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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Big Bore Rifles
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iwantadouble
.300 member


Reged: 06/06/05
Posts: 104
Loc: Gallatin County, Montana
Stock wood question
      #43456 - 08/12/05 02:54 PM

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with The Great American Gunstock Company. Their prices seem very reasonable for the quality of stock wood I want, and they offer a style of stock that I like. (I was thinking about their #5 grade English Walnut British Express Rifle stock for a .425WR project, by the way.)

Normally, I would start from scratch on every piece of a project that I feel safe and confident doing, and I will for 90% of this rifle's metal parts, but I do not coexist with woodworking.

An example in the level of dedication I have would be noted in a sling swivel that I spent about 12 hours hand filing out of stock steel plate, and coming to the opinion after it was finished that I wasn't satisfied with the results and will build another to replace it not bothering me the slightest.

Unfortunately, in dealings with various other woodworking projects in my past, I have come to the conclusion that the least amount of wood working I do, the better off the timber and I both are. That said, I know the finishing aspect of it would not bother me at all, as I find a certain peacefulness about prep and final sanding and rub out. (I am speaking particularly about automotive painting here, but the same basic physical labor would be involved with oil finishing on the stock.)

That is why for my own sanity, the safety of a piece of nice wood that could have been used by someone more competitent, I am stuck looking at semi-finished, pre-inletted (Mauser) stocks in the basic configuration that I want. If anyone has had dealings good, bad, or ugly with this company, or knows of another, possibly better company to deal with, I would be greatly appreciative of input.

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500 is a nice round number, either followed by "Nitro Express" or by "cubic inch displacement".

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416rigby
.300 member


Reged: 16/11/05
Posts: 141
Loc: Port Angeles, Washington USA
Re: Stock wood question [Re: iwantadouble]
      #43506 - 09/12/05 07:52 AM

Henry Pohl is the head honcho at GAG and he's very nice to talk to. Gave us a tour of the shop and everything. I am very satisfied with the work they did on my .416 Rigby. Here are a couple of pics.




--------------------
"Life's too short to hunt with an ugly gun"

U.S. Coast Guard, retired

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iwantadouble
.300 member


Reged: 06/06/05
Posts: 104
Loc: Gallatin County, Montana
Re: Stock wood question [Re: 416rigby]
      #43509 - 09/12/05 08:29 AM

Beautiful rifle, and I would be very satisfied if mine turned out half as good as that. Thank you for the input, it looks like I will be getting my wood from GAG.

--------------------
500 is a nice round number, either followed by "Nitro Express" or by "cubic inch displacement".

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Stock wood question [Re: 416rigby]
      #43606 - 10/12/05 09:48 AM

That is really beautiful! I just shorted out my keyboard by drooling on it.

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Peterb
.333 member


Reged: 07/07/04
Posts: 288
Re: Stock wood question [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #44166 - 17/12/05 03:27 AM

They are the only American stock turning company that I would NOT use.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Stock wood question [Re: Peterb]
      #44186 - 17/12/05 05:51 AM

Peterb, why do you say that?

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new_guy
Sponsor


Reged: 10/08/04
Posts: 581
Loc: Texas
Re: Stock wood question [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
      #44204 - 17/12/05 08:17 AM

I agree with Peterb - I bought one, it was a mess, sent it back and the replacement came back a mess. I considered my money gone and a lesson learned.

--------------------
www.heymUSA.com

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Rick_R
.300 member


Reged: 03/07/03
Posts: 118
Loc: WV, USA
Re: Stock wood question [Re: new_guy]
      #44225 - 17/12/05 11:21 AM

I'm looking for a stock for a Mauser project too. Something simple and understated that's set up to allow the use of iron sights.

So far the candidates are the following:
1) Boyds JRS stock
2) GAG's Express Rifle Classic stock
3) Richard's Microfit #102 Old Classic stock

Wondering what experience anyone's had with these?

