I like nice wood stocks as much as the next guy, but my budget won't allow for what I would order. Plus there are some definite upsides to good synthetic stocks in hunting environs and there must be a market as some of the continents best stock makers build synthetic options.

I know there are some nice ones out there. If you feel so inclined, show them off. :-)

Try "in the ten ring" on Mauser Central. Dave is a nice guy and has great wood and does his own profiling.

So does AR member Chris at www.walnutgrovegunstocks. Some of his inventory is shown on the website.

He also runs a pantagraph at his shop.

I am going up tomorrow morning to pick up one for my 425 Westley Richards, and another for my 6,5x68 Shuler project.

Synthetic has its place, but even a ten thumbs guy like me can bed a composite stock and make it look good.

Rich, your link is broken.

http://walnutgrovegunstocks.com/

Hill Country Rifles .404 Jeffrey



Kevin Weaver .375 Ruger



Hill Country .458 Lott

Just a few big bores I had built for nasty conditions.

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:


Hill Country Rifles .404 Jeffrey



Kevin Weaver .375 Ruger



Hill Country .458 Lott

Just a few big bores I had built for nasty conditions.

Nice! This is what I was after. :-)

Shane, I think they're a bit rough to start bedding now :-)

quote:

Originally posted by npd345:
It amazing me how they start out and how they finish up!

What, threads?

you are 100% correct.

I was just posting some photos for a friend at his request.

Sorry if it interfered with your thread.

I will pull them as well as my other posts on this thread.
.

What stock is the .404 in? Looks great.

Makes sense in the Great Frozen North!

My pseudo custom 416 Rem Mag M70.

Nice.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Makes sense in the Great Frozen North!

Good point. We do have a tendency to use our rifles outside.

Here you go Chuck:

Beautiful pair Chet.

My Weaver Pre War Mod 70 375 H&H is one of the last wooden stocks Kevin built. Last year I had Jim Kobe bed it into the Echols Legend stock.






My Sisk Mod 70 Classic 300 Win, which I had repainted for its 10th birthday last year. ( And appropriately the Grey Ghost hides in the shadows......)






And it has shot one holes ever since the day I got it from Charlie. This rifle is the reason I got rid of 3 G33/40 actions along with Argentine bottom metal & blanks, 2 Pre War donors and am about to dump a Pre War long action. I decided there was no reason to build or hunt with anything else and lost interest in other calibers.






Almost forgot. I had this '50 cloverleaf Weaver 340 Wby, which spent 1 year in that Legend stock before I pulled it and put it back in its original HiTech stock and sold it.

Chuck,

I've made three trips to Africa in the last eight years. Don't need ugly/functional there.

I do have a thousand yard Rockchuck rifle with a synthetic stock though. An early 70's Unlimited stock I got from Manley Oakley in Seattle, with a Remington 700 in an eleven and one-half inch sleeve. Leupold 6.5-20X boosted by Premier Reticle to 18-42X with windage lines and seven dots three moa apart. It's a poorman's rangefinder.

Synthetic is functional, but even Michaelangelo couldn't make one pretty.

My deal is: if it is raining outside, I stay inside. If it is really cold outside, I stay inside. For me, hunting is enjoyable, not some sort of survival/torture program.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Chuck,

I've made three trips to Africa in the last eight years. Don't need ugly/functional there.

I do have a thousand yard Rockchuck rifle with a synthetic stock though. An early 70's Unlimited stock I got from Manley Oakley in Seattle, with a Remington 700 in an eleven and one-half inch sleeve. Leupold 6.5-20X boosted by Premier Reticle to 18-42X with windage lines and seven dots three moa apart. It's a poorman's rangefinder.

Synthetic is functional, but even Michaelangelo couldn't make one pretty.

My deal is: if it is raining outside, I stay inside. If it is really cold outside, I stay inside. For me, hunting is enjoyable, not some sort of survival/torture program.

Who cares?

This rifle is the finest I have ever seen.

http://www.smithson-gunmaker.com/375-hh.html

Those are very nice.

quote:

I've made three trips to Africa in the last eight years. Don't need ugly/functional there.

Yep, back when I was a beginner I thought I had all the answers too. The more I go, the more I learn...

Bwanamrm,

which trip do you figure got you thinking you needed stainless/synthetic for anything in Africa? I hunted Buffalo in Zim Christmas week. Rained 20-24 hours a day and the temperature never dropped below 100. Wood stocked blued steel CZ550 in 450 Dakota killed the Buffalo and did not warp the stock or rust the metal. Of course, I did clean the rifle thoroughly every evening, and it was in the tent with me at night.

three trips is enough for most people to figure out what they need to take for the animals they want to hunt, AND to know what the prevailing weather conditions will be at that time.

