Just curious what other fellow hunters might have? Have most people gone to synthetics?

What I have:

Remington 760 GameMaster 243win wood
Remington 7600 30.06 synthetic
Tikka T3X Lite .270win synthetic
Benelli Lupo 300wm

I hunt in any and every weather condition. Biggest buck ever shot was in a steady rain. Aside from the beauty of a wood stock, synthetic stocks with weather proof barrels are my preference.

Does a Fat Baby fart?

Ya,

GWB

I have both so I take what the weather calls for…

I have several of both. My last kill was with a woodie.

I have two!

I have both, but my favorite rifles are wood stocked. Synthetics have no soul and leave me feeling cold.

Wood stocked Mauser 98 C- rings in .257 Roberts, 8x68s, and 9.3.62.

A few lever guns with wood, many shotguns, a muzzleloader, a few Ruger 10/22's with laminates,.....the only bolt gun with wood is a Crickett youth rimfire, and I'm a bolt gun junkie.

I guess I'm cold and soulless.

I don't own any plastic crap.. Sorry..

Two. A LH Rem 581 with factory wood stock. And a LH PO Ackley 7x57 with custom wood stock. Everything else is plastic / synthetic / fiberglass...

I'm going back to walnut. It's about 50/50 now.

Took this one on a moose hunt last year.

^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^

All wood here!!!!!

Only one synthetic stock in the cabinet. The rest are nice walnut.

This

Do you still have a wood stock in your collection?

Maybe a better title would have been . . .

How many plastic rifles in your toolbox?

A bunch of plastic stocked rifles could hardly be called a collection.

I have about 50/50 wood and synthetic mix at the moment. I don’t discriminate 😁

NONE, NADA, NO TOOLS are alive so
NO guns/rifles/handguns have ‘soul’ !!

As best I can remember I have 3 SYNTHETIC stocked rifles. ALL the others are Walnut and they
have no soul.
ALL rifles respond to pressure commands
NOT whispers, caresses, or voice commands.

All are INanimate objects.

When the chips are DOWN...synthetic will not let you down. WOOD can and DOES expand and or
retract W/O your command.

I hunt both kinds frequently and I PREFER
reliability. I NEVER wonder if synthetic stocks
have warped or swollen due to WX conditions.

« Soul » does not exist in inanimate objects.

Jerry

I would have to check but something tells me I have more wood than synthetic.

With the last 2 rifles I bought I got wood.

Sure looks like your rifle has soul (beauty, panache, style) to me.

But weren't you worried that a shift in zero would cost you your moose? (sarcasm)

Wood outnumbers plastic here

I've got enough synthetic stocked rifles to cover any bad weather hunting I might do. If it weren't for needing them for that purpose, I probably wouldn't own any. The only rifles that hold any interest for me at this point have wood stocks.

+1

.

I have no big game rifles with wood stocks, wood is pretty but not very practical for my style of deer hunting...I might buy another wood stocked centerfire rifle some day to hunt with a couple times a year on pretty days just for old times sake 👍.....Hb

Put me in the prefer wood stocks camp. I have a couple synthetics and I’m sure I’ll own more, but I’ll generally go out of my way to get one with wood.

Only walnut. Model 70s, Model 100, Model 1892, Marlin 336, and Husky 1640. Whippersnappers with plastic can get off my lawn! 😂😇

Yup

A plastic stock for rainy days

Same here, a Model 700 .270. Everything else is walnut.

Nope 🤣

I have two both are JC Higgins, one a model 50 and one a model 50L both in 30-06. I have only had them a few years and enjoy hunting with them on nice days. Most days for the last 30 years have been with synthetic stocks and stainless barreled actions. When I am finished with them I hope to give them to my grandsons.

Of my actively used hunting rifles, I have two that are synthetic stocked. That's largely due to the lower cost of buying good bedding block stocks in synthetic vs. wood. The remainder (5 rifles) are all walnut.

I may order an Accurate Innovations stock for the two that have B&C stocks, but that's a lot of money purely for cosmetics.

Mostly wood with a couple of synthetic stocks.

