Anybody still hunt with a Wood Stock ?

Stillwater165

Stillwater165

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How many of you still hunt with a wood stock rifle now days ? Any accuracy issues with them ? Seems almost everything is made out of everything other than wood in todays world ! My new Winchester Featherweight 25-06 came in last week and the kid at the gun shop about puked when we opened the box ……… and it’s got good wood on it !!!!!
 
Even in cold weather. Lol.

My daughter Remingtong 700 243
Me. Sears model 53 30-06.

That little buck in 22, my sheep in 21

My 3030, and my single shot .223 are wood as well. Plus 2 of my 3 22's.

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Shooting a .270 remington 700 CDL with the original stock. No real accuracy issues other than myself and the ammo I was shooting. Gonna put it up soon though to keep it in good condition.
 
Wood is a far better platform for accuracy than the cheesy plastic stocks most guns come with these days.

I own a pile of M70’s. Before you even shoot it I’d pull the stock, sand out the barrel channel to fully float, seal the barrel channel and inletting with tru oil and epoxy bed the receiver. Good to go and no weather issues.
 
I've got an old savage 110 30-06 that has a wood stock. It's even got a crack in the near the metal butt plate but it's still very accurate.
 
BigPig has the right idea on curing any problems with a wood stock. I have been doing that for over 40 years with my wood stock rifles. Sealing the barrel channel with Tru-oil will stop most problems with the stock warping and causing contact with the barrel. On custom rifles that I built with wood stocks, I would fully glass bed the action and barrel channel to improve accuracy and prevent warping under wet conditions. Two layers of masking tape on the barrel while doing the glass bedding. After curing remove the tape and you have a free floated barrel and water proof barrel channel.
RELH
 
On serious mountain hunts, I use synthetic but not cheap, flimsy plastic. I like their ruggedness and reduced weight.

Many times I still use a wood stock and have no regrets when I do.
Properly inletted, sealed and perhaps bedded, while paying special attention to the barrel channel, will give you a great wood stock experience.

Zeke
 
Good to hear I’m not alone lol ! I’ve got both the latest and supposedly greatest and some wood model 70’s yet. This new 25 will be going to Utah with me in October for sure !
 
I love wood and I love the 25-06!

You should have a great time and a solid experience with your stock with just a few minor precautions.

If nothing else, I'd take the rifle apart and sand all the wood fuzz out of the machine inletting and seal well with 2-3 thin coats of Tru oil. Allow to cure for at least a couple days and you should be good to go. This might not cure all issues but it's an easy, minimum step IMHO.

Zeke
 
While we are on the subject here of tru oil, has anyone found that this will impact the zero?
My grandpas guns pretty beat and I wana seal it with oil but also don’t wana f with it and mess up how it shoots
 
The tru oil itself won’t affect zero, but removing and reinstalling the stock might by a minimal amount. Unless they are already well bedded (ideally with pillars) and you use the exact same torque values on the screws. Even still, it’s nothing a few shots can’t fix in minutes to get back on zero and the gun will be better off for it.
 
Wish more of mine were wood. None that are have ever disappointed me.

I bought my first plastic stock in 1999, to go hunt caribou in a 16’ aluminum boat, windy, splashy water for 9 hours a day. Figured wood might not fair well. Glad I did, it pour rain for seven days besides the constant splash from the boat.

I have 3 more now. Nothing attractive about a single one of them. Since then wood stocks are uncommon on retail shelves I frequent.
 
Stillwater165 said:
How many of you still hunt with a wood stock rifle now days ? Any accuracy issues with them ? Seems almost everything is made out of everything other than wood in todays world ! My new Winchester Featherweight 25-06 came in last week and the kid at the gun shop about puked when we opened the box ……… and it’s got good wood on it !!!!!
Click to expand...
Post up a picture Stillwater. I’d love to see another good looking natural wood rifle stock.
 
Zeke said:
I love wood and I love the 25-06!

You should have a great time and a solid experience with your stock with just a few minor precautions.

If nothing else, I'd take the rifle apart and sand all the wood fuzz out of the machine inletting and seal well with 2-3 thin coats of Tru oil. Allow to cure for at least a couple days and you should be good to go. This might not cure all issues but it's an easy, minimum step IMHO.

Zeke
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This is my first experience with the 25-06 but I’ve sure wanted one for quite some time. I’ll give that a try thanks !
 
I only have one wood stock rifle left and it's a varmint cartridge.
I love the look of fine wood, but I hate the extra pound or two that typically accompany it. I'm also not a fan of baby sitting "art work" while I am trying to hunt.
To me wood stocks are a symbol of an era gone by. A simpler time when most hunters only had one rifle and it was treasured and pampered. I certainly admire those of you who are willing to hang on to that era for nostalgia sake but I guess I've become too lazy for wood.
 
