Rifle Stock Materials and Styles
Rifle stocks are broadly divided into two categories: one-piece and two-piece. A one-piece stock is a continuous unit from forearm to butt plate, and is usually found on bolt-action rifles. Two-piece stocks have a separate shoulder stock and forearm, separated by the receiver. One-piece stocks are generally more accurate than two-piece stocks because they add rigidity and support to the shooting platform, but they are also heavier and often more expensive. This article will focus on one-piece stocks, as one-piece stocks are available in a much wider variety of styles, materials, and price ranges, and have a much more significant impact on accuracy than two-piece stocks. However, much of the same information can be applied to two-piece stocks, though the impacts on performance will be less substantial.
Before we discuss rifle stocks themselves, a quick word on the idea of buying a new stock itself. Unless the stock on your rifle is cracked or missing, there is very little need to replace it. This is unwelcome news for many shooters, as the stock is the part with the greatest impact on the rifle's "look", meaning it is often a high priority on a list of upgrades. However, the vast majority of rifle stocks on the market, especially the bolt-on models that take only a few minutes to install, will not yield a substantial boost in accuracy. Dollar for dollar, you can get more accuracy by spending the same amount of money almost anywhere else on the gun, and the small comforts or conveniences of aftermarket stocks can be replicated without substantial investment. For accuracy, any stock can be bedded, and for convenience, sling swivels or tactical rails can be screwed into the wood or plastic of your existing rifle stock, length-of-pull can be adjusted with spacers or slip-on recoil pads, comb height can be adjusted with strap-on cheek rests, etc. etc. Think very carefully before budgeting for a new stock, and try to be honest with yourself about your intentions. If you just want to change your rifle's look, it's your money and it's a free country, so do whatever you like. However, it may be worth considering whether you'd actually get more mileage from upgrades like a better trigger, a larger budget for a scope, or simply more ammunition to practice with, even though the newest Magpul stock looks really cool.
Despite the stock's often lackluster impact on performance, it is unfortunately not a place to be cheap, either. Any stocks that cost less than $100 dollars are not likely to improve accuracy at all, and the cost of a new stock isn't always limited to the MSRP, either. New stocks can come with tasks and fees you don’t expect; the two most common hidden costs are action inletting and applying a finish.
Action inletting is necessary for some rifle stocks that are produced with action and barrel inlets that are not fully cut, meaning that stock material must be removed around the action and barrel channel to allow the rifle to be bolted together. This is a laborious and potentially damaging process that is best left to a professional, as removing too much stock material could potentially ruin the aesthetics or structural integrity of the stock. On the other hand, an advantage to a partially-cut inlet is that it allows the stock to be snugly fitted to the individual action and barrel. Still, a much closer, custom fit is accomplished through the bedding compounds, bedding shims, and/or bedding pillars that are already a part of any high-performance build project. Partially-cut stock inlets have various names throughout the industry, such as “semi-inlet”, “95% inlet”, and similar, but universally add time and expense to your build project with minimal benefit.
Hardwood and laminated stocks are often delivered unfinished, meaning that the stock must be sanded smooth and a wood finish applied. Properly finishing a rifle stock involves many progressive steps of sanding and finish application, and the finishing process as a whole can be equally as time intensive as fitting a partially-cut inlet. There are many types of finishes to choose from, each with advocates and opponents, and the appearance and durability of the final product is directly correlated to the patience and experience of the craftsman or craftswoman. Like partially-cut inlets, unfinished stocks will add considerable time and expense to your build project.
Labor and fees aside, a high-quality replacement stock can offer substantial benefits. A new rifle stock doesn't just offer the potential for better accuracy, it can also greatly improve a rifle’s ergonomics and comfort while allowing modern slings and bipods to be easily attached. Even a cheap synthetic stock can be a tremendous investment in humid or rainy environments, as synthetic stocks of any price range are unaffected by moisture, while most hardwood stocks will swell and deform under the same circumstances.
