Micro-fit stocks

[Deton8tor]

I am looking for a model 7 youth stock for my wife's rifle. I saw some pretty interesting stocks on Richard's Micro-Fit site. Anyone know anything about these stocks? I do not mind doing a bit of inletting. I am unfamilair with other stocks in youth sizes so information on them would be appreciated.

 

[1kbrxDave]

check out www. Stocky stocks before you spend your hard earned $$$ you get a lot more stock for your money Micro fit are ok but be prepaired to do ALOT of work

 

[lpreddick]

search "richard's microfit stocks" and be prepared to spend an hour+ reading member's comments. a LOT are NEGATIVE which is why i decided not to go there and went to shurley bros and have two of the prettiest and mst functional thumbholes made!

 

[Preacher]

They are better these days than they were a few years ago....
They don't claim to be 100 % inlet, and you will need to do some fitting...
Boyds has Model 7 stocks for a good price price finished, but you would need to trim it down for a youth model.

 

[Petey]

I've bought Boyd's and Richard's Microfit, both stating 99% inlet unfinished. Let me tell you a Boyd's is pretty much drop in with little to no inlet work. Even the outside finish on an unfinished Boyd's is rather smooth. Richard's took 18 months to arrive and A LOT of work. At the end of the day it was a good quality stock that took a lot of work on inlet and finishing to get it there. You could see almost saw blade marks on the dang thing....SO know what you're going into first. If you want to wait and want to really do a lot of stock work... Get a Richards, you'll start with 60 grit and go from there. Nothing at all wrong with them and really good for a do-it-yourselfer that wants to put time into a stock. If you want a stock you can basically drop the barrel action in to and shoot....buy a Boyd's.

I've purchased both finished and unfinished Boyd's In the end my finished looked better than theirs, but it's all about how many coats and how much sanding is done.

 

[Petey]

Pictures say a thousand words. Above is a finished Boyd's, below is a Richards for the same barreled action. The unifinished pictures (sorry for the mess) is after receiving and the first run through of 60 grit with a sanding block. Below that is the finished product after 2 weeks of sanding and finishing with steel wool

 

[Shynloco]

PM sent. Petey has done a really nice job with the BR stock he's finished. I can say I have three BR stocks from Richards, one almost identical to the red/Blk BR stock, except mine do not have the thumbhole. IMHO, some people have the talent to finish a stock and others only "think" they do. Obviously Petey does. I do not which is why my Gunsmith does all the final inletting and finishing of my Richards stocks. When done though, they are a thing of beauty, feel really nice and smooth and slide very smoothly across my rest and rear bags. I'd buy another Richards in a heartbeat, despite the time it takes them to get a stock done and shipped.

Alex

 

[butchlambert]

Alex, I've had a couple of the Richard's no fit stocks. They are just terrible and customer service was worse. The wood looked nice after a good woodsmith finished them. I would never go to them again.

 

[M-61]

Alex, I've had a couple of the Richard's no fit stocks. They are just terrible and customer service was worse. The wood looked nice after a good woodsmith finished them. I would never go to them again.

I agree in part. The one stock I bought was terrible. The good part was they refunded my money promptly.

 

[Jay Christopherson]

I am looking for a model 7 youth stock for my wife's rifle. I saw some pretty interesting stocks on Richard's Micro-Fit site. Anyone know anything about these stocks? I do not mind doing a bit of inletting. I am unfamilair with other stocks in youth sizes so information on them would be appreciated.

Interested to see what feedback you get. I'm looking for a Model 7 SA featherweight stock myself. The original stock (youth model with the schnabel fore-end) is pretty much toast. I wanted to continue with a classic stock (walnut), so I've been looking at the Micro-fit stocks. I have a full woodshop and a mill, so doing some work doesn't scare me. But, I'd be curious in alternatives.

 

[shortgrass]

Dag'gone Jay,,,, you've got a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guilld (Gundoktr) who visits here regularly. I'd ask him who has a pattern. He may have one himself. I've used several different ACGG members to turn a pre-inlet for me and I've always been pleased. They're not "drop-in" and some shaping needs to be done, but the darned things are straight and hole spacing is correct. I usually provide the wood and the labor charges aren't out of line, by any means. Companies like Richards No Fit just want to WOW you with pretty pictures.

