Customer Testimonials

DeVault Industries LLC

Engineered Shooting Solutions

Customer Testimonials

Date: 13-Mar-07 - 06:59 PM MT

Several years ago I sent my MX2000 stock to Dennis DeVault for refinishing and he did such a great job on it, I made a trip out to Ohio to have my TM-1 restocked by Dennis DeVault. I sent my TM-1 to him, along with my basic measurements, about 2 weeks prior to making the trip. When I arrived at his shop, Tracy already had a try-stock on the gun. After several times of mounting the gun for Dennis, he would tell Tracy to add a little here, take a bit off here, etc. Tracy would head back to his work area for 15 or 20 minutes and return with the changes made. We did this about 5 times over the course of a couple of hours. Once Dennis was satisfied with the fit, I went out back to fire a couple of shots at a patterning board to make sure the gun wasn't pinching my cheek and it shot where I was looking. Then we were off the infamous "Mud Run" gun club. Once there, I purchased a couple of practice round tickets and proceeded to shoot a couple of rounds. After I shot my 1st two targets, Dennis went back up to the club house to chat with some club members, I just crushed the targets. My TM1 was shooting exactly where I was looking. After a nice lunch with the guy's at the club we headed back to the shop to pick out some wood.

Since several examples of his guns have been placed on TS lately, I figured you might enjoy seeing his work on a gun he didn't make. Before I left the shop to head home I was asked what checkering pattern I'd like done on the stock. I told Cindy to have a ball and do a pattern she has wanted to try. I want to especially thank Cindy for the outstanding job of checkering she did on the stock.

Ron

Dear Dennis,

It has been 5 weeks since I have received my Beretta, with it's new stock, back from your shop, on time and budget, as promised.

For point of reference, I point out that my singles average, at the end of the '07 target year, was a pathetic 89.30, and my handicap average, again, at the end of the '07 target year, was a miserable 83.38.

Based on my lack of shooting accurately, I was downgraded to C class for singles, and shooting 'caps at the 21.5 yard line. Based on critical self assessment of my shooting, I saw little chance of improvement.

In the meantime, two of my best friends reached the 27 yard line in short order, and I am wallowing in my misery, to say nothing of the envy (ok, jealousy!) of their respective handicap positions!

Another friend suggested that I stop by your place and have a custom stock made. Since my factory forend had split beyond repair, since I was going to be in your neighborhood anyway on my way to the Grand, AND since my 50th birthday was upcoming, I decided to take the plunge and have a custom stock made by your company. (Happy birthday to me......!)
I have now been able to shoot the custom stock you designed and built in two registered ATA events.

I am pleased to tell you that my 2008 singles average is now 94.00, almost a 5 point improvement, and that my handicap average (which I keep) is now 93.25, and I have just earned a punch from 22 to 23, based on a recent score of 98. Please note that my handicap average is now almost 10 points higher than before your team worked it's magic on my gunstock.

I attribute this improvement entirely to the stock work you folks completed, and I can most assuredly tell you that my confidence level in my new stock has increased right along with my shooting averages!

Therefore, I am writing to thank you, publicly, for the work you have done for me, and to tell you how grateful I am that the improvements have been so dramatic, and come so quickly!

Sincerely,

John Malcolm

Dear Dennis, Cindy and Crew at DeVault:

I wanted to send you a letter and tell you how happy I am with my new custom stock. It truly is a stock of beauty. Dennis, your stock fitting was incredibly accurate and I was awestruck with your knowledge. Cindy, the checkering you came up with for my stock and fore-end is AWESOME!

Dennis had told me when I would receive my gun and he was right. I received my gun on-time when promised. I hit the range the day I received my stock and was totally impressed. I was only able to shoot 75 birds, but after (2) - 25's and a 22, I was extremely happy with the fit. It was getting cold and I called it a day. After shooting 3 rounds of trap, it felt as if I hadn't even shot a gun that day. There was ZERO recoil and the gun was better balanced than the day I purchased it.

I shot in my first ATA Registered event in January 2008 with my new stock and ran the singles with a 100 straight. Since then, my averages have stayed up and are increasing every registered shoot. I am so glad that I have one less thing to worry about with my gun. Now all I have to do is focus on one thing. The target!

Thanks again to Dennis, Cindy and the Crew for the great job and I look forward to many days of shooting my gun.

Cory

What Dennis DeVault and company can do to a stock is really a thing of beauty. Everything about what he does is top notch. I will try to give a summation of how my experience went with Dennis.

After reviewing trapshooters.com looking for a custom stock maker, I called the two that were highly recommended.

DeVault Industries and Wenig. I spoke personally with someone at Wenig's but I spoke personally with Dennis DeVault and he answered every question that came from my mind. I am sure that I was a pain in the rear, but he spent time answering each and EVERY question I had.

I told Dennis that I would be in Las Vegas in September and that I would like to go and visit Cecil Fredi and look at the wood Cecil had and would Dennis mind. Dennis didn’t mind at all!!!

