[Scorch]

Richards MicroFit stocks are nice stocks, but buyers need to understand that a pre-carved stock blank is a long way from finished. Yeah, sure, they say 95% inletted and some work will be required, but when inletting and finishing a Richards stock I put about 15 hours of work into making it look right (and I do stock work for a living, so I know how to do it). Yes, they leave a lot of wood on the stock, this allows for different styles and different preferences in stock shape. But really, if you own a sanding block, a few woodworking tools, and have a modicum of skill, you can turn out a rather nice rifle with a Richards blank. If you want a more finished stock, there are outfits that sell stocks that are finished and checkered, but they will never sell for the price that Richards sells a blank for.

As far as there being too much wood on Richards' stocks, I recently received a stock blank for a Savage 99 from another source, and just the forearm was as big around as a Louisville Slugger, the buttstock was drum sanded to be somewhat the right shape, but the wrist area was over 2-1/2" in diameter, the action panels were 3/4" thick, and the butt was 2-1/2" thick. It took me 6 hours just to get the buttstock shaped, and another 2-1/2 hours to get the forearm thinned down and shaped. I have received shaped stocks from other suppliers that look like they were shaped by beavers on crack. Richards does a nice job, believe me.