Rifle stocks. SERIOUSLY ? ? ?

[Beelzebub]

I've been thinking about this for months on end. Free floated this, tube gun that, fiberglass bedded, aluminum pillar bedded, oversize recoil lug.......yadah yadah yadah!!

So once you get past the recoil lug do you really even need a barrel? Sure it's esthetically pleasing and gives you something to hold on to, but will a $4,500.00 King of America stock actually make a good barrel shoot any better than an AXIOM out of MIDWAY for $170.00 Granted certain stocks have all the bells and whistles, but that does nothing for the gun does it? That's all for the shooter, right?

I've just bought a 300 Win Mag off the internet and haven't loaded for it since I was stations at Ft. Righardson back in 92=93. It was a Ruger 77, but I left it with my driver. I love a pistol grip rifle stock and prefer one that is ambidextrous since I shoot left handed and my son shoots right. I'm having one made now to fit that need. Laminated, Apache Gold, Cheek pieces on both sides..... I don't feel like it will do the gun any good, but might make me a bit more comfortable holding and squeezing the trigger.

Would really like to hear opinions from the serious LR boys and experts on this.

thanks in advance,
Beez

 

[Beelzebub]

Unbelievable. 81 reads and not 1 response. Surely some of you experienced shooters have an answer to my question.

Beez

 

[FearNoWind]

... So once you get past the recoil lug do you really even need a barrel? ...
Beez

Barrel? You lost me there.
If you meant "stock" the answer is, well, maybe. You need a handle to hold the rifle and a stock helps a lot in that regard. Do you need to spend your life savings on a stock? I think not.
As long as my stock doesn't flex and offers good bedding for the action I'm only concerned about how well it fits my shoulder.
I don't wrap my trigger hand around the stock so I don't need a pistol grip and I use a bipod so the forestock doesn't have to offer anything more than a lug to mount it on.

 

[Beelzebub]

Barrel? You lost me there.
If you meant "stock" the answer is, well, maybe. You need a handle to hold the rifle and a stock helps a lot in that regard. Do you need to spend your life savings on a stock? I think not.
As long as my stock doesn't flex and offers good bedding for the action I'm only concerned about how well it fits my shoulder.
I don't wrap my trigger hand around the stock so I don't need a pistol grip and I use a bipod so the forestock doesn't have to offer anything more than a lug to mount it on.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

tks for the correction. Yes sir, I did mean stock. Definitely need the barrel! Sounds like we agree on space gun looking stocks then. I've been looking at, reading about and comparing a few of these space gun stocks for years. I actually want one. But I don't go to rifle shoots out west or to competitions any where, so the only person that would see it would be me.

If your/my barrel is free floated, the stock would have to flex a lot to interrupt harmonics wouldn't it?

Thanks again for catching my error.

Beez

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I will give my .02. I don't shoot competition, so my answer comes from a hunter. The stock must be comfortable in any shooting position, mostly prone. It must be stiff for accuracy, and be able to shoot off a backpack or anything else. So pretty smooth on the forend. If I want to run a bipod, it needs to be capable. Usually not a problem as long as it is stiff enough. And lastly have room to float the barrel without contact past the mounting screws.

Steve

 

[engineer40]

Barrel? You lost me there.
If you meant "stock" the answer is, well, maybe. You need a handle to hold the rifle and a stock helps a lot in that regard. Do you need to spend your life savings on a stock? I think not.
As long as my stock doesn't flex and offers good bedding for the action I'm only concerned about how well it fits my shoulder.
I don't wrap my trigger hand around the stock so I don't need a pistol grip and I use a bipod so the forestock doesn't have to offer anything more than a lug to mount it on.

It's like you took the words out of my mouth.

Poor receiver bedding can cause havoc on group sizes. I've seen and subsequently fixed this on some of my rifles. I have kept targets from before and after receiver bedding and it has helped every time. Sometimes it has helped a little, sometimes a lot.

Now a days I know if I'm buying a rifle that I will automatically do the minimal for it;
1 - Free float the barrel
2 - Bed the receiver
3 - Test reloads to find the optimal
4 - Don't go cheap on the scope rings

Those 4 things have helped my accuracy every time. (Assuming we are talking full power centerfire rifle cartridges).

Most factory wood stocks can be made to shoot very well.