I went out to Cecil Fredi’s house in Las Vegas looking for something unique and different.

I found a great piece of Maple Burl with a perfectly matching fore end. I quickly snatched it up and traveled back to Chicago with my new Maple Burl blank packed securely in my suitcase.

After two weeks of deliberation and constantly looking at that beautiful piece of wood staring me in the face, I decided to set up an appointment with Dennis. I arrived at his shop early in the morning excited to get started with the process. I met Dennis and his staff and was asked to put my gun together while he checked his email, etc.

After I had the gun together, he made me mount the gun. After a few times, he said to me, "you shoot left of the target and usually miss the 1/4 angles if any." I was dumbfounded. He was actually 100% right.

Those two targets are my hardest targets to hit. His crew at DeVault started making up my stock and fitting occurred throughout the morning. Around noon, I had a roughed and templated stock on my gun and we were heading to the range.

Dennis continued looking for any issues I was having with the gun and ensuring the fit was perfect for me. After a few rounds, the gun was perfect and I was re-training my brain to not make any more adjustment for my gun shooting left. Now my gun was shooting where I was looking. What a rush!!!

Cory

From Barry Turner:

I have had 5 custom stocks built over my 30 years of competitive shooting and I can state unequivocally that Dennis DeVault is hands down the BEST. Dennis’ adaptation of a parallel offset comb and stock twist to adjust to your shoulder pocket will put you in a heads up/eyes level position that is optimal for the quickest possible visual acquisition of the target. But there is more! I expected and got great fit in my DeVault designed stock. What I didn’t expect and was thrilled by was the substantial level of felt recoil reduction that Dennis’ design delivered. I was shooting a Wenig stock with a Soft Touch hydraulic recoil reduction system and was still struggling with a flinch problem. I told Dennis I would add some recoil reduction equipment after he finished his work to be extra sure I would get the recoil reduction I felt I needed. Dennis tried to assure me that the stock would be fine without the “add-ons”. Much to my surprise and delight he was 100% right! I have shot Dennis’ stock on my K80 Trap Special for two years now and I have never felt the need to add on recoil reduction extras. In the two years I have been shooting my DeVault stock, I have gone from A to AAA in singles and from the 24 to the 27yd line. I attribute a lot of my progress to the exceptional fit and comfort that the DeVault stock provided. The flinching and head lifting problems I wrestled with in the years prior are becoming distant memories. With these issues behind me, I can relax and just work on seeing the target clearly and making a good move. When I think of all the money I have spent over the years, the money I invested in my DeVault fitted stock has given me the best value of all in terms of measurable impact of my shooting performance.

Thanks Dennis!

Dennis

I wanted to take a minute and thank you and everyone at DeVault Industries for doing such a great job on the stock on my 391. I started out with having a 1/4" Delrin rib added to the rib. During the process you said that I should come to Canton and have you fit and make a stock for me.

I have to say that was some of the best advise I have ever been given! In hind sight the only thing difficult was picking out the blank. Next time I think I will leave that up to you and Tracy. I had an awful time choosing a blank from the 2 dozen or so on the table, they were all incredible.

As you know I mainly shoot sporting clays and a lot of people have different ideas about what a sporting clays stock should look and feel like. You definitely know how to fit the gun to the person for whatever game they are shooting!

During the fitting process we went to the trap club where I shot at targets from one of the traps from many different angles. The trap was oscillating and You had me move completely around the trap, shooting targets as going away, crossing, and from over head. Right away I noticed that I was breaking targets much quicker and that I was not feeling as much recoil. After the first box of shells you told me to move and shoot from where ever I wanted. I proceeded to back up and shoot the targets as hard crossers. I finished the 2nd box at around 40 yds and in the total 50 shells I broke 48 targets. Pretty good for having a gun with a lot of changes to the stock!

I received the stock almost to the day expected. 2 weeks later I went to the World Sporting Clays Championships in San Antonio TX. where I placed 4th overall in the Preliminary event. The next week I attended the Kruger Kup in northern Indiana where I place 2nd in the Main event. In August I attended the Indiana State Sporting Clays Championships. I entered 3 events. I placed 1st in the FITASC event,1st in the Preliminary event, and 3rd in the Main event. I had several other top 10 placing's during the shooting year.

I know it is said that it is the Indian not the arrow, but I absolutely believe that I am more successful (and comfortable doing so) then I would be without the work that you performed.

Thank You again

Joseph Olin

NSCA # 540956

Dennis I have just recently kicked up my shooting again and I am thrilled with my stock. I am shooting better than I ever have, breaking the birds much better with center hits. I have to give credit to having a gun that fits right and shoots where I am looking and you made that possible. The gun is so comfortable to shoot and in the way it fits. The recoil reduction still amazes me. I recently took a clinic from Nora Ross and several people got to hold it and a few shot it and every one thought it is great. I appreciate your work on my gun and I appreciate getting to meet you and talking with you. Continued success. Randy Rose Sourcing Coordinator Facility Supplies, National 6285 Tri-Ridge Blvd. Loveland, OH 45140