There are hundreds of different stocks available both as factory offerings and on the aftermarket. These stocks are made of a myriad of different materials and configurations. Each material has benefits and drawbacks which make it more or less suited for different applications. Today I’ll break down the different common stock materials and their attributes.
Wood
Kicking off, rifle builders have been making stocks from wood for hundreds of years. This is for good reason. Wood stocks are stiff, lightweight, and in many cases very affordable.
The most significant drawback to wooden stocks is their sensitivity to the weather. Temperature and humidity can warp wooden stocks, exerting different pressure on the action. This can cause the point of impact to wander depending on the conditions. While this issue is easily remedied with glass bedding, this adds cost. Another grievance with woods stocks is that they can crack and show scuffs and dents quite easily. While usually cosmetic, wood stocks show wear more so than other materials.
Aluminium Chassis
Another popular material for stocks, or more appropriately chassis, is aluminium. Aluminium is insensitive to weather and humidity, is durable, and is relatively affordable. Additionally, aluminium is easily machined to add modularity and adjustability to a chassis system. Unfortunately, the weight of aluminium makes it a poor choice for most hunting applications. Also, anyone who has hunted in the winter with an aluminium chassis can attest to their remarkable ability to suck the warmth out of your hands. Both these combine to make aluminium an excellent material for competition chassis but less than ideal for hunting applications.
Laminate
Next, laminate is a classic stock making material. Laminate combines the beauty of wood with the ruggedness of aluminium. One of the best attributes of laminate is its imperviousness to changes in weather. While heavier than wood, laminate stocks are not ludicrously heavy. This, combined with sharp looks, makes laminate a popular choice for working rifles in harsh environments such as Alaska or British Columbia without sacrificing on the aesthetic appeal of the rifle.
Injection Molded
Perhaps the most common material for rifle stocks today is injection molded polymer. The largest benefit of these plastic stocks is that they are extremely affordable to manufacture. Plastic doesn’t react to humidity like a wood stock would and can be cheaply produced once a mold has been created. However, injection molded stocks are quite flexible and become even more so as temperatures rise. Common on budget rifles, injection molded stocks are functional but do not handle adding accessories such as bipods or tripods well due to the lack of stiffness.
Micarta
A niche material that has become popular in the precision rifle space is Micarta. Within the past decade Foundation Stocks has brought Micarta rifle stocks to the shooting world. Micarta is easily machined to exacting tolerances, doesn’t react to environmental changes, and is extremely strong. Additionally, micarta rifles tend to have a ‘dead’ recoil impulse that many shooters prefer. Unfortunately, in addition to being quite expensive, micarta is a very heavy material. However, the new Foundation Ezekiel combines a micarta bedding block with a carbon fiber exterior, allowing a lightweight stock with all the benefits of micarta.
Carbon Fiber
Finally, carbon fiber stocks dominate the high end aftermarket hunting stock world. They are exceptionally lightweight, very strong, and incredibly durable. They easily weather rain, humidity, temperature, and anything else that the wilderness can throw at them. These attributes make carbon fiber an optimal material for practical weight hunting rifle stocks. The only significant drawback to carbon fiber stocks is their cost. The most affordable carbon fiber stocks start at $600 or so and go up from there. This often means spending as much on a stock as an entire factory rifle. However, for the discerning rifleman, getting just the right stock is often worth it.
Closing Thoughts
Picking a stock material depends on the weather you are hunting in, your weight requirements, and your budget. There are many materials with which to make a stock and each have their strengths and weaknesses. The stock is the component that has the single biggest impact on a rifles handling. Most of my rifles wear carbon fiber stocks, but I will always have a walnut stocked rifle in the safe, if purely for aesthetic reasons. Whether picking your next factory rifle or upgrading an old workhorse, understanding the different stock materials will help you choose the right stock for your next adventure.