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I like the showpiece wood stocks but know they are more risky to use in real hunting. I think there still is a place for them. We have very nice wood on our rimfire bolt actions and a few Varmint types. None of those will be over and under fences, in and out of trucks with mud, gear, weather and other things competing for space. Those go to the range and Varmint calling stands. USUALLY.

The original factory wood stocks that aren’t works of art and have some signs of use but not abuse look good too. We have lots of those. However, I feel better if a synthetic gets a small ding or small scratch over a wood one. Ever since I was young I was taught it was a big deal to mar any type of wood, even coffee tables and other wood items. We just had to be careful around wood. No one really said anything about synthetics so it is more acceptable in my head.
 
Captain_coues said:
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I like the showpiece wood stocks but know they are more risky to use in real hunting. I think there still is a place for them. We have very nice wood on our rimfire bolt actions and a few Varmint types. None of those will be over and under fences, in and out of trucks with mud, gear, weather and other things competing for space. Those go to the range and Varmint calling stands. USUALLY.

The original factory wood stocks that aren’t works of art and have some signs of use but not abuse look good too. We have lots of those. However, I feel better if a synthetic gets a small ding or small scratch over a wood one. Ever since I was young I was taught it was a big deal to mar any type of wood, even coffee tables and other wood items. We just had to be careful around wood. No one really said anything about synthetics so it is more acceptable in my head.
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Blasphemy, putting Remington thunder bolts through a Cooper. That’s like putting $99 dollar pep boy tires on a Ferrari. Appears that’s a case colored 57M. Beautiful rifle.
 
Pre-64 said:
Blasphemy, putting Remington thunder bolts through a Cooper. That’s like putting $99 dollar pep boy tires on a Ferrari. Appears that’s a case colored 57M. Beautiful rifle.
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Ultimate test pre64……. Ultimate test. If it’s ready put the pep boys down range at MOA……… it’s quality in the hands of who ever brings it to the party. ?
 
Pre-64 said:
Blasphemy, putting Remington thunder bolts through a Cooper. That’s like putting $99 dollar pep boy tires on a Ferrari. Appears that’s a case colored 57M. Beautiful rifle.
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That was rimfire day at the range. It is a 57M, but a 22WMR. I think we were using that junk in one of the revolvers. We have gobs of the Thunderbolts and they go way back. We just never wanted to shoot them. I remember it was an attempt to start getting rid of them.

I regret not getting a Cooper in 22lr. That one took two years to get. Now they are sort of not the same as they were a few years ago.
 
littlebighorn said:
I only have one wood stock rifle left and it's a varmint cartridge.
I love the look of fine wood, but I hate the extra pound or two that typically accompany it. I'm also not a fan of baby sitting "art work" while I am trying to hunt.
To me wood stocks are a symbol of an era gone by. A simpler time when most hunters only had one rifle and it was treasured and pampered. I certainly admire those of you who are willing to hang on to that era for nostalgia sake but I guess I've become too lazy for wood.
Click to expand...
I hear ya and pretty much agree but I will say, some of those wood stocks where carried in scabbards, across saddle horns, behind truck seats, through scorching heat, soaked in sheep camps, drug over rocks and through rivers, held together with Elmers glue and bailing wire…….. and they look like hard use old men. There’s character and a storied history in those scars and gouges. Natural art ain’t alway a pampered lap dog.

Just sharing another perspective. I get what your saying about “best tool for the job.”
 
Told my boys I'd buy them a good rifle for their 16th like my dad did for me. Mines a wood stock A bolt, that I still run. Woods seen better days, but I get pride from the damage.

So, oldest had to have .300 win(his uncle's shoot .300) in Browning Hells Canyon. Not hard to find, so I was in no real hurry.

2 weeks out from Bday, he informs me hes decided he likes the xbolt wood medallion better????

Found one in Minnesota. Reeds Outdoors, apparently is the biggest browning dealer in the country(I live 20 min from Browning in Utah, but had to get one in Minn).

His b day is dec 26, so getting it here, short notice, during Xmas season???.

Had it send to gun shop. Same deal, kid opens it, "I've never seen a new wood gun before"???

Thing is beautiful. With the brake on it it is a joy to shoot, and accurate as hell.
 
I too like the wood,

My only synthetic stocks are on a Kimber 8400 Montana and a Knight Bighorn. I don't like either one very much. The Kimber has a blind mag that makes it a pain to load and unload. Its light but feels "soleless", while the stock on the Muzzy is of much poorer quality. I like my wood stocked Winchesters and M700 Remington.

The M700 needed to be pillar beaded, with the barrel free floated to hold zero. Both Winchester M70's shoot just fine the way they came. The thin wrist of my 1955 FWT fits my hands so well. The finely checkered French walnut stock is of such fine quality, that I used to feel bad about hunting with it. It now has enough dings and bumps that I don't worry about it any more. The .358 Win loads hit hard and stay with in an 1" on paper. It is by far my favorite hunting weapon.

