Stock types for hunting

What stock type to use hunting

  • Total voters
    27
Jackp93

Jackp93

Super member
Joined
Jul 7, 2022
Messages
134
Reaction score
467
Location
Southminster
Hi all

The majority of my shooting is hunting and I have always gone for sporter style stocks but do like the look of some thumbhole, is there any advantages or disadvantages to both?

thanks

Jack
 
Always a sporter for me

I find thumbhole stocks a little too prescriptive and fiddly for taking a safety off

Tyrolean stocks tend to be built for opens, and will totally change the handling of a rifle with a scope fitted

But, what suits me, may not suit you. Best to try and handle the stock types you fancy before shelling out
 
Sporter for me, it evolved over a long period of time and there are good reasons it turned out the way it has. For me the cinch is it's easy to move the rifle from low carry to the shoulder because the hand just slides into place. Perfect for a walkie stalkie rifle.

Thumbhole. I think they do offer a more comfortable hold at the shoulder but it only becomes apparant to me over longer periods so they're great when I'm sitting at ambush with the rifle supported but more awkward for walking around with.

Tyrolean. Total marmite, some swear by them but I don't like them at all. The idea is they place your cheek and eye in the same place each and every time and as we know consistency is the key to accuracy. However the cheek needs to be able to sit on different parts of the butt ( i.e. slide up and down it) depending on the stance for example the eye will be closer to the eyepiece in prone. Forcing the cheek to the same place for every position leads to tension in the neck / body which is not good. I can see the advantage of the Tyrolean if you limit your stances but not for a general hunting rifle.

Jackp93 said:
but do like the look
Click to expand...

But do like the feel. There, corrected it for you ;)

Because really that's what it's all about and if a rifle feels good to you, regardless of stock type, then you could be on to a winner.
 
I voted sporter, it's the best all-rounder - but there's a lot in favour of the Tyrolean, especially for offhand unsupported shots...
 
I find my HW97 thumbhole quite awkward & uncomfortable to carry any distance, although I guess a sling would help a bit. But there's a reason that sporter stocks have been in use for all types of hunting for so long, because they are the best all rounder.
 
As light as you can IMO

2B7B4792-D546-4A00-B97D-054398124C76.webp
 
I've got them all and used them all extensively in the field. A sporter is the best all-rounder. My thumbhole is nice and comfortable on the trigger hand. The Tyrolean is by far the superior one - but mine was made to suit / fit me. You can shoot easily with all stances except prone. Tyroleans built for PCPs dont typically have the nose notch, and if they do, you dont need to use them. There is room in a Tyro to make minor adjustments (should they be needed) from different stances, but I find shooting freehand to be almost identical to shooting sitting down off sticks and kneeling and these three positions are the only ones I've used over the last two decades. (y)

Ultimately go with what suits you - not everyone has the same shaped body - so horses for courses.
 
I think it's whatever suits you at the end of the day , I favour a sporter stock my favourite for fit is a bog standard airarms stock that came on my s400 fits like it was made for me but may not suit others as well . Ones man's meat is another man's poison .
 
I shot both over the years . However i shoot the HW100 in a sporter stock . It looks so much better . Plus it fits me better than the thumbhole.
 
Sporter for me, I bought a HW97 with a thumbhole stock, took it rabbit shooting a few times but the combination of weight and a stock that does not rest in your arms the way a sporter does didn’t make it a hard decision to move it on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top