A new stock also allows the shooter to select the function, material and aesthetics of the stock. Low-end synthetic stocks can provide a comfortable, inexpensive, water-proof replacement for a cracked or missing factory stock. An expensive walnut stock in a classic pattern will elicit deep admiration from firearms enthusiasts the world over, while laminated stocks come in a variety of shapes and colors ranging from utilitarian to psychedelic. For the ultimate in performance, a hand-laid synthetic stock is both the lightest and strongest option on the market.
Still, as a potentially expensive endeavor that may yield only marginal performance benefits over the factory unit, replacing the stock should be last on any list of modifications to your rifle. However, if a new piece of furniture is just what your rifle needs, you have two important choices to make before purchasing your new stock: what material, and what style.
Despite the stock's often lackluster impact on performance, it is unfortunately not a place to be cheap, either. Any stocks that cost less than $100 dollars are not likely to improve accuracy at all, and the cost of a new stock isn't always limited to the MSRP, either. New stocks can come with tasks and fees you don’t expect; the two most common hidden costs are action inletting and applying a finish.
Action inletting is necessary for some rifle stocks that are produced with action and barrel inlets that are not fully cut, meaning that stock material must be removed around the action and barrel channel to allow the rifle to be bolted together. This is a laborious and potentially damaging process that is best left to a professional, as removing too much stock material could potentially ruin the aesthetics or structural integrity of the stock. On the other hand, an advantage to a partially-cut inlet is that it allows the stock to be snugly fitted to the individual action and barrel. Still, a much closer, custom fit is accomplished through the bedding compounds, bedding shims, and/or bedding pillars that are already a part of any high-performance build project. Partially-cut stock inlets have various names throughout the industry, such as “semi-inlet”, “95% inlet”, and similar, but universally add time and expense to your build project with minimal benefit.
Hardwood and laminated stocks are often delivered unfinished, meaning that the stock must be sanded smooth and a wood finish applied. Properly finishing a rifle stock involves many progressive steps of sanding and finish application, and the finishing process as a whole can be equally as time intensive as fitting a partially-cut inlet. There are many types of finishes to choose from, each with advocates and opponents, and the appearance and durability of the final product is directly correlated to the patience and experience of the craftsman or craftswoman. Like partially-cut inlets, unfinished stocks will add considerable time and expense to your build project.
Labor and fees aside, a high-quality replacement stock can offer substantial benefits. A new rifle stock doesn't just offer the potential for better accuracy, it can also greatly improve a rifle’s ergonomics and comfort while allowing modern slings and bipods to be easily attached. Even a cheap synthetic stock can be a tremendous investment in humid or rainy environments, as synthetic stocks of any price range are unaffected by moisture, while most hardwood stocks will swell and deform under the same circumstances.
A new stock also allows the shooter to select the function, material and aesthetics of the stock. Low-end synthetic stocks can provide a comfortable, inexpensive, water-proof replacement for a cracked or missing factory stock. An expensive walnut stock in a classic pattern will elicit deep admiration from firearms enthusiasts the world over, while laminated stocks come in a variety of shapes and colors ranging from utilitarian to psychedelic. For the ultimate in performance, a hand-laid synthetic stock is both the lightest and strongest option on the market.
Still, as a potentially expensive endeavor that may yield only marginal performance benefits over the factory unit, replacing the stock should be last on any list of modifications to your rifle. However, if a new piece of furniture is just what your rifle needs, you have two important choices to make before purchasing your new stock: what material, and what style.
Stock Materials
The material of your stock will determine the price more than all other factors combined. The below table provides a brief overview of popular material choices, while detailed descriptions can be found below. Please note that the below table is intended to provide a general overview, so quoted prices and attributes may vary in the real world.
The material of your stock will determine the price more than all other factors combined. The below table provides a brief overview of popular material choices, while detailed descriptions can be found below. Please note that the below table is intended to provide a general overview, so quoted prices and attributes may vary in the real world.
Material |
Accuracy Potential |
Weight |
Price |
Other Comments |
Injection-molded synthetic
Hardwood
Laminated Wood
Composite synthetic
|
Average Low to High*
Very High
Very high
|
Average Average
Heavy
Light
|
$50 - $150 $40 - $2000+
$100 - $450
$400 - $1000
|
Waterproof Requires finish
Requires finish
Waterproof
|
*Accuracy will vary based on climate, species of wood, grain pattern, and finish type.
