Bert H. said

James,

If the Flutes had any functional purpose, I believe that Winchester would have touted or mentioned it somewhere in their literature.  To the best of my knowledge, no mention of the fluted comb is made in any of the many Winchesters catalogs or advertisement flyers.  From my perspective, the flutes are aesthetic only.

Bert  

Perhaps, but some things are lost to history, too, Bert.  I read somewhere this AM, that the flutes Winchester used on the Model 55 were inspired, by Col. Whelen.  And now that we have been discussing this issue this morning, it does appear that the flutes might have showed up much earlier than 1918 on some Winchesters, as others here have mentioned. 

I am now more convinced than I was earlier today that the flutes were designed to aid some shooters in obtaining the strongest, most comfortable, and same grip/weld, each and every time they shoulder the rifle.  It’s very difficult to get the cheek weld that I described, and the flutes better allow for such a grip/weld in my opinion.  When I started to develop this kind of hold, I had to adjust my shoulder placement of the butt of the rifle, and stretch my neck forward…it took me awhile before I started feeling comfortable.  It is not easy getting such a grip, and an inch or fractions of same are important to the shooter when all elements of a well aimed shot are considered.  And although I was using a military stock (M-1, M-14), I can see where flutes clearly have a purpose in making it a tad easier to get the weld some shooter’s desire.

James

Bert H. said
James,
Something else for you to consider… Winchester did not flute the combs on any of their crescent butt Rifles, nor on any of their standard Carbines & Muskets. The only instance where a fluted comb was used was when a special order Shotgun Butt stock was ordered (rifles & carbines beginning in 1913). When the Models 53 and 55 were introduced in June of 1924, they were standard with a Shotgun butt (and the fluted comb). It makes no sense that Winchester would only flute the combs on shotgun butt stocks if there truly was any advantage or functional use provided by the flutes. Of further note, when Winchester ceased using the standard curved carbine butt plates (in June of 1937), and began using the serrated steel shotgun butt plate (previously used on the Model 53 and Model 55 rifles), they did not flute the butt stocks on the standard Carbines, but continued to flute the combs on the Models 64, 65, and 71 rifles.
Based on these facts, that is why I believe the flutes are of aesthetic purpose only.
Bert  

That’s fair, Bert, but I don’t agree with you.  See the excerpt below that has to do with the benefits of a more vertical grip, deeper flutes, etc.  I’ve found that Col. Townsend Whelen was heavy into target shooting, and like I mentioned in the grip I described, flutes can help provide a more over the top type of hold.  To me, it is simply a matter of common sense that flutes help some shooters who desire a achieve a certain type of cheekweld in the offhand position.  Without the face making contact with the thumb of the grip hand and the side of the stock, there can be no guarantee of the “weld” being the same every time, thus lower scores in target shooting for one.:

“…the synthetic stock is a great blend of classic design with nice, modern ergonomic touches. Those touches include a high comb, deeper flutes behind the rifle grip, a more vertical grip and channels sculpted into the top of the forend, which make for a better grip with the thumb and finger pads. The higher comb is a nice asset for smaller faces.”

https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/testing-three-rimfire-rifles/368030

To my limited understanding about the Model 53’s and 55’s  with flutes is that even during somewhat of a recession, Winchester went all out where cost was concerned in bringing them to market, and it stands to reason that the flutes would disappear on Winchester long guns during the time period you noted…no doubt for cost cutting reasons, as I see it.  Which is to say that stocks with flutes would run into extra cost to manufacture.  Sure, I think there is an aesthetic value, but I also believe in functional value for certain people, too. 

A few hours ago, I looked in Flayderman’s  book and flute like designs can be found on guns that date back to the early 1800s, with some of the Whitney and Frank Wesson guns being two – which is to say that they might have become known as “flutes” per say and attributed to Col. Townsend where Winchester is concerned, but marksmen of old had the benefit of a similar design on some buttstocks.  There are many examples where just one side of some guns appear to have been made to accommodate a right handed shooter, only, and these same features are seen on some modern guns as well.  Design, comfort, etc., play a big part in stock making for specific reasons.  It is an interesting subject, though.

James

Bert, I thought about with crescent buttplates and flutes as well.  Such buttplates do not offer the flexibility that the SG style does where making adjustments to shoulder placement comes to mind.  Let’s remember, too, that Townsend  was big into military style target shooting and development, (and he was also big into hunting type guns)…and like Winchester, it stands to reason that he would have been very cost conscious as tight as military budgets probably were at that time.  Whatever the case might have been, flutes in stockmaking are big right to this day.

James

steve004 said
Just fooling around tonight, I pulled a M1876 out of the safe. I would describe the stock as having a shallow flute:

View post on imgur.com

  

Missed this, Steve.  Thanks, I would describe it that way, myself.  Special ordered?

James

I simply forgot to address the other models that you noted.

It’s been fun.  Have a good evening.

James