Quick Tip: Wood vs Synthetic Stocks 

I greatly appreciate the utility of the synthetic technology and look forward to newer materials making them lighter and stronger. But man, I love the look and feel of a nice, well-made wooden stock. They are works of art in many cases.

This is similar to the comment of a charter boat captain friend of mine. I asked him if he preferred wood or fiberglass for boats. He said, "My heart says wood, my head says fiberglass."

I love wood stocks, but I agree that the synthetic stocks have come a long way. Still not pretty, but very functional.

both are nice for different reasons

I refinished my model 700 ADL 2 years ago. The walnut is so beautiful and the thick factory finish kinda hid the beauty of it. After 23 years of hunting it was chipping and scratched pretty bad. Sanded and applied two coats of tung oil. I’m very happy with the way it turned out. I like synthetic but you can’t beat the look and feel of wood.

I definitely fall into the both group. My wood stock stuff is mostly just plinkers though, just to preserve them. On the other foot It's nice havering plastic, even the cheap stuff, like the Ruger American/savage axis class stuff. You don't have to worry about it getting dinged up or scratched.

I enjoy both wood stocks and synthetic !!! I have my late dad's 80's model Remington 1100 shotgun with the traditional wood furniture and it has stood the test of time and still looks good with its light fine scratches that adds character and I also have a late 80's or early 90's Remington 870 Magnum Special Purpose pump shotgun with its synthetic Realtree Camo stock when Remington first came out with it I believe for I wanted that shotgun so bad and it was rather costly back then at a little over $400 dollars but I still have that shotgun and have added an extension tube giving me a total of 8 rds capacity and it really looks good as well !!!

As an engraver and custom rifle maker I much prefer wood. Wood has a beauty all its own if it is finished correctly. I don’t have a single synthetic stock in any of my bolt guns, they are all furnished with fine wood .

Wood...👍 I just love taking care of the stock as much as the action.

I love the asthetic of a wood stock. Especially if it has curl to it, checkering, and some light engraving.

I like how a lot of wood stocks look. Very pretty.

Utilitarian versus heirloom. tool vs functional art. glad to live in a time where we can have both.

A good presentation, Steve. Thanks !

I prefer laminated. Has the look and feel of wood with the stability of synthetic. I also dont mind that they are a little heavier on a hard-kicking rifle. A rifle is heavy when you are climbing a mountain, no matter how much it weights, but when the time comes to take that shot and you are tired and out of breath, a couple extra ounces really helps to steady the rifle, especially if it is windy.

Laminated wood stocks, if done right, have provided some of the benefits of both. I have long appreciated a 1990s vintage Remington VLS in .243 Win.

I like whatever goes boom.

I remember the days when all my long guns had wood stocks, now I look, and all I see are synthetic stocks. You just can't beat the durability.

Thank you for you videos! I have learned much. I’m a wood guy. I like the look and feel of wood. I like working with wood. But I have transitioned to synthetic stocks for all my rifles except my collectibles. Synthetic is easier and more forgiving to care for and now a days looks really sharp! LV

Still can't beat the look and feel of real wood, wood definitely wins the style award from me. Even though I know synthetic is probably more durable and lasting longer, the clear stain and warm color of wood is just so nice

Love the look of wood, hate the idea of scarring it up, so my rem 700 is in an Archangel stock bedded and free floated,, 3/8 Moa gun at 200 yards!

I love the traditional wood stock i purchased a used savage m11 in 243 that someone had rattle canned it from back to front i refinished it and decided it needed wood it looks beautiful now

I grew up with wood stocks and love how they look and feel. Synthetic stocks to me are quite ugly. They have their place and today the quality and precision really can't be beat. I have rifles with both and enjoy each of them for their own reasons.

I had a #1 Ruger light sporter in 7x57, great gun but between summer and winter(Texas) it would vertical string around 7", windage was always dead on but you had to really re-sight before the deer hunt!

Solid reasoning. Thank you.

I grew up on wood, but for all the right reasons, I have switched over to synthetics, mainly for hunting, an still use occasionally a wood stocked rifle for nostalgia purposes.

Both, they both have their purpose I love beautiful Wood stock.

nobody doubts the utility of modern synthetics. but you do reach the point in your life that you can’t get excited by one more tupperware gun, particularly rifles. You want to have some pieces that you can admire for their beauty and workmanship. Wood has a feel and warmth that synthetics don’t have.