Hardwood
A properly finished hardwood stock will last longer than you will, and can cost anywhere from the change in your pocket to over $2000. This variation in price comes from a combination of aging, wood rarity, grain consistency, and aesthetics. A stock of featureless, cross-grained maple can be easily had for under $50, whereas a piece of straight-grained walnut with pronounced figure (contrast and patterns in the wood), aged in the proper conditions for many years, will only be offered at a truly jaw-dropping price. Black Walnut is the wood of choice in America, but maple, birch, and beech also make up substantial portions of the market. Walnut is preferred because it is readily available, takes sanding and finishing well, and can exhibit very vivid and attractive figure. There is also a wide-spread misconception that walnut is harder and sturdier than other gunstock hardwoods, making it appear to be both the most beautiful and the best-performing hardwood, but empirical testing has shown that this is merely folklore. Durability, strength, and stiffness tests of various wood species show that walnut’s performance is only average among the popular gunstock hardwoods, and it is actually the inexpensive, essentially colorless birch that takes the crown in almost all categories. However, the performance benefits of one species of hardwood over another is a largely irrelevant discussion, as hardwood stocks are generally accepted as inferior to laminated wood and composite synthetic stocks when absolute maximum accuracy is the goal. In short, if you want to replace your factory stock with a stock that will provide more accuracy, then you probably shouldn’t be looking at hardwood stocks in the first place.
Thus, there are generally two reasons to buy a new hardwood stock:
1. You prefer the look and feel of a new, high-quality hardwood stock.
2. You need an inexpensive replacement stock and do not want to buy an injection-molded synthetic.
Outside of light-recoiling rimfire calibers, hardwood stocks should not be purchased when absolute maximum accuracy is the goal, as they will never be as hard or rigid as stocks made with modern materials. A less rigid stock will flex imperceptibly under recoil, providing an inconsistent foundation for the barrel and action. Stock hardness is important as recoil will cause contact points between the action and the stock to be compressed or worn down, eroding accuracy as the action slowly shifts position between shots. These issues can be partially addressed by bedding the action, but this procedure adds time and expense to your build project, and the stock will still not provide the stability of a laminated or composite stock.
Hardwood stocks will also absorb moisture in the air, causing the wood to swell and soften. In essence, this causes the stock’s inlet to shrink, putting uneven and unwanted pressure on your rifle’s action and barrel as different areas of the stock swell at different rates due to the pattern of the grain and imperfections in the wood. A good wood finish will largely eliminate this phenomenon if applied properly, but the finishing process is difficult to master and expensive to outsource, and some types of finishes must be regularly maintained to effectively keep water at bay. Additionally, even the best wood finishes in the world can only repel liquid water; there is no wood finish currently available that is proven to completely block water vapor (humidity).
Laminated Stocks
Laminated stocks are produced by saturated extremely thin sheets of hardwood (generally birch) with an appropriate binder, then forming the sheets into a cohesive laminate under intense heat and pressure. The binding agent repels moisture and increases the hardness of the finished stock, and the random arrangement of the grain among the many sheets of wood ensures a consistent stock material devoid of the weak spots or stress points that can occur in naturally grown wood. Laminated stocks provide many shooters with the best intersection of value and performance, as good examples can be had for as little as $100 dollars, a fraction of the cost of a composite synthetic stock.
Another advantage to laminated stocks is their range of customization. Each sheet of wood can be impregnated with dye to create colors ranging from subdued to brilliant. These varying hues can be mixed and matched to create color schemes from camouflages to patriotic red-white-and-blues, and everything in between. The consistency and stability of the laminated wood also allows the stocks to be machined with exotically arched or swept features, creating stocks with silhouettes that range from graceful to startling.
The only real drawback to laminated stocks is weight, as the binder-saturated wood makes laminated stocks 15-25% heavier than a comparably styled hardwood or injection-molded synthetic stock. For this reason, laminated stocks are popularly used in tandem with heavy barrels for shooting setups that require more accuracy than mobility.
