Wood or synthetic?

I already decided that my T3 would be a Hunter and not a Lite but now im re thinking that. Synthetic is cheaper and lighter but wood is just wood. Any help?

Just taste. I'm very very hard on equipment. There for I prefer synthetic.

I like both but synthetic is much more durable in harsh enviroments compared to wood. Wood can be sealed enough to be well rounded but finish on wood doesn't last forever.

I prefer wood stocks but you do have to be more careful. Wood wax keeps the water from soaking in.

That call is up to you. Have some of each prefer the wood stocked rifles but synthetics have their place. Like Bobo said if you are hard on equipment the synthetic is probably a better choice. I can tell you that first scratch on a wood stock is tough but it is character.

Wood is NOT just wood. It has soul. It has it's very own, one of a kind beauty. There's a romance with a wood stocked rifle that you cannot get in a plastic stocked rifle because plastic has no life in it. A wood stock tells its life story with every scratch and ding you put in it over the years. Not so with even the fanciest of plastic stocks. To some, a rifle is just another tool, and plastic suits their purpose just fine. Not me. My rifles are much more than that to me, and as such, you will catch me in the woods toting something with a grain pattern that can only be found on that particular rifle. No plastic for me, thank you.

What i mean by wood is wood is that wood has no equal. Like you stated.

I'm kind of thinking of a heavy stainless and wood combo for my next rifle. I agree that nice wood has character and can be very pretty. If its a duck hunting shotgun or if you hunt in the rain/nasty weather I would prob opt for synthetic though.

Actually, the Beretta Xplor A400 holds up really well in moist conditions.

Well, there you go. How could you possibly choose plastic now?

Love the classic look of a fine wood stock.

Love the durability of an ugly synthetic stock.

I can't believe the wood is wood isn't on a sig line yet...

Synthetic... Have never owned a wood stock

I might have disagreed with Sneaky about each scratch having history and meaning, but then my Dad passed away and I got his old Ruger Ultralight 270. And every scratch now means something. Yup, I'm with you Sneaky.

http://www.colegun.com/collections/wood-blanks

I cringe when I do it, especially the first time, but when I look at my beat up stocks, I think about all the adventure they've been through.

That's what I'm talking about.

Pair one of those with a CRF action that has a nice dark rust bluing and you would have one beautiful weapon and what should show up in Webster when hunting rifle is typed in.

I have packed wood stocked rifles through some of the heaviest snow and rain storms you can imagine with no way to keep them dry and not once have I had the slightest bit of warping, splitting or what I could call a change of accuracy. Lucky I guess... I have synthetic stocks and laminated stocks now a days but my absolute favorites are still good old classic walnut!

Scratches on wood stocked guns are character and memories, or Ah Shoots!

Synthetic I'm way to hard on guns. Especially during varmint contests. Rifles used specifically for deer hunting may stand a better chance w me.

Wood all the way. Way classier

Synthetics are good on certain rifles but by and large I prefer to use what mother nature provided

People hunted for many,many years in adverse conditions and did just fine

The "all weather" synthetic is a marketing gimmick

Wood doesnt look right on the AR15.

Pretty much.

Synthetic may be the ticket for squeezing out that last bit of consistency or accuracy, but when you can get 1/2 moa or better with wood, I'm good with that.

I'll give you that.

I'm having an AR built right now, and when I get it, it will be the only long gun I own with no wood on it.

I like both. Depends on the gun and what it is being used for. My lever gun is, of course, wood. A walking rifle, synthetic. A bi-pod/stand rifle, wood. My all purpose shotgun is camo, so in kind, it is synthetic. A superposed pheasant gun, wood. A CHL gun, synthetic. A jaw dropping, envy-maker at the range, stainless and wood.

I'll complicate things a bit for you, the term "synthetic" is pretty vague, quality glass stocks are much different than your standard Tupperware stocks. Some glass stocks in particular have a lot of character.....






If you want something with character and are willing to open your checkbook a bit click on this link for "synthetic " stocks with character...

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads...lys#Post2034102

Hes an 8 year old kid that is not going to spend that money on a fine stock. He already knows the answer to 95 % of his questions.

I've shot some high dollar match guns and all the stocks were made outta wood

So there goes that argument

I own one synthetic rifle....it was gift. Only one I want to own

My Ruger is scratched to hell....and it shows a lot of character

Lots of scratches are from the recoil after laying on the edge of a blind. Bluing is worn off the edge of the barrel from riding in the floorboard of a jeep.

That gun only gets pulled out once a year but when it does it goes to work

I don't like AR15s that much

A swirly colored plastic stock has about as much character as a supermodel. Looks just as fake, too.

As others have said, wood shows all the years of service that the rifle has provided. Dents, dings, scratches, etc. are just proof that the rifle was used and not just a safe queen. I personally prefer wood much more than synthetic. Take an old wood stocked hunting rifle out and look at it and I bet all of those character marks bring back fond memories.

