TargetTalk

I'm looking to buy a new .22 sometime. (Anschutz)
I was wondering what the pros and cons of aluminum and wood stocks is, and what your personal preference is. Thank you.

viewtopic.php?t=35997

The search function: your friend, it is.

And I prefer wood; no reason I can think of, just like why mint chocolate chip ice cream is my preferred flavor.

mtncwru wrote:viewtopic.php?t=35997

The search function: your friend, it is.

And I prefer wood; no reason I can think of, just like why mint chocolate chip ice cream is my preferred flavor.

My bad. I hope it's not too obvious that I'm new to this site.

No worries, we've all been new to the site at one time or another. Another thought, you might get more useful information if you mention what discipline you're looking to shoot (ISSF vs. NRA, prone only vs. 3 or 4P), what equipment you're shooting now, and a little personal data like height and weight and age. That information can help people give better, more useful responses to your questions. Welcome to Target Talk!

For stocks typically on the market and very generally:

Aluminium :

More adjustable
More stable


Wood:

Cheaper


Of course as soon as you start digging into the choice in detail, it gets much more complicated.

Its quite personal too. I tried an alu Walther, but it felt só clinical. Didnt feel like a gun anymore, more like a golfstick! ;)
So unless yr 100% about results, dont forget the personal feeling/taste.
I very much like/prefer my LG300 wood.

PS Alu doesnt care much about weather either. It doesnt 'work'. Yes, it cán oxidate, but it doesnt soak up any water. Its maintenance free as well. And indeed, more and easier adjustable.
Think it matters weightwise as well, I think alu is lighter, so this will affect things too.
Its not very personal though, alu, you can have a stock with exceptional nice grain or anything. They're all the same.

All the cool kids use aluminum. Shouldn't you? 8^)

I use a 1813 Super Match in the original wood stock for prone and 3-P and I like it. But It all comes down to personal preference. Though aluminum is generally more adjustable, there are a couple wood stocks that offer 90% of the critical adjustments you would typically see on an aluminum stock. Generally speaking, yes wood is cheaper. But price and adjustablility have nothing to do with comfortability and do not effect the accuracy of the rifle. Look at Eric U. and Matt Emmons. They use 2 completely different stocks on the 2 ends of the adjustability spectrum. And Eric is currently #1 in the US and #2 in the world behind Sergei Martynov (who also uses a wood stock).

Moreover, wood and aluminum act very similarly. They both 'breath' with the weather, humidilty, and temperature outside. They both slightly expand and contract under certain circumstances. In fact, aluminum breathes more than wood. There is a property of aluminum that acts upon the action screws that literally forces them out of place. Though the same effect exists in wood, your action screws in an aluminum stock will lossen much faster than that in a wood stock. Many prone and 3-P masters that have an aluminum stock will loosen and re-torque their action screws every time they use it This ensurea that the rifle is always shooting in the same condition every time they use it.

Its important to remember that wood stocks are generally more cumbersome and generally weigh more than aluminum stocks on the market today. Aluminum stocks will have a slimmer fore-end and will have more adjustability. Its important to get a feel for both stocks before you buy.

Hope this helps

Dear Sir,
Wanted to offer my own experience as I just bought a new .22 match rifle two months ago. Background--I am a smallbore prone shooter that fires both ISF and NRA events. I am an improving shooter (ISSF scores in the mid 570s) so I have a way to go. I have been competing for two years. I am a part time adult shooter with a full time job, family, and on a limited budget and left handed.

Re wood v. alu, I have (now my backup gun) an Anschutz 1903 w/ a wood stock. This was my starter rifle. The stock is beautiful but it was too lightweight for prone. I could not find a left hand rifle w/ a wood stock used for sale that was true left handed which I needed. I wanted a 1913 left hand wood stock. After months of research, talking to shooters, etc. I went to Camp Perry during the National Matches. After learning from multiple vendors that left handed true LH rifles in wood stocks were not being made by Anschutz any longer, I purchased a Anschutz 1907 in a 1918 Precise stock. After firing the rifle 3 times it is definitely an improvement and I am very happy with it. I could not afford the extra few-several hundred to get the 1913 in the 1918. The wood Walther's were beautiful but out of my budget. The alu stock adjustments have greatly helped my prone position based on SCATT trace/graph feedback. I have spent the last two months going through them with "Ways of the Rifle" and am much more stable now. Earlier today I dry fired and recorded my final settings for this year on the alu rifle in my diary.

For what it's worth, I hope my experience helps. Sincerely, ABoyd.

I'd personally try them out if possible before you buy, even if only to hold rather than shoot. I much prefer wood, but went with the gemini stock in the end - which is at least part wood :) . I tried and didn't like the Walther all metal stock - shooting it felt too tinny - can't remember the model number but it's a recent model. I tried the annatomic stock which I really liked, just proved almost impossible to get hold of.

Rob.

What about the Fibre Glass stocks and why were they used? However, they seem to have all vanished

There are very few things wrong with aluminum.
Pros
1. Light, you can add weight as you progress.
2. Strong
3. Very adjustable
4. More accurate because of a better bedding system.
Cons
Very expensive

Wood
1. Heavy
2. Moisture can lead to warping, and loss of accuracy.
3. Bedding (glass) prone to cracking.
4. Much more bulky.
5. Stock subject to cracking, more delicate.
6. In general there is nothing wrong with a wood stock, great to start with.