• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Anyone have any RECENT Experience with Richards Microfit stocks?

I am considering picking up a richards microfit stock for a winter project. I understand that they are not drop in stocks and will require a lot of work, and Im ok with that. However, I have heard stories in the past of people receiving their stock from Richards and the stock had TOO MUCH material removed. Does anyone have any recent experience with Richards Microfit (within the past year)? Good or bad Id like to hear your experiences. BTW this will be for a savage 12 Target action.
 
I have two Richards stocks in progress right now. I've started work on them but am waiting for other components to arrive before I can continue. I have bought 4 Richards stocks and would not hesitate to buy another. Yes, they do require some contouring and sanding but I have found the inletting for the action to be quite adequate. I wish they would offer more options for the barrel channel, this requires more work for a heavy varmint barrel.
I have not experienced them removing too much material. Hope this helps.
 
For the gross amount of time to make the stock perfect,I would go with shurley brothers or PR&T stocks. I always called Richards microfit to be Richards Firewood. A friend ordered one and it was so darn rough it became a part time job to make it look half way decent.My self I would go with tommy shurley,way less work and superior machining.
 
My experience is the opposite. It took a small amount of dremel work to get a near perfect action fit on mine. I had the barrel channel cut to 1-1/4", leaving me 1/8" all the way around my Shilen bull barrel. After installing pillars and bedding, it shoots sub MOA at 600. I have the Prone Culberson, and it's very comfortable in F Class.
I did have to remove some of the cheek piece as it was too high to allow bolt install/removal. A little elbow grease with some 220, followed by 320, and it was perfect. Finished it with Tru Oil. It was a perfect winter project. Take your time and enjoy it.
 

Attachments

  • richards 1.jpg
    richards 1.jpg
    28.8 KB · Views: 75
The couple I have done. The action was almost drop in. The exterior finish was just very rough. Like it was cut with a dull chainsaw. I would get another but will by stock in sandpaper first and make sure I have allot of spare time. Matt
 
I reluctantly agreeded to stock a customers rifle as long as I had the option to change my mind if the Richards stock looked like crap. It'll work,,, it'd have been nice if Richards could actually put sling swivel studs on the centerline!. It'd been nice if my customer would have consulted me before ordering from Richards. There are many better pre-inletters than Richards. They are basically a piece of crap produced for the masses who don't know any better or know the difference and are expecting "drop-in". Drop-in will always look like drop-in unless you really don't know what you're looking at! Fitting metal to stock and finishing it will always require work! to have it turn out nice. I don't think there must be much that's worse than a customer who thinks he needs to supply all the parts himself when he doesn't really know good from not good parts.
 
Texas Solo said:
My experience is the opposite. It took a small amount of dremel work to get a near perfect action fit on mine. I had the barrel channel cut to 1-1/4", leaving me 1/8" all the way around my Shilen bull barrel. After installing pillars and bedding, it shoots sub MOA at 600. I have the Prone Culberson, and it's very comfortable in F Class.
I did have to remove some of the cheek piece as it was too high to allow bolt install/removal. A little elbow grease with some 220, followed by 320, and it was perfect. Finished it with Tru Oil. It was a perfect winter project. Take your time and enjoy it.
Inletting with a Dremel Tool?
 
Yes short grass Inletting with a dremel, some of them have a flex shaft just like a foredom! Certainly glad I don't have to deal with a gunsmith like you! Not everyone has a pile of money to burn when they are building a rifle, and Richards provides a product that requires a bit more work and is a little more time consuming. I have done 3 of their stocks and have one in progress currently, but for the person thatitsbeing built for it fits his budget! I have a model 70 ready to bed and had to remove very little material from the action area and barrel channel. Speaking of which I have inletted 3 Shehane Tracker Stocks and they all had to have material removed from the action area and barrel channel. Each of those were over $400.00 each.
 
They are a good price for the number of options. But when you are talking winter project it depends which winter you are talking about. It took 6 months for mine to get completed and sent to me and during that period you can forget about communication, it is inexistent!
The inlet was alright but it required a lot of work on the outside to put all the surfaces straight and even.
There was one place on the fore hand where their router bit had gone deeper than expected which left a mark. I filled it with clear epoxy resin, let it dry, sand over it and after finishing the stock with clear coat :it is invisible.
The gun shoot very well (6.5 creedmoor on a tikka action).

