Vertical vs Traditional Stock Grip

[big10hunter]

Building a rifle. With all the hype of the new vertical grips...I am interested. Are they as quick to shoulder as traditional sporter type stocks? I am not planning on making "snap" shots, but want something I can shoulder if I need to get a somewhat quick shot off. Without much experience with vertical grips, I am wondering if it would be a mistake for a carry/backpack rifle.

 

[JPeters218]

Do it. Nothing to worry about at all

 

[huntsman22]

Why change?......

 

[JCMCUBIC]

I started playing with lightweight vertical grip stocks a while back and I've come to prefer them. Used them on heavier rifles in the past and liked them there but those weren't rifles I was carrying while hunting. I still use a lot of traditional stocks and they still work just as good as ever.

For the carry/backpack role you mentioned, the Grayboe Trekker is worth considering. I've been using them on two lightweight rifles (.223AI and 7-08) and really like them. Previously I used one with a Sendero contour carbon barrel for a while and I don't recommend them there as the forend/barrel could be made to touch. With a light contour steel barrel there's not way they can touch.

Trekker Rifle Stock | Grayboe Stocks

The lightest rifle stock in the Grayboe line of hunting stocks. Designed for the backcountry hunter in mind. Adjustable length of pull to fit any shooter.

www.grayboe.com

 

[Macintosh]

They may be less traditional but they are not at all new, vertical grips very similar in geometry to the ones you are referring to have been the norm for various uses for more than 50 years. Sporting clays and FITASC shotguns have very vertical grips, both of those games are shot from a low-gun position and it doesnt hinder a good mount. Biathlon rifles have very vertical grips, and involves shooting offhand and unsupported. Everything from AR's to tactical and turkey shotguns have very vertical grips, very little of which is designed around shooting prone. The more vertical grips give you better control of the gun, aid in handling recoil, aid in a good trigger pull and put your hand and body in a more natural position. I dont think I would want one on a 6lb hunting shotgun that I'll carry one-handed as I part brush with the other, but that may be my aesthetics talking as much as anything. Aside from that I can't think of any use where the grip is anything but a functional benefit. Aesthetics/habits may say otherwise, but objectively I dont think there's any reason to shy away.

 

[wind gypsy]

A vertical grip IMO can be helpful in making consistent trigger presses without disturbing your rifles POA but to me the distance from grip to trigger can be more important than how vertical it is. A vertical grip with a long ass reach to the trigger (like a lot of them are) kind of defeats the purpose for people with normal sized hands IMO. The basic sporter stock on my factory browning xbolt is better than some vertical grip stocks with long distances to the trigger because it supports my my trigger hand and it puts it in a more natural position.

I think a lot of people focus on what their hand feels like when they shoulder a rifle rather than how easy it is to make a good straight back trigger press which to me seems way more important than if it feels more natural and shaves 5 hundredths of a second off shouldering.

 

[Macintosh]

That is true. Yeah, the up-side of a straighter grip is its more forgiving of hand size, etc, since you can place your hand more or less anywhere along a relatively straight grip. A more abrupt vertical grip is less forgiving of that. My comments are based on the assumption that whatever the shape, it is relatively well-fitting.

 

[sglass]

They may be less traditional but they are not at all new, vertical grips very similar in geometry to the ones you are referring to have been the norm for various uses for more than 50 years. Sporting clays and FITASC shotguns have very vertical grips, both of those games are shot from a low-gun position and it doesnt hinder a good mount. Biathlon rifles have very vertical grips, and involves shooting offhand and unsupported. Everything from AR's to tactical and turkey shotguns have very vertical grips, very little of which is designed around shooting prone. The more vertical grips give you better control of the gun, aid in handling recoil, aid in a good trigger pull and put your hand and body in a more natural position. I dont think I would want one on a 6lb hunting shotgun that I'll carry one-handed as I part brush with the other, but that may be my aesthetics talking as much as anything. Aside from that I can't think of any use where the grip is anything but a functional benefit. Aesthetics/habits may say otherwise, but objectively I dont think there's any reason to shy away.

Exactly. Any gun that is used for quick, repetitive shots uses a vertical grip for the reasons mentioned above. Nothing to fear about going that route. After some reps and practice you may find you like it more then what you where using. Even if you don't the learning curve is not steep and it easy to employ.