Checkering

[lonestarjeff]

I read quite a few reviews on the Patriot before ordering one. I thought I remembered reading a complaint that the checkering on the walnut stocks were too fine & a bit rough for comfort, but I guess I just assumed they were the classic diamond cut pattern. Mine arrived last week & has the more contemporary stippled pattern....

I prefer the looks of hand cut diamond pattern checkering, but you can't have everything at the Patriot's price point. Having said that, the stippling still looks good & is very effective.

 

[lonestarjeff]

Took it out this weekend, & man was it hot out at the farm! Not sure if it hit triple digits out there, but it was close to it plus humidity. Definitely a test for the texture on the Patriot. Very comfortable & secure grip on the stippled texture. I was ringing wet sighting in the peep sight, but they apparently used a urethane or similar finish because it was impervious to my sweat. Really nice job on the walnut stock.

 

[CaddmannQ]

I like it a lot. I think they make a very nice rifle for the $.
I would easily choose this over a Remington or a Weatherby, based on recent examples I have seen.

 

[John A.]

Yeah, the patriot is a lot higher quality than the recent production Remington 700 series for sure.

OK, I guess now for the $100 question.

How did it shoot?

 

[ripjack13]

That looks good.
If you're handy, you could checker it yourself.
Sand off the stippling and redo it....it's not too hard. I've done afew. Came out good...

 

[lonestarjeff]

Yeah, the patriot is a lot higher quality than the recent production Remington 700 series for sure.

OK, I guess now for the $100 question.

How did it shoot?

Didn't have time to set up a proper shooting table to zero at 100yds, but I did work at it standing off-hand from 50yds using the peep sight. The LOP is a bit short for me so I slipped on a Limbsaver & that did the trick. The rifle is a great shooter.....between the light weight, the adjustable trigger, & a little longer LOP it naturally comes right up on target. It's my 1st 30-06 & the thump reminds me of the 30-30 round if not a bit sharper. I was using 165gr Winchester SP.

 

[CaddmannQ]

.30-06 definitely hits harder than my .30-30

I bought a new .45-70 Marlin carbine which I have not shot yet but I'll bet that beats the 30 ought 6 pretty handily as a noise maker and shoulder massage.

I do not however expect to hit the broadside of a barn with it. That Patriot will be very accurate.

BTW, I love checkering. I think it is one of the things that gives a gun character, separating it from other guns. Making it special.

This Marlin has a factory checkered stock but from what I can see it's done by machine and it's not very deep nor does it give you as good of a grip as the stippling.

I looked at a new Winchester recently and I was totally unimpressed by the checkering on that gun as well.

But it is machine laid and very accurate, and provides a nice pattern for a guy who wants to go in with a gouge and make the checkering really nice.

After seeing the Patriot I thought about just taking my Dremel Mototool and hand stippling the. currently checkered areas. It would certainly be fast(er) and it would look more modern.

We'll see how bored I get this winter, if I have time for checkering.

 

[John A.]

Plenty accurate enough to put meat on the table, or bones in the ground if you had to.

Nice shooting, especially for off hand.

 

[lonestarjeff]

I set up for 100 yards today, but my eyes need the scope at that range, so I mounted the Nikon on the Patriot to see how it would group. Not an ideal setup, but I used the tailgate of the Mule for a shooting table with a 5 gallon bucket for a stool. Amazingly, the 1st shot was a bit high & right. After an adjustment it was set. Here's that 1st group...

No cool down between, here's 2nd group...

 

[John A.]

Yeah, that's a done deal there.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Okay! Time to get it on a real concrete bench with lots of sand bags and the time to really throw your weight into it!

We have a room called Range Reports where you can put the pics to chart your progress.