I have only one synthetic stocked rifle. I use it exclusively for those extreme situations when I can't take proper care of more pleasing alternatives. Remote fly in or backpack hunts in extreme weather. I went "full ugly" for this one, function vs aesthetics. It's a a Ruger M77 MkII 30-06, canoe paddle stock / stainless / with a NECG aperture and Ruger's original front sight. And a Zeiss 3-9 Conquest in Ruger stainless ring mounts. Nothing I have used is tougher or more fool proof. But it usually sits at home. I prefer rifles I can admire for their fine workmanship, with beautiful walnut, fine fit and finish, and quiet, lively handling.
I have several nice walnut stocked bolt rifles, but lately have gravitated towards fine break action rifles. A couple of double rifles and some single shot & combination guns. I can't imagine putting a synthetic stock on them.

Exactly my thoughts as well.

Two on lever guns and one on a Ruger 77 UL.

Both very stupid questions..

Life's too short to have a safe full of ugly guns.

I prefer wood and blued steel. I've got a few synthetic stocked guns, but my wood and blued steel far outnumber them.

I have 3 safes full of rifles, all of which except two, are blue steel and walnut. The two synthetics are Montanas, bought for their light weight and ease of carry on western mountain hunts as I've gotten older, and not for their resistance to weather conditions. I was taught early on how to care for and maintain a traditional firearm before, and immediately after a day of soaking weather. After almost 50 years, none of my rifles have any rust or wood damage caused by water.

Not a synth anywhere- just beat up wood. First thing that I did with that 70fwt I bought practically un-used 2 years ago (after fixing the safety) was taking it ATV caribou hunting up in the mountains in the rain and fog.. It looks honest now.

Safe queens are for those who don't hunt.

Tomorrow, I leave to hammer several some more on an ATV/hiking/camping caribou hunt....... rain is in the forecast for the foreseeable future. They are a fooking tool, not an art object.

As long as they shoot, and aren't a total rust bucket. Corrosion X is your friend, and that rain- swollen wood will shrink again. Eventually. Chit can be refinished.

I should probably sell them all and buy one good synthetic/stainless, - but hell, these are paid for - and my kids don't hunt.

I have re-stocked the expensive synthetic stocks I thought I would love but ended up hating them. I have moved to laminated stocks on heavy kickers but still prefer fine walnut on my go-to's.

Both very stupid questions..

————————
Look at Pot calling Kettle..

My favorite hunting rifles are wood/blue. I have a few plastic but don't use them much and will give them to my grandkids as soon as they are old enough.

About 50/50 here too, all the wood ones being pre 64 M70's of some sort, short of some .22's.

Anybody have a pic of an SB-3 brace on a Ruger #1?

Sorry about that flippant response.

My Bad.

Let's see, some wood stocked rifles that have followed me home in the recent past.



Marlin 1894 Cowboy, 44 Mag



Browning High Grades

Model 71, 348 Winchester

B-78, 300 H&H

Model 63, 218 Bee



Browning 1895 High Grade, 30-40 Krag

Custom Winchester 71, 475 Turnbull



Ruger #1, 475 Turnbull



Custom Full Stock Remington 600, 17 Mach IV



Merkel 141 Double Rifle, 30-06 Springfield




Connecticut Shotgun RBL Professional, Double, 2-3/4" - 20 ga. Sabot





Browning Low Wall, 223 Rem.



Browning A- Bolt, Trophy Grade, 270 Winchester.

ya!

GWB

Touche.

I have a couple of wood stocked rifles, but the weather here is so nasty that they never leave the safe.


Okie John

I fully appreciate what synthetics bring to the table. My safe is probably 10:1 wood:synthetic. Maybe more.

Fine, GW. Twisted my arm so I will trade for the Merkel. Which of my kids do you want...? 😇😂

Currently, no. Just plastics and fiberglass. Will have to remedy this situation in the near future, hopefully with an Ithaca M37 or a Model 12. Just can't visualize an upland shotgun with a plastic stock.

I did get "lucky" and slipped a 160gr NP from that 275Rigby into a small bull at 250yds. It was DROT (dead right over there)

I do confess that I took a synthetic stocked 280 as well in case it got really crappy as it does on Newfoundland. What gunnut doesn't take two rifles, right?

