Chassis vs wood/laminate for FT-R?
- Thread starter Lucky6547
- Start date
I have been using an XLR Industries Element chassis for 600 to 1000 yd .308 F/TR competitions in two different rifles.. I am part of a team that shoots F/TR. the other 3 team member all have very nice expensive pillar and glass bedded laminate stocks. my rifle shoots as good as theirs. we are all using Bartlein barrels.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148588470@N07/33795138260/in/datetaken/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/148588470@N07/33795138260/in/datetaken/
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Kurz
Silver $$ Contributor
You would need a fairly long list of specifics to answer a question like yours.
Most of the decisions can be answered by simply going prone with a few examples in order to determine which type or style is most comfortable and you can get into position with easily. The biggest decision though is whether you will appreciate the alloy chassis over the wood laminates or synthetics. I know for a fact that there are shooters who really prefer the 'warmth' of wood as opposed to the coldness of alloys, or the heat that alloys can accumulate during the hotter part of the day during a shoot. This can be avoided though by using some form of an aluminized blanket or cover for your rifle.
You could argue that weight is a factor although either laminates or alloy chassis can be either heavy or light if necessary. Laminates can be modified with some fairly simple tools when and if necessary. Alloy chassis usually require some form of machining to make proper adjustments. Without a bedding block, laminate stocks will require a proper bedding job with pillars. Alloy chassis can go either way although most should have a skim bed to assure that the barreled action is stress-free.
I use both because I like the variety and I'm not chasing the very pinnacle of the top spot in F-Class. I have found a great degree of comfort in both types of stocks but I like the easily accomplished adjustments on the alloy chassis. If I had the time though I would start a business making laminated stocks based on the wait times and selling prices. Apparently, there is room for a couple more manufacturers to ease the load being carried by the current makers.
Best.
Down South
FTR Junkie
Life is too short to shoot ugly guns is what my buddy always says.......
300 RUM
Gene Nowaczyk
The real question is "Do you want to shoot good or look good shooting"
Get yourself a manners and call it good
johnnyi
Gold $$ Contributor
Life is too short to shoot ugly guns is what my buddy always says.......
Says the guy with a moped!
Down South
FTR Junkie
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
We can easily make weight with an aluminum stock in 1k Br, its been done, its also been done in short range. The reason you do not see them on the line is damping qualities. Wood, fiberglass, foam, exc. have very good damping qualities. The stock has to absorb and transfer the harmonics out of the rifle and into the sand bags or ground. Want to know what happens when harmonics dont get absorbed from the rifle, shoot with you forend against a hard object. Bottom line, a wood or glass stock has more accuracy potential than an aluminum one of equal design. You will see some extremely large Heavy gun stocks. 60lb rifles. Pure mass is the damping quality there, same as with machine tools. How ever I do not believe a true heavy gun will agg with a good light gun. So my opinion is to stick to a wood or fiberglass stock, and stay away from carbon fiber layups. Some carbon stringers between wood wont hurt you but I would not order a Mc or Manners with the carbon fiber/graphite shell for a long range rifle.
Alex Wheeler
Site $$ Sponsor
I dont doubt it. But what does that mean? 2" groups 5" groups 10"? One thing I like about a good glass stock is it seems like its forgiving to errors. My Roberston stock would set me make some really bad mistakes and the bullet would go into the group, I put that down to damping. Some stocks are fussy about how they are shot or held.
I would agree I've had a hard time adjusting to a chassis and I'm very close to selling it and buying another Choate or stepping up to a something along the lines of a Manners. I realize my MDT chassis and Choate stocks are not near the quality high end stocks you guys are talking about but the difference in hold and technique is very obvious.
Alex. i have never shot for groups per se at 600 or 1000yds. i shoot F/TR for score. cleaning the target with 10 to 14x's is not unusual for me @ 600 yds, when i am getting my act together with the wind. low to high 190's at 1000 yds ditto on the wind. just shot a high power competition with my usual team at 300, 500, and 600 yds. i was the highest scorer of the team. back in the winter, our team set the 600 yd F/TR mid range National Team record. again my rifle scored the highest of the team. i give the credit to my rifle and our team captain calling the wind. on any given day, these guys with their wonderful laminate stocked rifles can out shoot me. but on any other day, my rifle will out shoot theirs.
I have another buddy with a Panda F Class action, Bartlein barreled F/TR rifle in a very nice GRS X Eater laminate stock. action is pillar and glass bedded. my same F/TR rifle detailed above, with a Savage Target action, Bartlein barrel in the XLR chassis, shoots as good or better than his does.
i also shoot a 6BR in the another XLR chassis. high .1's" and low .2's" (100 yds, 5 shot groups) not unusual in that gun. i shoot another 6BR in a PR&T Lowboy laminate F Class stock. it doesn't shoot any better than the 6BR in the XLR chassis.
Alex, I am sure you have a lot more experience than me in this accuracy game. with that in mind, i highly respect your comments, but i can only relate my experiences to date with laminate and chassis type stocks. at this point, i am not planning to move off my chassis F/TR rifles.
I have another buddy with a Panda F Class action, Bartlein barreled F/TR rifle in a very nice GRS X Eater laminate stock. action is pillar and glass bedded. my same F/TR rifle detailed above, with a Savage Target action, Bartlein barrel in the XLR chassis, shoots as good or better than his does.
i also shoot a 6BR in the another XLR chassis. high .1's" and low .2's" (100 yds, 5 shot groups) not unusual in that gun. i shoot another 6BR in a PR&T Lowboy laminate F Class stock. it doesn't shoot any better than the 6BR in the XLR chassis.
Alex, I am sure you have a lot more experience than me in this accuracy game. with that in mind, i highly respect your comments, but i can only relate my experiences to date with laminate and chassis type stocks. at this point, i am not planning to move off my chassis F/TR rifles.
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I agree and would add that a stock should insulate the metals bits from the support bits so that the metal bits can vibrate the same every single time.
Wood for me.
Jerry
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