Which Wood Is Nicer Looking??

firme67 · January 28, 2013, 06:20 PM

Hello all, I am looking to get a new bolt rifle in .243 Win and I want a relatively nice looking wood stock. The top 2 rifles I am considering right now are the Savage Model 14 American Classic or the Weatherby Vangaurd Sporter. My question is not about which one is better or more accurate as I currently own a Savage Model 11 in .22-250 with the Gray Laminate stock and also a Vanguard Synthetic in .223 Rem. And to be honest they are both super accurate, I love them both. However, no local dealers around here have any wood models in inventory so all I can do is look at them online.

So my question is: which one do you all think looks nicer, I really like the looks of the Weatherby, but then I look at the Savage and change my mind.....then I look back at the Weatherby and change my mind.....

Also have considered the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Sporter.

Thanks.

PetahW · January 28, 2013, 06:46 PM

Different gals look nice, too - until you get one in hand, you just never know, both wood & gals being natural products. .

.

Daggitt · January 28, 2013, 08:57 PM

I like wood too. My experience is it just depends what piece of wood you get. I've got one rifle that has the most beautiful tiger stripe pattern on one side. I know for a fact they were not all like that. Everyone who has looked at it says man that is a nice piece of wood. And I have a few that are not at all spectacular also. It really helps if you can look at it.

Rainbow Demon · January 28, 2013, 09:22 PM

If the stocks in question are walnut check to see if the company uses American Black Walnut, or English Walnut, they can be very different in appearance. California (circassian) Walnut is a species of English Walnut IIRC. English Walnut is actually a species that grows all over Europe and parts of Asia.

Pathfinder45 · January 29, 2013, 01:49 AM

Go handle a Winchester model 70 before you decide.

.300 Weatherby Mag · January 29, 2013, 01:55 AM

I've seen both of those rifles with everything from a plain piece of wood, to something with good figure... You can't make generalizations with wood.... My father and I both have Ruger #1V's in 22-250, both are of a similar vintage... His wood is nice but lacks, a lot of figure, while mine looks like something that would come on a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe...

Rifleman1776 · January 29, 2013, 09:32 AM

Buy a barreled action then a stock from one of the several companies that specialize in stock making.

Major Dave (retired) · January 29, 2013, 03:37 PM

is on a Rem 870 Wingmaster, 20 gauge. BEEEyoootifulll!!!

My Win Model 70 Featherweight in 270 WSM is very nice, too. But I went to a Gander Mountain store and hand picked it from the 4 rifles (all Win M70 Fwt) they had in stock. In other words, 3 of the 4 in stock had less figure than the one I picked out.

So, what I am saying is: look at the inventory on hand, because no two wood stocks are the same. No matter what brand/model they are.

dgludwig · January 29, 2013, 04:02 PM

Ultimately, it seems to me, that only you can decide what "looks" best. How most things look is totally determinate on the subjective opinion of the individual viewer. Speaking for myself, whether I loved or hated the looks of, say, a stock, a thousand peoples' opposing opinions would have no impact on my opinion. All that said, I guess there's no harm in asking what other people prefer; I just wouldn't depend on anyone else's thinking to affect my choices or decisions when it comes to looks.

jmr40 · January 29, 2013, 04:40 PM

No way to know until you see the individual rifle. I've seen some butt ugly wood and beautiful wood on rifles next to each other on gunracks made by the same company.

FWIW, the more figure to the stock,and the better they look, the more likely they are to be effected by environmental conditions. The more plain stocks with straight grain tend to resist warping and breaking better.

pbrktrt · January 29, 2013, 07:02 PM

I would say as a rule the Vanguard will have the better wood. If you really want some nice wood, spring for the Deluxe.

publius · January 30, 2013, 12:57 PM

More likely to get better wood on the Weatherby, but you really neew to find a LGS who has several examples of both so you can pick the best wood. Obviously not all Weatherbys are going to have the same wood, same w/ savage.

January 29, 2013, 01:49 AM	#5
Pathfinder45 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Posts: 3,224	Walnut and blued steel..... Go handle a Winchester model 70 before you decide.

January 29, 2013, 03:37 PM	#8
Major Dave (retired) Senior Member Join Date: March 12, 2008 Location: Between Dallas and Shreveport, LA Posts: 569	the nicest wood I have in my gun cabinet... is on a Rem 870 Wingmaster, 20 gauge. BEEEyoootifulll!!! My Win Model 70 Featherweight in 270 WSM is very nice, too. But I went to a Gander Mountain store and hand picked it from the 4 rifles (all Win M70 Fwt) they had in stock. In other words, 3 of the 4 in stock had less figure than the one I picked out. So, what I am saying is: look at the inventory on hand, because no two wood stocks are the same. No matter what brand/model they are. __________________ Artillery lends dignity to what would otherwise be but a vulgar brawl.

