Rifle Stock

interesting conversation with my Italian friends abut rifle stocks. I stated that I liked the sako 85 Bavarian and the discussion started---stock shape, felt recoil of Bavarian shaped stocks, cheek rests, palm swells. and of course "looks".

I admitI like the Bavarian style stock, cheek rests, and Sako's

How about you fellows, does the Bavarian "look" turn you off ? Do you feel the Bavarian stock shape and/or cheek piece helps or hinders your shooting technique ? If you have had one, how about "felt" recoil ? I also like Sako and Blaser, but since few comments are made about these manufacturers here, are the Sako and Blaser rifles disliked in the states and Canada ?

April,

I really thought hard about this style for the butt stock area. They shoulder very well for quick target acquisition and give you a great line for the eye to mate up with iron sights. I'm not a fan of the full length fore end though. I'm comfortable with a straight stock and the monte carlo designs so I went with something more like that. Still, if I wanted a committed driving rifle the bavarian would probably be it.

Big fan of Sako's.................... Hard to argue with something that is that consistently good is so many areas.

Stock shape tends to be regional depending on how it's used.

The Bavarian style is handsome but I find it's a hindrance when shooting with a scope. Europeans tend to shoot with their head higher and without a cheek weld and running shots are far more common. The Bavarian style is wonderful for iron sights, running shots, etc. I've shot one in a CZ 9.3x62 and it was very comfortable until we scoped it- it cracked me in the jaw every time I pulled the trigger.

Americans tend to shoot with a hard cheek weld, typically shoot farther (especially in the West) and typically don't shoot moving game and prefer a straight stock. They also use scopes nearly exclusively.

hodgeman":2f2xpxl1 said:

Stock shape tends to be regional depending on how it's used.

The Bavarian style is handsome but I find it's a hindrance when shooting with a scope. Europeans tend to shoot with their head higher and without a cheek weld and running shots are far more common. The Bavarian style is wonderful for iron sights, running shots, etc. I've shot one in a CZ 9.3x62 and it was very comfortable until we scoped it- it cracked me in the jaw every time I pulled the trigger.

Americans tend to shoot with a hard cheek weld, typically shoot farther (especially in the West) and typically don't shoot moving game and prefer a straight stock. They also use scopes nearly exclusively.

Click to expand...

Excellent explanation and I agree with each point made sir.

April, for me personally, I love hunting with the 9.3 x 62 Sako 85 Bavarian, but use it with iron sights. Love the quick acquisition, fit, feel and look of that rifle. A good 9.3 x 62 (or even a 9.3 x 64) using an A Frame, Northfork, Woodleigh or Oryz bullet in a Sako Bavarian rifle works for me.

I have no idea why more Sako's are not used in the colonies April, they are IMHO excellent rifles.

Blaser also makes a nice rifle, but I think Europeans like them because of the restriction on the number of firearms one can own and the Blaser helps one get around those restrictions somewhat. I think in America the fellows prefer to have three or four or more different rifles than just one with three or four barrels.

Distance ( or seeing how far one can shoot and still get their game ) seems to be another thing Americans are infatuated with, and therefore the need for a scope and as Hodgeman pointed out and I agree, Scopes dont work as well on a Bavarian as a straight stock

Best Regards

Jamila

hodgeman":3honuhfi said:

Stock shape tends to be regional depending on how it's used.

The Bavarian style is handsome but I find it's a hindrance when shooting with a scope. Europeans tend to shoot with their head higher and without a cheek weld and running shots are far more common. The Bavarian style is wonderful for iron sights, running shots, etc. I've shot one in a CZ 9.3x62 and it was very comfortable until we scoped it- it cracked me in the jaw every time I pulled the trigger.

Americans tend to shoot with a hard cheek weld, typically shoot farther (especially in the West) and typically don't shoot moving game and prefer a straight stock. They also use scopes nearly exclusively.

Click to expand...

Covers the situation quite accurately. Fine post, Hodgeman.

Africa Huntress":2dc6axz5 said:

hodgeman":2dc6axz5 said:

Stock shape tends to be regional depending on how it's used.

