Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Straight comb classic vs vertical pistol grip montecarlo

For 20years I hankered after classic straight comb stocks with low mounted 32 or 42mm scopes. I thought they were the pinnacle of rifles

A year ago I tried a vertical pistol grip with a montecarlo and bigger scope. Minor issues I had with grip and cheek weld disappeared. I have found harder shots under pressure in the field seem easier. I can still shoot my classics but it seems harder. They get used less even though they are so much nicer to look at.

Anyone else found this?

I agree with you. Most hunting rifle stocks haven't evolved from the time when rifles came standard with iron sights. I can overcome an LOP that isn't perfect, but one of the biggest detriments to good shooting is not having a proper cheek weld with the stock when the eye is centered with the scope tube. So few factory hunting rifles offer this, even with the lowest rings. Adjustable cheek pieces might ruin the aesthetics of a stock when not done well, but they sure do help when it comes to good shot placement. I also agree that a more vertical pistol grip feels natural and comfortable to me. The rifles I shoot best under the widest range of conditions all have adjustable LOP, a thumb hole stock or more vertical pistol grip, and an adjustable cheek piece.

It fits you better. I have the same problem.

I am just the opposite. I really like an open grip and on shot guns a straight grip suits me fine. I think the difference other than personal are if it is to be shot off hand or stationary. Off a bench a thumb hole makes a lot of sense, for field shooting it is much slower for me. On a quick shot the fit is more important to me on a rest or bench I can adapt to less than optimal ergonomics. A bench gun absolutely a vertical grip and a stock like a 2x6".

The preferred grip angle is influenced by how the shooyer likes to shoot. A shooter who likes to hold the elbow high will prefer a more open grip and may even like a straight grip. A shooter who is more comfortable with the elbow lower will be better served by a more vertical grip. An offhand rifle is usually better with more drop at the heel but with a higher comb. GD

Guys, yeah all y’all.

I have my preference for sure but I’d like to suggest something I don’t see mentioned.

I think our individual ergos, height, neck length, arm length, hand size, etc. has much
to do with FIT for the individual shooter.

I am 5’10”, 180 #, with 32” sleeves and most factory stocks fit me well.
LOP has been an issue ONLY with 1rifle > Savage 110 C (that stood for CLIP.)
The lop was too long.

I’m glad that the average stock dimensions work for me.

Personally I don’t like the look of the vertical grip stocks TOO.

Jerry

My Mcmillan Game Hunter is so fugly I still wince every time I see it which is a lot because I use it a lot.

Oddly I fund it helps most in field positions. When I can take my time a classic stock is OK. Stressed, difficult shot on trophy I'm now taking function over looks

For me the Remington 700 Classic stock pattern points best if I have to shoot quickly. My other rifles are different stock patterns. If we are doing a deer drive or I am walking and hunting. I take the classic. I can get on target with it the quickest.

I really like the classic style, my old Ruger M77 Tang safe is about the best looking factory setup I've seen. My JC Higgins 51-L with it's slight Monte Carlo and no cheek piece is easier to get behind though. Long arms and neck might be part of that.

I like Monte Carlo stocks

I love the looks of a straight grip on a lever action, and I love the looks of an open classic bolt action stock, but I shoot smaller groups and just as importantly my worst errors are much smaller the more vertical the pistol grip and more swollen the grip is. I think that is pretty common.

LOP is a separate issue. And to me comb height is determined by the sights you're using.

I've owned an AR-15, and shot a number of low comb, and high comb rifles. I've tried stocks with different LOP's, etc. I own rifles that wear iron sights as well as rifles with both fixed magnification and variable scopes. What it has come down to for me is what works in the field best. And no one combination fits all field conditions best. You must try them out. Shooting off a bench is very informative. Teaches you where the sights send the bullets and how well your loads group. But that's it. The older I get, the more important testing rifles from the field positions you will use in the field becomes.
I learned a long time ago, if I want to shoot ground squirrels at 300 yds., I must assume a prone position and use a heavier rifle with a scope. But for shooting them at ranges of 50 yds or so, I can get by just fine with my peep sighted Marlin w/ a straight grip stock.
At present, I'm giving serious consideration to my peep sighted M70 for the type of desert mule deer hunting I do. But for hunting my local area, very early or late in the day, I'm selecting a rifle with a 6X scope. E