[Jakeway]

I'm contemplating buying another rifle, but its stock is in terrible shape. I really like laminated stocks, and was looking at Boyd's Classic laminated. Can anyone comment on this or other aftermarket makes?

I'm looking at $100 - $250. Higher than that, and the gun I'm looking at would be more expensive than getting a new one in a higher grade model.

 

[Darin115]

Boyds

Do you want a drop in stock? I bought one from Boyds but the finish was kinda rough. I would have sanded it down and finished it again if I had kept it. The barrel channel did not fit the gun I put it on. It was a decent stock for just over $100.00. I would have kept it if the barrel channel was the correct size.

Richard's Microfit makes a great stock if you don't mind fitting it and finishing it. After 2 weeks of working on the Richards it is a thing of beauty. When I got it it looked like it had been cut out with a chainsaw. It took hours to get past the bruised wood and get the final shape. It turned out way better than I expected.

Darin

 

[kdub]

Jakeway - you asked the same question about Boyd's in another thread. We frown on double posting on the board. Thanks for understanding.

 

[Tnhunter]

I've purchased two Boyds stocks as drop-ins and both mine were just that. One was ready to finish and the other was already fully finished and it has a great finish on it. I'd highly recommend a Boyds stock to anyone looking, simply be careful and make sure you order the exact stock you need.

I have also purchased one Richard's MF. unlike the previous poster, I'm not real interested in spending as much time as needed to "finish" the stock, and I'm not simply talking final finish here either. It needs final shaping and has had zero sanding done to it after being rough (rough!) inletted. I even ended up selling the rifle rather than spending endless hours completing the work needed.

I do not mind re-finishing a rifle stock and have likely done near a dozen myself, both re-finishing and original finish. But the rough look of that particular Richard's turned me off completely.

 

[kdub]

The one Richards MF I worked up for my grandson's Swede was indeed roughly shaped and the inletting needed a bit of help. Think they final shape those stocks by lathe turning against a dull butter knife! Had the whole winter ahead for a project, so I took the time to trim it down with rasps, files and various grades of sandpaper. Glass bedded the action and final finished with hand rubbed coats of thinned spar urethane. Lot of work, but the end result was beautiful.

 

[katokoch]

The one Richards MF I worked up for my grandson's Swede was indeed roughly shaped and the inletting needed a bit of help. Think they final shape those stocks by lathe turning against a dull butter knife! Had the whole winter ahead for a project, so I took the time to trim it down with rasps, files and various grades of sandpaper. Glass bedded the action and final finished with hand rubbed coats of thinned spar urethane. Lot of work, but the end result was beautiful.

I think this is a perfect post regarding Richard's... the stocks they ship out are not perfect like other manufacturers but they make very nice stocks when you put the necessary work into them. Even though they're shipped rough finished, there's still enough work to do for you to take a lot of pride in the rifle- much more than buying a finished drop-in.

Here's a couple of Richard's stocks... one that I finished and another I'm still working on.

You will learn more about guns than you ever wanted to after finishing one of these stocks too. At least that's what happened to me. The top stock was the first one I finished and afterwards I was flat out hooked.

 

[Darin115]

Richards

If you look at the finished stock you can't compare Boyds to Richards. Like I said if you want a drop in get a Boyds. If you have the patience and know how get a Richards and once it is finished you have something you will be proud of.

The gun I put the Richards stock on was a custom 1909 Argentine Mauser. It deserved a true custom stock like the one it wears now. After the work was finished I had something I could be proud of. Not something I bought and dropped the gun into. It is bedded and the stock fits like a glove.

Now if I just had a beater gun I would not even hesitate to buy a drop in Boyds and would be really happy.

Just depends on what you want and how much time you have to spend.

Darin

 

[Jakeway]

Very nice! I've built a few muzzle loaders in the past, so stock work isn't exactly foreign to me. However, my current job has me on the road 5 days a week, and time is of the essence. I think I'll have to go Boyd's. Thanks for all the info and pics!

 

[SMK]

I agree with the others assessment of what it takes to finish the different brands of stocks but there is one other thing to consider and that is stock design. The boyds classic is a design that was inspired by gunwriter Jon Sundra and employs an "open grip" design, which is kind of halfway between a pistol grip and a straight grip. I have read why this is supposed to be great for a hunting rifle, but I personally don't like it at all on the gun I put a Boyd's classic stock on. It just puts my hand and fingers in a different position than I am used to. Apparently I am the only guy who doesn't like this since I have never heard anyone complain about it, but I just wanted to bring to light that Boyd's and Richards and whoever make different stock designs and to me the fit of the stock is much more important than doing some rasping and sanding to get it finished.

 

[kdub]

Have the same problem as SMK on a Boyd's stock put on a Russian POS M38 carbine. Wasn't worried about the sloppy inletting as I glass bedded anyway, but the grip and general feel of the stock feels sorta clunky. The plastic butt plate is over large for the wood.

 

[tuck2]

I glass bed and free float the barrel on most all of my bolt action rifles so when I got three finished Boyds laminated varmint stocks I did the same with them. There was no difference in work with them than with any other factory stock. The stocks were for a Howa 1500, and two short action Rem 700s.