Legislation

What are the advantages of plastic stocks for airguns?

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A reader asked: I’m planning to buy an air rifle for my 14-year-old son to use in the garden under my supervision. I would like him to have a gun with a traditional wooden stock, but he now has his heart set on a model with a modern synthetic handle. There seem to be more and more airguns with these plastic stocks on gunshop racks these days, but do they offer any advantage over wood?

Mat Manning is an airgunner and journalist from the West Country. Here’s what he had to say about plastic stocks:

Like you, I’m somewhat of a traditionalist and much prefer the look of a nice piece of walnut, but I will admit that synthetic stocks do have their advantages. First, they’re very robust and far less prone to scratching and cracking than wooden stocks. They’re also lighter and tend to be far more affordable because the moulding process lends itself to mass production. This combination of factors means that they can be a very good choice for young shooters.