When you think of Norway, what comes to mind? The obvious answer would be the fierce, large, bearded men with battle axes, pointy battle helmets, sail ships, and shields. But how about firearm accessories, like GRS Rifle Stocks?
GRS Rifle Stocks – There’s More to Norway than Vikings
Vikings were born warriors, navigators, sailors, inventors, and the first to discover North America. History shows that the Vikings may have landed on the shores of North America roughly 500 years before Columbus. Specifically while sailing to find Greenland.
Being the creative craftsman that they are, Norwegians created other well-known inventions used today. These everyday items, such as cheese slicers, trolls, the god of thunder Thor, and the ever-popular paper clip, permeate our lives.
From building their sea fairing ships to filing papers, Norwegians have touched all corners of the globe. But what about firearms and the firearms industry?
Meet Oscar Haugen
Let us fast forward several hundred years. We come to the Norwegian village of Grodas. Therein lies a family of competent builders, dreamers, and two warrior brothers. The stage is being set to revive their Viking warrior roots that emerge from necessity, determination, life lessons, and invention.
In 2008 during a global financial crisis, the whole of the world was clambering to figure out how to survive. Norway was no exception to this financial impact. Manufacturers worldwide were hit with a great recession. This caused companies either to come up with new strategies or to shutter their doors forever.
Oscar Haugen had a plan. The warrior’s blood coursing through his veins knew how to survive and prosper in these uncertain times.
Oscar is one of two sons of the Haugen family furniture manufacturing business in Grodas, Norway. He began his love affair with high-power rifles using the gifted Mauser K98 from his father on his sixteenth birthday.
When he reached 20 years of age, Oscar entered Norway’s mandatory service with the Norwegian Army. That first year Oscar spent his time of service on the Russian border overlooking what could someday be a mortal enemy.
Finding a home in the military, Oscar continued as a member of a QRF (Quick Reaction Force) team from 2001 to 2010 as a sharpshooter.
His desire to serve his country didn’t stop there. Today, Oscar continues service with the Norwegian National Guard. As a first sergeant, he’s in charge of forging and teaching recruits to be skilled marksmen ready to protect their homes.
The Birth of Grodas Rifles Stock Company
Full of knowledge and training as a shooter instructor, good enough wasn’t on Oscar’s mind. Using the issued equipment, he felt he could build a better mousetrap. Something more comfortable.
Spending many hours perched upon the stock of a rifle, something was missing. Something to make the mission more manageable must have coursed through his brain.
2010 began the reconstruction from the global recession. Grodas Rifles Stock company was born. Better known in the shooting community as GRS. GRS started its trek by making its mark in European shooting circles.
Since 2010, GRS has been creating and setting an innovative standard. Teaming up with his brother, their ideas can go from thought to reality.
Oscar said, “I can come up with crazy ideas. The next day I collaborate with my brother Havard. He can make my crazy ideas a reality.”
Having a close relationship with his family helps to keep things going. GRS’s success happened at a pretty rapid rate in Europe. Within two years of the first production stock, Blaser (Blah-zer) rifle company in Isny im Allgau, Germany, saw the innovation.
They wanted to be onboard using stocks that make the difference between a good rifleman and an expert rifleman. Blaser rifle manufacturers, like GRS, have been innovators in shooting sports. This team-up is no mistake.
Ironically, the GRS stock brand is so successful that the family has transitioned from furniture to solely stock manufacturing.
New Innovations
I had the fortunate opportunity to talk with the CEO using online video chat services. He happened to be salmon fishing at the time of the interview. As we talked, he leisurely sipped from what looked like a highly caffeinated drink (Beer).
Oscar said, “I’ve done a lot of things that are pretty exciting, but nothing gets me more excited than hooking into a 20-pound salmon on a fly rod, fighting it to shore.”
True to his roots, he is a man of the earth.
I asked Oscar what drives him to get out of bed every morning… other than salmon.
“Knowing we made something better. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces after they use my stock for the first time!”
Very modest in his demeanor and conversation, you can see a hunger for the project. Finding something more comfortable and easier to use is the purpose-built design of the stock.
“We designed these stocks so that a shooter can relax on the stock,” Oscar stated.