Not counting AR’s, I only have two rifles with synthetic stocks that I can think of. I have two shotguns with synthetic, but the rest are all wood.

Well, I do have mostly wood stocked guns but in the last 25 years or so I've added some syn stocked guns for use on bad weather days. Some are blued and some are stainless. The main criteria was the stock being non absorptive. I like wood and that is the way the fug it is. Mb

So true! For several hundred years, people used wood stocked guns and couldn’t hit anything with them . Thank goodness for plastic and people with no taste.

I have both and am not emotionally attached to either one.

I enjoy and use both.

Exactly what I was thinking!

^^^^ This !!!!

Plenty.

Synthetic stocks suck but have a place.

And just for the record…I don’t have a collection, I have an accumulation.

Damn, you must be on Murphy's domestic terrorist list with that arsenal.

Added another one yesterday. Sigh

Have some of each, the right tool for the job.

Nice

True.

I'm somewhere around 50+ long guns and most are wood stocked. 3 AR's and 3 bolt rifles are synthetic...

I don't hunt anywhere near as much as I used to. But even when I hunted a lot, I never cared for hunting in rain. Unless I had a firm date that I had to hunt, if it was raining I usually waited for a better day. Nonetheless, I got caught in rain, snow, wet conditions, and fog plenty of times. And I never had a blued/wood gun not perform well, or rust over, swell up, or otherwise not do its job in those conditions. And a little maintenance afterwards was all it took to keep those guns running and looking good. The biggest draw for me to synthetic stock is weight savings. The current attitude that wood can't handle weather fails to consider that wood is all there was for how long? A properly maintained wood stock will last forever.

You HAVE NOT "hunted in the rain", buddy. Not for days on end, without a dry, warm cabin or house to go back to when you get a little uncomfortable in a drizzle to dry and repolish your guns, have a hot toddy, bullshit with your buds, etc. It is obvious from your claim to fame.

I have a couple rifles that, even with good finishes and epoxy sealed butt-grain, swell up beyond the butt pad by up to 1/16 inch after a few days of constantly being out in the crap. They come back down over the winter. Never had a problem with POI change tho, probably due to them having the full receiver area glass bedded, with free-floating barrels.

Mostly wood for me. I did have a Winchester 70 go bad on me after a wet hunt, but it didn't have any oil or glass in the bed channel.. Some Bubba had free floated it. But didn't finish the job. Shot good and looked pretty till then.

Mostly wood for me. I did have a Winchester 70 go bad on me after a wet hunt, but it didn't have any oil or glass in the bed channel.. Some Bubba had free floated it. But didn't finish the job. Shot good and looked pretty till then.

The only wood rifle I own is a grey/black laminated stock Marlin 45/70.

Every other rifle is synthetic, including the muzzleloader.

Shotguns on the other hand, have a bunch of wood O/U and SxS

Not as single plastic stock in my gun safe. And never had a problem with rain and blue steel/wood guns.
Had a Browning A Bolt SS/synthetic in 270 W once but sold it and bought a wood stocked Verney-Carron in the same caliber.

The Fat Baby farted

Remington fan by chance?

I'm a lefty,

Only one of the 9 bolt actions in my locker has wood....

Left hand ruger hawkeye 3006.....
My all weather lefty is a tikka ss t3 in the same caliber....

All the rest are rightys in synthetic stocks.

+1

I've no animus when it comes to synthetic stocks, I just happen to prefer wood when it's practical

I hunt out of a camp. I prefer to stay three nights. This gives me the opportunity to be afield 3 nights and three mornings. My passion is perforating porkers. I snare, trap and snipe em'. With spring Turkey season, Dove season, Archery and Rifle season, I typically make at least 15 trips per year. Have not always done so but have now geared up to where I take these 4 synthetic stocked rifles most every trip.