Like hardwood stocks, some laminated stocks arrive without a finish. Although laminated stocks will not exhibit the swelling of a hardwood stock when exposed to moisture, they are still made principally of wood and require sanding and finishing to provide surface protection and aesthetic appeal. The cost of finishing the stock should be included in your calculations when deciding which stock to choose.
Synthetic
This term covers a range of materials and price ranges, from $50 injection-molded units to $800 tactical stocks made from carbon fiber and space-age epoxies. Synthetic stocks are often called “plastic stocks” but this is not entirely accurate, as many synthetic stocks are formed from resin-saturated fabrics or powders and do not incorporate any plastic at all. Synthetic stocks do not require a finish for water resistance as they are inherently impervious to moisture, but a finish or paint can be applied to alter the aesthetics and provide some protection from bangs and scrapes. Generally, synthetic stocks can be grouped by price into high-end composite stocks and low-end injection-molded stocks.
Injection-Molded Synthetic Stocks
An injection-molded synthetic stock is produced by injecting molten plastic (thermoplastic) into a mold and allowing it to cool. Injection-molded synthetic stocks are often rich with comfortable and convenient features like pre-installed recoil pads and sling swivels, and are offered at the very attractive price range of $40-$120. They usually have full action inlets, allowing your barreled action to snap right into the stock without any fitting required. However, the action inlet is typically slightly oversized to accommodate variations in action dimensions, so these stocks may require bedding to achieve a precise fit. Additionally, the thermoplastics used to make these stocks are neither stronger nor lighter than most hardwoods, and strength and stiffness diminish even further as the plastics are heated up by continuous firing at the range or exposure to a hot summer sun.
Outside of light-recoiling rimfire calibers, injection-molded stocks should not be purchased when absolute maximum accuracy is the goal, as they will never be as hard or rigid as laminated or composite stocks. A less rigid stock will flex imperceptibly under recoil, providing an inconsistent foundation for the barrel and action. Stock hardness is important as recoil will cause contact points between the action and the stock to be compressed or worn down, eroding accuracy as the action slowly shifts position between shots. These drawbacks can be partially addressed by bedding the action, but this procedure adds time and expense to your build project, and the stock will still not provide the stability of a laminated or composite stock.
Quality control is also not exceptional on injection-molded stocks, as they are often have ugly casting seams where the two halves of the mold were pressed together, and the stock itself may be slightly crooked if the materials were not consistently mixed or the stock was not cooled properly after manufacture. Neither casting seams nor crookedness will affect the performance of the stock as long as the rifle is properly finished and bedded, but these procedures can add unnecessary time and cost to your build project.
Synthetic Composite Stocks
Composite stocks, like the type seen on military sniper rifles, are produced by pressing resin-soaked fabrics and powders into a mold and allowing the resin to cure. The performance of the stock is directly correlated to the materials used; a simple fiberglass stock may see only modest gains over an injection-molded unit, but stocks incorporating engineered fabrics or carbon fiber are the strongest, lightest, and hardest stocks on the market. Composite stocks may have steel reinforcements at stress points, or have the entire action inlet stamped from steel or aluminum and pressed into the stock during production. However, the inlet usually comes at a cost, with completely blank (un-cut) inlets being no extra charge while partially-cut and fully-cut inlets raise the price progressively.
Despite their lightness and durability, composite stocks do not offer notable accuracy benefits over laminated stocks. If the goal is maximum accuracy and funds are not inexhaustible, a quality laminated stock may be preferable to a composite stock, as laminated stocks offer similar performance at a much lower price.
