Back in September, I wrote about the new Backcountry 2.0 rifle from Weatherby at their unveiling event. I was impressed with the overall decrease in felt recoil from a magnum caliber we shot at the event. One of the first bolt actions I bought was a Mark V Ultralite in .300 Weatherby Magnum. It sat in my gun safe for years since it was such a sharp recoiling rifle that hit like a freight train. This fall, I sent my Weatherby Mark V in to be threaded for a muzzle brake as well as getting a Peak 44 Blacktooth stock installed. I’ve had the rifle for roughly 3 months and took it on a Texas Axis Deer hunt. Let’s take a closer look at the Peak 44 Blacktooth Stock.

Specs

Peak 44 is a relatively new company producing high-quality stock replacements for Remington 700 actions, Weather Mark V actions and Vanguard/Howa 1500 series. Peak 44 built the Blacktooth stocks to be minimalist lightweight stocks for hunting. Currently, the Peak 44 Blacktooth stock is the lightest weight production carbon fiber stock on the market. This stock is built specifically built for the individual who goes on a multiple-mile hike across the western mountains. Peak 44 says their Blacktooth stock is a unique design since it allows the action stock body to be a tool for recoil mitigation. This is possible by a carbon fiber bedding shelf that almost creates a lightweight chassis for the rifle to sit in and allows the stock shell to absorb the recoil evenly dissipating energy before it hits the shoulder.

The overall weight of the Peak 44 Blacktooth stock is 20 ounces meaning it’s much lighter than the standard fiberglass stocks that come on the standard Mark V Ultralite. In addition to the carbon fiber shelf, the Blacktooth stock also comes with a patent-pending 3DHex recoil pad. This recoil pad is 3D printed with compression spaces built into the pad which ultimately eliminates the sharp kick from magnum calibers. Peak 44 is offering the Blacktooth stock in six different colors with the option to have long or short action depending on your rifle model. Being available in either right or left-hand configuration gives plenty of options for customers to have a stock for their rifle regardless of if they shoot with the wrong hand. Depending on the configuration, the price will be $800-830 with a 60 day lead time.

Range Time

When first receiving the rifle back from Weatherby, I installed the muzzle brake and put new Talley Manufacturing rings and bases on. I decided to purchase a Swarovski Z6i and put everything together. Once my rifle was fully assembled and complete, the overall weight was considerably less than the old fiberglass stock. Initially, this was rather concerning since this is a magnum cartridge and I now have an even lighter rifle. I loaded up the rifle along with a couple of boxes of Weatherby Select ammo and made my way to the range.

In my first range session, I shot roughly 35 rounds through my newly redone Weatherby Mark V. This may not seem like a ton of rounds, but previously I would be maxed out at 5-6 rounds before calling it quits on the rifle. The fact I could put nearly two boxes of full-power ammunition through the gun without taking a break shows just how effective the stock and 3D recoil pad are at mitigating the severe recoil from the .300 Weatherby Magnum round.

Accuracy

For my first initial range session, I was shooting 180gr Hornady Interlock rounds made by Weatherby. At 100 yards, I was grouping roughly .6 inch groups with my largest group being just under 1 inch with a flyer which I’m almost 100% sure was a result of me getting a bad pull. Weatherby has an accuracy guarantee but the recoil impulse on the old fiberglass stock made shooting the .300 Weatherby Magnum much more difficult.

The new Peak 44 Blacktooth stock along with the addition of the factory compensator makes this rifle much easier to shoot. I would say the rifle is just as accurate as before but the Blacktooth stock makes the .300 Weatherby Magnum cartridge that much more accessible to shooters. For the first time since owning this rifle, I found myself reaching out to 300-500 yards and hitting consistently with ease. I was skeptical at first, but after a couple range sessions and shooting from a rested bench, I can fully confirm this stock makes magnum calibers much easier to shoot especially a higher number of magnum rounds.

Recoil mitigation

The biggest difference between a standard fiberglass stock and the new Blacktooth carbon fiber stock is the level of recoil mitigation. Peak 44 claims the Blacktooth stock curbs recoil through the stock design as well as the 3DHex recoil pad. I can say this is completely true and this lightweight magnum rifle is night and day better to shoot at the range. Now I know the addition of a compensator has a big impact on overall felt recoil, but the combination of a new compensator and stock system makes lightweight Weatherby rifles much more enjoyable for regular use. This reduction in felt recoil takes the .300 Weatherby Magnum and turns it into the felt recoil of a 308 or low-powered 30-06.

If I had to describe the recoil impulse with the Blacktooth stock, I would say its similar to a 45-70. The 45-70 is enjoyable to shoot depending on what load you’re using, but that steady slow recoil impulse is what Blacktooth stock feels like when firing. Weatherby Magnum cartridges are notorious for having sharp snappy recoil but I think due to the compensator and honeycomb 3D printing, it slows down the recoil making it more enjoyable as a long-range option.

Field Use

Recently, I went down to West Texas in search of Axis Deer and Nilgai. I had a mix of walking the hills of West Texas as well as vehicle hunting. The first couple of days we did a good amount of hiking to get into a good position for getting on the elusive Axis deer. While I was climbing up the steep hills of West Texas, I was incredibly thankful for the weight of the Mark V Ultralite with the Peak 44 Blacktooth stock.

The other two hunters I was with had a Browning A-Bolt while the other had a relatively heavy AR10 which slowed him down as the mornings went on. Having the ability to be mobile made a substantial difference which ultimately made my hunt more enjoyable since I wasn’t struggling to haul my rifle around. This style of hunting was when the Blacktooth stock in combination with the Mark V truly made sense. Having a lightweight rifle to hit the difficult terrain makes a big difference when you are hiking up and down mountains for multiple days. They say ounces equal pounds and this setup gives the hunter or shooter a lightweight option taking weight and bulk out of your rifle to make your life just a tad easier.

Overall Thoughts

So after 3 months of living with the Blacktooth stock, would I recommend it for hunters or magnum rifle shooters? The short answer is absolutely, without any hesitation. I will admit I truly hated shooting my unported Mark V Ultralite when zeroing it for hunting or just taking it out. After getting the barrel threaded for a compensator and adding the Blacktooth stock, I can honestly say this has turned into my favorite long-range hunting rifle. Some may say it’s a bit expensive, but you have to keep in mind a fiberglass McMillian game hunter stock is roughly $650-750 depending on the action and setup. When looking at the comparison, the Blacktooth stock from Peak 44 offers a great deal of value compared to something like the old McMillian stock I had on my Mark V.

Let me know what you guys think of the Blacktooth carbon fiber stock in the comments below. Is it an innovation for hunting rifles or is it just a gimmick for the price? I would love to hear your opinion down in the comments below so be sure to jump in and leave me your thoughts. If you have questions about the Peak 44 Blacktooth stock or just firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there!