After breaking the stock on the .30-06 last Saturday, I've been looking online for a replacement stock.
I took the OEM stock off of the rifle, and while it's pillar bedded, it's also got a lot of holes and empty space around the action and recoil lug. That OEM stock has got to flex, and while the rifle has shown good accuracy, a stock with more stiffness will probably be more accurate once I bed it.
There are a lot of good stocks out there for the Savage, but I'm not interested in paying $500.00 for a replacement stock for a $500.00 rifle. That just doesn't make sense. This is a hunting rifle, and while I'd like a nice piece of wood on it, I don't think that spending the coin on a fine circassan stock is what I want to do.
There was a time when Fajen made wonderfully beautiful stocks, but it looks like they focus on a narrow range of products these days.
McMillan makes some fine stocks and has stocked rifles for law enforcement and the military, but their prices start on the far side of $350.00. Too rich for me.
Accurate Innovations make some beautiful stocks, but they don't make anything yet for the Savage long action. And, it looks like the prices are on the top side. They make lovely stocks, but they're too rich for my blood.
Hogue makes a stock with a full-length aluminum bedding block that adds rigidity to the stock and doesn't need bedding, but that stock costs over $300.00. They also make a stock for that rifle with pillar blocks, but it costs about $200.00.
Ram-Line makes stocks that are popularly priced. I have a couple around here on .22 rifles and one of their stocks on a Model 94 Winchester. They are good stocks for what I use them for, but I'm not convinced they could stand up to the recoil of the -06. I could be wrong, but I'm not convinced I am.
There's always Bell and Carlson. They have a fine line of synthetic stocks and I've heard good things about them. They might be a choice.
Boyd's was recommended to me by my brother-in-law. They make laminated stocks. He's got one that he bedded and he likes it a lot. They cost under $110.00 with no finish and under $160.00 finished. I'm leaning toward Boyd's.
In the meantime, I'm going to be hunting with the .30-30 and the .243, so the restocking project can wait till after Christmas. Right now, I'm leaning toward Boyd's.
8 comments:
I can recommend Bell & Carlson synthetic stocks. I have two rifles that use their stocks. One is a 9.3x62 Mauser. It's bedded using Steelbed compound. If the B&C stock can stand up to a 9.3x62, 30-06 should be a piece of cake.
Termite
I'd vote for Boyd's and a home brew bedding project.
Thought of them after responding to first report of the broken stock.
In my subjective opinion the couple Boyd's I've seen have been at least as nice (or nicer) than std Savage factory wood. Some think they may be a little thick on their overall profile but I didn't find them unattractive. But then I'm not to drawn to current style skinny chicks either or modern whip-skinny mountain rifles.
I've been using a B&C stock on my 700 270 for 15+ years. Getting rid of that monte carlo design that came on the rifle for a classic design has done wonders for it's felt recoil even with the weight reduction. The laminated stocks from Boyds are very good (I have 2, both on ruger bolts). Laminated stocks can be as stable as the plastic/fiberglass units but as a general rule are heavier than a good composite or even a walnut stock. They are much prettier than flat black though and have a warmer feel like a walnut stock. With your rifle figure on it gaining maybe a pound of weight from the current configuration. That has it's pluses and minuses, your call.
Good luck! I'm sorry I didn't check the prices on HS Precision before I recommended them :-(
I have a ram line on a 03-A3 sporter. Mine is in 257 roberts so the decelerator pad it came with was not needed though having a big game rifle kick like a 22 is not that bad. It is pretty much free floated but could be glass bedded which my gun smith suggested. Accuracy with it has not been a problem so far though, 1.5 inch groups being the most and more important eleven shots and eleven deer. For the price you might take another look at it.
ben
If your goal is to attempt very high accuracy, the Bell and Carlson is the benchmark that is still within reasonable prices. I had one on my Sendero, and the local SO rangemaster just build up a sniper rifle with one and a 700 action, and it is surpassing his rather stringent expectations.
For bedding, check out this Glass Bedding Kit
Just please, for the the love of all that is holy, stay away from HS Precision, who now is endorsed by Lon Horiuchi.
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