Bavarian Stock Benefits/Disadvantages

[Radosilver]

Curious if anyone has first hand experience with Bavarian stock rifles? I'm considering a Sako 90 Bavarian chambered in .375 H&H. I looked at a model 90 with a Bavarian style stock and one with a traditional straight comb stock. The Bavarian fit me extremely well and pulled up to the shoulder as nicely or nicer than any gun I've ever handled...much better than the straight comb. But, I've never shot a rifle with that hogback style stock. Before I drop a pretty penny on this rifle I want to try to make sure I won't hate it when I start putting rounds downrange, especially since it will be in a spicier cartridge. So, any firsthand feedback from people who either love or hate these stocks would be appreciated.

 

[TxxAgg]

Tagged. Never shot one but want one in 6.5x55 just because

 

[Gripen]

Personally love the way they look and feel, but I've never shot a big bore rifle with a Bavarian stock so I can't comment on recoil. Just .22 rimfires, .223, 7.62x39, and .30-06 if I remember correctly, didn't find the recoil on any of them to be particularly notable.

 

[Radosilver]

Tagged. Never shot one but want one in 6.5x55 just because

I've always liked the classics like the Swede. That's kind of why I want this .375. I certainly don't "need" it for how I hunt. I likely won't ever go on a DG hunt where a caliber minimum applies. But, I've wanted one for a long time so why the hell not?

 

[WBT]

I have three of them and I bought them because I’ve always liked the look of Germanic rifles. Having said that, I’ve always heard the downward sloping stock isn’t the best for handling recoil. The largest of mine is a 30-06 and the recoil is completely manageable, so IDK.

 

[robtattoo]

No experience with the Bavarian, however, i do have a rifle with a roman nose butt.
Albeit an extremely extreme version.....




It's no .375 H&H but a .62 rifle. That's a 20ga roundball over 110gr of powder. Recoil is slow, but significant.

Because of the angle of the buttplate (again, far more extreme than the Sako) & drop of the comb, it will slap the living shit out of your cheekbone. I can't manage more than 8 shots without ending up with a black eye. The muzzle stays parallel to the ground, but the entire gun lifts up about 3", right into my eye socket. It's brutal.

By comparison, my old .458 Ruger No1 I could handle shooting a couple of full house boxes & my 7lb 9.3x62 is fine for 30+ shots. Recoil is something I'm used to. Don't like, but can handle.

Whilst not as severe, the Bavarian has the same shape principle (& principle behind it: very quick to shoulder & point) & I would almost guarantee that the effect will be similar.

 

[TaperPin]

That’s a cool looking classic European stock. The amount the recoil pad drops below the center line of the bore reminds me of something like a mark 5 (with a different style cheek piece of course). I find these very comfortable when shot sitting, standing or resting over a pack if the scope is mounted as low as possible, but many will complain it’s not a good design for prone shooting even though it won’t be shot prone much. It will cause the barrel to rise some during recoil, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially if works better with iron sights. The bottom stock is a McMillan with a good mount of drop and I had it on a 340 Weatherby and 375 H&H without any complaints. Based on positive experiences with both I’d probably enjoy the Sako stock as well.

 

[SDHNTR]

I have a CZ Mannlicher. They are designed to shoulder quickly and take your eye to the sight quickly for hunting driven game. Snap shots at running animals. They are beautiful rifles but really not practical for most western US Hunting.

 

[Dave0317]

I think the reason to choose one is purely aesthetic. I’ve only shot a couple, but I’ll say they do kind of feel like the Weatherby design.
Personally I’m not a fan. Stocks that place the butt further below the muzzle tend to encourage more muzzle flip, and depending on the geometry, the comb may smack your cheek bone on each shot.

I think they manage recoil slightly worse than most stocks, but in a .375 I think even the best stocks in that area can only do so much.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

Pro: They look great.
Pro: They are good for snap shots with a mild caliber. Something that is the equivalent of a 6.5x54 MS is just about perfect for that stock. A mini-Mauser in 6mm ARC or 6.5mm Grendel with a Bavarian stock would be more fun than a barrel full of monkeys.
Con: Excessive muzzle jump and poor recoil control.

 

[Dave0317]

One more not that came to mind. If you are shooting from standing or even kneeling much, and shooting that large of a caliber, no matter the stock design, you are obviously not spotting the shot, and the recoil is moving the gun significantly. So a habit to practice, use the recoil time to rack the bolt. By the time the bolt is racked, the muzzle is coming back down on target, and you are prepped for a follow up shot.