Stock Options/Opinions Update

[jtmoose]

I am building up a savage SA and looking into a stock. I haven't had much experience with many stocks and a lot of the threads I've found searching were either dated or not specifically my build situation. I am building a single rifle for two different purposes (like a typical penny pincher).

1. Mountain timber elk hunting (25-200y)
2. 600-1k steel target shooting

So far the build incorporates the following:

1. Savage 16
2. Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10x44

I have 2 different barrels I can use

1. 22" OEM 308win (groups ok)
2. 22" #5 X-Caliber 308win (groups amazing)

I am thinking of cutting either of those down to 18"/20" for hunting thick brush common in western WA.

For the stock I think I am looking for a few considerations:

1. Vertical grip (just find them comfortable to shoot)
2. High comb (my cheek pad is 7/8" on an OEM savage stock)
3. Heel drop good for sitting with shooting sticks and prone
4. Forend comfortable in the hand and sits well in shooting sticks or a bag
5. Light without throwing off balance

I am comfortable bedding and installing an adjustable cheek rest if necessary.

All that said, I am not sure what stocks I should consider. I find it much easier to shoot a stock with low heel drop from sitting or standing than a stock with high heel drop from prone. I do not want to throw money away and am concerned about getting something and it not fitting well so I don't want to spend a fortune but I also would rather buy once and cry once.

What unicorns should I look into?

 

[7magcreedmoor]

I have built a couple savages using Boyd's ProVarmint stocks. Kydex cheek rest, pillar bedding, Krylon spraypaint finish and you're good to go without breaking the piggybank.

 

[jtmoose]

I built one with a B&C A2 that was ok but I didn't like the fore grip on it - it was too blocky for me. I did like the vertical grip a lot though. After looking around, I think I have identified a few that I'm considering. Here are the reasons I'm considering them and would like to hear more thoughts and experiences

1.) B&C M40 (price, general purpose design)
2.) HS Precision PST (vertical grip, high comb, low heel drop, more comfortable fore grip than B&C A2)
3.) McMillian Game Scout (vertical grip, comfortable fore grip)
4.) Manners EH1 (vertical grip, high comb, low heel drop)

They are all a little different style and I only have experience with the B&C A2 and an OEM savage plastic stock. The B&C I had was pretty comfortable to shoot, but the OEM plastic is more comfortable to carry. My thought is that I should error on the side of shooting comfort regardless of the carry-shoot ratio. In the end, don't we have these things to shoot them, a gun great to carry but not to shoot seems like a paper weight to me. Thoughts?

 

[WildRose]

I am building up a savage SA and looking into a stock. I haven't had much experience with many stocks and a lot of the threads I've found searching were either dated or not specifically my build situation. I am building a single rifle for two different purposes (like a typical penny pincher).

1. Mountain timber elk hunting (25-200y)
2. 600-1k steel target shooting

So far the build incorporates the following:

1. Savage 16
2. Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10x44

I have 2 different barrels I can use

1. 22" OEM 308win (groups ok)
2. 22" #5 X-Caliber 308win (groups amazing)

I am thinking of cutting either of those down to 18"/20" for hunting thick brush common in western WA.

For the stock I think I am looking for a few considerations:

1. Vertical grip (just find them comfortable to shoot)
2. High comb (my cheek pad is 7/8" on an OEM savage stock)
3. Heel drop good for sitting with shooting sticks and prone
4. Forend comfortable in the hand and sits well in shooting sticks or a bag
5. Light without throwing off balance

I am comfortable bedding and installing an adjustable cheek rest if necessary.

All that said, I am not sure what stocks I should consider. I find it much easier to shoot a stock with low heel drop from sitting or standing than a stock with high heel drop from prone. I do not want to throw money away and am concerned about getting something and it not fitting well so I don't want to spend a fortune but I also would rather buy once and cry once.

What unicorns should I look into?

With the 308 you can go down to 20 inches without much trouble but any shorter and youre going to have problems with a big blast signature that can really mess with your eyes in low light and if you're shooting into the wind without protective eye wear could pose a safety issue.

Stock fit/feel is a very individual thing so the best advice would be to try as many as possible before buying. Its really hard to get your money back out of a stock selling it 2nd hand.