It Depends on what type of action and stock design you are after, but in certain cases a boyd stock is way better finished and cheaper.

Had I known that the delays were going to be that long I would have gone with a McMillan.
 
Richard,s stocks are fine for what they are.. Sure they need to sanded. Sandpaper is cheap. And yes the prone stock has a high cheep rest. Sand it down bed and shoot ,real simple. The two I have did not take all winter to finish. Sure you can spend more money for a Tommy Surley or the like. Again I say why ??
 
riverwolf1 said:
Yes short grass Inletting with a dremel, some of them have a flex shaft just like a foredom! Certainly glad I don't have to deal with a gunsmith like you! Not everyone has a pile of money to burn when they are building a rifle, and Richards provides a product that requires a bit more work and is a little more time consuming. I have done 3 of their stocks and have one in progress currently, but for the person thatitsbeing built for it fits his budget! I have a model 70 ready to bed and had to remove very little material from the action area and barrel channel. Speaking of which I have inletted 3 Shehane Tracker Stocks and they all had to have material removed from the action area and barrel channel. Each of those were over $400.00 each.
In the circle I work in, riverwolf, guts who 'inlet' with a Dremel tool or Freedom tool are known as 'hacks'.
 
Dremel, I see this as a perfectly fine way to save money... If you don't feel your gun shoots better because it sat on a mill and got straight lines cut where nobody will see them, then your probably a realist.. I care more about the bedding job and how the guns gonna track when finished.. I have had guys tell me that their high dollar stock didn't come true and wouldn't of tracked right.. I have seen Shurley stocks posted here for a good price and other reasonable deals so options are out there..

Ray
 
Knowing ahead of time that you may have to do a little or a lot of work to a Richard's Micro Fit stock makes them a deal for what you pay. A CUSTOM stock can cost BIG $$ and a LONG wait.
Any work you have to do as far as fit and finish makes the stock YOURS and you'll appreciate it that much more.
I've recieved them in different conditions from :o :o to 8) 8).
The price and selection of styles IMHO, makes them one of the better deals out there.
Over the last few years I must have bought at least 8 or 10 of their stocks. Fun to work with and well worth the effort you put into them to get the finished product.
Depends on what day it is as to how the stock is cut. From chain saw, dull axe to 8) 8).
Communications? Order it up and wait. You'll never know till it shows up at your door.
Recient experience? Makes no difference. Good, bad or in between. You'll know when it shows up. You pay your $$ and take your chances.
I wouldn't hesitate to order a few more. Barrel channels up to 1 1/4". Works great for straight pipes!
"Semi-Inletted stocks require proficient hobby woodworking skills, and the action needs to be hand inletted and fit to the stock."
If you don't think you can handle the work or have LOTS of $$ to spend, order a custon stock. Take a # and wait in line.
I don't own a lathe or mill so I guess I'am one of the "hacks" and proud of it!! 8)

Inlet with a Dremel tool? Hack or not. Whatever it takes to get the job done! ;)
 
They make them cheaper than I do, and when I'm running out of time I have no problem ordering one of them
for a hunting rifle, and finishing it to suit me.. Never had a bad problem with any of them...
 
Thanks to everyone who has commented. As I stated above, I am not opposed to doing the stock work, I think it will be gratifying. Now I just have to figure out which stock design i going to order.
 
If you don't want to do it your self, then don't order one. If you want a finished stock go elsewhere.

personally, the stock I orderd from them for my Savage MLII is a good fit and a nice piece of walnut for the price. My walnut with ebony tips was about $125 or so delivered, the last unfinished blank I ordered from PR&T with an adjustable cheek and a rail was over $800.

When I finally get around to replacing my PR&T laminates with hardwood I'm looking at them as one of the options to turn the blanks for me.
 
XTR said:
If you don't want to do it your self, then don't order one. If you want a finished stock go elsewhere.

personally, the stock I orderd from them for my Savage MLII is a good fit and a nice piece of walnut for the price. My walnut with ebony tips was about $125 or so delivered, the last unfinished blank I ordered from PR&T with an adjustable cheek and a rail was over $800.

When I finally get around to replacing my PR&T laminates with hardwood I'm looking at them as one of the options to turn the blanks for me.

So you are comparing them with another brand with an adjustable cheek piece and rail?
Micro Fit stocks are junk.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,794
Messages
2,203,492
Members
79,128
Latest member
Dgel
Back
Top