O.T. Lack of character

My Son and I have been looking for another Big Bore Rifles 300 Win Mag or larger. The majority( notice I said majority) of stocks and forearm pieces are composite. Most on sale ,Armslist,has very little wood grain stocks,seem to me everybody wants to get rid of their junk they bought and seems to be sorry they bought everything except wood. Half of the big bores look like an AK 47 or AR junk, with a higher price tag they will never get rid of.They are beginning to understand, wood has character on a firearm. Seems to me gun makers are making a heck of an error when they jumped on the no wood bandwagon, they just look cheap.Yes I heard the story of, "at least you don't scratch the stock,or it's not a piece of furniture." I am sure of a few reasons the gun manufacturers switched.
1. It is cheaper to mold the plastic,no need to have expensive machinery to cut and router out nice stocks.
2. is the plastic doesn't twist or warp.

My answer to the first question is, just look how much plastic is used in everything we use today,most of it is worthless and breaks down faster than if it was made right the first time.

for #2 Plastic is cheaper, so does that mean the firearm should be cheaper?Why isn't it? The manufactures prices are climbing,so that means they are getting profit increased with no extra work. Sort of like the Propane shortages today.

Ok, for a bright point,,,, Lets hear the applause for more snow and cold.Hooray!!

If you listen good enough you can hear my one finger salute to good ole Mother Natures best weather.In my use of my third language (profane)the weather should be warmer with the blue streak I'm using, with me it's English, obscene, and profane, makes me an educated man of languages.lol.

Just glad we heat with wood,and don't have to beg,borrow to the gas companies whims, or high Kw hours and watch the electric meter spin out of control. I still have a new disappointing elec baseboard heaters hung between the floor joists in the box.I used to have 8-10 units, gave them all away but this one,don't know why I keep it, unless it's just to remember to never put one in.

LOU

I guess I kinda agree with ya. I am sure there
have test to prove the new composite stocks have
their advantages. In extream weather conditions
man made materials are more predictable reliable
& what ever else.. But they lack in charactor,
to me Wood gives a weapon charactor. There is
nother better than a piece of wood that has a
lot Natural Charactor, this beautiful piece of
wood is like no other stock in the world, none
of them are identical, a plactic injection mold
they all are the same.....

rla,
Thanks for the post. On our pistols,we've changed all the plastic grips to real wood.It just makes them more correct to me, or as you put it Character.Only one we haven't found wood for yet is the WAC 380.Still looking though. What brought wood to my interest was a millionaires dining room paneled in REAL BRAZILIAN ROSE WOOD< GOLD COLORED CARPET, DARK OAK LENGTH DINING ROOM TABLE, wood High back chairs, 2 Crystal chandeliers over the table, and real silverware, and original Minton China with hand knitted lace napkins.Gave the room character and masculine feel.Thanks for the reply,
LOU

What's on the handle of the 686??

Its a 629 Classic, it's a whitetail deer inlay.It had the rubber grips, I still have those,but prefer the wood.Thanks for the reply,
LOU

I have a 686 and thought that was what you had there. Nice collection. Thanks LOU

You could buy my German .300 weatherby Mag. Bought back in 1972 and mint and every round certified. All wood and imperial scope.

(quoted from post at 20:27:15 01/26/14) You could buy my German .300 weatherby Mag. Bought back in 1972 and mint and every round certified. All wood and imperial scope.

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That thing will hurt me to shoot it.
My uncle had an over/under 300 Weatherby.
Not many shells were ever shot thru it

check out boyds gun stocks just put a laminated thumbhole on my 22-250 and love it very reasonable on prices also

My uncle trying to get me to buy his 300 WBY MAG Mark 5 and I told him to keep it I wasn't interested. He asked why and I told him I wasn't buying a gun that kills on both ends! I shot it once and was enough for me.

Nice collection. I have always wondered when you get to the point of too many guns. How would you know?

Does the army know they are making a mistake not using wood on their M4s?

