Good Thumb Hole Target Stock

This is a longer term decisions, I am still working up to speed on my first project.

The shooting is all bench rest, front and rear sandbag supported. 308 Varmint and a Bull barrel and 30-06 Bull and for now (I just like 30-06, fits in with the mil surplus collection and my dads restored 1903 Sporter). I know I am not likely to compete (though possible if I can ever retire), I do want to get down into the sub 1/2 MOA and at a reasonable cost.

Range currently is 100 yds, I want to do the 300 yd range when I get to the point I am happy with results, and possible to make a special trip occasionally to a 1000 yard range.

The donner for the 30-06 was a 111 BTH, I thought I would like that style Thumbhole and I do, nice looking as well and I am partial to wood and expect the laminate should be more stable. Will see how that stock does, I do want a good one for the 12FV (and possibly shift the 30-06 barrel over to it for single load shooting)

I am not into bedding though I have a brother who is and can go that route longer term. .

So, what would be a solid but best priced Laminated Thumbhole stock that has a good slid chassis or steel insert that would support the 12FV action for this style shooting? If there is such a thing.

Pre pillared? I am not into futzing with wood (or laminates!) any more than I have to (the BTH is getting the channel worked down for the bull barrels but that's a pretty easy job).

If and when you get the bug to install pillars (very much recommended), look at the Richard's Micro-Fit line of stocks. Not drop in by any means but with the price and selection, one of the better deals out there. They come pretty rough at times and sometimes pretty nice so be prepared to do some work on the outside for fit and finish. Know ahead of time that there will be work needed but everything you do to it makes it "yours".
I have or have had maybe 10 or 12 but I'am no expert, just appreciate the selection and cost of a nice stock for the $$.

I don't know of any with a metal bedding block pre installed, that is with laminates.
Personally for what you want to do I would stay away from a Boyd's, but give the Stocky's a look to me they seem to be a little heavier. They have a link on the sponsors page and are running a clearance sale right now some thumbhole laminates as low as $150. Usually drop in fitment.

And, if you "really" get into it, think about a Whidden V Block. Metal to metal mounting and actions can be swapped from one stock to another. More work to install the V Block but you end up with a solid mount and no worries about it shifting, ever.

That's an interesting device and thank you all for replies, any more ideas are welcome.

Any idea why center feed does not work? My 111 is 2003-2006 or so and has it, as I single feed its not an issue I would think to just leave the guts out of the magazine though you would drop rounds in there form time to time I would think.

IIRC center feed mag wells are slightly smaller 1/8th or so And less in width.
I would think an enterprising person could make it work.

Boyd's has a huge variety of stocks, quick delivery, and very good prices. For the price difference between Boys's and most other stocks, you could get your stock and buy one for your brother too with the understanding that he would epoxy bed and pillar bed both of them and still come out ahead.
One of my F-class competition guns has a Boyd's stock and the other a McMillen costing 6 times as much. I prefer the Boyd's............. by a good margin too.

Going back to your original requirement, 1/2" at 100yds, I get that kind of accuracy from a Boyd's laminate thumb hole, and a Stocky's Laminate thumbhole. The next best step up is a B&C with a metal bedding block. It's about $100 more, but as far as action beding, it's the "bee's knees". You can spend thousands more, but you can't do any better as far as action beding is concerned. ;-))

This Thumbhole stock comes with pillars installed. I am shooting one now in a 12FV, quality is very good. http://www.eabco.net/Savage-Thumbhol...k_p_14233.html

That does look interesting. Pardon my ignorance, but how does the pillar bedding part work?

Pictures anywhere or site showing the type they use?

The pillars fit in the stock where the action screws come up thru the forearm. They are glued in place. The action mounts on top of them. Metal to metal or in some cases action to plastic. They keep the stock from being crushed when the action screws are tightened. After the pillars are mounted, the action is bedded to the stock.

I would give Manners a hard look. Costly but will give you what you want.

Its on the maybe list, I like the looks of wood, laminates full fill that though I know they are not traditional wood stocks.

Cost is a factor as well and how much to spend vs my capabilities.

