Boyds Stocks import question

[Wapiti]

Does anyone know if I can bring/order a Boyd's stock in to Australia myself?

Pro-tactical, the distributor here, won't bring in what they don't want to, even if in the US it's a commonly off-the-shelf item, NOT a special build or order.
It appears they are trying to keep everything simple and easy.
Back when Gold Coast Shooters Supplies were around and the importer, they would get you anything even a special order. Alas, they are no more.

Has anyone brought their own in lately, and you wouldn't need a B709 for a stock would you?

[Fester]

Back in the better times, about 10 years back, I got my Thumbhole delivered to my door in about 2 weeks from the Boyds factory for about $220.

Didn't that change. A few years later, the best way to buy one was get whatever Qld shop it was to send one they had in stock for about $440.
Didn't Cleavers also have them on sale fairly regularly?

I don't think you would need anything like permits and stuff, but still likely cheaper to get one through an Aussie shop that has some in stock, I reckon.

[bladeracer]

Does anyone know if I can bring/order a Boyd's stock in to Australia myself?

Pro-tactical, the distributor here, won't bring in what they don't want to, even if in the US it's a commonly off-the-shelf item, NOT a special build or order.
It appears they are trying to keep everything simple and easy.
Back when Gold Coast Shooters Supplies were around and the importer, they would get you anything even a special order. Alas, they are no more.

Has anyone brought their own in lately, and you wouldn't need a B709 for a stock would you?

I don't think Boyd will export. My brother wanted one and had to get it from the Oz importer for a lot more money.
To import it you would probably need a B709 import permit but if it's just a standard fixed stock there won't be any restrictions on it. I imported a standard timber stock nearly ten years ago that got grabbed by Border Force. I had to write and explain that it was just a basic wooden stock and they allowed it through.

[Wapiti]

Thanks guys.
The stock is just a fixed, one piece wood stock, they have a few models in walnut to exact-copy originals that came out from the factory.
It's not one of the standard range here, but in the US it's normal and quite common.

I've given Pro Tactical a request to order one specially, part number and all so they have no responsibility for any stuff-up, all they have to do is add it to any order they do.

Don't things change huh, not for the better I reckon.
I get that manufacturers must get thousands of orders from all over the place and this costs them money and would rather consolidate to one buyer per country, but then we hit these distributors wanting to do it their way and not wanting to waste time with individual orders from the little people.
They know best what we want, apparently.

Pro Tactical branded stuff out this way is associated with cheap Chinese-made copies of reloading tools made from cheese and plastic accessories that self-destruct under a flouro-light.
I'm getting quite discouraged by the way businesses spring up in this country, take away our individual wants to make it simple for themselves. Someone convince me that's not right but it seems that way.

[Wapiti]

So great news, the boss at Pro-Tac will bring one in for me after picking this up, I must tell everyone about this great service. That the owner has popped up to help me.

The price is twice the US price plus $80 but that's sending to me too, so I know US postage is huge nowadays, exchange rates and an extra company needing a profit margin.

Yeah I know it's not quite the great market there is in the US, but at AU$350 to my door for a walnut stock, not a laminated one, I can't complain.
So good news.

And I can use this stock to beat up, not the irreplaceable original one. As this stock is a direct pattern copy of the original unobtanium one.

[Fester]

Yeah, can't complain about $350, would a laminated one have been cheaper? They are pretty tough.
I just got the plain wood colour, and quite like it.

I reckon Boyds are a good company, and for the people in a way. They just feed the masses and keep the price reasonable.
Good, stiff stocks, but unless lucky, they can need a bedding job.
They can look to fit well, but maybe not so accurate, and mine was a popular Howa Weatherby action.

They used to be happy to just send them off around the world, and would have had a large dispatch section, I would imagine.
It would have been groverment f_ckery that stuffed them up with too much extra crap to send the OS and now just let shops do it.

