Wood versus Plastic Stocks

[kpaoletti]

I am not a fan of plastic stocks on airguns. While the plastic stocks may be more practical a walnut stock adds beauty to the gun. I recently imported two Hatsan Sorties with walnut stocks from Spain since the wood stock was not being offered in the US. I would be interested in other opinion on the value of a wood stock.

 

[jps2486]

It's a matter of personal choice, but I prefer walnut, especially if it has some pleasing grain to it. That makes it unique and it has it's own character. Plastic or plywood (laminate) to utilitarian and makes the gun nothing more than a tool.

 

[John "spysir" Blount]

I like the look of fine wood, and accept the utility of plastics but wood has the advantage if looking for personal fit. I just about need the thumb up position, love a thumb up thumb hole lefty stock in Walnut. Fit can make as much difference in ones shooting as any other mod one might do. If you cant shoulder it with your eyes closed and have evrything spot on perfect you need to change something.
John

 

[ChiefRicci]

A nice wood stock is very hard to beat, especially if its a wall hanger. If you are going to use your weapon in the field in all kinds of weather, plastic or a nice laminate is the most practical way to go. I do have some nice wood on a few of my powder burners that i use for hunting but along with that i have learned to live with some large scratches and dents that i have put in them over the last 40+ years

 

[Bob_O]

I love the appearance of a laminate stock. I don't care for the plain wood look.

But for pest control on a farm, which I do a lot of, a synthetic stock is the only way to go if you don't want to worry about damage.

 

[markT]

I have a FX tranula with a walnut stock. It's absolutely beautiful. It stays in the house. Too nice to be taken afield and used for its real purpose.
Laminate is a better choice over wood. Laminate is stable where "wood" moves with moisture etc.. 
New composite stocks are great. My berreta has the "soft" touch and feels great in cold weather and doesn't "ding" like wood nor does it feel like a frozen 2x4 when handling it. I think FX has a similar material. 
I will say, if your looking for a beautiful rifle. Yes "wood" solid wood ( Walnut) is gorgeous..
Daystate and others make nice stocks. As far as the value of wood? Just for looks.. 
happy shooting.

 

[Bob_O]

I must clarify, I don't like the plastic (polymer) stock on my Benjamin Maximus. Very slippery. But the FX soft touch synthetic is amazing!!

 

[Skillet]

First exposure to plastic stocks was an880, back as a young shaver, in the '70s. Shot it till the stock broke off entirely, same with my cousin's guns...

Next was a 760, liked the "Croswood" stock better. Solid/dense.

While I prefer wood these days, I appreciate the fact that plastic allows for the inexpensive manufacturing of some nice, ergonomic stocks. 
Having said that, have a CR M4-17 that appears to be 97% plastic, and I hate it, real bad...

 

[Dairyboy]

I love a beautiful piece of walnut for sure but for my purposes absolutely worthless on a gun. Synthetic is the only way for me as guns are a tool used for pesting on the farm or in my yard with the occasional plinking or Target shooting. My guns get used and abused. No way around it so as much as I'd like to have one with a beautiful stock there just not practical for me

 

[Glem.Chally]

The nice thing about a solid wood stock is you can sand out scratches and refinish every two years if you want, not a big deal. It would take you a few hours to do and you don't have to stress out about the little things. I love the look and feel of wood, even laminate can be fixed people can sneer all they want about laminate it can be lovely and many many beautiful guns have laminate stocks. The composite stocks can be ok if they're not the cheap plastic feeling stuff.

 

[Quad82]

I agree that if you can’t use it, what good is it? But I think a beat up walnut stock looks better than any plastic. I don’t mind laminates but Beach wood stocks are just cheep. 

 

[Scrufhunter]

Wood and blued, chrome, brass, gold plating, and my fave parkerizing all look great. I prefer to use synthetic stocks, and painted metal. I think some wood holds a high value, but some wood i think holds the same value as synthetics. There is some wood that is just cheep and tacky, but hand made/finished wood can not be beat in looks and value. Laminates are pretty cool, I would not mind having a micarta stock! Synthetics are nice and light, usually more or less. The best part is you can paint synthetics, who cares. Scratch it up , repaint it. Break it some how, what ever its plastic. Some dude, or dudette pushes a button, a bunch of machines make like hundreds at a time or something. Not nearly as labor intensive, nor crafted by ones hand. Sure you can design something in a CAD program then push print, I suppose you can mill wood using the same program, but thats the tricky part. Is a wood stock made of wood, any wood hold the same value if made by hand with modern tools, or with more traditional tools and methods?
I think wood and fancy metals look nice hanging on the wall......I have used wood and blued in the field, I notice that my quarry notices the riffle. Some ground vermin can see well very far. So I always paint mine, and it works!

 

[hdrk1111]

I am pining for an HW35E . Just simply because the walnut stock is beautiful. Send pics when the get here.

 

[Guest]

I prefer a wood & steel sporter, thank you very much. I learned to shoot at age 10 (big for my age) with spoils of war. Even the 8mm sniper rifle from Saving Private Ryan, and the Carcano that shot JFK. God rest his soul, Roberts and Martin's. And several others at any rate. But, that said, I like the 760 Powermaster variant 4 (1/77) Donnie Reed gave me. The well detailed ABS stocks are actually a bit heavier than the wood ones on my 760 variant 1! Here they are in a group pose;

 

[JohnL57]

I'm a total sucker for a nice Walnut stock-I grabbed a great deal on a Corcoran thumbhole stock and am enjoying it to the fullest! My Marauder does nearly daily duty as a hunter and pest control gun-yes I've put numerous "love marks" on it, but why have it if not to be used? 
Here's a pic-Enjoy!

 

[Saltlake58]

I love Walnut or other exotics. However, wood moves. For general airgunning it's probably not an issue, but movement can impact accuracy ever so slightly. For precision shooting, probably need a solid (UGG) plastic stock.

For hunting where the gun will get beat up, plastic wins again.

I've got a 10/22 that's pushing 45 years old and it's pretty beat. Wood I care about and will probably go through the effort to refinish one of these days. Plastic? Refinish? Really? I don't think so.

Wood looks better, plastic is more practical, and LIGHTER!

 

[Guest]

Hollow plastic stocks also make more noise when shooting they say? Makes sense to me. But decent plastic stock dipped in Realtree camo or mossy oak infinity is nice too. Like my Winchester 1400cs. But my 760 variant one has some wild looking wood when viewed at the right angles. And the Elm stock on the 160 Pellgun has some grain that's smoother, more flowing than oak, which is more like finger prints. The 760 variant 4's ABS stocks are heavier and more detailed than styrene stocks. Here's some pics for your consideration;