Custom Gun Stocks from Ireland’s Enda Walsh

There are few master craftsmen who can create a truly “bespoke” wood stock customized for the owner. Ireland’s Enda Walsh is one such talent. Through Gun Stocks Ireland, Enda creates high-quality stocks for hunters, prone shooters, and F-class competitors. Enda first started building stocks in 2001 for himself and friends, and grew the business over a decade. Enda explains: “Demand gradually increased until in 2009 the decision was taken to make it my full-time occupation. In 2010 I obtained my RFD licence and haven’t looked back. My goal with Guns Stocks Ireland is to manufacture precise custom rifle stocks to the highest standard, tailored in every detail to best serve the shooters requirements.” Enda adds: “I started Gun Stocks Ireland to produce custom, individually-tailored gunstocks. I build from hand casts so your gun is genuinely an extension of your arm.”

Walsh offers many stock designs, including a wide variety of thumb-hole and vertical grip stocks. Many of these feature hand-relieved grip areas customized for each guns’ owner. The hand-grip section literally fits the shooter “like a glove”. How does Enda create an ergonomically perfect grip for each customer? He actually makes a casting of the customer’s hand: “I send customers a hand cast kit so the shooter can make a plaster cast with his hand in shooting position. Done correctly there will be no tension in the shooter’s hand no matter how tight a hold is employed.” Enda’s stocks aren’t cheap, but they are a good value considering the amount of expert labor involved. Typical price for a fitted, bedded, and finished fully-adjustable F-Class stock is 1500 Euros.

Enda’s stocks, as you can see from the photos, are labors of love. Each stock may require up to 80 hours of work from start to finish. That includes fitting of special features, such as adjustable buttplate, adjustable cheek-piece, and a unique bag-rider that adjusts up and down for elevation control and rifle balance. We think the adjustable bag-rider is a great idea that American stock-makers should emulate.

Vertically Adjustable Bag Rider Permits Easy Elevation Adjustment
“For F-Open shooters the benefit of the [adjustable] bag runner is it allows precise elevation adjustments shot to shot without having to reach forward to adjust the front rest, taking the shooter out of his natural position. For ‘bag squeezers’ it eliminates the variable settlement during a shot causing vertical variances. The adjustable bag runner allows elevation changes to be dialed in easily and precisely with one hand.” — Enda Walsh

This is a .308 Win Savage in a fully adjustable F-TR stock. This rifle always performs well at the LRRAI shoots in Castlemaine Rifle & Pistol Range.

Enda Walsh Shoots What He Builds
Enda Walsh is a very talented shooter as well as a master stock-maker. He recently won a Silver Medal at 1000 yards at the 2012 European F-Class Championships at Bisley. He also shared a team Gold Medal at 1000 yards, shooting with an Irish F-TR team, and making wind calls as well.

Enda says: “I was very happy to take a silver at Bisley this year. This was my first trip to Bisley and first Euro Championships. The experience gave me some ideas on how to improve things for next year….”

Gun Stocks Ireland
Contact: Enda Walsh
Currabaha – Dungarvan
County Waterford
Ireland

E-mail: info [at] gunstocksireland.com
Phone in Ireland: 011-353-[0]87-661-1993

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Tags: Bag-Rider, Bisley, Enda Walsh, F-Class, F-TR, Hand Cast, Ireland, Wood Carving