[bigrich]

So great news, the boss at Pro-Tac will bring one in for me after picking this up, I must tell everyone about this great service. That the owner has popped up to help me.

The price is twice the US price plus $80 but that's sending to me too, so I know US postage is huge nowadays, exchange rates and an extra company needing a profit margin.

Yeah I know it's not quite the great market there is in the US, but at AU$350 to my door for a walnut stock, not a laminated one, I can't complain.
So good news.

And I can use this stock to beat up, not the irreplaceable original one. As this stock is a direct pattern copy of the original unobtanium one.

Thanks for the heads up. The only place I found that would bring in what you want was a place called “hunting haven “ down in NSW. I’d thought of trying cleaver as I’ve been told they will import custom orders from their American suppliers.

[Wapiti]

Yeah, can't complain about $350, would a laminated one have been cheaper? They are pretty tough.
I just got the plain wood colour, and quite like it.

This one is deliberately walnut, because the one it replaces is a very common rifle there in the US that came out with a walnut stock originally. They do not make a laminated one for this firearm anyway so I didn't have to spend 1/4 of a second considering that option before ditching the idea anyway, and I don't reckon it would be a very good marketing idea either.

It is good to know that they will bring in special orders, Tom Auger himself has jumped on this one and is doing it for me personally. Maybe it's twigged his interest what it's for.
At any rate, remember that if you guys are after anything that isn't the hideous "At-one" or other freakish styles Boyd's have dreamed up in the past, and force-feed the buyers.
They also do walnut stocks for many bolt action rifles too, not just limited in Aus stuff.

[Wapiti]

Well, I've paid the amount to the account sent to me overnight, and very happy with the service.
I send a reply at 6pm when I get back to the house, and get another in return overnight, waiting for me when I flip open the laptop at 5am.
That is service fellas, when the bloke running the company sorts stuff out for you personally at 10pm.
Don't be hesitant to deal with Backcountry Outfitters, they go out of their way to get you what others won't.

[Die Judicii]

Yep, I got two Boyds thumbhole stocks off Boyds quite some years ago,,, direct to my door.
Back then,, very reasonable price, for a very goog product.

Nowadays, no doubt the quality is still good,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, but effing expensive.

[Wapiti]

Yes, some are.
But as they get more complicated, with adjustments all over and bedding systems etc, they sure do but I can see how this adds cost.
Also there's the "I need it" factor, and the "new gamechanger" factor.
There's still Boyds stocks that are simple laminated hunting shapes, conventional stocks I suppose they are called, that are actually just as good probably better for hunting anyway, for $299 from what I've seen.

[Fester]

When I got back into shooting and we were lucky enough to have a couple of the big gun shows, I had a feel of a Boyds Thumbhole, and when my right hand gripped it, I knew I had to have one. Then build a rifle to complement it.

Talking to blokes at the range about those square-shaped At One stocks, the owners all liked them.
It's been a long time sinse checking out the Boyds range and I must do that.

[Wapiti]

So my Boyds walnut replica stock arrived for the rifle i was looking for a "beater" stock for, so i didn't wreck the unobtanium original one which is irreplaceable.

I must say that if any of you are tired or all the tactical stuff out there, with adjustments up, down and left right that you never thought you needed, and are after walnut for a change, have a look at what they offer on their US site.

This stock is absolutely gorgeous; I don't know whether all are like this - I doubt it. The light and dark grain lines glow like there's a light in there, unreal. I've bought stocks from makers here that had grade numbers, but this one takes the cake.
There's no steel liner, buttplate or a nose cap, you have to flog them off your original as they too are unobtanium, but that's fine.
I emailed Tom Auger and thanked him for getting such a special part for me, he admitted he'd been interested too in this purchase himself and had taken a peek before they'd sent it on to me and knew I'd be rapt.

So if you have something unusual, have a look at the Boyds site and if there is anything there you would rather have over the usual stuff that's become popular, email Tom and ask.