Stocks: Getting a Grip
I feel like I've been going into too much detail about the little things in my previous articles so I'm going to try to keep this one simple.
The purpose of the stock is to connect the barrel and action to the shooter in a way that improves the comfort of the shooter while reducing his/her effect on the barrel. Basically, you want something that is rigid, resistant to weather, weighs enough to balance the rifle and reduce felt recoil, and which helps to align your eyes with the sights of the rifle.
There are 2 things you need to know about when you judge a rifle stock. First is the material it is made of, and second is the design. The two most common choices when it comes to rifle stocks are wood and synthetic, and the two most important design features are the length of pull, and the drop at the comb.
Wood stocks are usually made of walnut and have the advantage of being very rigid, moderately resistant to weather changes, and attractive looking. Alternatively, they could be made of laminated layers of wood in which case they are even more rigid, very resistant to weather changes, and less expensive than walnut to manufacture. Both walnut and laminate stocks are good choices. Beech is another wood that is often found in rifle stocks, but because they are often finished so as to resemble walnut any scratches reveal white wood under the finish which cannot be easily repaired.
Synthetic stocks are usually made of either a fiberglass blend, or an injection molded plastic. Ideally you would want to find one that had been made of a fiberglass/graphite mix in which the fibers had been aligned. This results in a strong, rigid stock which is very weather resistant, with the exception of extremely hot or extremely cold temperatures. Injection molded stocks are not nearly as desirable as they tend to be much too flexible, to the extent that the fore end can touch the barrel just from the pressure exerted by the shooter's hand. Additionally, in extremely cold weather the stocks can freeze and even shatter when fired, in hot weather the stocks can become so warm as to burn your hands when you try to pick them up, and when it is wet synthetic stocks tend to get slippery. Unfortunately, injection molded stocks are much more common than the better kind due to their significantly lower manufacturing cost.
Regarding the design features I mentioned earlier, length of pull refers to the distance from the butt of the stock to the trigger. This is important because if the length of pull is too long the shooter cannot comfortably reach the trigger, and if it is too short it becomes difficult to maintain a good shooting posture. The other feature I mentioned, the drop at the comb, refers to the height of the stock relative to the center of the barrel. If you are using a scope, then you want a stock with less drop at the comb so as to align your eyes with the center of the scope. However, if you are using iron sights which sit directly atop the barrel then you need more drop at the comb to achieve a good sight picture.
Keep an eye out for the next installment: "Rifling: How to Spin It"
The purpose of the stock is to connect the barrel and action to the shooter in a way that improves the comfort of the shooter while reducing his/her effect on the barrel. Basically, you want something that is rigid, resistant to weather, weighs enough to balance the rifle and reduce felt recoil, and which helps to align your eyes with the sights of the rifle.
There are 2 things you need to know about when you judge a rifle stock. First is the material it is made of, and second is the design. The two most common choices when it comes to rifle stocks are wood and synthetic, and the two most important design features are the length of pull, and the drop at the comb.
Wood stocks are usually made of walnut and have the advantage of being very rigid, moderately resistant to weather changes, and attractive looking. Alternatively, they could be made of laminated layers of wood in which case they are even more rigid, very resistant to weather changes, and less expensive than walnut to manufacture. Both walnut and laminate stocks are good choices. Beech is another wood that is often found in rifle stocks, but because they are often finished so as to resemble walnut any scratches reveal white wood under the finish which cannot be easily repaired.
Synthetic stocks are usually made of either a fiberglass blend, or an injection molded plastic. Ideally you would want to find one that had been made of a fiberglass/graphite mix in which the fibers had been aligned. This results in a strong, rigid stock which is very weather resistant, with the exception of extremely hot or extremely cold temperatures. Injection molded stocks are not nearly as desirable as they tend to be much too flexible, to the extent that the fore end can touch the barrel just from the pressure exerted by the shooter's hand. Additionally, in extremely cold weather the stocks can freeze and even shatter when fired, in hot weather the stocks can become so warm as to burn your hands when you try to pick them up, and when it is wet synthetic stocks tend to get slippery. Unfortunately, injection molded stocks are much more common than the better kind due to their significantly lower manufacturing cost.
Regarding the design features I mentioned earlier, length of pull refers to the distance from the butt of the stock to the trigger. This is important because if the length of pull is too long the shooter cannot comfortably reach the trigger, and if it is too short it becomes difficult to maintain a good shooting posture. The other feature I mentioned, the drop at the comb, refers to the height of the stock relative to the center of the barrel. If you are using a scope, then you want a stock with less drop at the comb so as to align your eyes with the center of the scope. However, if you are using iron sights which sit directly atop the barrel then you need more drop at the comb to achieve a good sight picture.
Keep an eye out for the next installment: "Rifling: How to Spin It"