Could I hear any firsthand or close second hand info on Richard's Microfit Laminated Stocks? I am considering outfitting my 458 with one and am curious to how well these are made and if it will stand up to the recoil (assuming that proper cross-bolting is done). thanx, gabe

I am sure you've seen this before, but here is a pic of my 416 Taylor with a Richard's Microfit laminate stock.



I did the finish on it (Tru-oil) after Bill Leeper did most of the hard work.

The stocks come semi-inletted, but Bill said something to the effect that it looked like an angry beaver had inletted it. I take that to mean he had to do quite a bit of finishing on it! He did a great job though, and I am very happy with the end product.

In all fairness to Richard's Microfit, the action (Browning BBR) is a bit of an oddball which they don't normally inlet for.

As far as strength goes, a well made laminate stock should be stronger than a regular wood stock. I would still take all the same precautions you would normally take with wood, however.

Canuck

[ 08-23-2002, 01:13: Message edited by: Canuck ]

I've used RMF many times. If you are willing to do work of inletting and shaping, they are a good value. Their most exspensive stock is less than a cheapie macmillian. I usually suggest, if you are ASKING this question, to go with a lam, or also look at www.gunstocks.com For around $150 delivered, you can NOT go too far wrong with RMF's lam. My 416, 257wsm, and a 358/1903a3 all wear some form of the lam. Just cheaper than anything if you have to have it LONG LOP.
jeffe

I have just finished up a 7x57 Ackley made with one of their stocks. My experience was not good. 1) wood was nicely figured but VERY green and walked around a lot 2) the inlettng (1 /16 oversize specified )was terrible, with not enough wood at the loading port so rail was above wood when stock was fully bedded and worst of all, a 1/8 gap between mag box and bottom of receiver so that I had to saw off a piece of another mag box and silver solder it on3) ebony fore end tip was on crooked and had to be sawn off and reset. Aside from all this. . .

Canuck,
That is a fine looking rig , hadn't seen it before, thanx for posting. Is that the Modern Classic stock? gabe

johannes,

Welcome to the board, I am a fairly new poster here as well, but have lurked for a helluva long time. Where are you in Ohio? Sorry to hear about your experience with Richards Microfit . Were you using a wood blank or a laminate? What other stock makers did you look at, and who would you go with next time (assuming there would be a next time)? thanx, gabe

I have held several of these in my hands, also have several in my gun cabinet -- in the modern classic / old classic / rollover styles. I have not seen their laminates, but I can tell you about their inletting. "Rough" is a good description -- however, (as I too found out) if you DON'T order the 1/16" oversize, you will still have enough wood to get a good fit; if you order oversize, you will need to do some work with epoxy. One of the bottom metal inletting jigs / patterns that they use must be off, since several of mine had a little extra off of one side (left I think, but I don't have a stock handy to look at). It is in the trigger bow area.

Grip caps and forend tips are another story! Let's just say if I order a stock myself, I order WITHOUT. If I pick up one used, I plan on cutting off the forend tip. I don't like angled tips anyway, and I hate wood grip caps and white line spacers. I would also install your own recoil pad; they tend to give you a short LOP, and the last one I saw had been cut at a bevel.

Overall, I think they are a very good value, if you can or want to do the above-mentioned work yourself. There is enough extra wood to do some major reshaping if you so desire.

Todd