Long action hunting stock options?

[mattri]

Looking to replace the factory stock on a long action hunting rifle.

Obviously don't want a target/varmint style stock but don't mind a little bit heavier than factory, not looking for a featherweight.

Looks like the main options are:

Boyds Prairie Hunter

B&C Medalist Sporter

B&C Duramax

Stockade Hunting Sporter

Am leaning away from a wood stock like the Boyds, and would prefer to have a bedding block but pillars will do. Anything else I should be looking at?

[helotaxi]

There are the high dollar options like McMillan and Manners (they both make hunting style stocks) and I think Hogue makes a low dollar option for the long action.

Pretty much any stock can be pillar bedded if you're decent with tools.

Laminate stocks are really quite different from a normal wood stocks being much more temp and humidity stable as well as much stronger.

[mattri]

Thanks for the reply. Prob looking for the middle class of stocks as opposed to the high or low end stuff.

I was hoping to avoid the wait from Stockade, but it loks like the Medalists are out of stock everywhere I've looked as well.

The Prairie Hunter is in stock, have to look around some more.

Anyone have a good comparison of these stocks?

[*tim*]

im lookin for a good hunting stock for my long action 111. have you found a good one that doesnt cost an arm and a leg

[mattri]

Actually I haven't, so I decided to just make one myself.

I looked at all the sporter style stocks and they looked to have basically the same profile as the factory stock, just a little stiffer, better finish etc.

So the plan is to use a Stevens 200 stock, it has the mag well and it comes with pillars. It also has the straight comb I was looking for and is quick and easy to handle. To get a solid pillar bedding I took down a little material from around the pillars. I also used bedding material to fill in the webbing in the forend to stiffen it up.

To fit a Criterion light varmint contour only required a little bit of clearancing of the barrel channel.

The but pad unscrews to reveal a cavity in the back of the stock. Once everything is together I'll determine how much ballast will be needed there to balance out the weight of the barrel etc.

As far as looks, I just sanded down the mould lines on the stock and tried to take down any obvious casting flash. Some Krylon Fusion should bond to the plastic, thinking something in a dark hunter green.

The bedding is setting up at the moment hope to have it ready for paint this afternoon or tomorrow.

[mattri]

http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?20254-Ultimate-%28budget%29-Hunter-pics-and-range-report