Can't find a thing to disagree with in your post Lou, either about plastic or this mind numbing winter. Composites have their place I think. On certain guns, say the AR's or even on some economy grade platforms. But for day in and out use, I prefer wood. I admit a few of my handguns wear Pachmayer types. That's more a function of price and availability than preference. I have relatively big hands, but short fingers. The Magna type Smith grips just don't do it for me, while the open backed "Grippers" work fine.

As far as rifles, wood is where it's at! Composite always looks and feels cheap no matter what it is. The best of the lot was the older style Bell and Carson IIRC. A very solid polymer. Have one on a custom built Ruger Ultra Lite 250-3000. Still ugly. So is stainless IMO!

Cost, that's why the manufacturers like the composites.

As far as the weather, we're looking at at least another week with average highs in between 0 and 10F. Daughters water froze when the pressure switch lost a spring. Frost is at least 3 feet in the ground. Not fun, not at all.

I buy guns to use not look at and the composite stocks are much lighter and will take a lot more beating and banging in the woods and riding in a pickup.

Traditional Farmer,
"will take a lot more beating and banging in the woods and riding in a pickup."

since when do people use their rifles as a sythe to mow down brush while hunting?
and when you get tired of it do you try to pawn it off on someone else, describing it as in great shape, and only used as a weekend target shooting rifle?lol.

You can get the idea of what we are talking about by looking at Armslist, people are trying to pawn those types of rifles off with a bigger price than new,or atleast a couple of hundred dollars less than new.

But like I said lack of character.
LOU

Thats the army rules,
since I was discharged (honorably) in 58 I have no use for military weapons. Theres a time and place for everything,war time requires different weapons where the conditions are vast from continent to continent.In the civilian market since when do most hunters go from extremes of mud,swamp,cold desert heat etc daily as required in military conflicts? Most younger people buy them (composite) so they can secure some bragging rights, (like military) rangeshooting.
I myself don't see the need to try and hold a piece of plastic because I wish to become a GI Joe wannabe.lol.

I guess the armies use of the garand was wrong because the wood didn't hold up on all the battles they were in,by warping ,broken stocks. Not saying they are the best rifle,but atleast they were wood.And last time I looked, the earth still has trees,just guess I can be pleased the rifle manufacturers are finding a use for worn out tires,plastic bottles,and used baby diapers.lol.
LOU

(quoted from post at 01:27:15 01/27/14) You could buy my German .300 weatherby Mag. Bought back in 1972 and mint and every round certified. All wood and imperial scope.

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Since we are a ways apart, buying is out of the question, but if you want you could send it to me and I promise to use it and return it when i am done.lol.

Question how do you certify each and every round thru it? Do you have a notary sign a paper for each round that was fired under his supervision? Not being a smart alec,just trying to figure it out.

The ones we have looked at locally, we looked down the bore and seen some of the rifling was missing,plugged up and worn out, alot of the lands chipped,but according to the seller the rifle was a safe queen and only fire a few times.Only recourse is to buy a new barrel or have the original rebored out bigger if possible.Again costing as close to a newer SAKO rifle with wood stock,if can find a competent gunsmithy.

Even trying to find a 300 win mag is quite hard,as most people like them as they can do anything from hunt groundhogs, to cape buffalo,and everything in between.
Thats when people start pizzing and moaning about recoil, either 2 things are wrong,
1. they are not firing the weapon correctly,by holding it tight to their shoulder and leaning into it slightly.
or
2. they are too recoil sensitive and barely can handle an -06 without wincing.some even jerk the trigger on a 22 caliber.lol.

Thanks for the offer and reply,
Regards,
LOU

johnlobb,
Since I haven't reached that point, it is uncharted territory.Just like star trek, we are boldly going where no man has gone before.lol.
Previous picture was of a few of the handguns we had, this picture is of all the handguns we have as of today.maybe.lol. It's just a nice hobby to have and are used for our recreational activities. Well kept guns become an asset a sort of hedge against inflation.
Thanks for the reply,
LOU

Wood? Ah yes wood. The picture says it all.



Best Regards
Patrick
'49M