As much as I understand the benefits of synthetic gun stocks in terms of consistency and durability, I really miss traditional walnut.
Before I was old enough to hunt, I always admired Dad’s guns—the beautiful wood grain, the warmth of the finish and the way the stocks seemed to shine. The exception was his old double-barrel 12-gauge, which looked as though someone had roughly hacked a stock out of a 2x4, slapped on some stain and mounted it to the metal.
It was still beautiful to me.
When I tore the Christmas wrapping from my first rifle, a Remington 760 pump in .270, I could hardly take my hands off it. Dad had given me my big Christmas present early—on Thanksgiving—because waiting until December 25 would have meant missing deer season. I must have spent an hour running my fingers over the wood grain and checkering.
Call me sentimental, but I don’t think I’m the only hunter who feels that way.
Apparently, someone at Remington—or Original Grain—shares that nostalgia. Some genius involved with the project came up with a way to incorporate walnut from Remington rifle stocks into a new line of watches.
You don’t have to be an aging hunter to appreciate them, but for those of us at a certain stage in life, they are next-level beautiful.
- Editor’s Note:Remington is a Hook & Barrel advertising partner. This article was produced independently, and the author did not receive a watch.
The Story Behind the Stock
Remington Ammunition has partnered with Original Grain to introduce the Hunt Club Series, a collection of watches built around materials and design elements connected to Remington firearms.
These aren’t ordinary watches with a Remington logo added to the face. Three of the four models in the launch lineup incorporate American walnut taken from Remington rifle buttstocks.
Some of that material came from retired stocks on rifles previously used to test ammunition at Remington’s factory in Lonoke, Arkansas.
In other words, the wood already had a working life before it became part of a watch.
When we started this design, it took me right back to my childhood, to the lessons learned behind the barrel of a shotgun,” said Original Grain co-founder Andrew Beltran. “When we added the stippled pattern to the dial, I could see my dad's shotgun. The Cerakote finish made it tough and durable, just like that memory. This watch carries more than storied materials—it’s meant to be a memory of the lessons learned in becoming a gun owner.
Remington Hunt Club Watches: The Quick Take
- What they are: Firearm-inspired watches created by Remington and Original Grain
- What makes them different: Three launch models incorporate American walnut from Remington rifle buttstocks
- Where some of the wood came from: Retired rifles used to test ammunition at Remington’s Lonoke, Arkansas, factory
- Firearm-inspired details: Stock-checkering textures, scope-style crosshairs and case backs modeled after fired cartridge cases
- Launch collection: Four models with case sizes ranging from 44 to 46mm
- Best suited for: Hunters, collectors and anyone who appreciates traditional walnut-and-steel firearms
Original Grain specializes in incorporating reclaimed and unconventional materials into its timepieces. For the Remington watches, the company paired that approach with walnut, steel and visual details inspired by firearms.
It’s an interesting combination: part outdoor accessory, part keepsake and part reminder of the traditional wood-and-steel guns many hunters grew up admiring.
Remington’s firearms history includes some of the most recognizable sporting rifles ever produced, including the Remington Model 700. Connecting that history to genuine rifle-stock walnut gives the watches more meaning than they would get from branding alone.
Remington Hunt Club Watch Models at a Glance
The initial Hunt Club collection consisted of four models:
- Mother of Pearl Chrono: American walnut paired with antique-bronze stainless steel and a mother-of-pearl dial
- Ebony Barrel Chrono: Ebony paired with desert Cerakote steel
- Silver Barrel Auto: American walnut paired with brushed stainless steel and an automatic movement
- Black Chrono: American walnut paired with black-plated stainless steel
The Ebony Barrel Chrono is the only model in the original lineup that does not use Remington walnut.
With case sizes ranging from 44 to 46mm, these are substantial watches. That will appeal to someone who likes a large, noticeable timepiece, but hunters who prefer a smaller or lighter watch should pay attention to the dimensions before ordering.
They also occupy a different lane from the feature-heavy outdoor watches represented by models such as the Garmin Fenix 7X. The Hunt Club watches are less about mapping trails, tracking workouts and calculating distances than they are about traditional materials and appearance.
Related: Father’s Day Gifts for Dads Who’d Rather Be Outside
Firearm Details Go Beyond the Remington Logo
The reclaimed walnut is the collection’s biggest connection to Remington, but it isn’t the only one.
The watch faces include stippled textures intended to echo the checkering cut into rifle buttstocks. Some models also incorporate scope-style crosshair elements.
The back of the case is modeled after the inside of a fired cartridge case, complete with a gold-colored primer center and the Remington logo.
Those small touches are important. Without them, the collection could easily have become another licensing exercise in which a recognizable outdoor logo is placed on an otherwise unrelated product.
Instead, the designers incorporated references to stocks, scopes and cartridge cases throughout the watches. The firearms influence is noticeable without turning them into novelty pieces.
Original Grain co-founder Ryan Beltran said the company viewed Remington as a natural fit because of its connections to hunters, outdoorsmen and people who appreciate craftsmanship and history.
Remington remains an active ammunition manufacturer as well as a heritage brand, with new Remington ammunition products continuing to reach hunters and shooters. Using walnut from its own test rifles helps connect that ongoing work in Lonoke to the company’s much longer history.
What to Know Before Buying
- These are traditional timepieces, not GPS-equipped hunting or fitness watches.
- The 44- to 46mm cases are relatively large and may not suit people who prefer smaller watches.
- Three of the four launch models use Remington walnut; the Ebony Barrel Chrono does not.
- The amount and appearance of the wood vary by model.
- Hook & Barrel has not handled or field-tested the watches, so this article should not be considered a product review.
A Watch With a Story in the Wood
There is no shortage of merchandise carrying the names of famous outdoor brands. Some of it is worthwhile. Some of it looks as though a manufacturer simply found an empty surface and printed its logo there.
The Remington watches are more interesting because the connection goes deeper than the name on the dial. The walnut itself was once part of a working rifle, and the designers carried firearm-inspired details into the face, case and band.
My old Remington 760 will never become a watch—not as long as I’m around, anyway. But I understand the appeal of carrying a small piece of that walnut tradition on your wrist.
Whether one of these watches eventually becomes somebody’s treasured heirloom remains to be seen.
The wood, at least, already has some history behind it.