Good to hear the Boyds can shoot as that was part of the 111 BTH selection (used) , I liked the setup I got as for that gun it saved the cost of a stock (and I got the acu trigger I wanted as well as the barrel nut that did not need to come off). If it shoots good enough for that gun I am good.

I have the 308 with the cheap plastic stock I want to upgrade.

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Originally Posted by RC20

That does look interesting. Pardon my ignorance, but how does the pillar bedding part work?

Pictures anywhere or site showing the type they use?

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Pillars are steel tubes mounted into the stock thru which the action screws attach the action to the stock. This eliminates typical screw torque variances due to wood stock swelling or contracting due to moisture content, or splitting of stock wood along laminate lines. This model stock uses pillars that appear to be identical to Savage parts. It's a drop-in fit, the only thing I did extra was epoxy bed the action using Devcon 10110, but you don't have to do that to get good performance.

Thank you, I am 99% sure that's the way I will go, seems to meet all my needs and I am not ever going to be competition grade.

As far as single feeding a center feed stock, Sharp Shooter Supply makes a single feed adaptor so the mag isn't needed. Makes the action a solid bottom so no chance of loosing rounds into an open hole.

One thing about Boyd's, if you're considering one, is that their wait time is now over two months since their factory redo.

And with any gun stock OR smithing work, take a number and wait in line. Patience IS a virtue. I place my order and try to forget about it. When it shows up, it's CHRISTMAS!!!

I put in the order for the Wood Laminated from the EABCO company

Price was good, color choice ok, has the Pillars, I think it will be good for what I want.

Nice bonus free shipping

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Originally Posted by Nor Cal Mikie

And with any gun stock OR smithing work, take a number and wait in line. Patience IS a virtue. I place my order and try to forget about it. When it shows up, it's CHRISTMAS!!!

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Shades of being on Alaska in the 50s and early 60s, order and forget it.

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Originally Posted by RC20

................. I am not ever going to be competition grade.

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Don't bet on it. It sounds like you enjoy chasing accuracy. Once you get your rig built and tuned up and your hand loads dialed in, don't be surprised if you start looking around for a friendly F Class match. You can have lots of fun with a 1/2 MOA @ 100 yds rifle and expect to take home some gold, or at least silver, with a .400 or .350 MOA gun. F class has a lot to do with reading the wind. The folks who do it are only half crazy, as opposed to fully certifiable nuts as they are in some target shooting classes. They're generally nice too. If you have a close by 600 yd range which hosts F class matches, give it a try. But be warned, you might get hooked.

The though has crossed my mind when I shot a .250 group, then it uncrossed it when I shot a 1 inch group!

Its in the back of my mind after I retire, sadly that's some years in the future.

I can't say I have an wind reading in me, so I am at least not F class nuts, but I am not sure how sane I am regardless. I do like nice nuts though.

I think you have to get on military base for any match shooting though being a citizen in good standing I can do that (they let me cut xmas tree out there each year so....)

I got my EABCO stock, very nice. Beautifully done. Fit is spot on. Good solid, meets full expectations.

They don't ship free to Alaska, very nice young lady explained it to me, I tried to joke with her we were part of the US but she was having none of it, totally committed to getting me the stock ($11 more) or allowing to cancel. I had to appreciate here sincerity. We are used to it, Ak and Hawaii are not part of the union (I think we should get the same rates as everyone else but.....)

My trigger guard did not fit but that was a mater of opening up the slot a bit more and grinding down the old one at the front.

The Varmint barrel cutout (Savage heavy) is free floating. It will get a bull and I will need to do a bit of opening up at the front but I wanted the stock and its work I have done on the 111 BTH so its not an issue, I get to work with it now rather than wait for the bull cut. Sometimes a mod at the factory is worse than doing it yourself.

The Pilar system looks to work as intended and all went together with no issues. I had thought about leaving out the magazine as I single load but it is spaced to use the clip lip as part of the pillar so put that in.

I have a long weekend coming up and will shoot it Friday or Saturday or Saturday and Maybe Sunday.

