Originally Posted by
Cosine26
Since the user could buy the barreled action and put into his preference of a stock, he saved some money and did not pay for the stock he did not need or want. This may have been one of those. I would expect to see more thumb hole stocks on rifles chambered for the .243 than for the .308. The .243 was more of a varmint rifle caliber than the .308, and varmint hunters were more likely to use a thumb hole stock than a target shooter.
From the Stoger Catalog # 63 for 1972. The varmint rifle was priced at $189.95 and the barreled action was priced at $143.95 so there was some saving by ordering the barreled action only.