A properly finished hardwood stock will last longer than you will, and can cost anywhere from the change in your pocket to over $2000. This variation in price comes from a combination of aging, wood rarity, grain consistency, and aesthetics. A stock of featureless, cross-grained maple can be easily had for under $50, whereas a piece of straight-grained walnut with pronounced figure (contrast and patterns in the wood), aged in the proper conditions for many years, will only be offered at a truly jaw-dropping price. Black Walnut is the wood of choice in America, but maple, birch, and beech also make up substantial portions of the market. Walnut is preferred because it is readily available, takes sanding and finishing well, and can exhibit very vivid and attractive figure. There is also a wide-spread misconception that walnut is harder and sturdier than other gunstock hardwoods, making it appear to be both the most beautiful and the best-performing hardwood, but empirical testing has shown that this is merely folklore. Durability, strength, and stiffness tests of various wood species show that walnut’s performance is only average among the popular gunstock hardwoods, and it is actually the inexpensive, essentially colorless birch that takes the crown in almost all categories. However, the performance benefits of one species of hardwood over another is a largely irrelevant discussion, as hardwood stocks are generally accepted as inferior to laminated wood and composite synthetic stocks when absolute maximum accuracy is the goal. In short, if you want to replace your factory stock with a stock that will provide more accuracy, then you probably shouldn’t be looking at hardwood stocks in the first place.
Thus, there are generally two reasons to buy a new hardwood stock:
1. You prefer the look and feel of a new, high-quality hardwood stock.
2. You need an inexpensive replacement stock and do not want to buy an injection-molded synthetic.
Outside of light-recoiling rimfire calibers, hardwood stocks should not be purchased when absolute maximum accuracy is the goal, as they will never be as hard or rigid as stocks made with modern materials. A less rigid stock will flex imperceptibly under recoil, providing an inconsistent foundation for the barrel and action. Stock hardness is important as recoil will cause contact points between the action and the stock to be compressed or worn down, eroding accuracy as the action slowly shifts position between shots. These issues can be partially addressed by bedding the action, but this procedure adds time and expense to your build project, and the stock will still not provide the stability of a laminated or composite stock.
Hardwood stocks will also absorb moisture in the air, causing the wood to swell and soften. In essence, this causes the stock’s inlet to shrink, putting uneven and unwanted pressure on your rifle’s action and barrel as different areas of the stock swell at different rates due to the pattern of the grain and imperfections in the wood. A good wood finish will largely eliminate this phenomenon if applied properly, but the finishing process is difficult to master and expensive to outsource, and some types of finishes must be regularly maintained to effectively keep water at bay. Additionally, even the best wood finishes in the world can only repel liquid water; there is no wood finish currently available that is proven to completely block water vapor (humidity).
Laminated Stocks
Laminated stocks are produced by saturated extremely thin sheets of hardwood (generally birch) with an appropriate binder, then forming the sheets into a cohesive laminate under intense heat and pressure. The binding agent repels moisture and increases the hardness of the finished stock, and the random arrangement of the grain among the many sheets of wood ensures a consistent stock material devoid of the weak spots or stress points that can occur in naturally grown wood. Laminated stocks provide many shooters with the best intersection of value and performance, as good examples can be had for as little as $100 dollars, a fraction of the cost of a composite synthetic stock.
Another advantage to laminated stocks is their range of customization. Each sheet of wood can be impregnated with dye to create colors ranging from subdued to brilliant. These varying hues can be mixed and matched to create color schemes from camouflages to patriotic red-white-and-blues, and everything in between. The consistency and stability of the laminated wood also allows the stocks to be machined with exotically arched or swept features, creating stocks with silhouettes that range from graceful to startling.
The only real drawback to laminated stocks is weight, as the binder-saturated wood makes laminated stocks 15-25% heavier than a comparably styled hardwood or injection-molded synthetic stock. For this reason, laminated stocks are popularly used in tandem with heavy barrels for shooting setups that require more accuracy than mobility.
Like hardwood stocks, some laminated stocks arrive without a finish. Although laminated stocks will not exhibit the swelling of a hardwood stock when exposed to moisture, they are still made principally of wood and require sanding and finishing to provide surface protection and aesthetic appeal. The cost of finishing the stock should be included in your calculations when deciding which stock to choose.
Synthetic
This term covers a range of materials and price ranges, from $50 injection-molded units to $800 tactical stocks made from carbon fiber and space-age epoxies. Synthetic stocks are often called “plastic stocks” but this is not entirely accurate, as many synthetic stocks are formed from resin-saturated fabrics or powders and do not incorporate any plastic at all. Synthetic stocks do not require a finish for water resistance as they are inherently impervious to moisture, but a finish or paint can be applied to alter the aesthetics and provide some protection from bangs and scrapes. Generally, synthetic stocks can be grouped by price into high-end composite stocks and low-end injection-molded stocks.
