![]() The stock material has no bearing on whether a rifle shoots well raw accuracy depends on barrel quality, bedding quality and a host of other variables. While most of today’s ultra-light rifles are synthetic-stocked, it’s really the reduction in the amount of metal, or the type of metal used, that contributes most to the reduced weight.Īre synthetic-stocked rifles inherently more accurate than those stocked in wood? Absolutely not. Depending on whether they’re solid or hollow, along with how they’re designed, synthetic stocks can weigh as much, or more in some cases, than wooden stocks. There’s a common notion that synthetic stocks are lighter than wood, but this isn’t always true. ![]() The same can’t always be said for wood stocks, which are far more prone to cracking or breaking, and I’ve had the unfortunate experience to back up that assertion. I’ve fallen more than a few times with synthetic-stocked rifles, and other than some chips and scrapes, the stocks have all come through unscathed. Synthetic stocks are also inherently stronger than wood stocks. They’re physically incapable of absorbing water, making them impervious to the swelling and shrinking that even the finest wood stock will suffer if subjected long enough to moisture. ![]() There’s simply no denying that synthetic stocks are considerably more moisture-resistant than traditional wood stocks. Since then, all of the major manufacturers have jumped on board, and synthetics have evolved from pure, hand-laid fiberglass to today’s mixtures of Kevlar, graphite, boron, fiberglass, urethane and plastics, some hand-laid, others injection-moulded. What started as a fad became a movement by the early 1980s when Weatherby introduced the Fibermark-the first synthetic-stocked factory rifle. Bench shooters appreciated the consistency that glass stocks afforded, as they never swell or shrink as wood does, which can put pressure on the action or barrel, ultimately effecting a rifle’s accuracy. Synthetic stocks first hit the market in the mid-1960s when Chet Brown of Brown Precision introduced a fiberglass stock to the sporting fraternity, having first won over the very particular bench-rest crowd. But are they a superior product? The answer is yes, and no. ![]() Whether we’re talking rifles, shotguns or muzzleloaders, synthetic stocks are all the rage, and while I don’t have the hard data to support my claim, I would suggest that synthetic stocks are now far outdistancing wood-stocked firearms in new gun sales. ![]() Perhaps the single most noticeable change in firearms over the last 15 to 20 years has been the proliferation of synthetic stocks. ![]()
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