If you look at how the stock is designed, you can see the innovation. Looking into the pistol grip area, the first thing you notice is the palm swell. Very generous dimensions allow the shooter to rest their wrist for a natural progression to the trigger.
Further investigation will tip you off that the trigger is not linear with the palm swell. Oscar told me that a 6-degree cant in the pistol grip is intentional.
Oscar stated, “If you hold your hand out in front of you and point at something… it doesn’t rest straight up and down. It will naturally rest in a 6-degree angle.”
Trying it out myself as I was talking to him proved him to be correct.
Stocks Focused on Usability
When discussing the function of the stock, Oscar was clear on his mission of design. We began talking about its usability.
According to Oscar, “I wanted to create a stock that you didn’t need tools to make adjustments. A shooter needs to be relaxed to shoot well. If there is any tension in the body, it will throw the shot. No turkey necking.”
Because of the design, it allows for better control during recoil.
Stock Options
Currently, GRS Rifle Stocks offers two types of materials for stock construction. They offer three different models of laminated stocks. Being the most versatile platform, the laminates offer over 52 inlets for rifle manufacturers. These are the Hunter Light, GRS Hybrid and GRS Sporter.
Each offers a distinct difference filling the needs of the shooter who enjoys laminate wood stocks. Having the Hybrid for review, it is a beautiful piece of work. With a little massaging, my Model 12 Savage dropped into place. Setting the action screws to 3.5 Newton Meters per the instructions made for an accurate rifle.
They also offer four different composite model stocks with up to 12 in-letting options. These are the Berserk, Bifrost, Ragnarök (Blaser inlets only), and the newest model, the Warg.
The Warg (pronounced Varg) uses a combination of both composite material and an aluminum M-Lok barrel shroud. Atop the barrel shroud is a length of Picatinny rail purposely designed for a top-mount bipod.
This change in position from the traditional under-mount bipod gives greater stability. My competition rifle is quite heavy. Using a spindly under mount creates a lot of lateral movement. With the center line under the rifle, it is rock solid and ready to go.
Currently, you can find some of their product line being used by manufacturers in production models. Blaser, of course, being their first customer, offers their rifles in the Ragnarök stock.
The air rifle industry is not excluded. Anschutz and FX Air guns also provide factory options. Here in the States, you can find offerings utilizing GRS ingenuity by Browning and Savage.
Personal Experience
I can say that these are rifle stocks like no other. Having the opportunity to use GRS rifle stocks in competition, it has been a necessary upgrade.
My dad, Denny Knepp, struggled to hold consistent groups during benchrest groundhog matches. And we did our best to get the stock Savage Mod 10 plastic sporter stock to be comfortable and accurate. However, switching to the GRS Hybrid target stock pulled it all together.
“When I’m comfortable on the stock, the groups just come together,” my dad said with a smile on his face at 500 yards.
Shooting his first match with the stock, Dad took first place, shooting three targets at 200, 300, and 500 yards. He scored a 133 0x in factory rifle. He also won group with a 2.73-inch group at 500 yards. I told him he owed me lunch.
The Road Ahead
GRS doesn’t leave well enough alone. Oscar and his family are continually innovating. Along with the Warg, new products are currently available, as well as exciting new products on the horizon.
The beefy new bipod and the popular PRS addition Arca rail are new to their stock accessories lineup. One click in the accessory’s menu provides a shooter with many options to make their new GRS stock fit perfectly.
I asked Oscar if there were any other new products that he would like to mention.
With a bit of grin, he said, “Come 2023, we have something special coming. Let’s just say it will be the Formula One car of rifle stocks.”
He didn’t give any specifics, but I personally am excited to see what comes of that statement.
With great starting price points, one can be purchased by any serious shooter for less than $450. This inexpensive upgrade can create greater confidence both in shooting competition and in the hunting field.
If you want to have a comfortable and easy-to-use modular stock system, GRS Rifle Stocks has what you are looking for.
For more information, please visit GRSRifleStocks.com.
This article originally appeared in the January/February 2022 issue of Tactical Life magazine. Get your copy today at OutdoorGroupStore.com.