Injection-Molded Synthetic Stocks
An injection-molded synthetic stock is produced by injecting molten plastic (thermoplastic) into a mold and allowing it to cool. Injection-molded synthetic stocks are often rich with comfortable and convenient features like pre-installed recoil pads and sling swivels, and are offered at the very attractive price range of $40-$120. They usually have full action inlets, allowing your barreled action to snap right into the stock without any fitting required. However, the action inlet is typically slightly oversized to accommodate variations in action dimensions, so these stocks may require bedding to achieve a precise fit. Additionally, the thermoplastics used to make these stocks are neither stronger nor lighter than most hardwoods, and strength and stiffness diminish even further as the plastics are heated up by continuous firing at the range or exposure to a hot summer sun.
Outside of light-recoiling rimfire calibers, injection-molded stocks should not be purchased when absolute maximum accuracy is the goal, as they will never be as hard or rigid as laminated or composite stocks. A less rigid stock will flex imperceptibly under recoil, providing an inconsistent foundation for the barrel and action. Stock hardness is important as recoil will cause contact points between the action and the stock to be compressed or worn down, eroding accuracy as the action slowly shifts position between shots. These drawbacks can be partially addressed by bedding the action, but this procedure adds time and expense to your build project, and the stock will still not provide the stability of a laminated or composite stock.
Quality control is also not exceptional on injection-molded stocks, as they are often have ugly casting seams where the two halves of the mold were pressed together, and the stock itself may be slightly crooked if the materials were not consistently mixed or the stock was not cooled properly after manufacture. Neither casting seams nor crookedness will affect the performance of the stock as long as the rifle is properly finished and bedded, but these procedures can add unnecessary time and cost to your build project.
Synthetic Composite Stocks
Composite stocks, like the type seen on military sniper rifles, are produced by pressing resin-soaked fabrics and powders into a mold and allowing the resin to cure. The performance of the stock is directly correlated to the materials used; a simple fiberglass stock may see only modest gains over an injection-molded unit, but stocks incorporating engineered fabrics or carbon fiber are the strongest, lightest, and hardest stocks on the market. Composite stocks may have steel reinforcements at stress points, or have the entire action inlet stamped from steel or aluminum and pressed into the stock during production. However, the inlet usually comes at a cost, with completely blank (un-cut) inlets being no extra charge while partially-cut and fully-cut inlets raise the price progressively.
Despite their lightness and durability, composite stocks do not offer notable accuracy benefits over laminated stocks. If the goal is maximum accuracy and funds are not inexhaustible, a quality laminated stock may be preferable to a composite stock, as laminated stocks offer similar performance at a much lower price.
Stock Styles
All stock styles can be used for all types of shooting, but the features and characteristics of a particular style of stock are tailored to the challenges and requirements of a particular style of shooting. A heavy target stock will be tiring to carry and aim during a three-day hunting trip, whereas a small, thin sporter stock will not provide a solid, recoil-absorbing foundation for the repeated shots necessary in many competitions. Still other stocks combine features of several styles to create a jack-of-all-trades for the shooter who spends as much time in the woods as at the range. Cost is also a consideration, as a stock with comfortable finger grooves and a pronounced cheekpiece costs more to machine than a sleek, simply-lined traditional stock. Giving thought to your shooting preferences and lifestyle before choosing a stock style will pay dividends over the life of your rifle, and potentially save your wallet from unnecessary pain. See below for an overview of the three broad categories of stock styling.
Competition Stocks
This category encompasses many similar sub-styles, such as target stocks, bench stocks, silhouette stocks, varmint stocks, and many others. What all of these styles share is a design that provides maximum stability and comfort for shooting from a stationary, supported position, such as shooting off of sandbags, rifle rests, or shooting while prone. These stocks typically have vertical or nearly vertical grips to allow the shooter’s hand to rest easily in a natural position, high combs to eliminate neck strain while looking through a scope, and flat-bottomed, ventilated forearms to let the rifle rest solidly on a supporting surface and dissipate heat from repeated firing. These stocks also tend be heavier and thicker than other stock styles, as the increased weight absorbs recoil and shooter fatigue is not an issue because the rifle is not being carried around.
