Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Monte Carlo vs Classic stock

Monte Carlo vs Classic straight comb stock on a hunting rifle. Which do you prefer and why?

I prefer a classic straight comb. One reason is that is what I started shooting with and another is I hunt out of a climber and I am sometimes shooting in positions that are not perfect. I tried a monte carlo and got my cheek hammered a few times.

For me it's about a quick sight alignment with a good cheek weld . Regular stocks are the right height for iron sights .
Put an optic on and you need to elevate your sight picture to align . Then I prefer a raised or adjustable comb.
Tried Monte Carlo but it pushes my cheek off center. With the right stock you can raise the rifle to your cheek
and you're looking right at the sights ( or reticle ) .

A stock with a little drop between the nose and heel of the stock for me.

I can like eitherif the stock fits me. I tend to look at an overall stock design rather than just a single element of it. If I had to choose one or the other for just one all around rifle, it would likely be a classic straight comb stock.

Depends on how the stock is made. If there is a significant drop at the heel and you are using an optic, the Monte Carlo will help align your eye better. I prefer minimal drop at the heel which minimizes muzzle rise during recoil so even though I typically use optics a straight stock works better and a Monte Carlo is not required.

Tough to beat a Sako Hunter pattern,for soaking up recoil. Just buttoning a new up,this morning. Hint.












Just sayin'................

I like a monte carlo just fine. I agree that the Sako hunter is a particularly comfortable one. GD

For looks, the classic style. But a stock with an inch to inch and a half drop in the heel is more comfortable for me. Personally, the whack on the shoulder bothers me more than the one on the cheek.

There was a time that I would have quickly answered the question with "classic" and never thought twice. However, since getting a couple of the manners MCST stocks I'm really starting to like the Monte Carlo. My main hunting rifle sits in a Hunters Edge and I still like a McMillan Classic, but a Monte Carlo is more appealing to me these days.

I prefer the looks of the classic, and prefer them with irons. As for a scoped rifle, I do prefer the Monte Carlo.

A lot depends on your body structure. For example, the distance between where you put the rifle on your shoulder to your eye level height. This distance varies according to such things as your neck length, your head length, how square your shoulders are (as opposed to sloping shoulders). The greater this measurement, the more likely a Sako Hunter style stock will suit you more than a classic style stock. With your facial structure, the "squarer" your head is, as opposed to being triangular, the more likely a stock without a cheekpiece will suit you. And sometimes if you are used to a certain stock design, even if it isn't ideal, you prefer it to a more suitable design simply because you are used to it and the other stock design feels weird or even just looks weird to you. Also, your eye/shoulder relationship changes when you shoot off-hand to when you shoot over a bench...and the ideal stock changes also as the vertical distance usually decreases when at the bench (as you often lean forward more).

For my purposes, it's not the shape of the stock that is my primary concern, it is measurement of drop at comb, and cast/comb thickness for head/eye alignment with the scope.

I like the LOOK of a straight-combed classic comb, but it should be essentially near parallel with bore, and for me, even angled slightly lower toward the front of the comb (somewhere about 1.5 inches below the center of mounted optics). I am fine with a modest/conservative monte carlo buttstock, as the butt plate is lower, making offhand shooting more ergonomic. I am not a fan of pronounced monte carlo stocks, like the early Weatherby mark V design, or a "rollover" cheek piece/comb (serves no purpose, and is ugly).

Eye alignment is my top criteria for a buttstock (comb height). Form follows function.

Most of the reason that I have always hated Weatherby is the Monte Carlo stock, they just don't fit me, all my rifles have classic stocks
Hate to agree with Lil' Dick but the Sako classic is one of my favorites

Did you agree to disagree?

Sako Classic:
https://mcmillanusa.com/shop/browse-mcmillan-rifle-stock-models/hunting-stock-models/sako-classic/



Sako Hunter:
https://mcmillanusa.com/shop/browse-mcmillan-rifle-stock-models/hunting-stock-models/sako-hunter/

The Sako Hunter shoots softer,than the Sako Classic. As contour goes up,the Rem Hunter is a very good play. Hint.

ButtCancer and DumbDog only should say ONE word,after I Post and that's simply "ditto". Those Drooling Brokedick DUMB Fhuqks are a hoot! Hint.









Just sayin'..........

I knew even a hint of validation from me would make your day. You're welcome, Li'l Sticky! GD

DumbDog,

I'm afforded the luxuries,of not being forced to guess and a guess is your only "move",unless you say "ditto". Hint.

Keep riding coat tails and "living" vicariously. Hint.







Just sayin'.............

It would just be nicer if McMillan made the Sako Hunter stocks slightly lighter. I bought one several years ago with their "Edge Technology" and with a 13.5" LOP it came in at 26 oz...as opposed to their Edge that came in at 23.5 oz.

I don't just shoot with MC stocks, I make 'em, when I want to; probably since you were playing with your Tonka trucks. Dimensionally, the Sako is pretty good and I'm happy working in that neighborhood. Some aesthetic changes maybe, but that's about it. Silhouette stocks are just exaggerated as to drop at the toe and comb height.
Often, when people shoulder a rifle with a straight, classic stock, without thinking, the butt ends up riding high on their shoulder, and a third of the butt is unused. Lower the drop at the heel and toe, while leaving the comb where it is, and the stock is more comfortable and usable. One place the straight stock with less drop, is definitely better, is when you are shooting prone. My feeling only, of course, you may think otherwise, given your greater experience.
Hey, I really like your recent fish pics though; I'm truly envious of those. GD