Proceedings of the First Scout Rifle Conference
Held at Gunsite Ranch, Arizona, on 6, 7,
8 December 1983,
under the auspices of the Ekeiboloi
Society
STOCKS
The consensus of the conference was strongly in favor of the traditional, classic, straight stock, without cheek piece or "Monte Carlo" stepdown. The best-shapred standard stock now available is that on the Ruger 77 Ultra. The Mannlicher line, along with other European offerings such as Heckler and Koch, have a sharply down-bent stock which most Americans find uncomfortable.
The primary discussion of stocks was that concerned with material. All but a couple of standard makers continue to furnish stocks of wood, but wood is going out of style--along with fresh shrimp, fresh citrus juice, and good leather, all of which depend upon a better supply of natural products than is now available in our society. The fact is, however, that wood is not the best material for a rifle stock. Various sorts of synthetics are stronger, lighter, inert, impervious to the effects of water and oil, and cheaper. A good wood stock can cost anything from $500 to the price of a new car. A good synthetic stock comes on at about $200, prior to fitting.
The two drawbacks of synthetic stocks are uncertain quality and esthetic prejudice. The first can be met by patronizing the products of a good fabricator. The conference was fortunate in the presence of Chet Brown, who is one of the leading engineers in this field. Mr. Brown was able to discuss the pros and cons of various synthetic materials at sufficient length to satisfy the membership. At present the leading materials for stocks are epoxy fiberglass, polyester fiberglass, Kevlar, and graphite--proceeding in that order in the direction of increased strength and reduced weight. It is not enough simply to refer to fiberglass without consideration of the quality of the fiberglass. Without going into full detail it may be agreed that a good synthetic stock is quite a bit better, as well as quite a bit cheaper, than a good wood stock.
The second objection to synthetic stocks--that of esthetics--is more difficult to confront, since the man who simply does not like the looks of a synthetic has a right to his opinion, regardless of the merits of the discussion. Up until fairly recently it is true that synthetic stocks have, frankly, looked terrible, what with exposed seams, absence of any sort of non-skid surface at the contact points, and a high-gloss finish reminiscent of a five-and-ten-cent store. This has changed. "Crinkcle" finishes are now available which both improve the appearance of the material and render the entire stock non-skid from one end to the other, eliminating any need for checkering or carving. A variety of color schemes can be had to suit the sensibilities of the owner. It is quite easy to mottle the finish of the stock to match the pattern of the Teflon-coated barrel, producing a strikingly modern-looking weapon which pleases some as much as it displeases others. A tiger-striped pattern of green and brown, matching on stock, action, barrel, and sight, produces a very handsome departure from the traditional.
It was agreed that the Pachmayr flush sling attachment has many advantages over the traditional stud. Mr. Brown informed us that customers want studs, but the scout conference is not concerned with what the customers want as much as with what is better, and the flush attachment is indeed better.
It was pointed out that synthetic stocks must be glass-bedded in the same manner as wood.
No weapons were introduced to the conference which included a proper butt magazine, but the subject was approached and it was agreed that this shall be a feature of the next conference on the subject. The proper place for spare ammunition should be behind the pistol grip cap and in front of the butt sling swivel attachment. Six or seven rounds shall be insertable, point-up and covered so that they may be retrieved instantly in the fingers of the firing hand when required. This will allow eyes-off loading without the attachment of a butt-cuff. Such a device would excessively weaken a wood stock but need not have any effect upon a synthetic. Three designers agreed to get to work on this and to have it ready by the next conference. (It should be noted that a small reserve supply of ammunition is an important feature of scout operation. It is undesirable to carry ammunition separate from the gun.)
The subject of the flush retractable bipod was introduced. What is needed is a bipod which is incorporated into the forend of the stock which, when not extended, retracts smoothly into the stock so that it has no extrusions, protruberances, or sharp edges. Something of this sort has been attempted by Mannlicher at the factory but abandoned for lack of success. It is a quite complicated engineering notion, and no one present at the conference felt qualified to attack it mechanically. The fact remains that a fluch retractable bipod is a great step forward and should be developed by those who have the talent for it. Current bipods are alternately a tremendous help and a frustrating nuisance. The idea is to produce one that is the first but not the last. Mike Horne of California is at work on this project now and we hope to have it to show the troops at the next conference.
The consensus was that no rifle, except a target gun, needs a rubber cushion on its butt. Such a "recoil pad" can obviously do nothing about recoil though it may reduce bruising in extended strings of target competition. The blow originates in the chamber and cannot be lessened by any sort of pad. A rounded heel, on the other hand, helps avoid snagging on a quick mount and should be encouraged.