Top to bottom

AR-15, 223 Wylde, Tru-Glo Red/Green dot Sight
AR-15, 6.5 Grendel , Super Hogster Thermal Scope
Browning A-Bolt Hunter, 308 Win.
Browning Max Long Range, 6.5 PRC

I use the 223 with the red dot sight when I'm running snares and traps after the morning hunt. Works great up close on running pigs and boars at the end of a tether.




My first thermal scope was a Flir PST 233. Native maginification @ 1x. At 4x targets were almost indistinguishable Had it mounted on a 300 Blackout. I recently decided to go with the 6.5 Grendel combined with the Super Hogster Thermal vs. the 300 B/0 or 6.8 SPC II. It is an amazing optic. Native maginification is 2.9x which I find to suit me better at the distances I shoot. Works incredibly well laying down fire on running targets. Only negative is I find it hard when scanning to have any concept of distance to target.


full disclosure: Flir thermal optic.

IIRC, in this instance I was able to nail 4 on the run out of this sounder, +/- 30 yds.


Browning A-Bolt with Day and Night vision is a hoot. Can video hunts and take stills. Also streams to my tablet so I can set up on a feeder or water source and watch on the tablet rather than having to keep my eye to the optic.









At night it helps with eyestrain and night blindness. However night vision is not good for scanning or picking up moving targets after dark. With the Night Snipe Illuminator it is supposed to be good to 1k yds. I usually do not shoot more that 150 yds at night.

I have the 26 Nosler in the Hells Canyon Speed, so when the Long Range Max came available in the 6.5 PRC, I snagged one. It is probably one of the more accurate rifles I own.



It gets taken quite a bit even if shots are not 200 + yds. or the weather is inclement.

Ya!

GWB

I just realized I do have a synth stock - on the POS Rem 770 I felt obligated to buy a few years ago. last time I shot it for group. Check fired it 2 rounds for POI last week - about an inch apart, 2 1/2" high at 100 with 180 gr factory. Close enough!

Along with several other rifles that can mostly hide in the camper when it's wet out, including one of the stock swellers.

more wood than syn. Even on a Remington scoremaster.


And picked up this Vanguard in 300 Win, because of the wood, its a little different.

Yep, I always take two, and often the backup is synthetic.

But the primary rifle will usually be a good shooting wood stocked rifle, that's also good looking.

Sometimes.......the wood is the prize.

[img]https://ibb.co/RgvQQS8[/img]
[img]https://ibb.co/Tc1v3qv[/img]
[img]https://ibb.co/Dgg47fX[/img]

Still have several. Got in a used one yesterday to put on a model 70.

I have plastic and wood. Plastic probably makes more sense. But when I am deer hunting. I sit for hours holding the rifle maybe days. I prefer to hold wood. Kind of like holding a pretty girls hand instead of an ugly one. I know that isn't much of a reason. I would rather hold a pretty girls hand.

Pretty is as pretty does...

I tried synthetics, and appreciate their functionality. But I live in eastern MT, where walnut is pretty stable. I'm back to all wood stocks, laminate on my varmint rifle. That said, if I lived in a humid climate, or planned a hunt in AK or the northwest, I'd probably get a synthetic stocked rifle. But I enjoy those wood stocks.

Predominately...

Without "GOOD WOOD" !

What'a ya got!

Have and use both, mostly my bolt guns are synthetic of some sort and my lever actions are wood.

Most everything is wood. I like the rifles from the first half of the 1900's, maybe up to 1970 and that is mostly what I shoot and hunt with. The stuff being made now doesn't interest me very much. I do have a couple of rifles with fiberglass/plastic stocks. But then these are out there waiting to be found....

That’s a purty one!

Only four center fires in wood.

There's nothing wrong with synthetic but I have always preferred the looks and feel of wood. All my rifles have a wood stock with the exception of one, a Rem LTR and it came with a synthetic stock.

I have mostly wood stocks. They work fine for my purposes, and that includes hunting in rain. In fact for deer hunting I prefer drizzle over dry conditions - it makes it a lot quieter underfoot and masks your scent. You just need to make sure the wood's sealed, especially in the inletting. Wood's stiffer than fibreglass and your typical injection-moulded stock too, though kevlar and carbon fibre composites are better than all of these for stiffness.

That sure is mighty fine lookin'!

