Soon I'll be marginally qualified to join the big bore discussions. I'm having a 458 assembled on a Mauser action. I've had the action a while, and I just bought a Whitworth take-off barrel in excellent condition.

So the barreled action is now a no-brainer. I have the trigger and the safety. I'm a little uncertain whether to go with the Gentry that I already have, or really step up to the plate and get a LaPour.

But my main issue is the stock. Frankly I don't see this as a fine quality rifle, but a sturdy working/hunting rifle. Thus I place no value at all in good looking walnut. This is a rifle that I'll take fishing with me - just in case the one-in-a-thousand agressive brown bear wants to mess with me. I'll thump a moose with it should I draw a permit, and I'll shoot it just for fun, and develop various handloads.

I'll risk being classed as don't know s--t by saying that two of the stocks I'm considering are the Hogue or the Bell and Carlson, each with the full aluminum blocks embedded inside the stock. Of course McMillan is always a consideration when thinking fiberglass.

So, I want some feedback. What do you think? It's my understanding that HS precision for example has a rather straight comb, which isn't the best choice for iron sights. so that's a starter for conversation.

KB

I don't like "plastic" gunstocks and have had only one. I put a Hogue on my Ruger 77VT in 308. I liked it. My rifle was very accurate and never changed point of impact through all my shooting sessions and all the bouncing around the rifle got in my Jeep to and from my favorite prarie dog area.
The one thing I did not like about the Hogue was the rubber feel of the stock on my cheek. It was almost like putting a tire inner tube against your face. I put a covering on mine and after that it was fine. I really liked the price and the fact that you just dropped your barreled action in, tightened the screws and went shooting.

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
Soon I'll be marginally qualified to join the big bore discussions. I'm having a 458 assembled on a Mauser action. I've had the action a while, and I just bought a Whitworth take-off barrel in excellent condition.

So the barreled action is now a no-brainer. I have the trigger and the safety. I'm a little uncertain whether to go with the Gentry that I already have, or really step up to the plate and get a LaPour.

But my main issue is the stock. Frankly I don't see this as a fine quality rifle, but a sturdy working/hunting rifle. Thus I place no value at all in good looking walnut. This is a rifle that I'll take fishing with me - just in case the one-in-a-thousand agressive brown bear wants to mess with me. I'll thump a moose with it should I draw a permit, and I'll shoot it just for fun, and develop various handloads.

I'll risk being classed as don't know s--t by saying that two of the stocks I'm considering are the Hogue or the Bell and Carlson, each with the full aluminum blocks embedded inside the stock. Of course McMillan is always a consideration when thinking fiberglass.

So, I want some feedback. What do you think? It's my understanding that HS precision for example has a rather straight comb, which isn't the best choice for iron sights. so that's a starter for conversation.

KB

I use the Hogue on my Mausers in .375H&H, .458WM & 376Steyr Never a problem!! I tried a B&C with Full Alu. block & it cracked all around the wrist at a 90deg angle to the wrist!! never again!

I recently built a 458 WM on a SMLE 2A receiver and used a plastic stock from Midway...it fit, only needed a minimal amount of finishing and bedding...it will outlast me...plenty of spaces for adding weight or balancing also...it will outlast me and was cheap to boot.

I also built a 9.3 x 62 on a VZ-24 receiver and used a Boyds walnut stock...

I would recommend a solid wood stock...walnut or whatever...for anything in the heavier recoiling cals as you can do a lot more as far as bedding and stiffening is concerned to handle the added recoil.

The objective is to get the bedding right to begin with...a solid bedding block or pillars and a piece of steel as a recoil base set in steel epoxy, cross bolts and a piece of all thread screwed to the recoil base and running up the barrel channel and set in steel epoxy, then the receiver bedded in steel epoxy. You could also add 0.030" steel shims to the mag opening sides to help stiffen the wood in that area. Use allen head screws and torque to 50-75 in lbs and blue locktite will finish off the set. A piece of allthread epoxied into the wrist area wouldn't hurt either.

The problem is many people don't bed right or don't bed at all and wood compresses or dries out over time...even a full bedding block needs to be re-torqued after firing a few times or just before shooting after it sits for a while if you don't use locktite, and lots of times that is the problem with broken stocks...loose screws and no added support where needed.

Hogue works and there are many other stock makers that work, you just have to do a search on several forums...there is tons of information on how-to and actual experience, then decide for yourself.

But...remember is usually isn't the stocks fault...it is the barrel/receiver being loose and getting a head start that breaks things...a correctly bedded stock that doesn't move under recoil will last several lifetimes as long as the required maintainence procedures are followed.

Luck on your project.