$200 drop-in stock for Ruger M77 ??

[nico]

I have a Ruger M77 mk II All Weather and am looking for a new stock. Needless to say, it'd be preferable if I got some improvement in accuracy too. The gun is my deer rifle, so I don't want a huge benchrest stock. But, just about all of my hunting is still hunting, so it's not a big deal if it adds a little weight.

I've found some good reviews of the Hogue overmolded stock with the full length bedding block, so I'm leaning toward it right now. I also like the idea of it being quiet and the reduction in felt recoil that a few reviews I found reported. I really like the looks of Boyd's stocks, but I'd really prefer a drop-in since my time and budget are severely limited by school right now.


Any suggestions?

 

[danang]

stocks

I'd avoid the Hogue. Pressure patterns are funny and hard to correct. Once you get it, you got it. Will be hard to bed and harder to sell. If I were on a budget, I'd look on EBay for a wooden factory take off stock, glass bed it to your action and weatherproof it with Polyurethane or Epoxy finish...since you want to use it for hunting, a good camo job with polyurethane would last a long time. Doesn't matter if colors are a bit off. Deer don't have too good color vision anyway. When you get rich, a McMillan stock could be in your future. JMHO

 

[ID_shooting]

+1 on Ebay for a factory stock. My wife didn't like the factory synthetic on her m77 223. She hit Ebay, picked up a nice factory walnut for 30 dollars. We bedded the action and floated the barrel. She can pop milk jugs all day at 300 yards, plenty accurate enough for hunting.

 

[critter]

I re-stocked a Win M-70 with a stock from Midway. It was a wood laminate and pillar bedded. It is a nice stock although a little heavy. The bedding (and the barrel is floated) improved the accuracy quite a bit. I got the stock on sale for $99. For me, it was a very good solution.

 

[7mmsavage]

I had good results with a boyd's laminate, less felt recoil and great accuracy
(moa with 150 grain core-locts),but it was not a drop in fit.I ended up glass bedding after removing wood in the recoil lug area and had to free float the barrel myself, also took about 3 weeks to recieve it, but all in all I am happy with it and the finished rifle-gets a lot of compliments! price was about $150

 

[nico]

Thanks for the replies. For the price and labor involved with some of the cheaper stocks, I wonder if it might be worth it to just spend some more on an HS Precision. I thought Cabelas sold HS Precision stocks but can't find them anymore. Can someone suggest a good place to find one?

 

[GreyMauser]

http://www.natchezss.com or Brownells at page 60, catalog #58 (lousey search engine @ Brownells.)

 

[nico]

Thanks for the links. Natchez and Brownells both list HS Precision stocks, but I don't see them for the Ruger. I was able to find it at snipercountrypx.com here. For some reason, I had it in my head that they were around $350. But, at ~$80 more than the Hogue ($278), the custom LOP and better looking finishes that HS Precision offers, as well as their reputation, seem to justify the price.

This brings up a couple more questions:
-About length of pull; the LOP on my gun's factory stock is 13.75". According to Chuck Hawks, at my height (5'1"), I should have a 13" LOP, which is available at no cost from HS Precision. He seems pretty knowledgeable about this kind of thing, but I'd like to know if anyone with some experience disagrees. Is there a reason for me to have a shorter or longer stock? I haven't has any trouble shouldering my gun in its current stock with a coat on, so I'm not really interrested in having a shorter-than-normal stock for the sake of compensating for a coat.

- I'd also like to hear of any personal experiences with HS Precision's Sporter stocks, especially if you've got an M77.

-Lastly, which stock color would you folks pick? I generally like the look of "web" patterns, but it's kinda hard to really see the patterns in the pictures they have on their site. Pictures of these stocks with an action (especially stainless) installed are definitely welcome.

 

[ID_shooting]

LOP is as individual as you are and can not be judged by hieght. It is more based on arm lenth and neck build. I too am short, 5'4", I have wide shoulders and a thick neck, all my stocks are cut to 12.25 LOP. Youth stock have allways fit me better than adult lengths, nothing to be ashamed of, just people are built different.

I recomend buying the HS Precision stock if that is in your budget. When you get it, take to a reputable stock maker and have it fit to you and a decent pad put on. You would be amazed at how much less punishing recoil is if the gun fits you.

I couldn't stand shooting my 30-30 growing up and in my young adult years, it would just beat the tar out me, leave me bruised and sore for days after just a few rounds. Somone recomedned I have it fit to me. Now it is like a pussy cat, I can spend all day at the range plinking with it.

 

[nico]

I know the ideal is to have a the stock professionally fitted, but is there any way to estimate the correct LOP?

What I'm trying to get at is since the stock is available with a LOP between 13" and 13.5" at the same price, which should I choose?

 

[GreyMauser]

nico- IMHO, anythig but solid black or solid grey.

 

[riverdog]

What's the LOP on teh rifle right now? Is it too long, too short or just right? IIRC, adjusting a McMillan stock isn't the same as adjusting wood.

 

[nico]

The LOP of the current stock is 13.75" according to Brownells. It definitely feels a little long, but I don't know how to quantify the feel.

 

[nico]

Does anyone have anything to add as far as the quality/value of HS Precision stocks? Any reason not to get it, or to get something else? Experiences/opinions on their different colors? Anywhere that has them (for the Ruger) for <$280?

thanks