small movement in short range BR right now toward wood stocked guns. LR BR has been using them for awhile because with a 16.5 or 17# weigh limit it's easy to make weight with wood and still keep meat on the barrel. Most claim there is a vibration dampening advantage to wood. This is laminated and not solid stocks I'm talking about. Even in the short range 10.5 class Bill Shehane is making his laminated stocks for it and making weigh with some good known shooters and they are starting to place in tournaments with them.

Bill makes some "sporter" shaped laminate stock, but I don't know if they are suitable for prone style shooting. Not in my area of expertise. But if you have a blank to trace from, Bill has the capability. Bruce Baer from PA also has tracing capabilities and laminated blanks. I'm sure there's others but I'm just not aware.

Bill Shehane's website is www.scopeusout.com. All of his contact inof is on his page. Bruce doesn't have a website so I would have to find his phone # around here somewhere if your interested in that route also.

Steve

[Fergus Bailey]

Gary

I think the 6.5-06 AI is a great decision and expect you will be very happy. It look like you will have yours built a few months ahead of mine, so pleas keep us informed about the progress.

Laminates certainly seem to be getting a lot of attention for 1000yd compertition. I have a Shehane stock on my 308 Baer heavy rifle, but cant really comment on the results as yet. There have been a few full wood stocks used in LR BR, but they seem to be in the minority. However I don’t know if that is the result of practical experience or just being scared off by the theory.

Fergus