Stock shape?

[jmad_81]

Is there any particular stock design that is better for managing recoil?

I have never really paid much attention to stock design. After all this hardwood talk I'm second guessing my decision of a McMillan stock for my 375R. Is it just peronal prefference on the monte carlo, streight comb, or roll over styles or do they serve functional perpose?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

I've heard conflicting reports in terms of what stock shape mitigates recoil best. I tend to find recoil most manageable with a Weatherby-style stock. That includes a monte carlo buttstock, raised cheekpiece, and slight castoff in the buttstock. Then I read gunwriters who say a straight stock (no monte carlo, no castoff) is best for mitigating recoil. But my experience tells me otherwise. At one time I had two rifles that weighed within a quarter pound of one another in "ready to shoot" form. One in 7mmRemMag, and one in 270Wby. The 7mm had a straight stock with a raised cheekpiece, and the 'bee had a traditional Weatherby-style stock. Using near identical loads (150gr at 3000fps in the 'bee and 160gr at 2850fps in the 7mm) I could definitely "feel" the recoil more with the 7mm. And yet, according to calculators, the 'bee should produce about 2lbs more recoil than the 7mm. I'm not sure if I could really feel a difference in 2lbs of recoil, but I could certainly tell you the two rifles felt markedly different to shoot, and the one supposedly heavier in recoil was the most comfortable by far.

I really think it comes down to stock fit more than anything, though in the example above, both rifles had the same length of pull, so they should both have fit in that dimension, or both misfit. If you can fire some heavier recoilers with various stock styles, that's the ticket to finding what your shoulder prefers. Short of that, I'd say shoot a 'bee and see if you like the stock. I certainly have come to love them.

 

[SJB358]

Jake, not sure what this counts for, but the M70 Sporter style stock with the slight shadow cheekpiece like my 264 (wood) and 338 (B&C) both seem to be very comfortable to shoot because of the broad cheekpiece on them. I feel it spreads the stock over my face further and doesn't concentrate it into one spot. I know it probably didn't make sense, but that is what I feel.

 

[6mm Remington]

I went out with a couple friends several years ago now to help them sight in their 338 Win mags. One was a Browning A-bolt and the other was a Winchester Model 70 with the classic stock and comb like Scotty described. There was a "huge" amount of difference in the two! The Browning was miserable to shoot while the Winchester, even being a 338, was not bad.

I know I don't have the big boomers like a lot of you guys, but my classic style stock on my Ruger 1B in 30-06 with 165gr Accubonds at 2940 fps is very comfortable to shoot. Then too is my son's Winchester EW SS in 300 WSM. It feels like my 30-06. Sorry, I"m not much help on this one!
David

 

[DrMike]

Stock design does have an effect on felt recoil, though it is by no means certain that it has been studied as extensively as other aspects of riflery. In general, I prefer the stock design found on Winchester Sporters and Featherweights, or on Remington BDLs. They permit a transfer of recoil energy back without deflecting upward. The most vicious rifle I've ever shot, bar none, was a 270WSM with a 20 inch barrel and a muzzle brake. The stock design allowed the rifle to twist when it was fired. I broke two sets of earmuffs shooting that vicious little critter. I agree with dubyam, however, that fit is important. In fact, it may be more important than design, or cast or any other facet of the stock.

 

[FOTIS]

My 416 Classic mark was way more manageable than my 460 MKV standard BEE version

 

[6mm Remington]

My 416 Classic mark was way more manageable than my 460 MKV standard BEE version

I would say Fotis that you answered the question! Real life experience coming from shooting those monsters of yours!! :lol: A straighter more classic styled stock is the winner or would appear to be then. I know, this coming from me, a guy who likes those 6mm - 30-06 diameter holes.

 

[FOTIS]

You said it!

 

[joelkdouglas]

I believe the classic style to handle recoil better also. I've thus far had 3 stocks on my 30-06. First was the Rem BDL plastic stock, no raised cheek piece, and it handled recoil well. It wasn't stiff enough to free float the barrel, however.

Second, HS Precision, with raised cheekpiece. That thing did not handle recoil well at all.

Third, McMillan Classic, no raised cheekpiece. It handles recoil even better than the Rem BDL stock.

Also, my grandfather's 30-06 has a wood stock, raised cheekpiece and monte carlo. It handles recoil better than the HS, but not as well as the McMillan Classic. Also, it's much heavier.

So the classic style, no raised cheekpiece, no monte carlo, is my preference for recoil management.

 

[BK]

My 416 Classic mark was way more manageable than my 460 MKV standard BEE version

I wish Weatherby still offered the Classicmark...

 

[Guy Miner]

People are built different.

That's why some stocks work better for some people. You don't really expect a stock built for a 5'08" square built fireplug of a guy to work well for Scotty the giant do you?

Neck length, arm length, chest & shoulder size... It all matters. Truly, take some time to figure out which stock design works best for YOU, not for somebody else.

Guy

 

[cloverleaf]

People are built different.

That's why some stocks work better for some people. You don't really expect a stock built for a 5'08" square built fireplug of a guy to work well for Scotty the giant do you?