 

[jtmoose]

I don't have anywhere to try the stocks so I'm hoping to use the experience of others to get an 80% accurate solution for me. Is it safe to say that a vertical grip, high comb and heel make a stock more ergonomic and comfortable?

@7magcreedmoor, I don't know if I would like the hook on the bottom either. I would rather use my grip to pull the stock in than my support hand.

 

[Barrelnut]

What's the target weight for the rifle? That might be a big factor in what you choose.
Since you are in Woodland, why not have a talk with MPI in portland? You could drive down and see a few of the stocks there. They built me a custom stock for a Savage 116 was measured for my LOP and weighs 20 oz.

 

[jtmoose]

What's the target weight for the rifle? That might be a big factor in what you choose.
Since you are in Woodland, why not have a talk with MPI in portland? You could drive down and see a few of the stocks there. They built me a custom stock for a Savage 116 was measured for my LOP and weighs 20 oz.

Never heard of them before. What about do they cost? I work in Vancouver so I'll take a look the next time I cross the bridge.

I'm thinking around ~10lbs. I don't want to lug a bench rest rifle around but I want it to be comfortable to practice with a lot. I figure a ~3lb stock will keep me where I'm comfortable weight wise.

One feature I'm considering is an adjustable comb. Right now I tape foam to the stock but with an OEM stock the foam is almost an inch thick. I also am preferring a high heel for recoil, even though it's only going on a 308, why have more recoil than I need to and I may want to rebarrel to a 300wsm down the road.

 

[7magcreedmoor]

About the "hook"- I chose this stock model for several reasons, but the hook didn't figure in the decision. I like the overall shape with the near vertical grip, the wider fore-end to sit well on a bag or other padded rest, and the length of the fore-end goes well with my 26 inch barrels- the bipod sits ahead of the balance, so the rifle is very stable firing prone with a toe-bag under the stock. The hook itself is not very large (doesn't get in the way of anything) but is large enough for the web of my non-firing hand if I did want to use it (almost never). The main reason I like these for my projects is the reasonable cost and they are wood, so I can work them pretty easily (and if I wanted the hook gone, it would be a short job with a file). No special tools or compounds needed to do the bedding or open up (or close up) the barrel channel for the "optimum" clearance, whatever you decide that should be. Even my custom length of pull didn't add much to the cost.

 

[Barrelnut]

Cost wise MPI is about the same as a McMillian. What makes MPI great is that they will do a true custom stock. If you take your rifle to them. They will measure your length of pull, do a custom pull length, and even glass bed the stock for you. They will also make other alterations, like raise the comb or narrow the forearm.

Seems you were wanting to try a few different stocks and I thought visiting them might give you a chance. They were at the Sportsman's Show this year and had almost everything in the product line to examine.

They made the stock below a few years ago for me. At the time no one made an aftermarket stock for the newer Savages that have the lower bolt release. I took the rifle to them, they made me a carbon fiber stock for it with my pull length and glass bedded it for me. The stock only weighs 20 oz. and is very stiff. I like it a lot.

All in all though, I think the McMillan Game Scout might be what you are really looking for.

My MRI stock on a Savage 116 in 25-06.

 

[jtmoose]

Let me know the validity of my concerns for each which are:

M40/HTG: Too much heel drop, not as comfortable to shoot in high quantity practice.
M24: ?? Don't really have any, (have heard the recoil pad is uncomfortable but not sure)
Game Scout: Too low of a comb, fixed with pad or adjustable though
MPI, Game Scout, or EH1: Could take the kids to great wolf lodge for the weekend with the savings

 

[WildRose]

Let me know the validity of my concerns for each which are:

M40/HTG: Too much heel drop, not as comfortable to shoot in high quantity practice.
M24: ?? Don't really have any, (have heard the recoil pad is uncomfortable but not sure)
Game Scout: Too low of a comb, fixed with pad or adjustable though
MPI, Game Scout, or EH1: Could take the kids to great wolf lodge for the weekend with the savings

Personally I really like the M40. You can get your choice of recoil pads put on just about any stock. I find the limbsavers to be excellent.

 

[jtmoose]

Just wanted to close out this discussion with me finally putting it all together with a B&C M40 and I am quite satisfied. No matter how high the comb was on any stock I still needed to add something for a consistent mount so I discounted that concern. That said, the M40 fit well and the price played a large factor for an unknown fit and resale if needed.