I have used at least a half dozen or so. Just rec'd two of their factory seconds. Great deal for the price. One even had a fitted recoil pad at no extra charge.
Posts: 8169 | Location: humboldt | Registered: 10 April 2002
I purchased one this past year. I was satisfied with the wood, but they sent me a oval forend when I ordered a round. I took them so long with the first I kept it and made it work.
I'm curious about their seconds. What defects are commonly found?
I'm with Dempsey. The wood was terrific. They were nearly three months delivering. I had intendied to put new wood on 4 different rifles but did not feel like messing with them again.
Posts: 6935 | Location: hydesville, ca. , USA | Registered: 17 March 2001
quote:Originally posted by dempsey: I purchased one this past year. I was satisfied with the wood, but they sent me a oval forend when I ordered a round. I took them so long with the first I kept it and made it work.
I'm curious about their seconds. What defects are commonly found?
Richard's seconds are great if you use a little imagination. Usually a ksmall not or check. Stick shellac of a little acraglas and flaw can become almost a plus considering the savings.
Wally
Posts: 472 | Location: Oregon | Registered: 08 March 2002
I ordered early January and took delivery last week of a fiddleback AA Bastogne Old Classic 102 for the FN Mauser action.
The inletting is rough although for the most part undersize. Definitely will have to be glassed afterwards. I got a small 1/8" knot on the forearm along the barrel line and swath of contrasting wood which spoils the effect but for the most part will be cut off for the recoil pad. The fiddleback is good.
You will have alot of work and wood removal in front of you. I burned up an 80 grit 3M SandBlaster pad just to see the grain patterns and those things are durable... This was a winter project- now it's NEXT winter's too! The shaping continues...
Posts: 360 | Location: PA | Registered: 29 September 2001
I ordered from Richards late last year. Delivery was promised in six weeks but took four months. The quality of the AA grade bastogne walnut was OK, but the shaping and inletting was pathetic. I specifically told them that the stock was for use on a .416 Taylor and yet they shipped a piece of wood with cross grain through the grip. I had to order another stock from Great American Gunstocks to finish the rifle. The "boat ore" Richards sold me sits in my shop as a $300+ reminder that you don't always get what you pay for. If you want a crude product and no customer service, buy from Richards.
I bought a dual grip for a swedish mauser about a year ago. Called them up and told them the style and grades of wood that would work and then I asked if they had it in stock on the rack. The guy goes off for about 2 minutes comes back and says he can ship it by the end of the week so I give him my CC info. About a week later it shows up and is a very nice piece of wood with fiddleback and streaking grain, much better than I thought I'd get for $100.
It did take a long time to fit to the barrelled action, I think a rem or winchester would have been alot easier. The part that got me is the wrist area of the stock didn't match those on their website, the one I got is short with a quick turndown where the ones on the site are nice and long and gently sloping.
If doing it again I'd pick one of American Gunstock's styles and send the barreled action to them to fit it, I would have been way ahead as far as my time/hr/money.
RJS
Posts: 210 | Location: North Texas | Registered: 03 August 2001
quote:Originally posted by RickMD: I ordered from Richards late last year. Delivery was promised in six weeks but took four months. The quality of the AA grade bastogne walnut was OK, but the shaping and inletting was pathetic. I specifically told them that the stock was for use on a .416 Taylor and yet they shipped a piece of wood with cross grain through the grip. I had to order another stock from Great American Gunstocks to finish the rifle. The "boat ore" Richards sold me sits in my shop as a $300+ reminder that you don't always get what you pay for. If you want a crude product and no customer service, buy from Richards.
Rick NRA Endowment Member
Richards has always been great about refunds/replacements. The onetime I ordered from Great American took me 16 months to get a refund-not really a refund but finally a blank worth half what they owed me.
Wally
Posts: 472 | Location: Oregon | Registered: 08 March 2002
Let me bottom line this for you. Dealing with Richards is a total crapshoot. I could go on about my bad experience which ended up being graciously refunded but what a huge waste of time. They have NO organization over there and every time you hang up the phone there is that nagging feeling that you just spoke to someone who is less than competant. Maybe you'll get lucky but I have seen this post TOO MANY TIMES.
Posts: 896 | Location: Austin,TX USA | Registered: 23 January 2001
So good, bad, and indifferent and a total crapshoot to deal with. But I really like the look of some of their laminated jobs. Has anybody used those and are they any good??
Posts: 323 | Location: Back Home in Aus. | Registered: 24 September 2001
