Am I the only one who doesn’t really care for carving on a rifle stock?

[Buff1958]

I put together a Woodsrunner kit a few months back. I ordered it with a carved cherry stock.
I have 7 muzzle loaders and it is the only one with carving on it.
I expected to be really thrilled with it but I just seem to like the plain stocks better.

Thanks to Bree at Kibler’s for finding me a Cherry stock with burl in it and it is on the way.

I

 

[Tom A Hawk]

I like well done hand carving but to be honest, I do not care much for the CNC carving.

 

[russellshaffer]

I prefer plain wood and metal. No carving or engraving.

 

[nkbj]

Some rifles look great with the additional embellishments and some don't...
All a matter of the eye of the beholder.

 

[jdw276]

Personally do not want patch boxes. Want to see the wood and all its flaws and beauty. Sorry just a personal preference.

 

[Gtrubicon]

I can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into carving and engraving, but I prefer neither on a firearm of any kind.

 

[1950DAVE]

If the wood ain’t pretty embellish it.

 

[Rob M.]

I put together a Woodsrunner kit a few months back. I ordered it with a carved cherry stock.
I have 7 muzzle loaders and it is the only one with carving on it.
I expected to be really thrilled with it but I just seem to like the plain stocks better.

Thanks to Bree at Kibler’s for finding me a Cherry stock with burl in it and it is on the way.

I

LOL !!! Funny you would mention this !! I build strictly trade guns ... Ive built a few rifles but just dont have the love for rifles like I do trade guns , esp. N.W. guns and Carolina Guns but ....funny thing , I can look at carving on a rifle , I can appreciate it and even marvel at it BUT .... I dont like it ! Just never appealed to me ! I thought I was the only one !! LOL !

 

[Omahkapi'si]

Plain stock with a nice natural wood grain.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

It's always been my thought that plain work done well looks much better than fancy work done poorly.

 

[Lead Nuggets]

I am a fan of plane wood fancy carving, and fancy wood speaking for its self!

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

I could care less about carvings & engraving. I want a gun that is reliable and shoots well.

 

[deerstalkert]

I like some and I dislike some.

 

[Eutycus]

To answer the question that this thread opens with, no

 

[RiverRat]

Unless you want a copy of a historical flintlock, I would rather have a plain stock. I definitely am not the person that would try to carve anything.

 

[Banjoman]

I prefer plain stocks too.

 

[Frontier's]

Plainer the better

 

[French Colonial]

I like it when it is done tastefully and on the right gun, it is out of place on a trade gun and some of the later percussion era rifles were overdone with carving and inlays. I am still on the fence with Mr. Kibler's CNC carving but some originals like the Edward Marshall gun are gorgeous.

 

[Eric Krewson]

If I did the carving, I would be turning a silk purse into a sow's ear, plain rifles are best for me.

 

[Bucolic Buffalo]

I also like the look of wood. Sometimes carving can take away from what would be outstanding grain or curl.

However, having dabbled in carving, I know how extremely difficult good carving is to do. What the CNC incising does for us is give some people enough that they are looking for to enhance their gunstock. I kind of see it as an opportunity to carefully use my chisels and scrapers. The lines are defined. Perfect C's and S's. Straight lines. Some "doodads". A bit of careful work and I can make it look less like a machine did it. At least, that is the hope. And so if I make my typical error, I will learn how to make it more appealing.