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I got my EABCO stock, very nice. Beautifully done. Fit is spot on. Good solid, meets full expectations.

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I really wish they offered that one in a 4.27. Thats a lot of stock for the money.

Was the recoil pad nicer than the standard pad from Boyds?

I have an older BTH on my long action and its a hard plastic and I have not see the current so I don't' know if they stack up (and mine is an original Savage BTH and don't know if Boyds has better or different now on after market). Ok for a hunting rifle which my donor was. Not something that is good to shoot a lot, ok, for 100 rounds and then starts to hurt. I just put my slip on now and its fine.

This one looks decent if not good (have to shoot it). It has the open cell system so it looks like it should do a good job. For sure on 308, probably 06 levels, probably not Magnums but I would want a Limb saver if I ever got nutty enough to get one of those again (I had a 7mm Rugger , sold it when I quit hunting and won't be hunting again)

The stock got its first workout today. Overall I like it a lot.

One issue is my ear muffs bump into the far side cheek riser. The BTH on the other gun is thinner there. I will think about having my brother mill it down, see what he says, not sure I want to risk the finish and I can and did adjust.

The two Thumbhold are shooting neck and neck, says a lot for the Boyds that came on the 111as that is not pillared.

The 111 Boyds has the less capable scope, maybe e better barrel. the 12FV has both the more capable scope and stock (not just pillared, its heavier and more solid)

I like them both. I can tell when I am shooting better as both respond. Definitely a the right move.

I certainly endorse the EABH stock. If there is any question the pillars are a plus, good pad on back, well formed and better than the 111 BTH (Boyds may have better stocks than what came on it, but again its doing real well too)

I will add some more into this.

I am getting some wild shots, so the first step was to greased the bottom of the receiver and make sure it was free floating. Contact in a lot of places, so milled down with the old dremel tool.

I am not saying that's the issue but it removes on possibility, erratic enough that it was that or the scope (rest is good).

I would prefer a bit more wood removal than less for a Pillar bed type stock but not all that bad to get done and not a lot removal needed. About 6 times in and out.

It has to be tough to get it all right.

I have done the grease and remove and mill down, I think I have it fully free floating.

One bugger was as I got it milled down, the trigger started to act up (lock up)

That was traced to contact at the very rear of the trigger by the adjustment screw with the stock.

A bit more milling and back to normal.

Count on a bit of work to get it right. Very nice stock, not perfect as is though. Takes some wood work to get it right.

My BTH111 has had none of those problems but its the original stock and may have better setup from the factory for Savage and to their specs.

Mind listing what tools are needed/suggested to get either the Boyd's or the EAB stocks to fit the FV12's. I've got twins in 223 & 204R, so I'm thinking something like this could be a good winter project for me to try. One of the Boyd's and one of the EAB's so I could tell the twins apart without having to look at the barrel to see the caliber I'm dealing with. :rolleyes:

I don't mind a bit.

First: I was in a hurry so I ordered the Varmint contour which is available vs the Bull which is a can get but there is a wait time. If I had the time (or was patient) I would have ordered it for the bull profile as that what is on it now. Not a big deal but you have to sand out the barrel channel and widen it a bit (I used sand paper warped and taped to a dowel , and went with heavy sand paper as it takes some elbow breast, used a gun vice to hold it. ) More better to be patient though I did a pencil barrel stock from that to Bull profile as well doing it the same way, no choice there as used and I knew I would have to.

I like the dowel as I can move it up and down the channel easily and where needed.

Other than that we have a Dremel tool and I used the various type of sanders and reamers to work on the areas that were in contact. Wood scrape may work but I don't have those. and m

For grease I used Honady neck lube. Put it on the Action, put action in stock, tighten down screw's, remove - wipe the excess grease off the stock and the wood shows a dark spot. Sand or mill it and then repeat until clear.

The only one I missed is not the tank but the back of the trigger itself rested on the ledge and it took me a while to find out where it was binding.

Trigger got erratic and ok when rear loosened but did not think they would not have that cut out good as its a zero support area and more is better and hurts nothing.

