TargetTalk

Hi

I had a shoot with a FWB 700 universal air rifle [wood stock] and a FWB 700 ali stock. The universal for some unknown reason seemed sweeter to shoot. It just seemed to shoot with less noise and vibration. The whole firing sequence seemed better damped. Yes i know the ali stock can be adjusted and balanced to the finest degree and fine tuned to fit you.

Any body got any views on wood versus ali?

Peepsight

I'd say if wood feels better then go with it. I have both an Anschutz 2002 alu and a P70. My 2002 I loaned to a jr. boy who shoots with us so I switched over to the P70. I really like the FWB wood stock and don't really miss the ans. alu rifle. I realize this is not really an apples to apples comparison. I think the new P700 wood stock is pretty much the same as the P70 wood and the old P70 wood stocked air rifles have won lots of matches.

i went from an anschutz 2002 wood to the 9003 and the only thing i like more about the 9003 stock is the adjustable hand grip - which i switched out with a 2002 wood hand grip because i hated the plastic one that came with the gun. now i'm saving up for a wood cheek piece. i can't stand the one i'm using now.

In my opinion the ALu is better simply because I can use the extra adjustment in the cheekpiece and pistol grip.

If you are lucky enough to find a wooden stock that fits you well then you will get no benefit from an ALU stock.

That said there are better ALU stocks than others, just because its aluminium doesn't make it better for example the Walther and FWB ALU stocks seem to have gotten better reviews than the Anschutz versions.

Wood certainly dampens vibration more than aluminium but if you have a good ALU stock with a properly bedded action then vibration shouldn't be an issue

Ryan
Intershoot
UK

Hi Ryan

I take your point re the alu stocks. However, i see on the German web site of Walther that they have launched a new all wood stock air rifle.
It is a laminate stock and is called the 300XT Anotomic.

The picture of it on the website looks like the current alu stocked rifles yet they say it is better, damped, better adjustment and better balance than the all alu stocks. It is very expensive at around the same price as the carbon model.

Walther have listened to many top shooters for advice and this is why they have developed the all new laminate wood stock. Perhaps this is a new trend and will the other manufacturers follow?

Peepsight

Not shooting an alu rifle myself but having tuned many at my club, I found that the wooden stocks feel 'softer' while shooting.
Also, after a little research I discovered that the dampening factor of wood is 7 times higher than that of alu. A reason why there is a special padding between the receivers and the stock with alu stocks.

Albert B
(The Netherlands)

Hi Albert

Thanks for your reply.

This is a very interesting subject and i feel that the manufacturers are yet to fully exploit this damping phenonema. Anschutz have made a start by introducing soft link de couplers on all mounting points as they were fully aware of the vibration transmission through alu.

Walther as you know tackled this with carbon cladding and now the new LG300XT Anotomic which is back to laminate wood.

I have heard of one or two world class shooters going back to wood as they preferred the feel on firing.

Anschutz alu stocks are cast alu which have quite high harmonics [hence the de couplers] where as FWB 700 is a machined alu stock from a solid billet. The Steye is the odd one out as it does not have a stock and action, its action is the stock.

Regards

Peepsight