Sporting Stocks
This category encompasses many similar sub-styles, such as hunting stocks, traditional/classic stocks, safari stocks, Monte Carlo stocks, Manllicher stocks, and many others. What all of these styles share is a design that provides comfort and control for shots taken while standing or kneeling, and a smooth, lightweight profile that is easy to carry and unlikely to snag on branches or undergrowth. These stocks typically have angled grips to provide control over the rifle’s seating in the shoulder pocket, may or may not feature an elevated comb, and have rounded forearms to allow the rifle to be comfortably supported by the shooter’s free hand.
Hybrid Stocks
This category encompasses the endless variety of stocks that seek to combine features of both sporting and competition stocks. One example would be the tactical stock, which is often seen with a competition stock’s vertical grip and elaborate cheek support behind the slim profile and comfortable forearm of a sporting stock. These features provide the comfort of a competition stock as well as the mobility and freehand shooting of a hunting stock, with forearm stability provided by a bipod when necessary.
Hybrid stocks offer many shooters the best compromise of flexibility and performance. Some manufacturers will even allow customers to mix-and-match stock features to create a relatively unique stock that fits the customer’s preferences, although an extra fee may apply.
All stock styles can be used for all types of shooting, but the features and characteristics of a particular style of stock are tailored to the challenges and requirements of a particular style of shooting. A heavy target stock will be tiring to carry and aim during a three-day hunting trip, whereas a small, thin sporter stock will not provide a solid, recoil-absorbing foundation for the repeated shots necessary in many competitions. Still other stocks combine features of several styles to create a jack-of-all-trades for the shooter who spends as much time in the woods as at the range. Cost is also a consideration, as a stock with comfortable finger grooves and a pronounced cheekpiece costs more to machine than a sleek, simply-lined traditional stock. Giving thought to your shooting preferences and lifestyle before choosing a stock style will pay dividends over the life of your rifle, and potentially save your wallet from unnecessary pain. See below for an overview of the three broad categories of stock styling.
Competition Stocks
This category encompasses many similar sub-styles, such as target stocks, bench stocks, silhouette stocks, varmint stocks, and many others. What all of these styles share is a design that provides maximum stability and comfort for shooting from a stationary, supported position, such as shooting off of sandbags, rifle rests, or shooting while prone. These stocks typically have vertical or nearly vertical grips to allow the shooter’s hand to rest easily in a natural position, high combs to eliminate neck strain while looking through a scope, and flat-bottomed, ventilated forearms to let the rifle rest solidly on a supporting surface and dissipate heat from repeated firing. These stocks also tend be heavier and thicker than other stock styles, as the increased weight absorbs recoil and shooter fatigue is not an issue because the rifle is not being carried around.
Sporting Stocks
This category encompasses many similar sub-styles, such as hunting stocks, traditional/classic stocks, safari stocks, Monte Carlo stocks, Manllicher stocks, and many others. What all of these styles share is a design that provides comfort and control for shots taken while standing or kneeling, and a smooth, lightweight profile that is easy to carry and unlikely to snag on branches or undergrowth. These stocks typically have angled grips to provide control over the rifle’s seating in the shoulder pocket, may or may not feature an elevated comb, and have rounded forearms to allow the rifle to be comfortably supported by the shooter’s free hand.
Hybrid Stocks
This category encompasses the endless variety of stocks that seek to combine features of both sporting and competition stocks. One example would be the tactical stock, which is often seen with a competition stock’s vertical grip and elaborate cheek support behind the slim profile and comfortable forearm of a sporting stock. These features provide the comfort of a competition stock as well as the mobility and freehand shooting of a hunting stock, with forearm stability provided by a bipod when necessary.
Hybrid stocks offer many shooters the best compromise of flexibility and performance. Some manufacturers will even allow customers to mix-and-match stock features to create a relatively unique stock that fits the customer’s preferences, although an extra fee may apply.
|
|