Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Somebody give me some insight. Why a more open grip??

Just curious as to what is the advantage if a more open grip such as in the McMillsn a Compact vs the McMillan Featherweight for the Winchester M70.

All I have is the stock featherweight rifle and one in the Sako Hunter style and they both have similarly closed grips.

Until I can try and locate a rifle with a more open grip to handle I thought if ask here.

I had the featherweight and f'ing hated it. Forend is narrow as schit.

So the open compact grip isn't too hard to get a grip for small handed people?

I don't have large hands and thought the Compact was just a bit too open for me. It was not horrible, but the Mtn Rifle pattern is way better for my hands. I have a M7KS, which is also pretty open, but the grip diameter is quite small and I also run a short LOP on that rifle.

The Sako-style palm-swell grips also work very well for me.

I run a 13" lop and have 1 20" M70 featherweight I was thinking I could restock to eliminate the worry I have with wood moving potentially.

I don't see that McMillan offers a Mountain Rifle style for the M70 like your referring to so that is why I'm asking about the more open grip.

IMO it boils down to personal preference and hand size. P P may boil down to hand size and comfort.

Personally I can't stand palm swells. I love the Rem M R and Win 70 XTR featherweights.

What's your preference?

If I was re-stocking a M70, it would be with McMillan Hunter pattern.

That is what my 24" wears. Just not sure a 20" would balance well in that stock.

You could get it in Edge fill to help with that. Is your other in a standard fill stock?

It is a standard fill. I'm worried that the 20" barrel length would under balance the overall stock but maybe I'm worrying about nothing.

I hope I can locate a Kimber Montana to get the feel for a more open grip but I don't predict me preferring that style open grip.

From what I've heard, the Hunter's Edge would still be a few ounces lighter than the McMillan/Sako Hunter with Edge fill.

Yeah. The Hunters Edge is a smaller stock overall. Thanks for the input.

To me it depends on the rifle's overall weight and caliber. I have a custom stocked 98 in 8x57 that has the grip so closed up that the trigger guard hits my fingers during recoil. My favorites are all open/narrow grip and handle like lightning, think of how a shotgun grip works.-Muddy

Aight. Thanks for the view point muddy.

If you hunt and shoot offhand, I like the open grip. If you are prone or on your ass when you hunt a more vertical works well.

Another super example Steelhead

I like a more open grip when shooting off hand and if using an off hand type of rest (like the side of a tree, my knee while seated, etc). If shooting from a bench, prone, or all snuggled up (MPAJ), I lean more towards a closed grip. The more static the position the more closed...but I can live with either in any. I think balance and a clean trigger are bigger issues...trigger time being the biggest issue of all.

I missed his post but per usual SH said in quicker/better.

Hey any input is great man!! Thanks again for the insight.