TIA
Rick

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member


Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....
Re: Stock wood question [Re: Rick_R]
      #44287 - 18/12/05 02:40 AM

I have ho personal experience with the companys you mentioned, but in general, Boyd's is spoken of rather highly on a lot of forums, but not too many speak well of Richard's Microfit. Just my $.02

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Rick_R
.300 member


Reged: 03/07/03
Posts: 118
Loc: WV, USA
Re: Stock wood question [Re: 416rigby]
      #44302 - 18/12/05 07:25 AM

BTW, That .416 Rigby stock is beautiful! it deserves multiple 's's's's

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iwantadouble
.300 member


Reged: 06/06/05
Posts: 104
Loc: Gallatin County, Montana
Re: Stock wood question [Re: Rick_R]
      #44426 - 20/12/05 10:20 AM

I had looked at all three of your canidates for your project, and only the GAG stock fit the bill for what I am after. In fact, aside from starting with a blank and doing all the shaping (which is beyond my ability/patience level mentioned earlier), GAG's Express Classic is dead on for what I am after. My plans call for something along the lines of this:



I know the drawing isn't pretty and the coloring of it is even worse, but it should be able to give an idea of where I am heading and why the GAG stock looks the best.

My only question is what exactly are wrong with their stocks in the eyes of others?

--------------------
500 is a nice round number, either followed by "Nitro Express" or by "cubic inch displacement".

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416rigby
.300 member


Reged: 16/11/05
Posts: 141
Loc: Port Angeles, Washington USA
Re: Stock wood question [Re: iwantadouble]
      #44429 - 20/12/05 11:58 AM

Come on, Peter. Don't just make a statement that you won't have them work on your gun, tell us why! Did you have a bad experience? I'm not saying they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, only that I had a wonderful experience with GAG and will have them do work again in the future. If some one had a bad experience, please be specific.

--------------------
"Life's too short to hunt with an ugly gun"

U.S. Coast Guard, retired

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Rick_R
.300 member


Reged: 03/07/03
Posts: 118
Loc: WV, USA
Re: Stock wood question [Re: iwantadouble]
      #44487 - 21/12/05 07:11 AM

Nice concept

I'm using a Vz-24 action with a 24" #4 Douglas barrel in .416 Aagaard. Sights will be a XS ghost ring and a Ruger banded front sight with a white bead.

The Aagaard is a wildcat based on the .376 Steyr blown out a bit at the shoulder.

I'm thinking the GAG stock looks like the best fit for what I want to do. Something to carry a lot and shoot in dense brushy areas. I may settle for a Bell and Carlson until I can find the "right" wooden stock.

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iwantadouble
.300 member


Reged: 06/06/05
Posts: 104
Loc: Gallatin County, Montana
Re: Stock wood question [Re: Rick_R]
      #44656 - 22/12/05 05:16 PM

For my project, I have been searching for a good Persian to build off of. I want a 26" barrel on it, haven't picked one yet, as I am still doing my homework on the entire scope of making the rifle, but have been leaning towards a Pac-Nor barrel. I know the barrels are rather cheap, and probably have some issues in terms of rifling quality, but being a first, it will offset the hurt factor greatly incase it turns out ugly in the end. I want to build my own island and banded front ramp, but will probably use NEGC 3 folding leaf rear insert and nightsight front insert. As I think I said earlier, I want it in .425 Westley Richards. (I am a sucker for classic cartridges, and I love anything off the wall, and in a classic .400"+ magazine rifle, thats about the best combination of the two one could hope for, while still being straight up English.)

For the magazine box/floorplate, I will probably go with a linear ball mill pattern in it like in the drawing. I like the looks of the "Smelly" magazines, but I prefer a solid billet instead of sheet metal. As I get closer to the point of building the floorplate and box, I will worry harder over a traditional Mauser angle feeding or trying to make it central feeding. I will hinge the floorplate regardless.

--------------------
500 is a nice round number, either followed by "Nitro Express" or by "cubic inch displacement".

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Rick_R
.300 member


Reged: 03/07/03
Posts: 118
Loc: WV, USA
Re: Stock wood question [Re: iwantadouble]
      #44873 - 26/12/05 07:18 AM

FWIW I called GAG the other day and asked how much work went into getting one of their stocks up and running. The gent who answered the phone said that for reference they (GAG) charges about $250.00 to fit your rifle to their stock.

Sounds a bit more involved than my skill level...

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wesinok
.224 member


Reged: 08/01/05
Posts: 6
Re: Stock wood question [Re: Rick_R]
      #55536 - 23/04/06 12:13 PM

In the past, I've had poor service from Richard's stock people, long shipping times, wrong stock shipped,etc. No experience with Boyd's, The one stock I p[urchased from GAG was for a Sako. It fit like it was supposed to, was the correct grade of wood, and, lo and behold, they actually shipped it when they said they would. I hope this helps.

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