There are three major factors to consider when looking to purchase a new rifle or
designing a stock and they are the rifle’s purpose, the caliber it fires, and the amount of felt
recoil the user gets when using it. Let us begin with the reason the rifle is being purchased.
People may buy a rifle for a number of reasons, but I would say the most common would be for hunting, recreational shooting or simply because it looks really cool and will impress others. Hunters want an accurate rifle that can stock meat in the freezer in the most humane way possible. Recreational shooters usually purchase rifles that are a joy to fire but do not usually use them for hunting purposes. And finally, you have the “it looks cool” buyer who may or may not intend to fire this rifle at all but had to own it because “I mean look at it!” While having been employed at a gun range for a number of years, I have met all three types. When designing a stock, the person’s intent could change your design drastically. Usually, the hunter wants a degree of comfort while the “it looks cool” buyer wants just that, something that looks amazing regardless of comfort.
Next, we will cover the rifles caliber and tie in the amount of felt recoil it produces. While I feel like it is common sense that a 22lr has less recoil than a 300 Winchester magnum, it is important to note that not everyone knows what that means. I work at a live fire facility full time, and I cannot even begin to explain the lack of knowledge the average person has with regard to this subject. Usually by showing the customer the size difference between caliber and cost per cartridge they decide rather quickly to start with a smaller caliber. This choice is usually a smart one because the amount of felt recoil usually determines how much the user likes the firearm. While it is true that some recreational shooters enjoy the pain that comes with repeated shots from ridiculous calibers, most people want a smooth shooting firearm. When designing a stock for either the 22lr or the 300 Winchester Magnum, it is more important to engineer the size, shape and feel of the larger calibers because a bad pitch or drop at heel on a rifle that fries 22lr won't usually equal an uncomfortable or painful shot.
Comments