The Bavarian style is handsome but I find it's a hindrance when shooting with a scope. Europeans tend to shoot with their head higher and without a cheek weld and running shots are far more common. The Bavarian style is wonderful for iron sights, running shots, etc. I've shot one in a CZ 9.3x62 and it was very comfortable until we scoped it- it cracked me in the jaw every time I pulled the trigger.

Americans tend to shoot with a hard cheek weld, typically shoot farther (especially in the West) and typically don't shoot moving game and prefer a straight stock. They also use scopes nearly exclusively.

Click to expand...

Excellent explanation and I agree with each point made sir.

April, for me personally, I love hunting with the 9.3 x 62 Sako 85 Bavarian, but use it with iron sights. Love the quick acquisition, fit, feel and look of that rifle. A good 9.3 x 62 (or even a 9.3 x 64) using an A Frame, Northfork, Woodleigh or Oryz bullet in a Sako Bavarian rifle works for me.

I have no idea why more Sako's are not used in the colonies April, they are IMHO excellent rifles.

Blaser also makes a nice rifle, but I think Europeans like them because of the restriction on the number of firearms one can own and the Blaser helps one get around those restrictions somewhat. I think in America the fellows prefer to have three or four or more different rifles than just one with three or four barrels.

Distance ( or seeing how far one can shoot and still get their game ) seems to be another thing Americans are infatuated with, and therefore the need for a scope and as Hodgeman pointed out and I agree, Scopes dont work as well on a Bavarian as a straight stock

Best Regards

Jamila

Click to expand...

What sorta optics are you running on your Bavarian? I’ve handled a few and like Chuck and Hodgeman mentioned there is too much drop in them for good cheek weld for me. I do understand I have different requirements and tend to like 13.75-14” stocks and need a little more cheek support than someone a little shorter.

They are pretty rifles and seem well built but I haven’t found one I’ve gone crazy for yet.

No optics Scotty, I use it with the iron sights it comes with from the factory. If optic's are required, I agree with you.

you dont like the Bavarian stock or the Sako or both Scotty ?

And thank you sir for your comments regarding the Swede.

And am I correct about the Blaser ? Nobody likes the interchangeable barrel idea opposed to just having different rifles ?

I love it when a topic comes up I can respond to at the same time I am waiting in an airport lounge Ha

Best Regards

Jamila

Africa Huntress":1bsgrrfg said:

And am I correct about the Blaser ? Nobody likes the interchangeable barrel idea opposed to just having different rifles ?

Click to expand...

Jamila- I like the concept in theory better than in practice, especially at the Blaser's price point. I can buy a pretty nice rifle for what the barrel alone costs here. When you consider we don't have restrictions like some European countries, it makes it a tough sell.

My other issue with it would be the fact I would likely have the wrong barrel on it at any given time since I'm something of a generalist rather than looking for a single species (I'm likely in the minority in U.S. in that regard). I could run into anything from a small caribou or sheep up through moose and grizzly at just about any time on a hunt and be able to legally take it.

I think the takedown feature is more appealing than the switch barrel feature personally.

I not familiar with either rifles so I can't comment on them one way or the other.
But I tend to like rifles with high combs and as for running shots I do take them and I do use a scope on all my rifles. I set my Ruger tang safety 30-06 up up with a 1.5-5X20 Leopold which when set on 1.5X allows me to shoot with both eyes open with out the problems of the higher magnification effecting the eyes . I also use a 1X cross hair and target dot on some of my target pistols.
If I could have only one scope with a variable power range it would be 1.5-10X42 or X40mm with Leopold's hunter cross hair and post reticle.

hodgeman":3spumpz9 said:

Africa Huntress":3spumpz9 said:

And am I correct about the Blaser ? Nobody likes the interchangeable barrel idea opposed to just having different rifles ?

Click to expand...

Jamila- I like the concept in theory better than in practice, especially at the Blaser's price point. I can buy a pretty nice rifle for what the barrel alone costs here. When you consider we don't have restrictions like some European countries, it makes it a tough sell.

My other issue with it would be the fact I would likely have the wrong barrel on it at any given time since I'm something of a generalist rather than looking for a single species (I'm likely in the minority in U.S. in that regard). I could run into anything from a small caribou or sheep up through moose and grizzly at just about any time on a hunt and be able to legally take it.

I think the takedown feature is more appealing than the switch barrel feature personally.

Click to expand...