Like them both.

Wood and steel are beautiful.

THANKS

I like them both as well as the aluminum hardware on my Savage 110ba

I wish I could have both but I live in New York City. Function should always be the first consideration

I have and appreciate both. Some of which I actually bought from Brownells. Modern sporting arms such as AR type rifles should have a Synthetic type stock. A classic firearm like an M1 Garand should have a wood stock. My deer rifle has a Synthetic stock because in Western PA we can get some very wet deer seasons.

Old synthetic stocks were very heavy, more than twice the weight of wood. They have come a long way in synthetics.

I only have two rifles with synthetic stocks and really like them. With that said, my elk rifle is a 30-06, stainless steel with laminate stock. Seems to be the best of both worlds.

Either for me, got plenty of both. I do tend to use synthetic for hunting as I don’t want to scratch the walnut lol

I have and use both and the concerning weather It does not matter yes I said it does not matter. Just take a wood stock rifle and take action and barrel out of stock the use Renaissance Wax on the wood stock and under recoil pad put it together and you are good to go also use it on the Steel as well. Couple years ago in Alaska North of the Brooks Range my Brother was hunting with a Weatherby Vanguard wood stock. I woke up one morning and was first one out of the tent and what did I see My Brothers Rifle leaning against a bush and it had rained all Night hard matter of fact in a 9 days it rained every day. He cleaned it and shot a Caribou a couple days later at over 300 yards. He took it home cleaned it properly and it’s been fine ever since. So while there is advantage to Synthetic Stock in weather it’s ever so slight, just like a wood stock is stiffer than the cheep synthetic stocks. Yes I love my HS Precision Stock but I have Wood Stock Rifle a Model 70 from 1939 and I hunt with it also and never have had a problem.

Dead on Old Man. I arrived at the same conclusion. I guess I might be old too!

I'm old school when it comes to my hunting rifles. After several years of not hunting, I have been invited to go deer hunting this fall and am looking for a new rifle in my favorite caliber. But it seems that gun manufacturers are using just the synthetic stocks. I bought a rifle when the synthetics first came out and the recoil was more noticeable and the accuracy was way off. It's looking like I won't have a choice in what stock I will get. I just hope the stocks have improved and the accuracy won't be affected.

I like polymer durability but hate it’s lacking in variety of color and patterns. Reason… I stick to laminate stocks like Boyd’s is the balance of beauty, durability, and individuality. Can’t really get that with polymer.. black, or green and FTE

I have both, the LOP can be modified easier on a wooden stock as I shortened my 1984 Police model 870 to fit me when wearing external kevlar vest. Of course this was a permanent modification, but when I retired, I got a plastic stock spacer and added to that ugly 870 hardwood stock to increase the LOP. Of course Magpul and others make stocks now with stackable spacers. I have never tried to cut down a synthetic stock. For being banged around in the woods or in and out of the vehicle, you don't cry as much if it is a synthetic stock.

I love the lighter synthetic stocks the wood are much heavier if you have to hold it a long time.

Love the look and feel of wood. Synthetic has its place but I am over the generic black Synthetic stocks.

There is no beating a wood stock, with looks. They are what you pass down as heirlooms. But I only buy synthetic, as I like the lower maintenance. I am sure my kids won’t mind.

Hunting in the pacific NW where it just drizzles all day made me eventually switch over to synthetic just because I couldn't bear treating that beautiful wood like that. Now I have a Ruger American 308 that I beat around during deer season and don't care.

Wood for the mantle, and show, but I've got enough restoration projects, so plastic for the mud, rocks, dirt, thorns etc.

Love wood for the beauty but for function synthetic is the way to go

Wood is warmer to the touch faster. But I prefer an 80 to 90% aluminium chassis.

I really like a wood stock. But i hate it when i ding them. The synthetic is nice and can take a beating. And most of the time the cost is lower. So for hunting i would say synthetic. But to just take to the range i would say a nice wood stock. I have some of each. Thanks for the video.

I have both wood and synthetic stocks on my guns. I have found that many of the factory synthetics will twist or warp under recoil, especially when using a bipod, so that the fore end makes barrel contact. I had to add metal stiffeners to two of them to correct this, and now they shoot just fine- but wood still looks prettier.

I hate that we don't have much of a choice these days. Many models of guns don't offer a wood option

Wood is nice it feels better and modern wood finishes can help make wood better as far as a target rifle or shotgun but for other purposes it will vary from situation to situation.

