Several (3) years ago I bought a Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless / Synthetic in .375 H&H. The gun came with a Leupold 1.5-5 illuminated scope on it. With factory 270 grain cartridges I was able to shoot 1.25" groups with it which made me very happy, except I could never warm up to that synthetic stock. I went out and bought a Winchester Factory Safari Express stock for it that looked beautiful with the Stainless, bought the stainless 1 piece bottom metal to go with it too, put it all together and have never shot it. The other night I put it all back in the synthetic stock again and shot it and just can't bring myself to put it back in the "wood" again even though it is a great looking stock. Something just tells me this gun needs to stay in the synthetic stock. I made the decision today to sell the "wood" which I listed in the classifieds here on "Accurate".
Am I making the right choice or do you all think I've gone round the bend?

Personaly, but this is just me. I would rather have synthetic than wood. Doesnt mean i dont have wood stocked rifles i just tend to stray to the tupperware.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
... I went out and bought a Winchester Factory Safari Express stock for it that looked beautiful with the Stainless, bought the stainless 1 piece bottom metal to go with it too, put it all together and have never shot it. ...

Hey Snellstrom, I much prefer the stability, warmth, feel, and overall ruggedness of good old home-grown Synthetic for my rifles too. Had to use Termite Food for lots of years with all the normal inherent problems associated with it. So, now that I have a choice, I go with Synthetic.

However, it is a darn shame you went to the trouble of getting the rifle all fixed up - the way you wanted it - and then didn't even try it out.

I'd encourage you to try it with the Termite Food and see how well it does shoot. Maybe your piece will be stable enough that it won't matter on Game shot at normal 375H&H distances.

You can always sell it later if it walks(warps). Plus you can always handle it with the Termite Food and then slip it into the Synthetic for when it goes outdoors to earn it's reason for being with you.

Best of luck to you.

Personally, I wouldn't have a synthetic stock in the house. But then, I wouldn't have a stainless steel rifle either. Come to think of it, I wouldn't have Winchester's pathetic attempt to copy the Mauser 98 either. Sorry, I'm no use to you at all.

Follow your instinct. Which I believe you are doing by selling the wood.

My personal feelings when it comes to synthetic/stainless is that I'm not afraid to use them. I don't get too excited about nasty weather.

With wood/blued, I find myself being a little more careful.

How hard do you expect to use this rifle and under what conditions?

What about keeping both and changing whenever it suits your fancy.

SDhunter I use most of my guns real hard and hunt in all kinds of weather and conditions. The .375 I'm talking about has only been on one hunt with me and that was a Alaska fly -in drop camp for Moose was 11 and a half days of solid rain on a 10 day hunt. ( we were actually "in" for 13 days on a 10 day hunt it just rained 11 and a half of those days!) Did everythin with it but use it as a boat oar. My brothers .375 A-bolt Browning in blue and wood did well as did my synthetic but we cleaned both guns every night. I think I'll just go with the synthetic because I think I will end up hunting this gun real hard in lots of bad weather, despite my affinity for wood.
Thanks for the opinions though I do appreciate all of the viewpoints.!

I think that wood stocks and blue are fine in mostly all hunting conditions as long as you take good care of it every night by cleaning/oiling everything.

Tradition aside, top-of-the-line working rifles today are synthetic-stocked and deep-blued or stainless steel. Just look to D'Arcy Echols, Jim Borden or Ed Brown, to name three of the best custom riflemakers in existence today and take a long look at what they are producing.

Your decison is easy then, go with the synthetic/stainless.

All of my "go to" hunting rifles are synthetic stocked stainless/or coated.

I own some wood/blued rifles for the asthetics. They sure are a whole lot more fun to handle and show off. There is something about handling them that feels good.

But it is also the same feeling I get while hunting my all weather rifles and weather has turned to crap. Knowing that all I need to do is a quick take down and wipe with oil.

Only you can decide what is right for you. All my rifles are wood stocked and they get rained on too. The only gun I have that wears a synthetic stock is my duck/goose/turkey gun.

You are doing the right thing I don't have much time for a wood stock rifle. I wish I could find a good synthetic stock for my savage 99. Thats about the only wood stock rifle I use any more.

I've got three wood stocked rifles because they have high grade wood and shoot exceptionally well... in good weather. Every so often I consider selling them, but as a kid I really admired those beautiful rifles Jack O'Connor used and these represent my childhood dream rifles. My go-to hunting rifles are stainless/synthetic.