This topic may have been covered before, but I did a search and didn't find it if so.
I own lots of guns with synthetic stocks and recognize they are far superior to wood for hardworking utility and wet weather.
However, for pure eye candy, nothing compares to a fine piece of highly figured walnut as stock material to enhance the looks of a firearm. The same can apply to other hardwoods like maple. I hunt with a lot of synthetic stocked guns, but I'm still "old school" in my appreciation for the warmth and beauty of traditional wood furniture on guns.
So… let's see your beautiful wood stocks!
I'll start.
In 1997/1998 timeframe, Beretta introduced a bolt action rifle they called the "Mato" (supposedly a Native American word meaning "bear"). It featured a Mauser/Winchester classic style hybrid action originally supplied by Dakota (their model 97 action), later duplicated by Beretta, and a Lothar Walther barrel. It was offered in either a gray synthetic stocked version or a "deluxe" version with AAA grade fancy Claro walnut, ebony friend tip, and steel grip cap. Beretta only offered this rifle for around 4 years, discontinuing it in 2001/2002 timeframe when Beretta bought Sako and Tikka. They didn't need the Mato competing with Sako/Tikka.
In 2000, I bought 2 Mato rifles, both synthetic stocked, 1 in .300 Win Mag, the other in 7mm RM. I ended up having the 7RM Mato rebarreled to .257 Wby, and the thing is an absolute tackdriver!
After Beretta discontinued the Mato, they began blowing out their inventory of the "deluxe" grade walnut stocks at the ridiculously low price of $140 each, since the Mato was the only rifle these stocks would fit. So, I bought one sight unseen, thinking at $140, I had nothing to lose. Keep in mind that these were fully finished, fully drop-in inletted stocks with AAA grade walnut, satin hand rubbed oil looking finish, shadow line cheek piece, ebony forend tip, steel grip cap, hand checkered…. for $140!!!
When I received it… WOW, I absolutely won the wood lottery! Photos simply cannot do this stock justice! It has a crazy amount of fiddleback figure throughout - 100% of the whole blank! When you hold this stock in the sunlight, it shimmers with high contrast reddish brown tiger stripes. An unfinished wood blank of this grade of walnut would cost many times what I paid! This was probably the best gun-related deal I ever made! It would've been a bargain at 5x the $140 I paid!
I own lots of guns with synthetic stocks and recognize they are far superior to wood for hardworking utility and wet weather.
However, for pure eye candy, nothing compares to a fine piece of highly figured walnut as stock material to enhance the looks of a firearm. The same can apply to other hardwoods like maple. I hunt with a lot of synthetic stocked guns, but I'm still "old school" in my appreciation for the warmth and beauty of traditional wood furniture on guns.
So… let's see your beautiful wood stocks!
I'll start.
In 1997/1998 timeframe, Beretta introduced a bolt action rifle they called the "Mato" (supposedly a Native American word meaning "bear"). It featured a Mauser/Winchester classic style hybrid action originally supplied by Dakota (their model 97 action), later duplicated by Beretta, and a Lothar Walther barrel. It was offered in either a gray synthetic stocked version or a "deluxe" version with AAA grade fancy Claro walnut, ebony friend tip, and steel grip cap. Beretta only offered this rifle for around 4 years, discontinuing it in 2001/2002 timeframe when Beretta bought Sako and Tikka. They didn't need the Mato competing with Sako/Tikka.
In 2000, I bought 2 Mato rifles, both synthetic stocked, 1 in .300 Win Mag, the other in 7mm RM. I ended up having the 7RM Mato rebarreled to .257 Wby, and the thing is an absolute tackdriver!
After Beretta discontinued the Mato, they began blowing out their inventory of the "deluxe" grade walnut stocks at the ridiculously low price of $140 each, since the Mato was the only rifle these stocks would fit. So, I bought one sight unseen, thinking at $140, I had nothing to lose. Keep in mind that these were fully finished, fully drop-in inletted stocks with AAA grade walnut, satin hand rubbed oil looking finish, shadow line cheek piece, ebony forend tip, steel grip cap, hand checkered…. for $140!!!
When I received it… WOW, I absolutely won the wood lottery! Photos simply cannot do this stock justice! It has a crazy amount of fiddleback figure throughout - 100% of the whole blank! When you hold this stock in the sunlight, it shimmers with high contrast reddish brown tiger stripes. An unfinished wood blank of this grade of walnut would cost many times what I paid! This was probably the best gun-related deal I ever made! It would've been a bargain at 5x the $140 I paid!