Neck length, arm length, chest & shoulder size... It all matters. Truly, take some time to figure out which stock design works best for YOU, not for somebody else.

Guy

+1 Although Im not that much help. I cant shoot a Win Model 94 that straight stock lets it come up and bite me. Im a small guy. Most Rugers fit me pretty well if they are short enough. I read some where once, one mans opinion on the "correct" angle for the butt of your stock. His contention was that 85 degrees from the bore line was perfect. He contended that this allowed the comb to come up slighly as the rifle came back under recoil, allowing the rifle to stay in the shoulder better. One mans contention. My .02 is this....If you close your eyes, shoulder the rifle, open your eye (s) and the sights or cross hair are not perfectly alligned you stock dosent fit. All my rifles, save my oldest .22 have some sort of pad on the comb. Sometimes I thinks its more to give me a consistient spot for a cheek weld than anything else. CL

 

[Oldtrader3]

One thing that I also go by is: where does the stock go during recoil when I pull the trigger and where does it end up? This is particularly when I am only using an index finger to hold the stock down on the bags in recoil. The .338 Win Mag and .340 Weatherby are two good calibers to compare because them both move a stock during recoil.

From what I have observed, the Browning A-bolt kicks the most and lifts the comb more than either the Weatherby Mark V or Winchester Model 70 CRF, magnum stock does. The Sako Model 85 stock also has more apparent recoil to the face than the Weatherby or Winchester stocks which are the least upward movement and feel the best in recoil because they come straight back. The A-Bolt is the worst and the Sako Model 85 is in between for muzzle jump off the rest and bags during recoil.

This may be only applicable to my shape and body confirmation. Everybody is built a little different, especially through the shoulders and in neck length. I tend to shoot from the bench using only my right hand to control the rifle and my left index finger on top of the stock forend. I prefer rifles that come straight back in recoil.

 

[jmad_81]

One thing that I also go by is: where does the stock go during recoil when I pull the trigger and where does it end up? This is particularly when I am only using an index finger to hold the stock down on the bags in recoil. The .338 Win Mag and .340 Weatherby are two good calibers to compare because them both move a stock during recoil.

From what I have observed, the Browning A-bolt kicks the most and lifts the comb more than either the Weatherby Mark V or Winchester Model 70 CRF, magnum stock does. The Sako Model 85 stock also has more apparent recoil to the face than the Weatherby or Winchester stocks which are the least upward movement and feel the best in recoil becuase they come straight back. The A-Bolt is the worst and the Sako Model 85 is in between for muzzle jump off the rest and bags during recoil.

This may be only applicable to my shape and body confirmation. Everybody is built a little different, especially through the shoulders and in neck length. I tend to shoot from the bench using only my right hand to control the rifle and my left index finger on top of the stock forend. I prefer rifles that come straight back in recoil.

As do I. I can handle them coming streight back, I hate it when they jump all over the place.

 

[Africa Huntress]

People are built different.

That's why some stocks work better for some people. You don't really expect a stock built for a 5'08" square built fireplug of a guy to work well for Scotty the giant do you?

Neck length, arm length, chest & shoulder size... It all matters. Truly, take some time to figure out which stock design works best for YOU, not for somebody else.

Guy

Exactly! That is one reason I hunt with only seven rifles. I had a stock made for each of them, that fits me. I almost never use anyone else's rifle and I don't care for rifle brakes, and as I told Fotis some places I hunt they are not even allowed. So when I need to use the 416 Rigby and 45/70, it needs to fit me well so as to help with the recoil. I also stay with Rigby and H & H calibers as those type of caliber types are also are not as brutal as some others. Types of bullets used in reloading is another way I reduce recoil. But Guy is spot on about the stock

 

[jmad_81]

Thanks all for the input. Helps to narrow down the road I want to take.

 

[Elkman]

I am very lucky when it comes to stock selection. I am 5'11 and a stocky 200 lbs. The standard run of the mill, off the shelf stock fits me to a T. I also do place my head forward when mounting the rifle so that might makes a difference. None of my scopes are mounted past the rear of the tang because of this habit. Perhaps if I was shooting a shoulder cannon I might need something different, but for everything I have shot and own, the standard configuration works very well.

 

[BK]

I was reading a thread at 24HCF about LOP and IIRC, for a 5'10" guy the standard 13.5" LOP works fine for most people, and you should add or subtract 1/8" for every 1" difference in height. That may be why I am having some scope mount issues... I've been ordering stocks right around 13-7/8" to 14-1/8", when the formula says I should be ordering 14.5".

 

[SJB358]

Never thought of that. I am a stock crawler like Bill and have to mount my scopes forward in order to keep them from being mounted into my skull plate! Never had a custom made stock. May have to look into one.

 

[gerry]

I would agree about different stocks fitting different sized/shaped people. The worst for me are the lever actions, the typical Winchester 94 doesn't fit well and the 45-70 Marlin guide guns are absolutely miserable for shoot, the M 94 307 Winchester with the high comb was good. I like the Monte Carlo designs better which is why my 375 Ruger will likely be getting a Sako Hunter style McMillan one day. The Mcmillan Edge I have is very comfortable even though it is a straight classic design, don't know what makes it feel so good but it feels great.