Thread: hunting stock design

Hi guys...there has been a bit of discussion about stock design in the thread below "Is it time to leave the 27 gang?" and that's got me thinking about stock design...

I've been messing around building carbon stocks. One for my Husqvarna and a direct copy of my Tikka stock.
Its probably time to build a new mold and I'm looking for some ideas about what people ideally want in a stock.

None of the stocks I own have a high enough comb that I can get a true cheek weld with a scope and I wonder how much that bothers people...especially considering both prone and standing shots. Its a tricky one because everyone is different and I'm beginning to think about a lightweight adjustable carbon cheek riser...
I like vertical grip really close to the trigger but it seems most people prefer a conventional sloping grip.
And I think an offset butt has to be an advantage because it gives you a more vertical head position.

Any ideas are valued...cheers...Chris

Nice looking stocks. I think its possible to get a bit sucked in with cheek weld etc, to me its a benchrest technique beloved by Americans (bless them) who are always avid followers of their gun-nut writers. In the field its not nearly so easy and the "euro" head up position can be shot very very well.

Personally I really like the factory tikka stock design, reason being that I’m right handed but my right eye isn’t great (can’t get the crosshairs to focus) so I shoot left handed with my left eye and the factory stock is great for that.

My missus Weatherby has a cheek riser? thing (Is it called Monte Carlo?) on the stock which isn’t as comfortable shooting it left hand.

Just my opinion, I really like your carbon stocks, do you sell them??

Good question. I have a longish neck and LOP and like a high comb. The stock that works best for me is my Kimber Montana. It has an open pistol grip which allows for different hand dimensions and trigger finger lengths and most importantly because its a short action/bolt allows the bolt to be removed without complex bits allow the bolt to slide out. The comb is in line with bolt. If bolt were longer an adjustable comb would be necessary. Bergara HMR comb is good IMHO.

Originally Posted by Tentman

Nice looking stocks. I think its possible to get a bit sucked in with cheek weld etc, to me its a benchrest technique beloved by Americans (bless them) who are always avid followers of their gun-nut writers. In the field its not nearly so easy and the "euro" head up position can be shot very very well.

I will google "Euro head up" but it sounds like what I do...using a cheek riser can rock my head over and I always made them offset to avoid that.

Nice looking stocks.
I really like the sako 75 stock.
I got Stu to inlet one of his carbon stocks for my Tikka and its the most comfortable rifle to shoot.

Originally Posted by dvk-kp

Personally I really like the factory tikka stock design, reason being that I’m right handed but my right eye isn’t great (can’t get the crosshairs to focus) so I shoot left handed with my left eye and the factory stock is great for that.

My missus Weatherby has a cheek riser? thing (Is it called Monte Carlo?) on the stock which isn’t as comfortable shooting it left hand.

Just my opinion, I really like your carbon stocks, do you sell them??

That's brilliant feedback...Beretta aren't mugs and their stock design isn't an accident...they are trying to cater to everyone.

I'm still developing a process that's a little different but I'm pretty sure I can build a rigid stock lighter than what's on the market now.
I hope to sell some of my development stocks to recover the cost of materials soon (like the one above)...they are perfectly good and will be guaranteed but the finish isn't perfect. A paint job would finish them but I don't have time...

[QUOTE=wsm junkie;913057]Nice looking stocks.
I really like the sako 75 stock.
I got Stu to inlet one of his carbon stocks for my Tikka and its the most comfortable rifle to shoot.

That's what I keep hearing...I need to get hold of one before I move on with this. The question is why are they so highly regarded and why isn't everyone else copying them?

This promises to be a very interesting thread!

I've found having a bit more rise for a cheek weld has helped my shooting. I went with the bed roll foam and tape approach to build it up. Also used foam and tape to have a more vertical grip, I really don't like the more conventional sloping grip. In my case 95% of shots I take are from prone or a field rest of some kind. Not very many standing shots in the open country.

Originally Posted by Fisherman

I hope to sell some of my development stocks to recover the cost of materials soon (like the one above)...they are perfectly good and will be guaranteed but the finish isn't perfect. A paint job would finish them but I don't have time...

Definatly interested in the tikka one. Keep me in mind when it comes time to sell.

Another trick would be pop into somewhere that has a lot of rifles such as Gun City etc and start handling / holding different shapes.

Stocks like the GRS range can have adjustable bits too so see whether that is something you would consider incorporating or see how to set one up yourself and make a f"fixed" one with those positions...

Originally Posted by Joe_90

This promises to be a very interesting thread!

I've found having a bit more rise for a cheek weld has helped my shooting. I went with the bed roll foam and tape approach to build it up. Also used foam and tape to have a more vertical grip, I really don't like the more conventional sloping grip. In my case 95% of shots I take are from prone or a field rest of some kind. Not very many standing shots in the open country.

It would be good to see some photos of what you came up with...really interested in the effect of the cheek riser had on how vertical your head is. I suspect an advantage of foam is that it conforms to the shooter and allows the head to stay vertical (which I think is massively important in all sports)

I like a fore-end that is flat underneath and has flat sides like the Sako Forester etc or flat under with a wide grip like the Rem Varmint types. Stocks that sit well in hand are easy to grip and don't rock over. I also like to pack the comb so that if I bring the gun up with eyes closed and then open them, I am looking straight down the scope.
If it was me I would be reading up on how English gun makers design custom stocks as well, not hinting at any particular thing, just guessing that they more than likely know what they are doing.

Stocks look great.
I like the Tikka design but the factory one size fits nobody stocks are too short for me. Longer LOP would be great - either a longer stock or thicker pad options.

You've got cast off and butt angle to consider to get that great comfortable feel and recoil control. I like the sako hunter stock too.

Thinking about palm swell, it feels very good if you've got it correct for you but if wrong it can be wrong. For instance the sako one feels nice but to me the Carl Gustav one has the swell too far back down away from the trigger. Perhaps Finnish hands are more like my size than Danish hands. I've got a rifle with a very long handgrip, that has no swell yet it feels surprisingly good, possibly due to the soft rubber grips. If you want to sell your stocks to people with a wide range of hand shapes then a longish handgrip with no swell will accommodate them all. It also gives the options of wrapping the thumb right around the grip (axe grip) placing it in the midline so the index finger squeezes directly back towards it in line with the rifle axis) or even having the thumb out beside the stock free recoil bench rest style. A vertical target or tactical rifle style pistol grip (eg Macmillan A5 and the NZ Hi-Tech) does feel good and can shoot very well but there is a cost in weight bulk snagging on scrub and speed of use.

Looking at the fore end, a flat bottom gives good stability but for a hunting rifle my opinion is it should be a bit narrow not too wide like intended for bench resting off bags.

It goes without saying that the trigger finger must have 1-2mm clearance from the stock.

Another thing to take into account is clearance / shrouding around the safety catch specially if it extends out from the action. You don't want it sticking out in mid air to catch on twigs and stuff.