Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Stock design

What style stock or stock shape is preferable when shooting these bigger bore rifles? I plan to order a stock for my 375 Ruger. Not sure if I should go classic, hunter or safari express? I have shot a .338 Win Mag that's in a Brown Precision stock for the past 17 yrs with no issues for reference. Any other suggestions than the ones below would also be appreciated. Thanks

Classic stocks I’m considering.

Sako Classic: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-sako-classic/

Winchester Supergrade: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-winchester-supergrade/

Remington Sporter: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-remington-sporter/

Hunter style stocks I’m considering.
McMillan Hunter: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-remington-mcmillan-hunter/

Remington BDL: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-remington-bdl/

Weatherby MK V: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-weatherby-mark-v/

Safari/Express stocks I’m considering.
Remington Safari: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-remington-safari-gunstock/

Winchester Express: https://mcmillanusa.com/mcmillan-rifle-stocks/hunting-stocks-winchester-win-express/

Try out something someone else owns and see what you think. Straight stocks do nothing for me as I can't get full shoulder contact with the recoil pad. Good for bench but bad for field use in my experience. The old Ruger MK IIs have a good stock design on their laminates whichlets one use irons comfortably and a low powered scope as well.

But if you really want to know how a big bore stock should be go find an English made gun. Cabela's had a Westley Richards 375 floating around the stores a few years ago. It was a standard grade but felt absolutely alive when shouldered. 458Win posts pics of a similar 404J he has and it's quite similar.

Stock fit is as important in a rifle as it is in a shotgun and even more so with a big bore. Whatever direction you go I would highly recommend seeing a gunsmith who fits stocks and have him modify the stock so it fits you. This will allow instant target acquisition and minimize felt recoil.

Another worth considering is the Echols legend, a sort of express type stock design in my opinion. If you wanted the absolute best then have Darcy Echols fit it to you. Minor things like the pitch of the butt plate can make big differences in felt recoil and performance.

You might also consider the H-S Precision stock for a Ruger rifle.
I have a McMillan hunter on one 375 Ruger Alaskan, McMillan classics on a 416 Ruger Alaskan and a another 375 Ruger with a 23.5" barrel.
I have another 416 Ruger Alaskan that I have in an H-S Precision. I have not yet fired this rifle, but I certainly like the feel of it in this stock. I think, that I would be pleased with this stock on any of my 375 and 416 Ruger rifles.

Not an option for a Ruger. But there are three "features" from the Legend that would be useful to keep in mind.

1) Beefy forend lets you control the gun under recoil.

2) Comb with minimum drop, but with a firm cheek weld it puts your eye in correct alignment to the scope.

3) Wide butt to increase surface area to spread the recoil.

I would also go with a sporting clays style pad that has the hard/slick insert on the heel of the pad. Keeps it from grabbing at your clothes during gun mount. I think that both NECG and Pachmyer offer them.

Echols Legnd on a .404J build, 300 RUM M-70 NH donor, Williams bottom metal. To me, you gotta get down pretty hard on the comb to see the irons. It's about perfect for a scope.

D'Arcy is very easy to talk to and knows his stuff. Look how well the bottom metal fit the inlet without ANY adjustments, Echols perfect.

These stocks are made by McM for D'Arcy, but McM can't sell them direct. D'Arcy has full rights to his design.

DF

C Roy,

Is your .375 Ruger a Ruger Hawkeye?

I restocked my Ruger Hawkeye African in .375 Ruger with a Mcmillan Classic style stock, in magnum fill, with McWoody pattern. It is an excellent stock for this rifle- the original wood, which split in several places, also allowed the bolt handle to 'bite' my hand when firing. With the Mcmillan stock, this problem went away. There is a bit of cast-off to this stock, as well.

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Not an option for a Ruger. But there are three "features" from the Legend that would be useful to keep in mind.

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I thought this could be ordered with no inlet just a solid receiver area, no?

From what I see on the McMillan site I would go with the classic. It is fairly straight and takes up to a #5 contour. If you like the Brown then that could be a good option. The Brown could be reinforced with graphite and Kevlar and could be the best strength to weight combination. I would not choose the others unless you can give them a try.