Richards Microfit Stock

[r3dn3ck]

Werewolf: I think we have a fundamental difference of thought process and without calling you "wrong" allow me to debate you on the matter:

Take a lump of wood, say a nice 4"x4"x48" block of it (768 cubic inches). Now chop off 1% of the wood (7.7 cubic inches). It's actually quite a lot of wood you have there. If you didn't have to take off more than a few cubic inches in total then your concept of what you thought you were getting was flawed and that's a matter that you need to deal with.

If you were expecting bolt-in or anything like it you expected too much. You're buying wood that looks like a stock and is cut very well for the action intended but it's not ready until YOU DO SOME WORK. Period. 99% is not complete. It means you have work to do unless you luck the hell out. Griping about it doesn't make you right. 1 Guy in history was probably able to just drop his action in to an RMF 99% and that's enough to say "little or no handwork" and they're still right because you might just luck out (you might also win the lottery). If you've ever made a complete stock from a blank you know that hours and hours ain't jack squat. When you have 150 man hours into a stock then start griping. If your stock doesn't say "100% finished" then it ain't and you do a disservice to all of the DIY community making us look like griping old women expecting finished cabinetry when we ordered profiled lumber. Would you rather send back 3 stocks that are cut too loose to get one with proper wood to metal fit or would you rather have a good job done on the first one and have to be the one to do it?

Now you are 100% right in a manner of speaking on the CS and the fact that there's no excuse for doing that but again, like the man said: They don't care nor do they have to because we're not their core customer and we can go screw ourselves while they serve their core customer. I applaud them for knowing where their bread is buttered and where it's not. At least they're not trying to serve two masters.

As for pics of unfinished stocks: Why? Why show you the worst they'll look in a way that they're not intended to be used? I wanted to know how they'd finish up when I bought.

There, done debating. Don't get mad as this was not an attack. Please though, debate.

[Werewolf]

I agree that perhaps we had a misunderstanding, and I am not mad at you. I did not luck out in my dealings with Richards, what really upset me is that I expected to do the sanding and finishing, but got two stocks that I had to repair before they were usable and just about completely reshape. nowhere near 99% or "cut very well for the action intended". And forget about calling them about it. I literally had to glue pieces back into the inletting that had been almost ripped out and were hanging by splinters on one of them, and then bed over the repairs. I am not just griping, I had a legitimate complaint and Richards wasn't there for me. I personally felt they were not up front about things, but maybe thats just me as well. We could debate about it all day, but at the end of that day I would still never buy from Richards again. If they don't care about or need my business I will take it somewhere else. If you are OK with any business taking your money and then saying screw you you're not my core customer thats your right. It's my right to say I'm not OK with it.

[r3dn3ck]

Damaged goods are easy to deal with, credit card charge-back. They'll definitely call you when they get a charge-back because it costs them substantially and affects their ability to accept credit cards at all if not properly dealt with. I can totally sympathize with receiving a fundamentally damaged item and having crap customer service but you're not stuck... there are remedies in law and calling the order line and letting them know you're about to do a charge-back will usually have a new item shipped to you that day or a refund. Out of curiosity what action was the stock for?

[Werewolf]

It was for a savage 10 and a 110.

[greyling]

I bought one for a left hand mini mauser because they were the only outfit I could find at the time that did an action inlet. I bought a "95%" stock that came more like 70%. I was also expecting a nicer piece of wood than I got. Seems like the shipped 1 grade less than I thought I was getting, but it took 4 months to come in and I decided to just go for it. I spent countless hours getting the action to drop in, radically widen the barrel channel, cut the bolt notch, wow it was a lot of work. I was expecting the rough outside, and that's easy to deal with, but it was all the action inleting that ate my lunch. I had to buy tools and learn skills I was not anticipating. Turned out ok I guess for a first time, but I would not do it again.

Here are before and after pics. http://imgur.com/qcY4Y,zAE7s,96Xqv,bpIdV#3

[Tarheelpwr]

I think people really need to be realistic. From what I've seen, their wood is high grade and looks very nice. If you're ordering a laminate stock, I see your complaint. BUT, if you're ordering high grade, figured wood, lets be honest. Their prices are INCREDIBLE. Have you ever looked at those quality of BLANKS (chunks of wood with NO work done)? Those EASILY start at $500+. The fact that we're getting quality wood at that price MOSTLY shaped and the like is a good deal.

Custom makers easily charge $450 for shaping etc + the cost of the blank.

[ihfan75]

Man...kinda nervous...just ordered Richard's stock for my 10mlii Ordered exhibition grade claro "frontier sportster" ebony tip and cap 488.00 8wks out. not holding my breath for on time delivery anymore. Should be a nice piece of wood. Ordered it for short action metallic cartridge tho as i dont wish to have ram rod on the gun

[Tarheelpwr]

Please post pics when you the exhibition grade stock. One as you get it and another after u finish. I've been thinking about trying one too.

[ihfan75]

I will...Im prepared to do some reshaping, sanding, polishing, maybe even some minor inletting. Probably gonna glass bed it anyhow, so it might be a good time to see how well i can screw it up. Im thinking tru-oil or old school hand rubbed oil finish. Are there any other ML10ii shooters on here?

[Tarheelpwr]

I've had very good results with the recipe I got from Joel Russo.

10 coats hand rubbed 100% Tung, then wet sand with mineral spirits.

10 more Tung then wet sand with min sports.

Repeat until all the grain is filled.

Finish off top coat with pro custom oil.

[ihfan75]

I'll check that out, gonna use whatever brings out the "100% figure" best. I reshape and finish the stocks on most factory guns that I buy, as production oriented finishes dont seem to be my thing.

[ihfan75]

what is "tung"?

[drybean]

there is pic on page 3 in axis section that i finished with tung oil
drybean

[drphilwv]

Ran across this thread while contemplating the purchase of a blind mag 110 for a 35 whelen project and couldn't help adding in my $.02
I have bought unfinished stocks from Fajen (pre-reorganization), Great American Gunstock Co. (pre and post fire), Boyd's, and Richards Microfit. I have always gone back to Richard's Microfit. Why? Because on the whole they leave more wood there for you to remove. Yep, much rougher than Boyds but I never had too large a gap on the floorplate area where Boyd's often has this. I've never had the holes drilled incorrectly, though I have heard this from more than one person. Best was Fajen, but they are gone now. Great American made my favorite stock ever (an Oberndorf Classic) but much, much, much rougher than Richards. For an ordered stock (not from the bargain bin) expect 4 mo or more. My last one was a black widow laminate for a 450 Bushmaster project on an Argie 91 action. There are still some tooling marks but the fitting went well because there was plenty of wood there. I wanted to hear how the blind mag stocks worked since I never had to work one yet. I suppose I will get one from the bargain bin for practice and to check it out. If you want a drop in, go Boyd's every time. If you want something a little different and have the patience to deal with RMF, I'd use them YMMV as always.
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u133/wvcruffler/DDF9B18E-4CF3-4E06-8598-C590896FCFC5-1948-0000021751EA5796.jpg

[tyler.woodard04]

Ordered a blue thumbhole benchrest un inletted from them. Delivery was right on and the quality of the wood is great no voids at all. We built and aluminum bedding block and glued that in after inletting it. Then i chopped off the rear section and shapped the grip. Oh yeah rear grip striker. Then alot of sanding. One coat of automotive clear so far. Sanded it today ready for another coat soon. Really brings the color out