More and more alu stocks in 3p?!

chrisk · Post by **chrisk** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:44 am

Hey guys,

Is it me or has there been a lot more aluminum stocks showing up at matches lately. I follow the issf circuit and notice that 7 out of the 8 in the final are alu stocks, sometimes all of them.I used to shoot a 2313 stock for years and then switched to a pillar bedded 2013 super match and couldn't be happier. I love the extra contact in standing on my chest, something the aluminum stocks always lacked. I can't see how someone can say its because of the adjustments you can make. The extra adjustment would be the pistol grip that I just epoxy up anyway.

WesternGrizzly · Post by **WesternGrizzly** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:08 pm

There are a few reasons:
1. Adjustments. Alu stocks are more adjustable than most wood stocks. On my stock I can make the following adjustments:
Length of pull (moving the buttplate in and out)
Grip forward and back
Grip up and down
grip rotation
grip tilt
cheekpiece up and down
cheekpiece left and right
cheekpiece forward and back (two different ways)
cheekpiece "cant"(I can make the front part farther away from my body while bringing the rear closer and vice versa)
buttplate up and down
buttplate angle (I can make the buttplate not vertical when looking from the side)
buttplate cant
buttplate left and right
trigger guard forward and back
Handstop forward and back
2. They are less prone to change when the weather changes.
3. They don't need to be bedded in the conventional way. It is actually quite difficult to do.
I am sure there are other reasons
Matt

chrisk · Post by **chrisk** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:30 pm

I can do exactly that with my 2013 supermatch , minus the grip. I can even adjust the tilt, I don't mean cant, I'm talking about the angle from front to back. I have nothing against aluminum, I was just wondering.

When I shot in fort benning with my 2313 I had to change my torque settings midday to adjust for the change in temperature.

dontshootcritters · Post by **dontshootcritters** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:02 pm

Well the tree based stocks must be ok as the two top shooters on the planet use them still...

chrisk · Post by **chrisk** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:31 pm

I remember hearing from a guy from tenring service saying that one of the reasons why anschutz is cutting back on wood stocks was due to the fact that it was hard to find a good quality wood in abundance. That makes sense

Richard H · Post by **Richard H** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:41 pm

Nothing wrong with either and I'm sure that my wood stock can be made to be exactly the same as an aluminum stock (adjustment wise) I think some of the adjustments on an aluminum stock are easier to make. There were arguments that the non-wood stock were more stable anyone who's weighed a wood stock rifle in a very high humidity environment has seen the weight increase. I think most of the aluminum rifles are generally lighter in base form and this allows you to easily adjust the weight as well as the balance. Yes this can be done on a wood stock rifle but it's far more labour intensive.

That said I don,t think you'd see much of a difference in either a well fitting wood stock or aluminum stock.

chrisk · Post by **chrisk** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:54 am

Well said Richard. I do miss the fact that it was easier to balance out the alu stock than my now wood stock.

justadude · Post by **justadude** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:32 am

One other consideration here: It is harder for the airlines to break an aluminum stock.

I think this is less of an issue now with the hard gun cases being a bit more developed than they were a few decades back but for some who travel a lot with their gear, this could also be a consideration.

I am just speculating here but I had a few stocks broken back in my day.

'Dude

EJ · Post by EJ » Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:39 am

A very big advantage for me with a alu stock is the lack of material in the butt. I can make the rifle fit much closer to the body than with a wood stock. All that extra material just pushes the rifle out (well, my pec pushes the rifle out) and the whole position turns unstable. That plus the added adjustments (incl weight) makes it much better for me.
(but even most modern alu stocks are missing some adjustments I want and have too much material in the butt)

WarWagon · Post by **WarWagon** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 5:29 pm

The shorter length of pull was a big factor for me in going to an aluminum stock, as was the narrower forearm width.