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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 21:35:24 GMT -5
I ordered a Richard's Microfit custom stock a while back.
Are they still open? No returned calls is making me wonder...
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Post by 03mossy on Jul 15, 2015 22:05:28 GMT -5
Put there number on speed dial and just keep calling. I did one of there stocks 6 or 7 years ago and to get a hold of them each time it took about 50 calls to get through once. Fun project but like anything goes else regarding guns there's a wait.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2015 22:11:17 GMT -5
just in a quick search it seems your experience is typical. 3-4 month wait and the stocks are a little less finished then described. Hope you get it soon. I'm sure you have your whittling tools ready.
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Post by hankinsrfls on Jul 15, 2015 23:42:48 GMT -5
Yes they are still in business. I just got one of mine in a week ago... If you order a target stock, yes you will have a bucket full of shavings and sanding dust when you get it to the point you are happy, their standard hunting stocks are cut to much better dimensions but still require some hand work.
I have used a number of their stocks and I have always been happy with what I get from them..
What model stock did you order? The target stocks do take longer....
P.S. call them after 12:00 their time and you will usually get an answer.....
Jeff.
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Post by airborneike on Jul 16, 2015 1:06:10 GMT -5
Josh,
I have used many of Richards micro fit stocks in the past and have been happy with them. The main thing with Richards stocks is the inletting which is usually very good. There is usually extra wood on the shape of the stock but for me it is a good thing because it allows me to do the final shaping as I see fit.
If you can put up with the sour-pus telephone receptionist then you got it made and they can be slower than the seven year itch but you will get a good stock at a fair price.
Been quiet up north...haven't cut your trigger finger off have you?
Mike
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Post by Deleted on Jul 16, 2015 7:44:57 GMT -5
If they're still open, I'm going to stop calling and just wait to hear when it's done.
Mike, haven't been shooting much because the wind is relentless...(seriously)
If we get 1 solid day of high pressure weather I'm surprised, then another storm front blows through...crazy
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Post by jims on Jul 16, 2015 12:55:44 GMT -5
I believe they are still in business but they have never been too good in the customer service or speed department. Four months for some of my stocks or longer has not been unusual. As I recall if you telephone the buy number you can get through readily but for anything else or their toll free number is a delay.
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Post by jwied on Jul 17, 2015 18:36:44 GMT -5
They usually responded to my emails In a day or two.. they gave me a delivery date in months. I let the majority of the time pass and even changed my order. The when I was within a week of what they told me I emailed them again and they gave me the tracking number. In the end it was like 3 days early on a 4 month wait. I felt the same as you but they delivered. So no complaints from me.
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Post by rossman40 on Jul 18, 2015 12:01:04 GMT -5
They had a fire a while back that really put a crimp on their business. They had to move the office into a trailer for a while. They are just now getting back to normal. People may not know it but one of the big parts of their business is providing inletted blanks to other stock makers/gunbuilders. They have been slow to switch over to CNC machinery. I was told nowadays they do most of the action inlets on a CNC mill but still do the outside on a duplicator for most models. They do offer a lot of different stock styles, even some different laminate colors and you can go for some different options like forearm width.
Boyds has really improved, a few of us can still remember when it was Boyd Brothers.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 21:15:23 GMT -5
They told me it would be a "99%" complete stock...which means I'll be putting a little time into it I guess.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 21:17:59 GMT -5
Maybe that means they will put 99% of the work they want to do into it. The other 26% is up to you.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 21:18:53 GMT -5
Maybe that means they will put 99% of the work they want to do into it. The other 26% is up to you. That sounds about right.
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Post by rossman40 on Jul 23, 2015 9:20:37 GMT -5
The exteriors are pretty rough depending on how much experience the Mexican running the duplicator has and the inlets leave a bit to be desired. On a Savage you have to watch the right side for sear clearence plus the front and rear for trigger clearance, even more so with aftermarket triggers. The Remington inlets seems to be decent. A little bit of elbow grease is needed for sure along with a good eye.
One of the first 700MLs I did was in a Richards Frontier Sportster in rosewood laminate with ebony tip and cap, probly the best looking stock I've worked on. The customers brother was a cabinet maker and did the finishing. It was sent to me to do the bedding and pillars before the final finish was put on.