The EAB comes with pillars installed. You'll need a new trigger guard as the 12FV trigger guard will not fit the stock. Stocky's I think sells the them, as well as Boyds. You can get it from Savage too, usually cheaper, but you'll need to know the part number. Unfortunately I don't have it off the top of my head, but it's the same as my 12BVSS only black instead of SS.

I bedded mine with Devcon 10110 and that helped a bit with consistency. Also free floating the rear tang. It should not touch the stock.

And finally, torque tuning the rear action screw will help tighten your groups.

To open a barrel channel I use deep sockets from my tool box. Find one that is the right size and wrap some 80 grit around it, work my way to 220 grit. About 20 minutes work is all. When done, rub some stock finish on the raw wood.

I add in what I hope is the last cfhapter on this.

I felt some movment and on checking, the whole assembly was rocking off the rar screw. ????????

re greased it and miner contact but not enough to epalin, make sure lug was clae.

Finaly got it down to the front acion screw, turned it upsudie down and the pillar in the stock was moving up and donw!

I put a washer on the top, still moving up and down.

I built a shim out of a .045 washer and put it in first then the pillar through it, now its solid.

Miner grease contact to clean up but again nothing major.

still trying to wrap my mind around it. I can see the thread and pillar bottoming out, but the washer on top should have done it, moved it up but sill flexed the same.

Will take it but annoyed. Shouldn't;t have to screw with it that much. Boyds is better and its a cheaper stock.

Intriguing and fascinating at the same time.

If I am reading correctly, the action, pillar and screw were tight to each other but moving within the stock. If the pillars in your stock are like mine, they have a shoulder and it seems the stock was counter-bored too deep for the shoulder on the pillar.

To fix this ( I had the same problem on my Richards Microfit, but planned on it) coat the action, screw and pillar with mold release, and put a bit of epoxy under the shoulder of the pillar and then install it and screw everything down tight and strap the action/barrel tightly to the stock. Once cured, you'll have custom fitted it to the stock. The pillar can still be removed if needed, but there'll be no more slop.

Washer on top would not eliminate the excess room under the shoulder, and that's why the shim under the pillar did work.

I hope this helps.

Thank you. I am still chewing on your answer, I have to try to get the visual picture.

From my take, when I tightened up the front action screw, the pillar contacted the receiver and the screw pillar were solid. The recess in the stock was too deep and it just floated. So the screw and pillar were tight to the receiver, but there was motion if you gripped the stock and barrel and did a hand grip thing pulling them together. I about ^&%$ when I saw the pillar moving up and down.

What I am still trying to get straight is the geometry aspect. I put the shim in, pulled the front down doing what supposed to tighten the front first. but that would seem to created a bind with the rear as its clear of the stock. No major contact even with shim in place. So its like it rotates in place, not on the same level plain.

On the other hand it did not feel like it, rear screw did not have any of the "give " feel. Just plain weird. Mental geometry is not my forte. I did good in it in high school so not hopelessly inept.

I am also still pretty pissed at EABCO. There are two aspects that should not be an issue, none of the parts should touch the stock on a pilar mount (unless you bed it) , period. I had contact all ujp and down the receiver that I removed. Excess clearance from factory is fine, not enough removed is not.

Add in the rear trigger mechanism touching and the issues that caused and its really poor quality control.

I don't know of Boyd's straight from them is better but it can't be worse. I have not done the whole drill on my BTH that came on the used Savage, but its solid and shoots good.

At this point I would say really nice quality stock and the fit sucks and be prepared to do some work if that's SOP from them.

I will probably have my brother bed the receiver now its setup correctly, he likes messing with that stuff

No free lunch, the throw out showed up where I was not looking for it, barrel hit the channel on the receiver end (two wood larger rings, one far out and one up close to the nut)

Geometry explained, felt solid cause the barrel was in solid contact with wood.

Found out at the range, huh. Ok, can't sand it down, need a shim, no metal stock and my one piece of plastic shattered

So I wound up with 3 pi3eces of 22 cardboard box stacked and that corrected it (for a while). Crushed of course and then went out

Worked long enough to get a couple of good groups with two different loads.

Just have to get metal shim and it should be good.