Synthetic stock?

[DaveA37]

Has anyone done a switch of a factory issue wooden stock to a replacement synthetic Remington stock and if so, how do you like it?

I am considering a switch from a standard Rem. 700 BDL wooden stock to a synthetic camo Remington stock for my recently acquired 280.

Good or bad comments appreciated.

 

[Titleist]

I have switched around a fair few Remington stocks, and actually thought that the Walnut stock was better that the standard factory 700 synthethic. I am a big fan of synthethic stocks, but thought that the factory 700 stock had a bit too much flex unless it was stiffened or at least bedded to provide a good bit of float for the barrel. If you float the barrel enough so that you don't have any contact when you press against it, or when you shoot it from a bipod, they seem to work well.

 

[BeeTee]

Has anyone done a switch of a factory issue wooden stock to a replacement synthetic Remington stock and if so, how do you like it?

I am considering a switch from a standard Rem. 700 BDL wooden stock to a synthetic camo Remington stock for my recently acquired 280.

Good or bad comments appreciated.

I recently replaced a factory synthetic stock on a stainless Rem700 with a grey wood laminate. The syn stocks make sense (and is why I bought it in the first place) if you hunt in bad weather or pack-in on horses or carry the rifle on ATV/motorcycles. The risk to a nice wooden stock pains me in those situations. However, I've grown to dislike the look and feel of synthetics. Pride in ownership is important too. A laminate bridges the gap.

The fore-end of the factory Rem syn stock is somewhat flexible, and the barrel can't be free-floated easily. This can affect the groups a little, but in reality it makes no real-world difference on game at usual ranges. BT

 

[Elkman]

I did for both Remington and Winchester bolt rifles. After I changed them from wood to composite . I then changed out the composite for the reasons mentioned below. None of these rifles have factory stocks.

 

[BK]

I've never actually replaced a wood stock. All the rifles I have put McMillans on started out as factory IM Tupperware rigs. There is a night and day difference between the factory junk and a quality handle like a McMillan or Manners (first tier) or a B&C or HS Precision (second tier). Honestly, unless you are planning on going on a brutally hard hunt and think you are going to beat the crap out of your rifle, or hunt in non-stop four day downpours, or your wood handle is warped or tends to warp, I'd rather have it than the Tupperware.

I am thinking about replacing the hardwood (not Walnut) stock on a Remington Sportsman 78 in .223. I am not sure I will actually do it or not.

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Factory rem synthetic stocks are junk. If you really wanna go synthetic, you should save up some money and buy something better. Especially for a great rifle like the 280. Just my 2 cents!

 

[FOTIS]

Factory rem synthetic stocks are junk. If you really wanna go synthetic, you should save up some money and buy something better. Especially for a great rifle like the 280. Just my 2 cents!

Go for a Mickey!

 

[nvbroncrider]

Either go a mickey or go with the laminates out there they look great and are functional.

 

[300WSM]

Has anyone done a switch of a factory issue wooden stock to a replacement synthetic Remington stock and if so, how do you like it?

I am considering a switch from a standard Rem. 700 BDL wooden stock to a synthetic camo Remington stock for my recently acquired 280.

Good or bad comments appreciated.

For the money, get a Hogue

You will love it. Fits in the hand superb. Night and day from a Rem factory stock.

You can get it in Black or OD green.

 

[6mm Remington]

Boyds makes some great wood laminates in various color configurations that really are very nice stocks. They also have the option, which I would opt for, of having them checkered for a small fee. Laminates are strong and stable and just have that warm feel of wood.
David

 

[Guy Miner]

Years ago the injection-molded factory synthetic stocks were pretty lousy. Too flexible. Some that I've seen in recent years are surprisingly good. I really didn't want to admit that, as I'd long since condemned them as universally lousy. Last year a buddy got a new Rem 700 .270 in a synthetic stock, and I discovered it was pretty stiff, and that the rifle was pretty doggone accurate, sub MOA with factory Remington ammunition. It's still a low-budget stock, but not a bad one at all.

Still, before I'd give up a decent wood stock in favor of a synthetic stock - I'd look hard at an upgrade. Something from HS Precision or Bell & Carlson at a minimum. McMillan or comparable for top of the line stuff.

I've got one .30-06 in a Bell & Carlson stock. Modestly priced - it works real well. Light. Decent looking. Pretty stiff. Good design for easy carry and easy shooting. Very comfortable to shoot, even with stout loads.

I've got one .308 that has two different synthetic stocks; the HS Precision stock it came with (needed to be skim bedded to resolve a shifting zero problem), and a real nice McMillan that I had built for the rifle.

McMillan, for those who don't know, is one heck of a stock. They're individually laid up by hand, stock after stock. The buyer has all sorts of options to customize the stock to personal desires. There are many different models. Our USMC scout-snipers have relied on McMillan stocks for decades, w/o problems. Tough stuff, good stocks. Worth the money - and yes - they can get pretty expensive.

