Did and search and read various material. Still not sure.

If you built a 416 Taylor from a 338 or a 7mm RM, would you feel comfortable leaving the stock as is?

Assume a Winchester, Remmy, or a CZ. Doesn't a Winchester 338 have cross bolts already?

How about if it were a factory synthetic already?

Seems most that do the conversion put a McMillan or a laminate. I assume this is due to cracked stocks?

You might check with Will (on the Africa forum) as he recently converted a Cz to .416 Taylor and restocked it to a syn stock. BW is also most knowledgable on what you are asking. Good luck.

DB

I can't say about CZ because they have higher incidences of splitting in the heavy calibers but any of the others you mentioned should be fine as-is providing you glass bed the action and make sure the tang is relieved about 30 thousandths so it can't "wedge" the stock and propogate a split.

Synthetics don't split so cross bolts don't apply. But a weak synthetic will "crush" in the recoil lug area over time. You want a fiberglass stock with lots of reinforcement in that area (lots of glass or other fiber, preferrably woven) in that key area and in the action screw area. If you can find a cut-away view from the Rimrock stocks web page you will see what I mean.

Any donor with a metal bedding block would be A-OK too like Accurate Innovations, Hogue, Bell & Carlson Medallion, H-S, etc. Carbellites are too soft unless they changes the design recently.

Injection molded won't crush but some will flex too much under recoil. Not all that bad but a stiffer stock will be more accurate in general.

Pillars by themselves won't help unless the recoil lug area is stout enough. That Help?

I think a lot depends on the factory stock. After seeing quite a few stocks crack back in the 70's from 375's and up I don't even wait for problems. I add a cross bolt and glass bed the action and glass a metal rod down through the grip. It might be overkill but I never had any problems.

I got a taylor barrel for my Sav 110 and used the original wood stock glass bedded and have had no problems yet. I put a Savage synthetic stock on it from my 338WM and after about 20 rounds the zero went all over the place. When I went to check the screww for tightness the front screw was moving back taking the recoil lug area with it. The plastic had not broken off completely it was just cracking at the seams. I have since repaired the stock making it better disperse the stress of recoil but think that any cheap made synthetic whould do the same if not stegthened first.

I use the original wood stock from my M-70 on my taylor. So far I have had no problems. I bedded the hell out of the recoil lug area and the rear tang. I also have a plastic stock for the rifle. I believe BW had issues with his factory stock when he built a Taylor. You might talk to him for more details.

I used the factory syt Ruger stock for mine glass bedded it and it works well.

I used a Boyd's classic and added the crossbolt, a wrist pin and steel bedded. First I split two different stocks where I had not relievied the tang sufficiently. Live to learn.
Frank