The rifle stock, whose technical details we often overlook in favor of the elegance it lends to the weapon, is a key technical element that we will explore in depth. Here, we analyze the relationship between aesthetics and practicality of use.
For the most inattentive, the rifle stock has only one function: to provide support for the rifle when fired, counteracting the effect of recoil. They don't need to know anything else. Nothing could be more wrong, given that there are many types of stocks, or rather, shapes of stocks specifically designed to meet specific needs in hunting and clay shooting.
First, it's useful to analyze the aesthetic aspect, which, when it comes to break-action guns, is a fundamental factor due to the greater visual exposure of the stock compared to the rest of the weapon. Beyond the shape, which we'll explore below, the aesthete's eye focuses on the colors, shades, and so-called "flames," which make even perfectly identical stocks appear different to the eye. This is clearly a primary function of the wood used. Since time immemorial, European arquebusiers have chosen walnut as their preferred wood for its remarkable qualities, which perfectly match the weapons and their use. The first choice was the European walnut (Juglans regia), native to many Western European nations, but which, given its exploitation—obviously not only for weapons but also for cabinetmaking—has been slowly but inexorably depleted. The ever-increasing difficulty in finding such wood has been overcome with the use of Caucasian walnut, whose abundant forests are present in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Russia and Turkey.
Turkey's extensive production of this wood has made it known throughout the firearms industry as Turkish walnut. For the furniture and firearms industries, walnut burl is used, which is simply the part of the tree closest to the roots; one could almost say, the point where the trunk and roots meet. From this part of the tree comes the finest wood—burl—with the mechanical efficiency best suited for working and using it to make stocks. The burl, cut into blocks, undergoes a slow dehydration process to reach a moisture content of 15-16%, considered optimal for making stocks and forends. After this "excess moisture extraction" phase, the blocks are ready for the processing that, after expert workmanship, becomes the stock of our rifle. But why walnut?
Walnut wood combines many properties considered optimal for making wooden rifle components. Among the most appreciated are its mechanical properties, with a moderate hardness that allows for adequate workability, good strength , i.e., the ability to withstand torsion, stress, and compression, and excellent stability that allows it to effectively counteract potential deformation.
Other particularly valued properties are the technological ones that identify the material's ability to be worked. Walnut wood has good cutting properties with standard tools and is easily workable due to the compactness of its fibers. This also ensures it is less susceptible to splitting , or flaking, during processing or due to impacts. Finally, it is very suitable for finishing , whether sanding or polishing.
Among the physical properties that make walnut wood particularly prized is its specific weight , which is 600-700 kg/m3 under optimal drying conditions. Its hygroscopicity is also excellent, being very low, thus preventing possible warping. Walnut wood has a good level of porosity , which allows for optimal treatment with Tru Oil or similar products, which are easily absorbed by the fibers.
The colour, texture and grain then constitute those aesthetic properties that characterise the preference for walnut in the creation of weapons.
The final result of the process is a wooden blade, which, once shaped into the most suitable form, is firmly joined to the rifle's action using a process called case fitting. Quality is another factor, and we often hear woods classified by grade (grade one, two, three, etc.); this definition is a synthesis of various characteristics of the wood, and not just, as some believe, aesthetics, which nevertheless plays a significant role in this categorization. In short, higher-grade woods are decidedly rare and particularly expensive, while as the grade goes down, availability increases, and so does its value.
A second aspect of the stock is a direct result of the final shape, which is a combination of practicality and aesthetic appeal. Again, for simplicity's sake, some categories of shapes have been defined that are important to understand and which we will briefly examine: pistol grip stock, swan neck stock, half pistol grip or Prince of Wales stock, English stock, Monte Carlo stop stock, and Bavarian stock.
Regardless of the aesthetic taste, typical of every gun enthusiast, these types of stocks still have prerogatives that make them more suitable for certain types of disciplines or certain types of rifle.
Pistol grip stock – This is the type of stock most commonly found on smoothbore hunting guns. Almost always found on semi-automatics, it is also widely used on over-and-under shotguns. On side-by-side shotguns, it alternates with other types of stock, such as the English or semi-pistol, which give the latter a sleeker look and superior overall elegance. Technically, the pistol grip stock provides excellent grip, and given its shape and the type of inclination required, it is particularly suited to guns with a single trigger, where the index finger does not need to move from one trigger to the other. For these reasons, the pistol grip stock is considered excellent for clay shooting shotguns.
Swan neck kick – this is a type of kick that some consider elegant but is very rare to find in practice, as it has no technical advantage that makes it preferable to other more common forms.
Half-pistol stock – also known as a Prince of Wales or Belgian stock. Structurally, it is a shorter stock than the traditionally known one, with a rounded butt cap. It is considered an elegant stock, a feature found on side-by-side shotguns, many of which are Belgian (this is most likely the reason for the name). It is a stock recognized for its practicality in use on double-trigger shotguns, as it allows the hand to remain fairly relaxed, allowing for easy finger movement from the first to the second trigger. For its sheer elegance, the half-pistol stock is also found on high-end or limited-edition over-and-under and semi-automatic guns.
English stock – This is the stock most celebrated for its elegance in both hammerless and external-hammer side-by-side shotguns. The English stock, typically designed in the Anglo-Saxon world, gives the shotgun the sleek shape that distinguishes the finest examples. The hand grip on the stock is particularly relaxed, making it decidedly the most suitable for side-by-side shotguns with two triggers. Upon request, this type of stock can be fitted on single-trigger guns such as over-and-under or semi-automatics, but it has no particular technical relevance for these types of shotguns, merely a matter of aesthetics, albeit questionable, given their overall structure is not particularly sleek.
Monte Carlo stock – This type of stock is typically used on competition shotguns that require significant cheek and cheekbone support. The grip of this type of stock is typically pistol grip, while the buttstock is distinctive, featuring a flare at the rear that also extends to the butt plate.
Bavarian stock – This type of stock is commonly found on Central European weapons, particularly break-action rifled and/or combination guns. The back of this type of stock is convex, a shape justified by the fact that the weapons to which it is assigned are designed for scope mounts and require a higher butt. Naturally, in combination guns, it represents a compromise between rifled and clay shooting. Sometimes the stock is combined with a thick cheek piece that allows for a more comfortable posture when shooting rifled barrels.
We will return to football later, as many enthusiasts are unaware of it, it is “the first aiming organ”.
Website: www.rfmarmi.it – Email: info@rfmarmi.it
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Maurizio Bertolassi – R.F.M. Armi.
The great experience accumulated over decades of producing thousands of break-action rifles from his hands is now at your disposal.
Riccardo Ceccarelli – Cacciainfiera.it
He has always written about smoothbore guns, is passionate about weapons and amateur cartridge loading, and has studied many of the issues of gun and ammunition interaction in depth.