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Post by dannoboone on Jul 23, 2015 17:28:49 GMT -5
Maybe that means they will put 99% of the work they want to do into it. The other 26% is up to you. That sounds about right. The 99% is the look it has from 15 yards.....pretty good. Up close and real world was about 70% with the ONE I got from them. My brother had the same experience. Perhaps one should never say "never" again, but they're going to REALLY have to improve prior to me ever considering getting another one. Too bad Boyd's does not have as wide a selection as Richard's Macrofit. I've gotten a couple of Boyd's unfinished specials, in which they warn people that there will be fitting needed. They were a piece of cake compared to RM's 96-99% claim. Sure hope yours comes a lot more complete than mine did. Rant over.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 23, 2015 17:34:18 GMT -5
The exteriors are pretty rough depending on how much experience the Mexican running the duplicator has and the inlets leave a bit to be desired. On a Savage you have to watch the right side for sear clearence plus the front and rear for trigger clearance, even more so with aftermarket triggers. The Remington inlets seems to be decent. A little bit of elbow grease is needed for sure along with a good eye. One of the first 700MLs I did was in a Richards Frontier Sportster in rosewood laminate with ebony tip and cap, probly the best looking stock I've worked on. The customers brother was a cabinet maker and did the finishing. It was sent to me to do the bedding and pillars before the final finish was put on. As for the inlet for the action, I'm going to use another Whidden Aluminum block for the Savage Target action. I started another Hart LRT stock, and I'm almost done bedding the block in it. The Richard's stock will be the 4th Whidden Aluminum block I've done so far. I like 'em! What I'm worried about most, is finishing the outer surface of the stock...sanding...spraying...swearing...
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Post by hankinsrfls on Jul 25, 2015 15:41:14 GMT -5
If you are putting in a Whidden block you could order your stock with no inlet at all, then you can get it in just a few weeks... Do all the in letting yourself and have enough wood left over to hear the house for a day or two. I order a lot of stocks from Richard's with no inlet at all.. This is because they don't offer inlets for Bat actions and the bigger Stiller P-1000 actions with a 1.550 diameter body.. It's a lot of work to make them fit just right but you should be able to do it in a day and have it ready for bedding. Once your happy with its fit in the stock you can go to town with a wood rasp and some files and make the stock fit your hands just like you want it.. You can modify the fore arm shape and cheek piece to suit your needs also.. Here are a few of the target stocks I got from Richard's Microfit Stocks.. The red and black one just came in a week or so ago.. I really like the large amount if choices you get from RMS and the color selection is good also.. When you get it all shaped like you want then its time for either an oil finish which is the easiest or a high gloss clear coat finish which is what I prefer. After 12 coats of a high quality automotive clear you will have something like this. Good luck with your project,, I'm sure you will enjoy doing it yourself and it will be made just the way you want it... Jeff
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2015 16:56:27 GMT -5
Well the stock finally came...2 months late. And it's the wrong color... it has 1 of 4 of the same colors in it that the website picture has. What the lady told me was after the company that produces their laminate stocks had a fire, Richard's changed suppliers. She told me that Richard's has no idea what the new color combos are on some of the stocks, and the old color combo pictures that Richard's has displayed on the website might not be representative of the actual color you receive from the new supplier... And she said it like she could care less... Oh, and did I mention that it looks like some of the log chainsaw art my buddy does! It's a piece of firewood. Buyer beware!
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Post by dannoboone on Aug 27, 2015 23:57:23 GMT -5
Pretty much sums up why I've got one Macrofit and over a half dozen Boyds.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 0:04:09 GMT -5
Well the stock finally came...2 months late. And it's the wrong color... it has 1 of 4 of the same colors in it that the website picture has. What the lady told me was after the company that produces their laminate stocks had a fire, Richard's changed suppliers. She told me that Richard's has no idea what the new color combos are on some of the stocks, and the old color combo pictures that Richard's has displayed on the website might not be representative of the actual color you receive from the new supplier... And she said it like she could care less... Oh, and did I mention that it looks like some of the log chainsaw art my buddy does! It's a piece of firewood. Buyer beware! That sucks!!! Sorry to hear and thanks for the warning.
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Post by Jon on Aug 28, 2015 2:26:02 GMT -5
ohioguy. thanks for the heads up! I'm getting ready to order a Richards stock after waiting for over 8 mo. for SSS and they are hoping to have it available in another 2 mo.?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 6:27:56 GMT -5
Jon I know SSS is slow but I think their work is top notch when you finally get it. Good things are worth waiting for, the deal Earnhardt got? Not so much!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 7:33:21 GMT -5
Jon I know SSS is slow but I think their work is top notch when you finally get it. Good things are worth waiting for, the deal Earnhardt got? Not so much! Hindsight is definitely 20/20! The SSS stocks look awesome!