All walnut and blue here. I've had synthetic stocked rifles, but they don't seem to stay.

Just as many in wood as in synthetic.

Mostly wood and blue steel, got a few plastic, have become a 99 fan in the last few years. The recoil pad stock in gone on the 284. I hate recoil pads unless it’s factory, found a cut checkered stock to match the forearm.



A few Sako’s



A couple Kleinguenthers



The plastic rifles I have are 700’s

Nice collecton of Sako's, Remington's and 99s. I hadn't realized you gathered up so many 99s !

Good stuff Hanco!

ya!

GWB

ALL, heartless, Mindless, SOULLESS killing MACHINES !

Ahhhh perfectly content !


Jerry

I like the feel and look of wood stocks but I do not trust them. The areas I hunt vary from 100+ with single digit RH values in summer to 100+ inches of rain in the winter (west) to sub zero (east). Under those shifting conditions wood stocks squirm like a guy getting a root canal with no anesthetic. I've had them shift by up to 12 MOA in as little as 2 days as dry wood gets wet and swells unevenly. Wood stocks are for decoration. When the chips are down, when meat is on the line, mine will be synthetic.

... edit ... that is for bolt actions with a one piece stock. I'm not opposed to wood stocks on a single shot or lever action with a 2 piece stock.

Tom

They are fun, always liked lever actions, Was hooked after the first one.

Before 2010 when I joined here, I hardly ever took a pic of the rifle with a deer. Such was the case here in 2008.




This is my heaviest bodied Buck to date- 194 # live wt. 10 pt

I backed my F150 into a ditch to load him in the bed. NO Shame. LOL

Now the heartless, mindless, Soulless, killing machine.... The Shadow Knows. 300 Win Mag




All Smiles Jerry

hanco, Gee hit on the head.. Nice stuff...

#ShowMeYourWood


-Kingston

Really ? I’d never ask a man that !!!

Need you ask why ?

Jerry

[quote=Mathsr]



That right there is GORGEOUS ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Jerry

Only ones I have are an AR and a TC Impact. The AR does not come in wood and I can't figure out how to make wood stock for the Impact.Everything else is wood

All Walnut except for 1 which is set up for any weather conditions. The plastic is lined up against a wall in the gunroom if the need or inclination returns.

elks

that'll do...... for an also ran.

sorry had to.

Yessiree mmmmgood

Jerry

Only thing in the safes with a wood stock is one lonely 10/22 that my 6 year old loves.

I like wood stocks and I have several with nice wood. I try to keep some wood stocks around, but they seldom, if ever, get used. Most of what I use are modern lightweight rifles with synthetic stocks and stainless metal. I have a nice wood stocked Mountain Rifle that I would like to use, so far it has been a loaner to a good friend during deer season.

My slide to syn & SS began with Skeeter.
And then the WEIGHT difference cemented the
deal.

WE have read and I have said,
“You carry a rifle much more than shoot it when
hunting”.

I like & appreciate good walnut and have more
than syn. But it’s much more pleasant to carry
a light rifle for a day hunting.

Jerry

Could not agree more!



Merkel K1, 7mm08 Rem




























ya!


GWB

What's the story on that sweet rifle? ....... Nice!

Cub

That was the last he saw the rifle before forgetting where it was and drove over it. LOL

I agree with you. More info please.

Jerry

All I have are wood stocked rifles. Even my competition guns are wood .
Can't see me owning a syn stock ant time soon. :>)
Cat

That front ring with the MAUSER logo is very nice, and this coming from a guy that shuns logos. No scopes on that one.

Paul

I have built (3) rifles so far for hunting 2021 and all (3) are wood.

I built (3) rifles for 2020 (1) was wood and (2) were synthetic.

In 2019 I used a carbon fiber stock.

As Always Good Stuff GW

Hell... I don't buy the rifle, I buy the WOOD! The rest is just a bonus!

My only synthetic is a short light stainless TC Contender. Gets carried a lot. Remaining collection is wood with a couple of laminated stocks from the Remington Custom Shop.

