[chad]

Check out the Helmick Arms competition/tactical.

[chad]

Hey Jason,

Happy to lend my 2 cents on the subject.

[chad]

In regard to your question on pistol grip and thumbhole design it all boils down to a vertical grip. 

In the competition style stocks such as our Competition/Tactical and F-class stocks the Vertical grip allows you to bring you shooting elbow downward and have a more relaxed wrist which lends to a more stable position and better trigger control. Trigger control is fundamental to shooting and cannot be taken out of the equation when accuracy is the goal. The downward elbow naturally places the shooting hand elbow in contact with the ground while in the prone position which is vital to a steady position and again is a fundamental and cannot be ignored when shooting. The pistol grip design really lends itself best to prone and benchrest style shooting.

In thumbhole designs such as our Thumbhole/Tactical and Thumbhole/Sporter it again comes down to a vertical grip. The grip on a thumbhole stock is not as vertical as a pistol grip stock but it is definitely more vertical than say a standard classic or monte carlo design. The thumbhole grip fills your hand and allows for a more comfortable and more stable grip which again lends to a more stable hold and better trigger control. While the grip is more vertical than standard style stock it is not so vertical that it requires you to completely drop your elbow like a pistol grip so the thumbhole really shines in offhand shooting. Also the more vertical grip positions the hand in a manner that allows you to reach and cycle the bolt handle faster.

I hope that helps.
Chad