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Post by oneshotike on Aug 28, 2015 7:35:37 GMT -5
Hey, Earnhardt. I would be interested in buying the stock, If you are interested in selling it PM me. Also can you post a picture of it... Thanks.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 9:50:47 GMT -5
Hey, Earnhardt. I would be interested in buying the stock, If you are interested in selling it PM me. Also can you post a picture of it... Thanks. At $291, for a left hand, thumbhole target stock. With a 14 3/4" LOP + 3/4" pad...I'm think I'm stuck with it... I bought a belt sander and a grinder to smooth out the stock. Thanks for the offer though!
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Post by oneshotike on Aug 28, 2015 11:10:15 GMT -5
Yep,, I am right handed. Do you have any pictures of it......?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2015 12:50:11 GMT -5
Hey, Earnhardt. I would be interested in buying the stock, If you are interested in selling it PM me. Also can you post a picture of it... Thanks. At $291, for a left hand, thumbhole target stock. With a 14 3/4" LOP + 3/4" pad...I'm think I'm stuck with it... I bought a belt sander and a grinder to smooth out the stock. Thanks for the offer though! I would demand my money back, and if that didn't work, you can always send it to me.
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Post by rossman40 on Aug 30, 2015 0:25:02 GMT -5
From what I seen in the past, the more complicated the order they more chance they would screw something up. I used to tell the customers, you order it and you deal with it when you get it. I can deal with the roughness, that's what sandpaper is for. Dealing with the inlet, part of the craft. But wrong color, barrel channel, LOP, tips and cap, forearm width,, all common problems. People go into shock when they say they want me to finish a Richards and I tell them it starts at $250 not counting pillars and bedding. Everybody is shocked at Jeff's price on his guns, I'll bet he has over 40 hrs of time tied up in just the stock once it is ready to go out the door.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2015 5:33:49 GMT -5
From what I seen in the past, the more complicated the order they more chance they would screw something up. I used to tell the customers, you order it and you deal with it when you get it. I can deal with the roughness, that's what sandpaper is for. Dealing with the inlet, part of the craft. But wrong color, barrel channel, LOP, tips and cap, forearm width,, all common problems. People go into shock when they say they want me to finish a Richards and I tell them it starts at $250 not counting pillars and bedding. Everybody is shocked at Jeff's price on his guns, I'll bet he has over 40 hrs of time tied up in just the stock once it is ready to go out the door. I've got most of the Stihl woodpecker tracks sanded off now. Knowing what I know now....I would've bought a complete target stock or at least a "spray only" stock, and paid $500-600 for it. Kinda like the Hart target stock I ordered for a Rem 700 SA. $554, and that was turn key complete...and the color I wanted to boot.
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Post by rossman40 on Aug 30, 2015 8:32:34 GMT -5
When you get into stocks you start to realize the value of a Boyds. I've seen trap stocks that start out with a $3k blank, painstakingly fitted to the metal, you whine about a bolt action inlet, try a break-open over under. Then whittled down to fit the shooter like a glove or more so a extension of his body. Adjustable cheek rest and buttplate added for fine tuning. A $1200 hand checkering job by a true artist and then a real hand rubbed tung oil finish that takes a month to do. When your done it's more then just a piece of wood, it's a piece of art that is worthy of going into a museum. Back in the late 60s early 70s there was the "California" style craze of rifle stocks. Set off by Weatherby and Winslow. With lines like a race car or the baddestass jet and then Winslow went further with inlays, checkering and carving that were artwork by themselves on his higher grades. First time I seen a crown grade Winslow all I could do was stand there and drool. These pics are big but worthy of looking at,
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Post by Deleted on Aug 30, 2015 9:02:17 GMT -5
Ken I agree. Those stocks you've posted pics of are works of art. My stock is a laminate benchrest stock with a 3" forearm. It looks like a rainbow colored 2" x 4" that the Telly Tubbies molested. I can appreciate the amount of time that goes into a custom stock like you posted above. But for a $291 stock that needs major work done do it, it at least should have been the color I asked for. Or at least close... 100% my fault for not buying a SSS stock, or another brand, that's a little more than "96%" complete.
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