If half of what you gentleman opine is true, then no one should ever take a Double Rifle to Africa because wood is unsuitable for a hunting rifle.

We are each free to choose our own, that is the beauty of the situation. I prize esthetics, you do not in terms of a rifle.

Enjoy...

If you look back over my Hunt Reports Rich you will find I use all types of rifles on safari, stainless/synthetic, factory, customs, yes I even have a double rifle.

They all work, some are better at times than others.

You don't have all the right answers, neither do I. Try some humility sometime and people may take you a bit more seriously.

Just listen to what they ask you, don't tell them what you think you know.

What stock is that .404 in?

Also curious about the 416 Rem Mag stock - looks like an echols but grip is a bit more closed than I think the echols is?

I've got a matched pair of m70 30-06 (left and right) being made by Gene Simillion - if I had them, I'd post them!

quote:

Originally posted by McKay:
This rifle is the finest I have ever seen.

http://www.smithson-gunmaker.com/375-hh.html

I certainly agree. I carried an almost identical one in 9.3x62 last spring bear season as my backup

Here is one built by Penrod.

My favorite everyday carrying rifles is this pre-64 M-70 with stainless 9.3x62 bbl in an Echols designed EDGE stock.




At 6# 14 oz with 5 down it is a real pleasure to pack

I thought I would show how mine turned out, sorry for the bad photo.
My rifle is a Win M70 pushfeed, 30/06, Featherweight barrel contour by Bartlein stretched out to 24", Talley 2 piece lightweight rings/bases, Leupold 3-9x40, ceramic coated black, Wildcat Composites stock, metal work, finish and stock paint job by Kevin Weaver, Weaverrifles.com
The Wildcat stock arrived weighing 16-17 ounces.
The whole package as it is pictured weighs 7 pounds 5 ounces.
Handles like a dream, shoots 165 Accubonds and 180 Sierra's right around .75" 5 shot groups at 100 yards.
I've had this rifle for 30 years and this facelift should last at least another 30.



I just shot this group a couple days ago, not bad for a lightweight set up.

This synthetic rifle is a 400 Whelen also done by Kevin Weaver. Shilen Barrel, Timney Trigger, 1903 Springfield, NECG sights with the front banded sight reshaped like old school Lyman, M70 Style wing safety. After the pictures I installed a 2-7 Leupold VX II.

quote:

What stock is that .404 in?

My apologies, haven't revisited this thread in awhile... it's a McMillan Model 70 mag fill model.

BTW, some beautiful rifles here but Phil's 9.3x62 and the Kevin Weaver .400 Whelen are fantastic rifles. Well done gentlemen.

I was lucky enough to fondle the Smithson 9.3X62 that Phil mentioned. It's a beautiful rifle that I'd be proud to own. Unfortunately, it won't save you any money over a wood stocked custom.

Here is one snellstrom forgot to post, snellstrom Jr's .280 Rem Pre 64 M70 in Brown Precision stock.



Here is my Kevin Weaver built .338-06 M70 Classic in McMillan Hunters stock with Edge fill. 8lbs 9oz all up.


M70 Classic FWT .30-06 Hunters Edge 7lbs 2oz as pictured.


M70 Extreme Weather, McMillan M70 FWT stock with Edge fill 7lbs 13oz.


M670 Winchester, McMillan Winlite stock 8lbs 7oz all up.


Stevens 200 .250 Savage, B&C Carbelite Stock.


Kevin Weaver built Charles Daly Mini .250 Savage, High Tech stock.

Bansner Ultimate in 340 Wby






Harris McMillan Signature Titanium in 338 Win Mag

500 Jeffery in CZ 550. AHR stock

Neal Shirley's 550 Magnum in a GMA African. AHR stock

416 Rigby in the CZ with octagon barrel and AHR stock

All these rifles..so few scratches!

A couple used this week

B+C stocks

358 NM Comm `98

7mm RM Win 70




And AR member Shanks with another of my syn`s
.300 WM Sako TRG-S




He was fortunate enough to take two Sambar stags.
Many people hate the Mothwing Orange..who gives a rats?



I have carried the MO rifle around the traps myself.shown here laying on a fresh out of the wallow red!
There is a 300 WM Nosler 48 in the safe too but it needs a few scratches on it yet.

quote:

Originally posted by Chuck Nelson:
Here is one built by Penrod.

Nice looking leftie, what stock is on it??

An Echols pattern McMillan.