The 1949 manufactured M70 classic has much plainer wood. I had it rechamber (rebored) in 338-06 making it my go-too for elk. I don't draw tags often enough to hunt with as much as I would like. The rifle was lightened a good bit, but has more heft than either the 1955 FWT or the Remington Mt. rifle in .280 rem. I find the extra weight makes it more present to shoot in this hard hitting caliber. The ,280 has the most felt recoil/muzzle jump of the three, the recoil pad not the best. These riles are at the top of the threshold of what I can tolerate when it comes to recoil. I don't shoot the Kimber (,325 WSM) as well. Without a brake its a little too much, With the brake i find it lighter than my .280, only its too loud. The .358 is the Goldie locks weapon. LOL!
 
When I'm seriously big game hunting in cold weather, stalking, I really try not to wear gloves, maybe down to 10 degrees. One hand on the rifle and one under your arm, switching back and forth. You can do that with wood.
 
I don't use my wood stock rifles much anymore but it has more to do with weight than anything else. I have pre-64 70's and German Mark V's I hunted with for years that may not ever see the field as long as I'm alive again. but I still love them.

But if it was between my wood stock rifles or a plastic stock POS production rifle I'd go with the wood stock every time.
 
I have replaced several of my wood stocks with synthetic.The reason being to prevent the wood from getting further damaged. I also don’t care much for the high gloss finishes while hunting.
 
Let me describe the 1954 built Savage 99 added to my battery in the last 2 years. This came to me thru gun Broker by way of a seller in Wisconsin. It has a 2-piece walnut stock of decent quality that is nicely hand checkered.

Why a Savage 99?
Built in Chicopee Falls Mass only a few miles from my original home. Massachusetts allows shotgun and Muzzleloader seasons only. While growing up I noticed many hunters from New England travailed to Maine each year to hunt the big bodied whitetails known to live there. The .300 Savage caliber (1920) is as classic as the rifle itself. It groups just over an inch with the only Remington 150 gr. core lock loads that I can find. Barrel length is 24"and their is no recoil pad. Recoil is pretty tame and the ammo is surprisingly fairly available. The rifle came with no rear sight (can't see them well anyway) so I have since mounted a 2X7X36mm Khales scope in the Weaver mounts that came with the firearm. Image is sharp and clear thru this optic with good low-light performance. I hope to travel to Maine at some point and give it a go. Also to be utilized locally, or in any environment that requires a fast handling caliber at woods ranges.
Kind Regards
 
90% of my long guns are wooden stocked and the ones that aren’t are slowly being converted to wood , currently having a wood stock built for my sendero 220 swift, never had any accuracy issues with Wood
 
Like lots of folks, I have many wood stocked rifles. What I would say is probably any new purchases would not be wood.
 
I have to say no, I don't USUALLY hunt with a wooden stock. However, mom remarried and I was gifted a nice Weatherby O/U from his collection at Christmas. I've used it for skeet, but wanted to kill a turkey with it, so I bought some choke tubes and did just that. Too nice of a gun to tote around the turkey woods any more. But it is nice to have one barrel set up for 20 yards and one for 50!

I've considered putting the wooden stock back on a gun I inherited from my BIL. He bought a nice aftermarket for it.

Trying to post the pic from my phone. First, it's too large - 9MB. So I save it to my laptop, and resize it to 3 MB. Now it says server error. What a POS. Then again, crap like this follows me around! Guess I'll "try again later."
 
yoteduster said:
I still hunt with my ruger m77 7 mag that I bought new in 1968 its not as pretty as alot that are pictured here any more but it gets the job done
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All of mine are wood stocks from 1950’s & 1960’s & 1970’s- never a problem- keep a Vinyl Cover on all 3 Big Game Rifles Stocks in the field- 7 MM REM Mag, Mod 700 REM, plus M77 Rugers .243 & .284 Win., over 60 plus years of Success all over North America 🇺🇸- I have total confidence in all my rifles, stake my life on them . 😁🍀
Jerry Gold - in Windsor, Colorado
 
Other than nostalgia I see no reason to have a wood stock. I have a bunch in the safe that will never go anywhere but there are such better materials now for both weight, durability and yes, consistency. Plus I’m just hard on my gear. A real pretty wood stock would be kind of a tragedy in my hands during hunting season
 
yoteduster said:
I still hunt with my ruger m77 7 mag that I bought new in 1968 its not as pretty as alot that are pictured here any more but it gets the job done
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I have an M 77 Ruger Serial # 16 .243 made in ‘68 , now on barrel # 2, 1 st one worn out shooting prairie dogs- best shooting rifle I’ve ever owned & shot ! Pure death on anything you squeeze that trigger on . Beautiful wood stock too. Even put a muzzle break on it to see the bullet hit ! A pure joy to shoot & hunt with . 😁
Even nailed 3 B/C All Time Pronghorns with it -my wife 2, 1 for me.
Jerry Gold- Windsor, Colorado 😁🍀
 

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