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Raptor / Talon Pics.......

9K views 99 replies 26 participants last post by  counterforce 
#1 ·
All I can say is WOW... Hipshot is incredible! After he sent me the first prototype of the Raptor, I felt like there were a few changes that needed to be made. Some, based on suggestions from shooters here on RFC and some of my own. Hipshot had done such a great job on the first stock, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. Close, but not quite there. Despite some reservations about offending him, I called Hipshot to discuss the changes. After a couple hours over the phone, and some very rudimentary drawings from me, he got right back to work without any hesitation. I am so grateful for him! I would never have been able to do this without his help.

Attached are the most recent photos of the newest prototype. I have not decided what to name the final stock, although it will definately be either the Raptor or the Talon. Despite my indecision with the name, I can tell you that I am thrilled with the stock itself. It has turned out awesome! I am very excited to share it with you, so....... here you go! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. :bthumb:











As always, please feel free to share your thoughts and comments... good or bad. You won't hurt my feelings. :D At this point, I do not plan on adding any venting of any kind. The only place that would really allow for them would be at the rear of the forearm, and that would be for visual affect only. I do plan on adding some sort of relief on the sides of the forearm however, where the thumb and fingers will rest when holding the stock. Most likely just a horizontal line, just enough to add that final touch.
 
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#5 ·
looking realy good:bthumb: like the new angle on the pistol grip. Looks like it will call the hand to it easyer then the first prototype .Like the more rounded look on the front of the cheek rest ,and looks like the cut out area in the butt stock is smaller :bthumb: maybe now I wont stick my big thumb in it lol .realy like the new forend gives it more of a raptor look imho .I like the first prototype and I am realy likeing what I see of the secound good work Hawk and Hipshot ....so when are the first ones for sell going to hit the market any idea what kinda wood you are going to offer ?
earth
 
#7 ·
Looks nice. I liked the version with a little more point on the front of the cheek rest and no swoop on the back. Nice thing about the lam tho is you can always remove material... just can add it. JMO.
 
#18 ·
Hey Mike,

Thanks for your input and suggestions on the design...very much appreciated.:bthumb:

We followed your suggestions from the Version 2 thread and raised the angle of the tip of the cheekpiece. It looks like I went a little beyond what you may have had in mind. In changing the angle of the grip I just had to allow a little more room for the thumb to address the grip. I just had to relieve the tip of the cheekrest a little bit more to get it.

Also, thanks to you and Rebel for the suggestions on the beavertail forearm. I'm going to get out the bondo and see what I can come up with. Mike, your illustration really got the wheels turning. Thanks.:t

As for the dish in the cheekrest...some people are going to like and some aren't. It's just going to have to be a marketing decision on Dan's part. I did find it curious as I worked on this stock that the cheekrest reminded me of a bird's wing....kind of in keeping with the Raptor theme.:D
 
#9 ·
Howabout a slight beaver-tail on the forearm..... would kinda smooth things out up front and take away from the "blocky" appearance it has. The beaver-tailed forearm would blend smoothly with the curves on the cheekpiece. Right now it has those sexy smooth curves all over the rear of the stock, transition to the straight block forearm doesn't seem to fit the style in the rear of the stock. Just my opinion, not the Gospel.
 
#10 ·
This version is a winner. I love the lines. That cheekrest rocks, and the thumbrest is perfect. I love the foreend too. Exposes just enough of the barrel. Being nice and flat it should ride the bags nicely, and since I'm sure it's pretty light it should also make a good walk around stock.

Looks like you covered all the bases. :bthumb:

Are we going to get to see this one painted?
 
#13 ·
I have to agree... it looks like two different halves pinned together. All the unusual compound angles on the rear are not carried over in the forearm at all. And are you married to that deep dish cheek piece?

While it is a very good looking piece, it is not finished. When I look at it I still see a work in progress.
 
#14 ·
Markbo,

I have to agree, I was ready for one until I saw that dished cheek piece. For me I don't understand the need for the deep forend. That is it being so much deeper than in the magazine area. If I wanted to use this for a Silhouette stock I would have to know that the forend in no deeper that 2-1/4" for the center line of the bore. If it is I would need to have it cut down, not much of a problem if the stock does not come finished. But if Hawk's intention is to sell finished drop in stocks then I am in trouble.

Later, Paul
 
#23 ·
Nice

I like it. I'm curious about the length of that barrel. I've tried to decide if it is longer than what I'm used to, or if it's just the stock that makes it look that way.

CS
 
#25 ·
Duh!!!

Thanks for pointing out my oversight....duh....I swear I must be going blind or possibly crazy. Oh perhaps I can no longer read....I hate it when I miss something like that. I can't stand it.

Well, thanks again.

CS
 
#27 ·
Thanks for pointing out my oversight....duh....I swear I must be going blind or possibly crazy. Oh perhaps I can no longer read....I hate it when I miss something like that. I can't stand it.

Well, thanks again.

CS
Ha, that I read everything is a minor miracle also, though that I spelled everything correctly in a post is even more amazing. No problem and don't worry about - it was early!

dblagent
 
#26 ·
Dan, Hipshot... I think Hip was right... some of this pics may be making it look more radical than it is. One a couple of the pics it looks REALLY dished and on a couple others not so much..

You are right, some will love it and some won't. It definitely works with all the other shapes. Leave it alone. Massage that forearm a little and I think you got a winner! I wish I had photoshop so I could draw some of the things I imagine... before you lop anything off the forend, try deepening that upper curve like Mike suggests and maybe a reverse taper forend.... not sure it would work, but maybe Mike could draw one up with the slash TO the barrel instead of away... make sense?

That would look better I think on the thicker (as is) arm than the slimmed one.
I really like the big thumb relief... I shoot most of my verticle grip guns holding them like that anyway... I have posted pics before of thumb shelves I have made into stocks and really like that element.

The only other design element that I can think of not represented that I know hipshot has done is finger grooves and that is definitely not a make or break deal. Besides being hard to do (handwork on the sanding) they are a personal preference and one size does not always fit all.
 
#28 ·
Updated Forearm Pics....

OK, I just got these pics from Hipshot. We spent quite a while on the phone the other night trying to think of subtle changes that we could make to the forearm. I think these really hit the mark. We have added a very subtle Beavertail to the bottom of the forearm. It doesn't show up that well in these pictures, but try to imagine it with the laminates. Because each layer in the laminates is just 1/16th of an inch, the lines will show up very nicely. Here you go....







The last two pics show the detail the best, but as I said, I think it will be quite noticable with the laminates. We'll keep you posted!

Dan
 
#30 ·
Thats The One

You did it !! Don't change a thing. It really does have that Raptor / Talon look now. swooping wing cheek piece, the grip drops down like a claw and the forend is perfect, has the beak look to blend everything together. That is one awesome stock, Great work :bthumb:
 
#31 ·
Hipshot,

Looking good really like the buttstock, the forearm is also looking very good. Would have to say IMHO you got a winner here. One thing to remember is no one stock is going to satisfy everyone. But I think you and Hawk are off to a good start with this one.
 
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