How important is a good rifle stock?

[Sirshredalot]

Hey INGO.

I am getting more into rifle shooting and Im starting to pay attention to "all" of the things that contribute to accuracy....My Rem700 Hogue stock is actually quite flexible.

All of my rifles have the factory stocks and I keep hearing people talk about how horrible the factory(savage) stocks are.

I also did some searching and I saw some of the "good" stocks cost as much as my rifles!

My questions are:
- Do the factory stocks really have THAT much of a negative effect on the gun?
- What is the benefit of these $400-$1000 stocks over just glass bedding a factory stock?

Please and thank you
-God bless
-Shred

 

[Huntinfool]

Well it is the base foundation the gun is built off. So a lower quality stock will limit the guns potinual (sp)

 

[midget]

The stock is one of the more important pieces to help gain consistency.

 

[x10]

That's an open question, If your capable of holding 3 inches at 100yds then a stock may not be important, if you want an inch or less then you need to figure out your stock, one thing you can do is always support the stock back at the action and not let the stock affect the barrel then you might have a shooter until you grab the stock by the front and mess things up.

 

[Yeah]

- Do the factory stocks really have THAT much of a negative effect on the gun?

That depends on the stock and what you are doing with the rifle.

There are several classes of factory stock. Soft solid wood, hard solid wood, injection molded milk jug plastic, injection molded milk jug plastic with metal structural elements, laminated wood, injection molded reinforced plastics, fiberglass shells filled with junk foam, fiberglass shells with structurally useful material, metal structures with plastic skins, shells of some advanced material like carbon or Kevlar filled with structurally useful material. Generally the 'stocks that cost as much as the rifle' are of the latter 3 types, though there are examples of them being offered from factories as well. The stock on the original Rem 700 Ti is an example, as is the current Kimber Montana. CZ sells a 550 with one, etc etc.

If one only ever shoots a few rounds at once, slowly, at a square range, from a bench, with support, in fair weather, you aren't asking much of any stock and one is likely as good as another. If your rifle might get wet, or experience wide swings in humidity, you'd want to avoid options involving wood. If you shoot from improvised positions, across a wide range of temperatures, or might shoot until your rifle is too hot to touch, you'd want to avoid options involving injection molding*. If you might drop rifle rifle, bang it into rocks, or similar incidents involving impacts, you'd want to avoid junk fill. The last 3 options can generally do anything**, but the first is less durable but lighter weight than the second. The third is both tough and light. But this matters only if the rest of the rifle is lightweight as well.

- What is the benefit of these $400-$1000 stocks over just glass bedding a factory stock?

Bedding can't transform a junk stock into a good one. The most it can do is provide a stable interface against the action. If the stock material with which the bedding interfaces is unstable, as varying forces are applied to the stock they will reach the action. If the stock material between the fasteners is compressible under normal fastener tension, or changes according to environmental conditions, the action will be affected.

If the factory stock is good to start with (see above examples), bedding the point where the action and stock mate adds value by resulting in a stable interface. An exact match at those points ensures repeatable reassembly and nothing moving around under load.

Aftermarket also offers options for fitting the stock to you under the particular circumstances the rifle will be used. The extent to which factory stocks are deficient in that regard is usually recognized only after using one that isn't.

* those hawking these stocks will claim their metal solves their plastic's deficiencies. It does not.
** less the consideration of weight.

 

[sloughfoot]

What kind of groups are you getting with what you have now? Spending money on hardware does not automatically shrink group sizes. Lots of quality trigger time does.

 

[Sirshredalot]

What kind of groups are you getting with what you have now? Spending money on hardware does not automatically shrink group sizes. Lots of quality trigger time does.

Best Ive got so far at 100 yards was about 5/8"-3/4"...maybe a little better...but normally about 1"-1.25"...Im not really a steady shooter either. Got about 600-700 rounds through it so far...the hougue stock does seem to touch the barrel and flex quite a bit.

Im not really looking for one hole groups...but Id like to be able to plink squirrels and groundhogs at 200-ish yards....so minute of quarter or half dollar would be ok.

Im more concerned about the factory savage stocks as I am looking into a new rifle in 6.5 creedmoor.

Thanks for all the replies

God bless
-shred

 

[karl77]

IF the hogue stock is hollow plastic (not overly familiar with them), then one might make the front stiffer by adding braces of 5/16" brake line (or other similar size steel line/tubing). cut the braces to fit at angle and over lap each side in an "X" pattern. Use jbweld (or similar epoxy) to hold the ends in place.

did this my buddy's factory marlin 308 stock and dropped group size from 1.5" to 1" groups. (free floating the barrel got another 1/4" shrink).

 

[Sonney]

I have a Remington 700 I haven't change the stock and it hasn't created me a problem. It will shoot sub moa using just a bipod. Now this is at 103 meters I find using cheap ammo to be worse than the stock.

 

[Leo]

I have never been impressed with the general production factory plastic stocks on anything. I do not know how to get accurate groups in the field without a sling in sitting or prone position. The sling pressure should not bend your stock! H&S precision and McMillian composites with the aluminum bedding blocks are very good. The composite stock that came on my Rem 40Xb was really good. For Savage, their laminated wood varmint stocks are very good (like came on my .308 BVSS rifle). They use press in pillars. Press them out and reinstall them with epoxy and that stock is good to go.

 

[Coumtryflyer]

As everyone has said, the stock may or may not be a factor in the accuracy of your gun. A competent gunsmith could tell you if there are any significant improvements you could do to help.

 

[clbrock18]

Stock is very important. Without a quality stock, the best brl made will not work well.