The most beautiful wood stocks are out of the price range I am willing to commit to. So synthetics are used on 96% of my guns.

Wood is great and looks wonderful but back in the early 90's I had a .270 built on a Mauser action and I wanted a utilitarian rifle. A working rifle that could withstand the elements while hunting so I had a synthetic stock put on it. Most guns I purchase now are some type of plastic. I did go with a laminate for a couple of 22's and they are beautiful, but mainly bench rest guns not hunting guns. The bottom line for me and a hunting rifle is I don't want a pretty gun that I'll be afraid to scratch. I'll take the plastic over that any day. My pretty guns end up being safe queens. (mainly shotguns like my Browning Sweet 16 or a nice Italian made 28 ga over and under)

Wow, thanks I’m looking at getting my first rifle and I’m worried how long will a plastic stock last me. These guns ain’t cheap in Australia. Cheapest plastic Rugar is $450 USD.

I prefer synthetic in a utilitarian aspect. They're not as pretty, but they're more functional in a broader spectrum. It's like Caleb's hair. just a buzz cut is easier to take care of, but Caleb's hair is higher maintenance.

Question: A company called Kane used to make something called "gun chaps" which I bought to protect my wood stock rifle (from chipping and dings). It slid over the rifle, zipped around the buttstock and velcroed over the end. I bought a 2nd wood rifle and found these "chaps" were not made anymore. I now switch the one I have between the two rifles because they are the same make and model in different calibers. Is there anybody producing something similar now?

I prefer wood. It's prettier of course but functional too. Plastic stocks are a bit flimsy and lightly built in my experience. Magpul is a perfect example. They are virtually indestructible but have a lot of flex to them and most guns featuring their stocks tend to be terribly front heavy due to how little those stocks weigh. I do like the rubberized stocks from Hogue, they are more solidly built and offer better balance on most guns. If you're in rough conditions then I think laminate or plastic is the way to go, but not too many people actually do that.

What about laminate?

Both

I will buy both, l do favor wood but own more synthetic. Just torn between the two. 🇺🇸

There are people that can destroy an anvil with a rubber hammer 🤷‍♂️😁.

Like wood on certain types of rifles Ruger number three rifles are Ruger number one rifles are a lever action rifle but on a bolt action rifle I would rather have a synthetic stock.

Laminate wood stocks are just as impervious to the elements. I have seen polymer plastic stocks with pillar bedding but without any solid metal bedding that still flex, twist, bend, and warp. Even with bracing to eliminate flex in the fore stock and bedding to eliminate vibration in the action area there is still whip in the stock grip. Accuracy is far better with laminate wood that absorbs the recoil and movement of the barreled action better. Especially if the stock is CNC machined precisely to the particular barreled action for a tight fit so that bedding is not needed. The only downside to laminate wood stocks is they tend to be heavy. However some are made to be featherweight so it takes some looking to find those lightweight laminate wood stocks.

I didn’t know that

Good morning sir I like I like both I like the look of wood just like you but I'm used to getting both now for years and they are really adorable and if you drop the rifle you ain't got to worry about a thing thanks and have a good day what baby

Classic wood.durability plastic

As a vastly more experienced shooter, who was US Army AMU at various times, once said, "We've had partially synthetic stocks for years. We call them 'glass bedded.'" Geoff Who cannot remember his name...sigh...age...

Might excellent laminated wooden stocks provide the best of both: the attractiveness of wood and the durability and condition-resistance (within reason) of synthetics?

Good Video. I actually prefer a Wood Stock But If Its an all Weather Gun then I'll go with Synthetic Stock every time!!!!!

The gun shop uk tried breaking a stock by hitting it against a tree and standing on it balancing between two points they are quite tough too wood is what the canadian mounties use.

It's raining or snowing almost every day during hunting season. So I go with laminate or synthetic.

How about splitting the difference? A Laminate stock

I'm about to buy a brand new rifle with a wooden stock and I intend on oiling it and keeping it oiled. An old poem I know ----> 'Heres lies Jack Bunn, He was kilt by a gun, His name was not Bunn but Wood, but Wood would not rhyme with gun and Bunn would'.

I'm kinda in the middle I like and have both.

I think the best way to go is the "laminate" stock -- but I just wish they wouldn't use high-contrast layers that produce the ugly "tiger stripe" effect.

