Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Do I really need a cheekpiece?

I'm restocking my Ruger 77/357 stainless/synthetic with a walnut mannlicher-style stock. I like the way cheekpieces look, but they are a lot of work (for me, anyway) to get just right in terms of aesthetics. If I have a cheekpiece, it just has to have the small reverse curve at the back of the comb that shows up in some of the rifles in Jim CarmicheI's books and it's difficult to get that feature just right. I like the feel of the larger comb radius against my cheek that a cheekpiece provides, but apart from that, does it really help with shooting/recoil management? Recoil isn't an issue with this cartridge, obviously. Seems to me that the only thing that limits comb radius (without a cheekpiece) is the size and shape of the butt pad? Thanks in advance!

I am not a fan of cheekpieces because they: add weight, offset the balance, but most importantly if you don't need it for facial ergos - don't add it.

I really like cheek pieces on my rifles. But if you don’t, ......

I don't care too much about the cheekpiece, one way or the other, but I do like the Monte Carlo comb. Functionally, a cheekpiece is best used in conjunction with some cast-off and offset at the toe. In essence, the cheekpiece is where a straight stock would be while the butt is cast off.
Of course, the shape and height of the comb is mostly a compromise. If it is just right for off hand shooting, it is not right for prone. GD

I think a cheek piece with a shadow line looks classy and more custom. A mass produced cheek piece without a shadow line doesn’t add much unless you need it to fit your face.

I never thought about it much, but I only own one rifle with a cheekpiece. A sporterized 30-40 Krag. So no, I guess a person does not need a cheekpiece, but sometimes they look just right.

No right answer other than personal preference. I’m more comfortable with out one but I’ve got a fat face and not much of a neck

I don't.

I like a wispy cheek piece- kidney-style, Whelen-style, call it what you will. But if a rifle doesn't have a cheek piece I don't much care. Few of us really need one for ergonomic reasons, but they are entrenched as a design feature- and that's ok.

Nice Krag, SS336. Very nice.

Thank you, gnoahhh. You've seen it down in the Savage section. It is one of my favorites, been hunted but never got lucky with it. It's surprisingly accurate.

I had a guild builder just last week tell me that cheekpieces were just about useless but needed to be on a rifle to "look right", esp on a custom walnut stock.

That Krag is sweet!

I don’t really care about a cheekpiece as long as the comb, sight, and my face work together.

Since the stock is the part that connects the shooter to the rifle and every shooter is a little different, except maybe twins, stock designs that fit one guy are unlikely to fit another guy quite as well.

I prefer a raised cheekpiece if it is an option. More than one-half of my McMillan stocks have raised cheekpieces and I would probably replace some of the Classic style with the McM Hunter style and the Compact style with the Mountain Rifle style if the prices were more reasonable and the rifles were particular favorites.

Thanks for all the comments. I'm using a Remington 700 straight comb stock to make the pattern stock - that way I can correct all the mistakes on it before copying in walnut. The cheek weld without a cheekpiece is ok, but not as comfy as it is with a cheekpiece, so that's where I guess I'm headed. Time to get the Bondo out! I'll try to post some pictures, which is another kind of challenge for me.

Agree . I got long arms and a long neck. I've always wanted to be custom fitted for a shotgun. I need a hard cheek weld or I'll be shooting high. I'm ok with the fit of most factory rifles though.

If it's comfy and puts you in the crosshairs every time, it's good. Consistent eye placement is a much bigger deal than most realize. If I'm starting from scratch with a new rifle, I fire up the power tools and go with a customized, adjustable cheekpiece, sideways and vertically. Nice when you change scopes, too.

I'm also pretty partial to wild Monte Carlo, mid 1960s Weatherby ugliness. Just looks fast, ya know?

But it's an individual thing, totally.

Im my experience On a very slim stocked custom 6mm, the CP served a useful practicle pupose,
yet on a more beefy stocked. 375 it was not
included and not missed.

But it is true that some will opt for a CP
like they do ebony forend tips, 1/4 ribs,
sling swivel barrel bands etc...
Just to pimp / look period cool and even gain
acceptance from their peers,when they could
have a rig without such exotic features that
would serve them just as well or even better.

I may start off just making the comb radius a little larger ("fatter" comb) and then see how it feels and looks. I have to raise it at least 1/4" to get a good cheek weld anyway, so it's easy to add radius then.

That will work fine. Most cheek pieces unless custom made you are only in contact with the upper comb portion. I like the Whelen sort of saddle cheek piece especially if I fit it to the way I mount a rifle, but other rifles like my Dakota I never notice the lack of a cheek piece. The omission of the cheek piece reduces weight more than drilling holes in the butt of the stock. I think the cheek piece was adopted from the Shultzen rifles and is mostly an embellishment. Some black powder rifles had them but I think this also came from target rifles. Not sure where it originated from initially.

Look at the Biesen rifle stocks they do the larger comb radius to perfection.