Hodgeman, Are you thinking the Blaser R8 in a 9.3 x 62--take down and a caliber for all game. Maybe a Sauer 202 takedown would also work for you or perhaps your thinking more along the lines of the Co-Pilot from your side of the pond.

Time for me to take off now but will look for your response later tonight

Best Regards

Jamila

I do like Sakos, but generally like the older ones more. They are slick rifles for sure but those older Sakos are more to my liking. Same goes for Winchester’s... I’ll take mine P64 please.

I’ve shot a few of the Blasers and Sauers through the years and while very accurate rifles they have a lot of pieces that seem to foul up faster than a 70 Winchester, Mauser, or Ruger 77. The collet system on the Blaser is very well engineered but doesn’t take to dirt very well, or at least the ones I were needing to be cleaned pretty throughly to keep running well.

Im pretty simple in that I know a M70 will take all the moisture and crap you can toss at it and it’ll keep letting you press the trigger and cycling rounds without too much extra care.

SJB358":3m1xce8c said:

I do like Sakos, but generally like the older ones more. They are slick rifles for sure but those older Sakos are more to my liking. Same goes for Winchester’s... I’ll take mine P64 please.

I’ve shot a few of the Blasers and Sauers through the years and while very accurate rifles they have a lot of pieces that seem to foul up faster than a 70 Winchester, Mauser, or Ruger 77. The collet system on the Blaser is very well engineered but doesn’t take to dirt very well, or at least the ones I were needing to be cleaned pretty throughly to keep running well.

Im pretty simple in that I know a M70 will take all the moisture and crap you can toss at it and it’ll keep letting you press the trigger and cycling rounds without too much extra care.

Click to expand...

Scotty Plus one!!!!!!!! If in doubt take a pre 64 winchester, they are like the everready bunny, they take a licking and just keep on ticking. It is pretty hard to beat---perfection---but you probably hear that each day from your wife, when she is speaking of you

Thanks everybody for your comments, enjoyed reading them

Africa Huntress said:

Hodgeman, Are you thinking the Blaser R8 in a 9.3 x 62--take down and a caliber for all game. Maybe a Sauer 202 takedown would also work for you or perhaps your thinking more along the lines of the Co-Pilot from your side of the pond.

Click to expand...

I really like the idea of a takedown rifle- something like the Blaser R8, the Sauer 202, the Sako Exige or even the Dakota Traveller in a .300 of some flavor.

I've looked at the Co-pilot... I'm more interested in a bolt gun with some range to it than a lever gun.

I like the looks of the R8, I would like to try one out but price is definitely an issue. I could have a very nice custom built for the price of an R8. All the barrels they sell are twisted too slowly for my taste other than the 6.5s

It doesn't appear that they have caught up with current trends in bullets.

A folding stock might be a good alternative to a t/d hodgman. There are a couple well designed folders out there now


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ladies - if you get a chance to try a Weatherby Camilla - please let me know what you think.

It's got an interesting stock design, that I can't describe well, but... It works. Very different from a conventional rifle stock, and designed for women. The ladies I know who have tried it really liked it.

Guy

I have been trying (unsuccessfully) to get a left-handed Sako Bavarian in 9.3x62 for about 5 years now. Apparently they only ship 5 per year to North America, through the US, and if they have orders for all 5, none make it to Canada. The stock is comfortable and mounts smoothly and quickly!

My plan is to use it with open sights. If I were to mount a scope, it would be a Leupold VX-3 in 1.5-5 with a heavy duplex, mounted in low rings. I prefer not to take shots at running game, but would not hesitate at close range or at a wounded animal, if necessary.

My new 6.5 x 55 is my 3rd Sako currently in my safe and I will keep looking for that 4th. Love that slick action!

I know several older hunters that love their Husqavarnas with the bavarian style stocks, with and without scopes on them (usually a fixed 4x or 3-9x40) in low rings.

I have been drooling and dreaming of a Blaser for awhile now! Price is definitely a concern, yet have spent the equivalent on other custom builds for specific features; so is not a great excuse. A switch barrel rifle would be a great feature for a major trip, such as to Africa; with a 6.5 x 55 and a 9.3 x 62! Or a 7mm Rem Mag and a 338 Win Mag (just because I have neither right now and would like to have both again, even if I do not need either).