“synthetic”

Get a closer look at the CZ-USA CZ 1012 Synthetic, the latest addition to our #SundayGunday series.

Perhaps the single most noticeable change in firearms over the last 15 to 20 years has been the proliferation of synthetic stocks. But are they a superior product?

A well-sealed walnut stock will stand up to most hunting conditions, though a wood stock is not as rigid or easy to produce as a synthetic stock. Many of the today’s wood stocks are plain looking, and the highly figured stocks come at a premium. Has the synthetic stock won after all?

The addition of a synthetic Cerakote stainless finish makes the metalwork on Mossberg’s Patriot rifle virtually impervious to the elements, meaning you won’t have to worry about damaging your rifle while hunting in tough conditions.

Weatherby has been in the shotgun game for a longtime, but it changed its approach last winter when it rolled out the new Element, an inertia-operated semi-auto designed with upland hunters across the nation in mind. For 2016 the folks in Paso Robles have plans to put their new shotgun in the hands of even more scattergun aficionados, with the impending introduction of the Element Synthetic and Element Waterfowler.

American Hunter Executive Editor Jon Draper tunes in from Prospect Hall Hunting Club in West Virginia, with the Stoeger Condor Field.

The surge in popularity of bowhunting brought the use of deer based scents to the forefront. We now have a multi-million dollar industry based on deer pee. Over 60 companies produce and sell deer urine and gland based attractants in one form or another. Unfortunately, everything is not rosy in the world of cervid secretions.

For 2023, Ruger introduces its American rifle with Go Wild Camo in 7mm PRC, featuring a 24-inch barrel, a Power Bedding system and a lightweight synthetic stock.