Quality of stocks

[ilikerugers]

I stopped in Dicks the other day, just to see what they had behind the counter. Is it me, or do all of the stocks look like crap? Marlins, Mossbergs, Rugers - what the heck? Doesn't anyone make nice walnut stocks anymore? Or, was it just Dicks' selection? The stock on my 20 year old Benjamin Sheridan pellet rifle looks nicer than that on a $500 Marlin today.

[brianm767]

I don't know, but I've seen some pretty nice stocks on some Marlin lever actions? But Rugers have looked pretty plain and boring for awhile.

[Mitch]

Nice walnut stocks cost more than cheap birch or plastic stocks, and Walmart and Home Depot have taught us that cheaper is better no matter what. If you disagree, you must hate America.

[ocabj]

Try a CZ. Better yet, an Anschutz.

[Merc1138]

Most people don't want to pay the money for a nice looking wood stock. As long as it's functional, the look is simply irrelevant to most. Manufacturers are well aware of this, and are not going to put forth the effort to put nice looking wood stocks on basic models of guns you would find in a Dick's, Big5, etc. since those versions would just sit collecting dust while the others that cost significantly less fly off the shelves.

[Bullitt01]

What Merc said^^^^^

[Southwest Chuck]

Nice walnut stocks cost more than cheap birch or plastic stocks, and Walmart and Home Depot have taught us that cheaper is better no matter what. If you disagree, you must hate America.

..... not to mention you must be a racist, too.

[Colt.45ACP]

Years ago a gun store in the L.A. area had a sale and a friend and I went 'cause he wanted a .270. Long story short, the sale guns had birch stocks and the clerk had filled out the paper work on a better stocked rifle.
Manager caught the mistake too late and said the gun had to be sold at the sale price! Better deal than what that store normally gave!

[Jimi Jah]

Dicks always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[russ69]

I hate to say it but it's mostly because the old cheap black walnut trees have been used up.

[bsim]

Dicks always leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I see what you did there...

[jeffyhog]

I agree- the new stocks can't compare to the stocks of yesteryear, at least on otherwise comparable rifles. You can still get nice wood on higher end models, but you're going to pay for it.

[AceGirlsHusband]

In case you're wondering, OP, here is a nice link to show you and tell you just how much a good looking piece of wood costs now:

http://www.canyoncreekgunstocks.com

[as_rocketman]

Nice rifles have nice stocks. Think Winchester 70, Browning, Ruger #1. Stuff like that. And fancy stackbarrels. They exist, but they're not the norm anymore.

Most of the market doesn't care about anything but price or is all about tactical fantastic plastic. And the rare consumer who's actually a shooter may just cast off the OEM stock anyhow.

What bothers me more than plain / ugly stocks are functionless stocks. Case in point, my old Marlin 70 has a pretty boring stock -- veneer over hardwood, no figure whatsoever -- but it has a good length of pull and a proper Monte Carlo comb on it, and as a result I can shoot it well. It even came with sling swivels (1", but let's not be picky).

But a lot of new stocks are not only plastic, but also too flexible and without any thought to sight alignment, and come with no provision for slings. That is weak sauce.

There are also times when you just want an ugly rifle, because it's going to get beat up. I fully understand the attraction of taking an AR-15 or AR-10 pattern rifle on a hunt, even if I don't consider them particularly handsome.

Having said all that... some folks still appreciate nice materials and craftsmanship. Me too.

[Marquand]

I've never seen a Henry Arms rifle with anything short of a beautiful stock. As for Marlin, Remington, Ruger, and Weatherby it seems that you are subject to luck of the draw. Kimber rifles that I've handled in person always seem to have nice wood grain stocks. While Browning and Beretta rifles seem to have average wood these days their shotgun stocks always look terrific.