Author Topic: Which is better and why? Wood or synthetic on a Handi? (Read 1752 times)

Ridge Runner · « **on:** September 15, 2007, 01:17:17 PM »

Looking at a 30-06 Handi with a synthetic stock for deer hunting. It is only $10 more than the wood one. Will it be better for accuracy? Any problems with the synthetic stocks or forearms?

Any comments would be appreciated.

handi243 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 15, 2007, 03:33:17 PM »

I've had both i like the wood.

chad1043 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 15, 2007, 03:44:09 PM »

um... Laminate....

Chad

plumberroy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 15, 2007, 03:47:57 PM »

Plastic doesn't have soul IMHO
Roy

billy_56081 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 15, 2007, 03:55:26 PM »

Laminates +1

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:08:54 PM »

Wood or lams for me too, synthetics are much harder to accurize if there's a problem with the forend, out of the 38 H&Rs I have, only 5 are synthetic stocked.

Tim

BANG_OW · « **Reply #6 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:25:14 PM »

If you hunt, the woods and laminates are quieter. The synthetics make more noise when brush hits them. (At least on my Remington guns)

Fred M · « **Reply #7 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:27:59 PM »

Plastic stocks do not belong on a sporting rifle. I know they are serviceable
but spoil the looks of an otherwise nice rifle.

chad1043 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:28:33 PM »

Quote from: quickdtoo on September 15, 2007, 04:08:54 PM

Wood or lams for me too, synthetics are much harder to accurize if there's a problem with the forend, out of the 38 H&Rs I have, only 5 are synthetic stocked.

Tim

Yes folks... He said 38...

Chad

moxgrove · « **Reply #9 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:30:25 PM »

Laminate all the way!!!!!!!!!

~Ace~ · « **Reply #10 on:** September 15, 2007, 04:35:30 PM »

100% Synthetic on All my guns

Sexy guns shoot better !

greg916 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 15, 2007, 10:36:51 PM »

I bought a 45-70 earlier this year with plastic stocks. Didn't take long to change them out. My biggest objection was the noise if you rubbed something against them. Of course I'm biased and think wood looks better also

LaOtto222 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 16, 2007, 02:05:53 AM »

If the guns shoots straight out of the box then it makes no difference. If you have fore end problems (and many do) then the wood ones are easier to "fix". That is because the plastic is "hollow" and one piece, so it makes it more difficult to bed, shim or in general modify the fore end. I have one Handi with 3 barrels. It is an Ultra Varmint (24" 223 bull). I much prefer the laminated stocks because of looks. The pallet wood (birch) stocks and the laminated stocks work and act the same way, I personally prefer the looks of the laminated. I am going to add another Handi to the stable soon and some how it will have the laminated or a real walnut stock and fore end to match. If the one I end up getting has a laminated stock on it, great, but it does not then I will purchase a set, even if I have to buy it extra. They do weigh slightly more, that can be bad or good depending on what you want. My wife (if that counts) thinks my Ultra is one of the better looking guns I have, and I have to agree with her on that, at least this time

bub524 · « **Reply #13 on:** September 16, 2007, 02:35:30 AM »

In northern WI it gets REAL cold and so do synthetic stocks. Wood seems to stay warmer in the hand. Lami's are nice but I think they are heavier and colder then plain old junk wood.

Uncle Ji · « **Reply #14 on:** September 16, 2007, 04:33:34 AM »

Personally I prefer wood as a stock material especially a fine walnut stock BUT (and everybody has one) IMHO the pallet wood stocks that come on the Handis look like a caveman's club (no offense cavemen), i've seen oars that have a better profile. I have seen some turn these clubs into decent looking stocks with a little carving and sanding. I personally have turned a pallet wood into a halfway decent straight grip stock at the same time thinning the fore end into a more splinter shape thus making my Pardner shotgun look less like an oar and more like an English style shotgun. I prefer the lines, profile, shape, feel of synthetic stocks over the pallet wood. Wish H&R would finishing shaping the pallet wood into the contours of the synthetic.

Dave Allen · « **Reply #15 on:** September 16, 2007, 06:11:26 AM »

hello...i'm not a fan of synthetic stock's on any rifle..yes i have a few on bolt gun's..they shoot good so i keep them..but i hate how they look & feel...i recently camo-painted one of them..they are good for that purpose...please don't get me wrong i'm not saying there junk..i just prefer the look & feel of wood..even if it's not fancy wood..

Chilachuck · « **Reply #16 on:** September 16, 2007, 01:52:12 PM »

Synthetic. 6 months of drizzle will ruin the wood, especially if it's still saturated when winter rolls in.

Well, unless you have a large enough cabin to dry stuff out.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #17 on:** September 16, 2007, 01:59:12 PM »

I've hunted with wood stocks for 50yrs here in Washington state, that's all I've ever hunted with, I've never once felt the need for a synthetic stock..... or stainless steel for that matter.

Anyone that feels they have to have synthetic stocks to use in bad weather needs to learn how to take care of their firearms.

wgr · « **Reply #18 on:** September 16, 2007, 02:20:56 PM »

(6 months of drizzle will ruin wood)? i didn't know the mountain men changed stocks that often

Fazak · « **Reply #19 on:** September 16, 2007, 02:33:18 PM »

I like both for different reasons.

Wood stocks can be very beautiful and they're traditional, but they obviously require a bit of care and careful handling to maintain their appearance and synthetic stocks are generally considered more stable than wood.

