Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Ruger boat paddle stock

It's like a bulldog: so ugly that it's cute.

I once had one and to date it's the only synthetic stock I ever had. But I definately have a soft spot in my heart for the old canoe paddle.

And yes, it's pure utilitarian value was part of what attracted it to me. It's afordable, but because of it's "folded in" design it's still plenty stiff. Again, it functions well but is inexpensive. I suspect that some of the current factory synthetics aren't as stiff and don't function as well. I think to get a sythetic stock to function as well as the canoe paddle requires going to the high-end solid synthetics. So again, it achieves the mostest amount of stiffness for the leastest amount of money.

And what's not to like about not needing swivels? It already has a sling attachment, and one that's better than any swivils will ever provide. That's an extra ten buck or so in your pocket.

Hey, even the Ford Edsell eventually became collectable and has a following.

I don't drive a Yugo and I like em". LOL Really, I like the boat paddle stocks and know of a few people that say their boat paddle stocked Rugers are the most accurate they have ever owned. I have a .260 that's gonna make a hell of rugged high country muledeer tool!!! CD

I thought Yugo's were made by Bic Lighters. One tank of gas and you throw'em away. I remember about 15yrs ago a Yugo was blown off the top of the Mackinaw Bridge. I shouldn't have laffed, but I did anyway. Sometimes cheap equipment can be very costly....2MG

That is a possibility too. But my son seems to have a soft spot for the boat paddle. I have a 260 just like mine under the Christmas tree for him this year. Perhaps there is a 243 in his future someday.

Not to mention if you get up $#!* creek without a paddle you are covered.

I have one and recently purchased the new synthetic one from Ruger. The paddle stock is extremely strong and the fore-end very stiff. It is a great platform for the rifle. However, it realistically cannot be shortened. The new stock looks nicer and my rifle shoots equally as well from it. I was able to shorten it and installed a Declerator. If I had been able to shorten it I wouldn't have replaced it. I glad that I did because the new one is more pleasant to the eye.

I really like the boat paddle stock. I currently own a 223, 243 and 338 that all wear that stock. They are light, stiff, and you can take a rag soaked in some Break-Free, and wipe the stock down which covers the scratches and makes the stock look new again.

One thing I liked about mine was the price - $375 NIB at Sportsmans a couple years ago, attached to a .300 Win Mag. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Thought about a Boyd stock for a while but decided against it for now. The thought was to use the laminate most of the year then switch to the canoe paddle right before hunting season. Decided the cost and trouble weren't justified.

One reason I bought the canoe paddle Ruger was functionality - it was light weight, impervious to the weather and rugged as a brick. It still is, and I'm keeping it. Kind of grows on you.

Boy this post took off! I appreciate the response. The reason I asked is that I ran across a MkII .25-06 in the boat paddle the other day that had almost a medium heavy barrel profile. It intrigued me as a possible dog-zapper but the stock kinda put me off a bit and I passed on it. Very interesting to know that it's fairly stiff though. Maybe a real good feature for a 'hell and back' hunting rifle..

That story cracks me up. A few years back my better half wanted a stainless 77-22 Mag with a boat paddle stock. The best local price within 100 miles + was $420.00 + tax.

I'd seen them up in Fargo for ~$360.00-$370.00 and couldn't hardly swallow that price for a .22. I knew that centerfires were going for less than $400.00 almost everywhere.

Anyway, to make a long, sad story short and sad we paid the $420 +. I couldn't even talk her into the wood stock model for about the same price.

Christmas shopping you know.

+1 got one on my 338 it its just a tough stock. I did put a decelerator pad on it. The have them made just for that stock.

I have one on my 264 win mag and it's great. Nothing to look at, but sure is funcitonal. At first I wasn't too keen on the sling mounts, but they grow on you as well.

NH Hunter.

This is an old thread but I stumbled on it while googling for a Ruger boat paddle stock.

Bought a Ruger MKII stainless .30-06 a couple months back and it came with a laminated stock, nice but heavier than I wanted. Last weekend I bought a Ruger MKII stainless long action receiver with a magnum bolt face and instantly found myself needing a stock and barrel.

Ever since purchasing the .30-06 I�ve been looking for a boat paddle stock for it, without success. Tonight I discovered Numrich has them available and I just got through purchasing one, NIB, for $86.

The new boat paddle will go on the stainless .30-06 and the laminated stock from the .30-06 will go on the stainless receiver. Not sure what I�ll chamber the barrel for when I get it but I�m thinking .375 Ruger. Whatever I end up choosing will be a magnum and the heavier laminated stock will help tame the recoil a bit.

I understand why people don�t like the boat paddle stocks but I really like the one on my .300 Win Mag and am glad I found another. The stainless .30-06 with the boat paddle stock will make for a very nice wet weather rifle.

I've got three, .22 mag, 7mm Rem mag, and a newly aquired essentially new .338 win mag which I haven't shot yet.

There's something about them that kinda grows on you, ugly but attractive at the same time at least to me.

My 7mm mag is one of my better fitting rifles and the recoil doesn't bother me in the least. I hope I can say the same about the .338 when I finally get around to firing it?

I only owned one, a stainless 223. I did everything I could to get tat thin to shoot under three inches. Gave up and sold it to someone who thought three inches at a hundred was good. Don't plan of another.

This is how my MKII .300 Win Mag shoots with its boat paddle stock. The 1st shot was from a cleaned and oiled bore.

Well said!

i'd rather run the boat paddle stock than walnut. i bought the first stainless rifle i saw in person, and it was a Ruger All Weather in .308. now have three, that .308, a 77/.22, and a .223 AI. wishing for one on a .350 Rem mag.

i may skeletonize one someday and see how much weight goes away.

They can be de-uglied a bit. I call this one "trailer park" as in prettiest girl in the trailer park...
Still isn't a beauty queen, but it improved some.

I bought an early stainless MK II. All black stock (no green inserts). I planned on changing the stock to a laminated one. The more I used the boat paddle stock, the more I liked it. Not for looks as it's one of the all time ugliest stocks but when it comes to all around use it works well. They're stiff, tough, and you can't make them look worse so go hunt hard and no worries. I mounted swivel studs on mine.