Regards, Guy

 

[Thebear_78]

I really like the High Tech Specialties stocks. I have a pair of them on my matched set of remington 700s. One a 300 RUM the other a 375 RUM. They take a little work to finish out but are well worth it.

 

[PJGunner]

As someone has already said, "Factory tupperware stocks are junk." Personally, I think the common word for dung to be more appropriate. However, for some stocks there may be a fix.
I put a Butler Creek stock on a J.C. Higgins Model 50 FN Mauser as the original stock got broken in a bad fall. Accuracy was nowhere near what it was with the wood stock. Too much flex in the forearm. I bought a pice of 3/8" threaded rod and used an insulating foam that expanded as it hardened in the hollow portion of the forearm. I'd put two layers of electricians tape on the barrel with wheel bearing grease as a release agent. I also masked off the entire foream just in case. I shot the foam into the forearm and very quickly dropped the rifle into the stock before the foam could expand and get all over the place. I taped the action to keep it from being puse out of the stock and let the set up remain over night. The next morning I removed the tape, took the rifle out of the stock took the tape off the barrrel and stock and put the gun back together. Not only did it not flex in the forearm anymore, accuracy was eveb better that with the original stock.
One caveat. When someone asked about how I'd done that, he tried it and the foam melted his stock. I dunno what brand of stock he had nor which brand of foam he bought. I just mention it beause if you try it and have bad results like what I just mentioned, I don't want a bunch of nastygrams flying in my direction. I catch enough hell from the better hals as it is. :roll: :wink: :lol: I just think that if the stock is all that bad to begin with, it is a method to stiffent that forearm by a substantial amount. I did one using glass bedding compound and it made the stock way too heavy.
A few years back I got a decent deal on a Winchester M70 Stainless Classic in .338 Win. mag. It sits in the worst piece of Tupperware I have ever seen. I seriously do not think that stiffening the forearm and a good glass bed job will ever do anything to make that gun shoot decent groups. I don't feel right putting it on my table and pawning off my problem rifle on someone else. Guess i'll have to get of the stick and see if I can salvage the gun.
Paul B.

 

[BK]

I really like the High Tech Specialties stocks. I have a pair of them on my matched set of remington 700s. One a 300 RUM the other a 375 RUM. They take a little work to finish out but are well worth it.

I'd like to give one a try, but the entry price for a fully inletted/finished is too rich for my blood, and I don't have the skills or tools to inlet one myself.

 

[ScreaminEagle]

+1 for hogue stocks. They are a very good stock, but if you will be walking a lot or in rough terrain, you may find that they are a bit on the heavy side.

 

[Guest]

If you're looking for a solution that is effective and cost effective, I don't think you can beat either a Bell&Carlson Medalist (~$250 delivered) or one of the various laminates out there. I've heard good things about these from Stocky's - http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/th ... ter/Detail - for ~$200 delivered, ~$250 if you want it checkered. Good stocks aren't going to be much less than $200 or so, unfortunately. Anything you get for less than that is going to be, well, less than that, seriously.

 

[Titleist]

I don't think you can beat either a Bell&Carlson Medalist (~$250 delivered)

That would be my pick also if I wanted an aluminum bedding block. I have Medalists on a few rifles and they are very good. I think that this is the stock that Remington's Custom Shop uses now. Even the B&C without the bedding block is a good stock for the price.

 

[Guest]

That would be my pick also if I wanted an aluminum bedding block. I have Medalists on a few rifles and they are very good. I think that this is the stock that Remington's Custom Shop uses now. Even the B&C without the bedding block is a good stock for the price.

The way I see it, Titleist, is that these B&C's are good enough for Weatherby for their Accumarks, and I've seen how well those rifles shoot. That makes them good enough for me in any configuration where I want an aluminum bedded stock. B&C has really upped the availability and style variability over the past few years, too. Plenty of great options out there.

I did notice that Stocky's went through a significant price increase this January on just about everything. Those laminates I linked used to be $144 for the uncheckered, and $185 for the checkered versions. They jumped about $40 apiece. And the synthetics jumped up about $20 or so. Hey, but the government says we don't have inflation. It must be evil corporate America at work again...

 

[SJB358]

If you're looking for a solution that is effective and cost effective, I don't think you can beat either a Bell&Carlson Medalist (~$250 delivered) or one of the various laminates out there. I've heard good things about these from Stocky's - http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/th ... ter/Detail - for ~$200 delivered, ~$250 if you want it checkered. Good stocks aren't going to be much less than $200 or so, unfortunately. Anything you get for less than that is going to be, well, less than that, seriously.

I like them laminates Dubyam, very nice. I have a M70 that needs a new stock.. My other option is a B&C Medalist. Very good stock and seems to carry really well too.