 

[Jay Christopherson]

Dag'gone Jay,,,, you've got a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guilld (Gundoktr) who visits here regularly. I'd ask him who has a pattern. He may have one himself. I've used several different ACGG members to turn a pre-inlet for me and I've always been pleased. They're not "drop-in" and some shaping needs to be done, but the darned things are straight and hole spacing is correct. I usually provide the wood and the labor charges aren't out of line, by any means. Companies like Richards No Fit just want to WOW you with pretty pictures.

awesome, I will do that. I didn't realize Gundoktr's credentials, thanks for the heads up! To the OP, sorry to hi-jack, but the information should pertain to you as well I think...

 

[butchlambert]

Just one that the Gundoktr did for me.

These are really not good photos, but he does a great job.
You might remember that he ain't Wal Mart.

 

[Jay Christopherson]

I emailed a bit with him and he does do amazing work. More than what I need (or can do) for this project, but I would love to have a full custom/classic rifle like the one you have pictured. Another day, another project I guess...

 

[jonbearman]

I really don't understand why Richards microfit doesn't change their name to Richards chainsaw fit. They may be bettso rough that finishing is way to much work and shurleys may be more but all the work is done and it saves me a lot of time to do more important things in life.

 

[shortgrass]

I've had Jim Bisio, at Heritage walnut machine a couple for me. His price for machining wood was quit reasonable. Some will machine wood for you to finish and some don't. Al Lind will machine wood, too. I don't know if either will cut a lami blank, or not. I don't know what stright grain walnut goes for these days as I haven't looked at any, but the price of even a cheap blank and the machining would add up to more than Richards. Every ACGG member I've had turn wood for me had classic patterns only (is there any other style?). I've supplied a pattern myself a couple of times and they were glad to use them.

 

[Shynloco]

I can see from some of the response, that people have varying degrees of expectations when they buy a stock UNFINISHED from Richards. I have no idea what one of their finished stocks looks. I have only bought UNFINISHED stocks and as Butch writes, they look very nice when FINISHED by a competent Gunsmith or Stock Finisher. And that's who finishes my stocks as I don't possess the talent or patience for it. The quality of the stocks I've bought from Richards have all turned out beautifully and I'm please, especially considering what I paid for the stocks. I stand by what I said that I wouldn't hesitate to buy from Richards again. Richards is obviously not for all and having personally been to their shop on a few occasions, choosing the block piece for the stock I want and seeing a stock being made/cut, there were no "chainsaws" being used. After all, Richards stocks aren't exactly McMillans...and neither is their price.

Alex

 

[Petey]

Very true... Like I said... Know what you're getting in to and what your expectations are. I think the general public and all the bad reviews they get are from people that "expect" an almost drop in ready to go stock unifinished stock. Someone that wants to do it on their own and doesn't realize what they are purchasing. The likes of Boyd's are pretty much that. Unfinished is very little work. Minimal time and materials.

It's not the case in Richards. Their un-finished is just that and WILL take some work, but all come out beautiful, if done right. I am neither a competent gunsmith or pro stock finisher, just your average Joe do-it-yourselfer. I've since sold that rig, but it was a beautiful stock and honestly I enjoyed the two weeks of labor I put into that stock.

It was work to get it the way it looked, but I had the right tools, enough knowledge and the time. My guess is most that buy them do not, and expected a little less work, thus give them horrible reviews. Only complaint I had was the wait time, but it was a special order action that wasn't in their typical line-up and I can understand that.

Would I buy another? ... in a heartbeat. Real good bang for your buck, but I know what I'm getting in to

 

[jerrschmitt]

Nobody makes a stock that will truly fit your rifle. I have 4 700 Remingtons with heavy varmint barrels and the stocks are not interchangeable once they have been glass bedded. I've used a few Richards stocks over the years and there is nothing wrong with them. I have one right now that I just got started on.

I thought it was too thick


So I removed 3/8" from the bottom.





The barrel channel had to be opened up a bit.



Once I have it sanded down and glass bedded it will be a thing of beauty.