I love the look and feel of wood. However synthetic stocks are impervious to weather be it moisture, heat or cold. The molecular structure of wood no matter how well it is sealed just can’t compare to synthetic materials. That said, there are just some firearms I can’t make myself put anything other than wood on! God bless!

Took me a while to see the light but today’s synthetic stocks make a rifle or shotgun a tougher more reliable tool.

I've shot with both wood and plastic, wood feels better, absorbs harsher recoil from larger caliber rounds, firing nato out of wood is a much different feel from it coming back in plastic. Plastic's heavier but can help you get better grouping, but it can take a hell of a beating compared to wood. On the whole? I'd take the wood and sacrifice a bit of accuracy and reliable grouping for more comfort and get off more rounds shooting without having my shoulders get sore, some plastic guns just never shoulder right with me . i'd rather not come home from the range with shooters shoulder every time.

Personally I’ve always loved the look of a wood stock with a beautiful wood grain like a walnut stock but the only issue is that they tend to swell in a very high humidity or wet environment and as the wood swells in can trap moisture between the wood and metal parts like the barrel and it can throw things out of whack, and make a gun become inconsistent which would require it to be bedded or replaced eventually! I don’t mind a good synthetic stock especially a high quality product like a Magpul as it can add a lot of performance to a very high precision rifle and the best part is since these are now molded over an aluminum core most of these new synthetic stocks never require bedding and they give the firearm a cool tactical look but wood will always be the most beautiful and traditional choice!

Wood stocks are too susceptible to zero shift from weather conditions (moisture). Ever since I bedded my Rem. 700 into an HS Precision composite stock the annual zero check before hunting season is basically unnecessary; although I still always check it, I haven't had to adjust it in years...

I like the simple answer is because I have a budget and craftsmanship is about as hard to find as godliness I am going to go with synthetic most of the time. Wooden stocks can’t do it all but craftsmanship counts more than anything else in that equation whereas synthetics much West of an issue.

What’s the best way to clean synthetic stocks? I’m sure Caleb would say WD 40.

doesn't reach a middle point between wood and polymer to find a mix design ?

👍🏻👍🏻

I`m old school and a absolute sucker for grade A and higher wood stocks and even have a liking for laminate stocks. Though the new synthetic socks will out preform wood they still have that ugly duck look to me.

Synthetic materials used on firearms have been around long before being popular on firearms. They are two types; one is cheap to make and one cost more to buy than wood stocks. Molded types cost less to buy. However lightweight carbon fiber and other composite ones are costly. Because they are much lighter, stronger and require more handwork to make and finish. However; knowing the difference is important. Firearms with highly figured wood stocks cost more and hold their value and increase in value. The same can be said about all steel constructed firearms. A properly made wood stock is just as accurate and useful as a synthetic one; they just cost more to make. 🦉

Yes, but there are synthetics and then there are synthetics. We hear synthetic stock and we think fiberglass, which makes a great stock. More often what we get is injection molded plastic, which in some cases makes an OK stock, more often they're awful.

Polymer everytime.

Base on my channels name I bet you can guess what I prefer!

*3D printers have entered the chat*

Wood

Like my girlfriend would say I just love the wood.Xd

I have no reason to depart from synthetic, but I wood if I did.

Laminated stocks from the laminated wood forest as Hickock45 would advocate! He’s the truth. Now let’s go and smoke some pot….with my Marlin 1895 GSBL .45-70. Ha ha ha

Life's to short to have a ugly gun.

Synthetic Stocks are only as good as the company puts effort into them. If it is for cheap/affordable rifle....Not so much.

like my wife said , the wood is pretty good looking , but shes a woman , and pretty doesnt always work in the kill?,, the wood swells , high altitudes , wet conditions, it is heavy even when your on the prowl looking for that big one?, the synthetic is my next chose, why? sorry honey, its lighter, and im older and walking far away is only good when i was young? THATS WHY?

It's not an "age old question". It's question of taste...of quality..of character... There was a time when pride in ones work meant more than it does today. Sure these new rifles are precision built with computers and one can argue more accurate..lighter...safer...way cheaper to manufacture...and in some cases more reliable.....but there is nothing aesthetically appealing about them. They look like disposable toys.! AR's are bad enough but you couldn't give me a plastic stocked bolt action rifle...especially one without iron sights!

I`m a old fart, I came from an age of blue steel and wood.