History

The idea of a gunstock can be traced back to 1571 when early “hand cannons” used sticks as handles. As things evolved, the barrels became longer and locking mechanisms were also included. The days of holding a match while trying to aim your gun was coming to an end. Matchbook handles were the first improvement. This allowed gunmen to steady the weapon with one hand and fire with the other.

As this improvement took root, even the long gun, (the arquebus) could be held against the shoulder for extra bracing. The shape that was there then, has continued to influence the overall shape of the gun stocks that we have today.

In today’s world, the gunstock is divided into two parts. The but of the gun and the fore-end, which supports the receiver. This section also protects against the recoil. The butt is what you hold against your shoulder, but it is further sectioned into a comb, thumbhole, toe, heel, and grip.

Most of the time, in today’s world, it is made of walnut woods. The most preferred is claro walnut stocks.