100% Carbon fiber stocks: very lightweight and rigid but are they durable?

[simone]

Hi everyone. I was looking at a Manners stock which is only available in the "elite hunter" configuration. The shell is made of 100% carbon fiber. My questions are:
1) durability over time in comparison to a regular Manners or another more conventional composite stock? Is a 100% carbon fiber one easier to scratch? Is it kinda brittle? I have also heard that small scratches can create weaknesses that can manifest later on.
2) i assume that a 100% carbon fiber stock breaks/fractures more easily than a more traditional one. I am curious about actual field reports by you guys: is this an issue while hunting? Consider that I don't baby my rifles at all but i don't even treat them as trash.
3) what is you general opinion about pros and cons of 100% carbon fiber stocks?

Thanks everyone
Ciao!

 

[Tiny Tim]

Tagging in. Just got a stocky's vg2 but waiting on other components for the build.

 

[simone]

I am also trying to understand if a manners eh4 is too short, i would have preferred it being a couple inches longer

 

[Country Bumpkin]

I've had a stockys VG2 (I think it's a 2) since 2016 and I'm NOT nice to my rifle. I stop just shy of using it as a paddle or a shovel, but other than that it's a tool. I backpack hunt and I also hunt off a Dirtbike. It's seen some pretty mean abuse (not proud of that, it's just reality).

I have zero scratches or nicks. I have had some of the paint/finish wear off exposing the bare carbon (from a backpack strap by the rear grip that was apparently walking around during an elk pack out). That was 3 years ago. No issues, no concerns, I'm sold and I'll buy another one when my son and daughter are old enough to appreciate one.

 

[338 dude]

I have a manners EH-1A for eight years now carbon fiber shell with carbon fiber fill and it is tough as nails, not a thing wrong with it!

 

[Dmagna]

I have 6 carbon manners stocks. They are indestructible, never had an issue with one.

 

[snox801]

Yep nothing to worry about I've had one for many years on my main light weight hunting rifle. It's been beat to crap. -18 in the mountains to 90 degrees in the Texas heat. I'm not very nice to mine as they are purpose built for hunting not showing off. Mine has had a rough life and it's amazing.

 

[comfisherman]

how many mountain bike frames, rims, and rear triangles are made from roughly similar carbon tech? Takes a fair whack to destroy those.

In normal use it would surprise me if the difference between a modern carbon stock and a more traditional fiberglass stock. If you take a tumble hard enough break a modern mainstream brand carbon stock your probably pretty busted up as well. Would an old school double layer mcmillan magnum fill be tougher? Probably, but a tumble down the hill to realize the difference would probably kill the hunter..... so moot point.

Manners does some odd stuff from time to time but clearly has a successful track record. Few years back the did a carbon fill stock for a buddy and added recoil cross bolts. I sent pics of it to a composites guy that helps the supply company we use. He gets a kick out of odd composite uses or errors. The cross bolt carbon made his eye twitch, while it makes sense on a highly figured wood stock it could have engineered away a hundred different ways with the strength/homogeneity of carbon. While the stock worked just fine, it was an odd choice.

All that to say bad news travels and the speed of light in the gun world. For the thousands of carbon stocks shipping every month across the big players. It's been many years since there was much reporting on composite stock breakage. While we may have the carbon composites b or c team engineers (just so much more money in aero, marine, f1, heck even bikes) we still have a product that fails rarely if ever.

I don't hesitate to buy and use any of the modern carbon stocks... even with my propensity to roll down hills with rifles slung over my shoulder...

 

[simone]

I've had a stockys VG2 (I think it's a 2) since 2016 and I'm NOT nice to my rifle. I stop just shy of using it as a paddle or a shovel, but other than that it's a tool. I backpack hunt and I also hunt off a Dirtbike. It's seen some pretty mean abuse (not proud of that, it's just reality).

I have zero scratches or nicks. I have had some of the paint/finish wear off exposing the bare carbon (from a backpack strap by the rear grip that was apparently walking around during an elk pack out). That was 3 years ago. No issues, no concerns, I'm sold and I'll buy another one when my son and daughter are old enough to appreciate one.

Until it's just chosmetic i couldn't care less.

Another question: are you sure that, in case a boar charges me and i wanna use the rifle as a club, CF is up to the task? Ahah

 

[simone]

I have a manners EH-1A for eight years now carbon fiber shell with carbon fiber fill and it is tough as nails, not a thing wrong with it!View attachment 513964

Nice stick. How long is the barrel without suppressor?

 

[simone]

I have 6 carbon manners stocks. They are indestructible, never had an issue with one.

How hard do you use them?

 

[simone]

how many mountain bike frames, rims, and rear triangles are made from roughly similar carbon tech? Takes a fair whack to destroy those.

In normal use it would surprise me if the difference between a modern carbon stock and a more traditional fiberglass stock. If you take a tumble hard enough break a modern mainstream brand carbon stock your probably pretty busted up as well. Would an old school double layer mcmillan magnum fill be tougher? Probably, but a tumble down the hill to realize the difference would probably kill the hunter..... so moot point.

Manners does some odd stuff from time to time but clearly has a successful track record. Few years back the did a carbon fill stock for a buddy and added recoil cross bolts. I sent pics of it to a composites guy that helps the supply company we use. He gets a kick out of odd composite uses or errors. The cross bolt carbon made his eye twitch, while it makes sense on a highly figured wood stock it could have engineered away a hundred different ways with the strength/homogeneity of carbon. While the stock worked just fine, it was an odd choice.

All that to say bad news travels and the speed of light in the gun world. For the thousands of carbon stocks shipping every month across the big players. It's been many years since there was much reporting on composite stock breakage. While we may have the carbon composites b or c team engineers (just so much more money in aero, marine, f1, heck even bikes) we still have a product that fails rarely if ever.

I don't hesitate to buy and use any of the modern carbon stocks... even with my propensity to roll down hills with rifles slung over my shoulder...

Yeah a mcs-t with cf shell will weight 1.75 lbs instead of 2.5.. big difference. My rifle would weight 10.5-10.8 lbs instead of 11.2-11.5 . For a rifle that i would carry around quite a bit it could make some difference (not much since both options are still pretty light for me). Having a almost 1 lb heavier stock would help noticeably with stability of the system for precision shots?

 

[338 dude]

Nice stick. How long is the barrel without suppressor?

A previous version that was not suppressed was 26 inches since running suppressed the latest version is 22 inches

 

[jrock]

+1 to carbon fiber stocks are tough. Most have a solid fill which makes them almost indestructible. I wouldn't put much weight behind a comment that "carbon fiber stocks are fragile." It's more about how they are made/engineered than the words "carbon fiber". Even the ultralight carbon fiber stocks we sell are tough as nails.