Whether you are a competitive, tactical shooter or a hunter, a beginner or a professional, you are always looking for the perfect rifle stock. The best stock is the one that makes you feel completely comfortable and lets you be accurate every time you shoot. It is not easy to make a choice, which is why many people buy a new firearm every year. They want to test them and find the one that best responds to their needs. Always looking for ways to improve the overall shooting experience and testing different types of custom rifle stocks is fundamental for becoming a better shooter.
One of the most important questions to ask yourself is: how do you feel when holding your gunstock? Especially if you’re a hunter or if you’re buying a small-caliber rifle that you intend to use for target practice, you’ll probably handle your firearms for a long time, so you must feel good with your stock. Experts say that one of the most comfortable stocks is the thumbhole rifle stock.
Even if an official definition doesn’t exist, we can affirm that thumbhole rifle stocks have a hole in the wooden stock that allows the thumb of the trigger hand to penetrate into or through the stock while firing. It might seem a small detail, but it could really change your shooting experience. According to expert shooters, there are four main advantages in choosing a thumbhole rifle stock.
1. The grip on the firearm is improved
Effective grip is very personal, and it is often a challenge to understand—among the many grip types—which is the best one for you. Achieving a proper grip is crucial, however, for reducing felt recoil and muzzle rise, providing control and stability, which influence accuracy. There are several benefits and problems to consider, but it seems that with a thumbhole stock you can improve the grip on your firearm. Why? Because with this type of stock you can slide the thumb on your rear hand through the stock rather than wrap it over the top of the stock.
Surely, rifles that fire small projectiles have a softer recoil than high-calibre ones, but it doesn’t mean they do not have any kick. If you shoot for a long time, your hands may become a little tired due to the stress and movement caused by the recoil. If the shoulder and the back hand get tired, you will have to stop shooting. With a thumbhole rifle stock, you can get more control over your firearm, better finger placement on the trigger, and improved trigger control, with a more solid grip on the rifle and less recoil felt on the shoulder.
Thumbhole rifle stocks let you have more grip on the rifle and keep it steadier, giving a sure shot. Moreover, the thumb can move in a more natural position. For many shooters, in fact, holding their thumb over the top of the gunstock can become difficult and even painful over time. The presence of the hole in the wooden stock makes the rifle more comfortable, especially for those with small hands because they can reach the trigger correctly without putting their hand in an awkward position.
4. The weight of the firearm is reduced
The weight of the rifle is important, and the gunstock must have a certain mass to shoot accurately. Plastic stocks, for example, are often too light to guarantee an accurate shot, while wooden ones have the ideal weight. If the firearm is too heavy, however, it can be a problem, especially for women. The presence of a thumbhole means there’s less wood in the stock, which results in less weight. The measure of the thumbholes may vary depending on the model of the firearm, but, in general, they are not very large, so the weight reduction is often minimal. Nevertheless, if you must carry your rifle for a long time (if you are a hunter, for example), even minimum help can be significant.
The most important thing to evaluate when buying your firearm is that it must fit you and adapt to your body and exigences, so you need to be able to test different stocks to find the right one. Looking for a supplier that has a rich and complete catalogue and can offer many models and typologies is the key. If you can customize your rifle stock according to your requirements, it is surely the best option.