So y'all Like all the dings and scratches? If you're climbing up your tower and go to take your rifle off of your shoulder and hit ladder and ding the stock you're not going to be angry? Would y'all laugh and be like "awesome!" cause I'd be a little angry myself

Like I said, I cringe when I first do it, but all the scars add up to a beautiful gun. I have a couple long, deep gouges in my .270 from dropping it in the mountains. I wasn't happy about it at the time. Now it reminds me of the 6x6 I shot later that day.

I agree that scars build up "character" at times. Like our airguns have sooooo many scratches it's not even funny. My rifle which is supposed to be synthetic but is black wood, fell off my shoulder once my old scope and the stock has a gash in it.

I've just about come full circle. I started out with wood stocks and didn't want anything else. Then I started using synthetic stocks and didn't have a gun with a wood stock for years. Now I've started returning to my roots with wood stocks. It's just hard to beat good wood.
I also really like some of the laminated wood stocks and have a Remington 700 .270 with a Boyds laminate stock.
My Tikka is a T3 Lite with synthetic, and I now wish I would have bought the Hunter with a wood stock.

Yeah, but I still want to lay down with one and squeeze a couple off.

You mean resIn and glass...

Fancy Wood is like ....... people trying to elevate their status with paid for trophy wives.... Sure is disappoint you sooner or later and most likely when it hurts the most

I just ordered one of these for a rifle I'm working on. I'm real excited.

http://www.precisionstockworks.com/

I would be to... Looks awesome can't wait to see it fitted in!!

Yeah. I'm not saying I wouldn't either.

I mean that it ain't wood.

I've never been disappointed with a wood stock. Don't know anybody that has.

Never undestood the hard on for wood myself but I think living in Alaska and hunting in the worst conditions imaginable do make a guy want to do things right. You'll not find very many if even 1 guy shooting F Class (1,000 yard) with a wood stock, laminate yes, but not wood, and MOST are some sort of synthetic especially glass. Theres a reason for that. Wood is purty, especially them fancy Brownings (that I'd never purposely own) but for a working gun and utility and dependability I'd take a glass stock every day of the week personally. When I bought my new Rem 700 CDL SF in 257 Roy the first thing I did was order a custom McMillan for it, should see it in aboout 30 weeks!

Laminate is wood, too, and I like it.

Now you have..

Have some of both but hunt more with wood stocked rifles than synthetic stocked ones. Just a personal preference. Keep your wood stocked rifles sealed well and never have had a problem with moisture. Hunted many days in the rain and damp Mississippi swamps with them and no issues. Just prefer the feel and look of a good wood stock.

Alright, I've met one clown that has. Tell me your story.

cracked two butts and on another rifle that had a swollen forearm looseing it floating from 8 days of hunting in high moisture. Not to mention a wood stock that got thrashed and scared for life via a scabbard on horseback one hunt.

My rifles are either laminate(encore, just because no one makes a high quailty synthetic )or high quality resign and glass now... Well all but one 300 browning medallion and a 30-30 marlin. That's just cause I don't shoot those enough to bother.

My main rifles are pillared, bedded, stainless and cerakoted

Oh one of those cracked stocks happened with the swivel stud pulled out

That's all just character, Bobo!

I do like the pillared, bedded, and cerakoted part. I'm about to have a couple cerakote jobs done to see what all the fuss is about.

I understand ever gun has its place. ..I have a friend with a Dakota 10...its the most beautiful thing I have ever seen next to my baby girl..lol

But no way I could hunt with it. I would be so worried about protecting it I couldn't hunt with it


Cerakote is good stuff..just makes gun maintance 10x easier. .also one less thing to worry about in the feild. ..not to mention even stainless will rust

Synthetic.

More stable in temperature and humidity swings. I want the rifle to always shoot the same January to December, drought to flood. The ammo won't shoot the same, but at least the rifle will.

Fireman I disagree, good wood laminate is more durable and stable than synthetic for the average person/stock. I know there are some specialty stocks used in long range shooting but I don't see them being discussed on this forum.

Bobo, tell me more about trophy wives. I admit I have absolutely no knowledge in this area other than what I have seen on TV.

I like lightweight, durable rifles that I don't have to baby in the field. Therefore, I opt for synthetic stocks.

However, blued metal and dark wood have a special place in my heart - for some reason they just scream "Americana" to me.

Why do people think that wood stocks have to be babied? I've hunted in downpours and near blizzards with wood stocks and no problems. You think old timers didn't hunt hard in adverse weather before plastic stocks even existed? Come on!

I am aware that wood stocks don't have to be babied. If you want to avoid beating them up, though, you have to take some precautions in the field.

Nothing looks better than a nice walnut stock on a gun but, I buy my guns to hunt with not look at. Those synthetics sure hold up well