January 29, 2013, 04:02 PM	#9
dgludwig Senior Member Join Date: February 12, 2005 Location: North central Ohio Posts: 7,486	Ultimately, it seems to me, that only you can decide what "looks" best. How most things look is totally determinate on the subjective opinion of the individual viewer. Speaking for myself, whether I loved or hated the looks of, say, a stock, a thousand peoples' opposing opinions would have no impact on my opinion. All that said, I guess there's no harm in asking what other people prefer; I just wouldn't depend on anyone else's thinking to affect my choices or decisions when it comes to looks. __________________ ONLY AN ARMED PEOPLE CAN BE TRULY FREE ; ONLY AN UNARMED PEOPLE CAN EVER BE ENSLAVED ...Aristotle NRA Benefactor Life Member

January 30, 2013, 12:57 PM	#12
publius Senior Member Join Date: January 25, 2005 Location: Mississippi/Texas Posts: 2,505	More likely to get better wood on the Weatherby, but you really neew to find a LGS who has several examples of both so you can pick the best wood. Obviously not all Weatherbys are going to have the same wood, same w/ savage. __________________ "Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress, but I repeat myself." Mark Twain

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January 28, 2013, 06:20 PM	#1
firme67 Member Join Date: October 29, 2009 Posts: 39	Which Wood Is Nicer Looking?? Hello all, I am looking to get a new bolt rifle in .243 Win and I want a relatively nice looking wood stock. The top 2 rifles I am considering right now are the Savage Model 14 American Classic or the Weatherby Vangaurd Sporter. My question is not about which one is better or more accurate as I currently own a Savage Model 11 in .22-250 with the Gray Laminate stock and also a Vanguard Synthetic in .223 Rem. And to be honest they are both super accurate, I love them both. However, no local dealers around here have any wood models in inventory so all I can do is look at them online. So my question is: which one do you all think looks nicer, I really like the looks of the Weatherby, but then I look at the Savage and change my mind.....then I look back at the Weatherby and change my mind..... Also have considered the Ruger M77 Hawkeye Sporter. Thanks.

January 28, 2013, 06:46 PM	#2
PetahW Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2008 Posts: 4,678	Different gals look nice, too - until you get one in hand, you just never know, both wood & gals being natural products. . .

January 28, 2013, 08:57 PM	#3
Daggitt Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2011 Posts: 321	I like wood too. My experience is it just depends what piece of wood you get. I've got one rifle that has the most beautiful tiger stripe pattern on one side. I know for a fact they were not all like that. Everyone who has looked at it says man that is a nice piece of wood. And I have a few that are not at all spectacular also. It really helps if you can look at it.

January 28, 2013, 09:22 PM	#4
Rainbow Demon Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2012 Posts: 397	If the stocks in question are walnut check to see if the company uses American Black Walnut, or English Walnut, they can be very different in appearance. California (circassian) Walnut is a species of English Walnut IIRC. English Walnut is actually a species that grows all over Europe and parts of Asia.

January 29, 2013, 01:55 AM	#6
.300 Weatherby Mag Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2008 Posts: 1,777	I've seen both of those rifles with everything from a plain piece of wood, to something with good figure... You can't make generalizations with wood.... My father and I both have Ruger #1V's in 22-250, both are of a similar vintage... His wood is nice but lacks, a lot of figure, while mine looks like something that would come on a Weatherby Mark V Deluxe...

January 29, 2013, 09:32 AM	#7
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 3,309	Buy a barreled action then a stock from one of the several companies that specialize in stock making.

January 29, 2013, 04:40 PM	#10
jmr40 Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,803	No way to know until you see the individual rifle. I've seen some butt ugly wood and beautiful wood on rifles next to each other on gunracks made by the same company. FWIW, the more figure to the stock,and the better they look, the more likely they are to be effected by environmental conditions. The more plain stocks with straight grain tend to resist warping and breaking better.

January 29, 2013, 07:02 PM	#11
pbrktrt Senior Member Join Date: January 9, 2008 Posts: 313	I would say as a rule the Vanguard will have the better wood. If you really want some nice wood, spring for the Deluxe.