The wood vs. plastic decision can be likened to automobiles. If you prefer a classy analog car/truck that has character, soul, and challenges you to actually interact with the mechanism vs. a coldly efficient computer-managed machine that simply requires you to steer it to your destination, then a wood stocked rifle is for you. Otherwise, load the synthetic devices into an Asian/American SUV/pickup, join the multitudes of conformists, and pursue the American Dream of marching in lockstep toward some featureless efficient future.

Show me a vehicle , train , gun , motorcycle
or ANY inanimate object that has ‘soul’.

Soul indicates Life.
Life requires Soul.

Sheesh

Jerry

You’re the one with the soul, the object just reminds you….

The term is often used loosely.

One might consider that something related to the spirit of the craftsman who made it remains with the object, as is the case with great works of art.

Well said!

One might, but one would be delusional, if one thinks the artist left some psychic cooties on his pretty objet.

Several pre 64 Model 70's
Kimber Model 82, .22
Marlin, JM, 30 30
RUGER # 1
Marlin. 22 mag
Pre 64 Win. Model 100 .308
Win. Model 12, 1947
Win. Model 42, 1960

Well sid, a great summation.

drover

Finally, there is some understanding of 'soul'.

I was about to decide it didn't exist on the 'fire'.

Thnx Guys

Jerry

Picked this up last weekend. Always wanted a Remington 7400. Old guns with wood are special.

Three gun cabinets, all stocked with wood.

Many

I like my dogs. And rocks. And rifles. With soul.
And let's not even get started on the white privelege dis'ing Soul Music and Soul Food


[img]https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2228641/posts[/img]

(EDIT: can't get the signs to embed properly)

You're such a philosopher.

Since I saw the plastic looking stock on a Nylon 66 I been sick at my stomach....later I saw one on a high powered rifle....I thought I'd never own any crap like that.
Then a guy traded me a 3 lug Sako 7mag in a Browns Precision Kevlar stock.....I couldn't stand to look at her but she was a killing machine.

After Benneli got the SBE problems hashed out about 2000 I started looking at one for turkey hunting....in 2000 they only offered a left hand SBE in camo or black I went with the camo make up....boy she was ugly as sin but also a killing machine.

The Sako finally left town the old SBE and her sister are still killing machines....I had the camo make up blasted off and had both guns Cerakoted and replaced the camo plastic stocks with wood.

People hunted in every weather condition prior to composite stocks.....a properly prepared wood stock can safely survive most any weather condition.

Wood won't melt if left too close to a fire.

All of 'em....

One only

257 Rob...

3. Two of em Ruger single shots and the other a beater Rem 760.

Id convert two of em to synth

wood is the way too go!

[quote=Brad]

257 Rob...




VERY Nice Brad. Love the grain.

Jerry

LFC

" Since I saw the plastic looking stock on a Nylon 66 I been sick at my stomach....later I saw one on a high powered rifle....I thought I'd never own any crap like that."


You mean like this ?



50 years ago I bought THIS 66 at KMart right after our Wedding. Price was @ 65.00 or so.
My wife was maybe 95 lbs so I thot I'd try this because of its light weight and handling.

Almost a mistake - She is TOO GOOD with it.
Also my youngest Son tried to steal it. LOL.

I've never had a single problem - I know that some did -. Load - Aim - Shoot.

At one time I could knock 22 LR empty hulls off a fence post at 20-25 yds. It has KILT more than enuff squirrels to pay for itself.

Jerry

Several (don't tell the wife). And I recently traded in to a Sako L691 simply because I liked the look of it's wood stock. Haven't even shot it yet. It is actually the first '06 I've ever owned.

Wood stocks include Grandpa's Savage Fox SxS and a CZ 452. Oh, and my first center fire: a H&R break action .410.

Good times!

I answered earlier in this thread but this is more specific.

I have plenty Wood stocks.

I have 1 composite MZL, Knight Wolverine SS 54 Cal.
I have 1 composite Tikka T 3X Lite SS 7 RM
I have 1 composite Tikka T 3 Lite SS 270 Win
I have 1 composite Win 70 Black Shadow 300 WM

That's actually more than I thot.

ALL others are WOOD


Jerry