I bought the synthetic stocked .223 Handi because I though it had a sleek appearance, but I'm beginning to believe that, on a Handi, a more rigid forearm than the synthetic may contribute to better accuracy.

Everyone has their own tastes,.... but I can appreciate both synthetic and wood,.. depending on the rifle.

I have a mint 1909 Argentine Mauser which exhibits a very defined fiddleback pattern for it's entire length,... but I also like the no nonsense appearance of my synthetic stocked, stainless Ruger 77.

PartsMan · « **Reply #20 on:** September 17, 2007, 06:12:51 AM »

I prefer the synthetics because they are slimmer and lighter.
Not a big 2 by club like the wood.
Plus I think they just look cool.

bluebayou · « **Reply #21 on:** September 17, 2007, 06:56:25 AM »

I think that there might be a generational gap on synthetic stocks.........

I have wood, nice wood at that, but they are heavy. I am conditionally changing to synthetic to use a youth stock for my son. IF the forearm works, then I plan to sell the wood.

There is nothing that I like more than finely finished wood, come see my boat seats, reloading table, dining room table, etc. BUT, the cheap wood that is on firearms nowadays is just cheap looking wood. Most of the time (don't know about newer Handi) the wood is covered by that ridiculous brown epoxy finish because the OEM used the cheapest heart/sap wood 2nds that they could find.

My 2 cents.

DirtyDan · « **Reply #22 on:** September 17, 2007, 10:52:36 AM »

Sorry Quick- I got better things to do (like HUNT) with my time than worry about sealing stocks. SYNTHETIC & stainless for me. I wish all barrels could be had in SS.

Mac11700 · « **Reply #23 on:** September 18, 2007, 08:24:25 AM »

Quote from: bluebayou on September 17, 2007, 06:56:25 AM

I think that there might be a generational gap on synthetic stocks.........

I have wood, nice wood at that, but they are heavy. I am conditionally changing to synthetic to use a youth stock for my son. IF the forearm works, then I plan to sell the wood.

There is nothing that I like more than finely finished wood, come see my boat seats, reloading table, dining room table, etc. BUT, the cheap wood that is on firearms nowadays is just cheap looking wood. Most of the time (don't know about newer Handi) the wood is covered by that ridiculous brown epoxy finish because the OEM used the cheapest heart/sap wood 2nds that they could find.

My 2 cents.

I don't know about the generational gap...I like both...and I am an old fart...

I like beautiful wood...and I like good synthetics as well...both for different reasons...

Seriously though...the synthetics (not Survivor sets ) are pretty nice stocks..They could be built better...but then they would cost quite a bit more as well...The regular pallet wood stocks I don't like and won't have on any of my rifles...The laminates...they are what I have all of mine stocked with..They are easier to work with if needed..and I have never had one warp in any way...hot or cold...The Walnut stock sets are exceptionally nice...some are plain straight grained...but I have seen enough with real good figuring in them to want a set or two of them..and cannot understand why NEF has never came out with a real nice set of Monte Carlo checkered sets for the Ultras.. If a company like HS Precision every came out with a good set of synthetics for the Handi's...I would buy them...even if it cost $300 or more for them...because I know they would be built to their high standards...and would improve the rifle in more than 1 way..A rifle is a tool...but it can also be a piece of art...exceptional wood compliments it like no other..but a good set of synthetics compliments it in other ways..I enjoy the aesthetics of these rifle...at home...and in the field...

Mac

prairiedog555 · « **Reply #24 on:** September 18, 2007, 11:49:42 AM »

I bought a survivor because I have found that a pistol grip suits me better. But it seems to be a given in this forum that the Handi synthetic forearm is troublesome. So I bought a wood forearm from NEF. $15. Seems to work fine.
If somebody made a thumb hole handi stock I would be interested.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #25 on:** September 18, 2007, 12:00:55 PM »

Quote from: prairiedog555 on September 18, 2007, 11:49:42 AM

If somebody made a thumb hole handi stock I would be interested.

Someone does for the right handed! Gunstocks Inc and Boyd's makes em, the Boyd's may be available from H&R sooner or later, right now they're only available on factory rifles and maybe on Ebay.

Tim

http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web%20pages/Plate%20Pic's/NEF%20stocks/nef%20Stinger%20descrip.htm

xhare · « **Reply #26 on:** September 18, 2007, 02:42:24 PM »

I love good examples of wood, laminate, and synthetic. There are bad examples of each as well. Handi synthetics tend to be to plastic-like for me. I love a good carbon fiber stock, but they are $$$$. I also like Ruger's new Hogue stocks such as found on their new 375 Alaskan Rifle. I dont like laminates that have funny colors in them (too green or redish pink).

Chilachuck · « **Reply #27 on:** September 20, 2007, 05:23:40 AM »

About taking care of guns, you need dry cloth to do that. Six months of drizzle, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a small cabin or tent, with no dry fire wood to be had, means nothing is dry. Mountain men, etc, were in a dryer part of the world than SE Alaska. Even the "water proof" paper matches from the C-Rats pack got too soggy to use, and they were inside 3 zip locks. (Bic lighters saved me.)

Plastic stocks and stainless steel. My gear is to take care of me, not to give me something to pamper, not while I have other work to do.

smittty · « **Reply #28 on:** September 20, 2007, 07:11:09 PM »

I'd like the stainless handi with a pretty walnut stock of the same shape as the plastic stock.

Smittty

Swampman · « **Reply #29 on:** September 21, 2007, 12:38:16 AM »

The wood stocked Handis seem more accurate to me.