Laminated rifle stocks-how stable?

B

BrianW

New member
Ok folks, I've never used one in the field, thinking of getting an Acrabond from Mel Smart.

I need info on how they hold up in very wet conditions, think rainforest. Obviously the surface finish will matter, but I'm interested in longterm stability of the stock. Do they equal fiberglass in that regard?

What finishes do you laminated stock users recommend?

Talk me into, or out of, one!
 
Wood is still Wood!

Hi,
Thanks for your post.
In response to your concern about using Laminated stocks, they are more stable than solid wood, but not nearly as stable and impervious to "rain forest" conditions as the ever notable composite or synthetic stocks. Laminated wood is thin saturated (impregnated, if you will) sheets of wood bonded together, and be that as it may, wood is not synthetic, wood is wood and when it comes to wet weather and wood, the wood is almost always likely to loose that battle. Another consideration or concern with laminated stocks is THEY ARE SOOOO HEAVY when compared to synthetic, or composite stocks. Heavier than solid wood, even. If your hunting environment is "rain forest" you should stay away from laminated wood stocks and stick with something impervious to water, such as those manufactured by the many graphite, kevlar, fiberglass, and other polymer composite stock companies in the marketplace.

Common sense advise, that's all.

!chasu!
 
chasu, I appreciate the reply, especially since your views on laminated wood seem to mesh with mine. I was wondering if there were any dissenting views out there...
 
Well, I have done some absolutely awesome work on laminated stocks with Birchwood Casey TruOil. 10-15 light even coats, or more if you have the patience, with light steel wooling between coats makes some of the best looking and most durable finishes on the laminated stocks. It can also be worked into satin, or high gloss finishes. Boiled Linseed oil can do the trick also, but it is a little more gummy. Dang, I miss working on the wooden stuff. I may have to go out and get something to practice on. Hehee sounds like a plan to me.


chasu out!
 
Gee, I'm glad they don't try to produce such a thing as "marine plywood". :D :D Probably wouldn't be safe in the Gulf of Mexico...

Seems to me the primary drawback to a laminated stock would be the weight. Delamination would more likely occur if one were left out for months in a desert summer...

One of the reasons laminated stocks were developed in the first place was to have less warping than with a single piece of wood.

Any sort of decent finish pretty much eliminates problems from rain; that's on the surface and isn't much of a problem with normal maintenance. (I've hunted in rain with a plain wood stock; when I got to camp, I got everything dried out. No problems, later.) For wood, the major problem is months of high humidity followed by months of low humidity. Or, moving from the SE U.S. to, say, Aridzony.

$0.02, Art
 
Art, thanks for the info, c'mon up and I'll show you some delaminating marine plywood down in the boat harbor if you want to see what it looks like. ;)

We get about 150" of precip/year, even our snow is very wet. I've used wood stocks with various finishes: factory plastic-type coating, Varathane, tung oil, Tru Oil. None of the finished have held up well in day after day of hunting. I've washed the outer tung oil out of a stock in a couple days of hunting, leaving it looking bleached, tho it seems that it was only the outer finish that was removed. The other finishes that seem to penetrate less scratch easily, then moisture gets into the wood creating all sorts of havoc. I refinished the factory stock on my .30-'06 3 times before I gave up on it and got a 'glass stock. I haven't regretted it.

I'm not worried about delamination, I'm worried about stability over the long run. In other words, if I'm out for a month will the stock remain stable even if the finish is compromised?
 
If you're out for a month, you would be fine, especially if the rifle is floated at the barrel and not barrel bedded solid, which is done in some large caliber rifles. Anyway, I appreciate your comment on marine plywood, I have seen marine plywood last for years on end. Unfortunately, it had about 25 coats of solid pigmented paint on it, somewhat unattractive for my 404 Jeff and all. Anyway, it is a good product, more stable than solid wood, not as stable as synthetic. It will last a month at a time, but who's to say when it will cause your groups to shift. I don't assume risk when it comes to people, and my guns, i.e. my life. Maybe I'm too serious, but that's my view. I don't put laminated stocks on guns I will be using in wet "rain forest" type conditions, like we have here in Louisiana. I do however have Laminated stocks on a nice Remington Mountain Rifle in stainless. Synthetics on a Browning Stainless Stalker, and solid walnut on Sauer Lux 202. These are the guns I use the most, and will be using for years to come, because I will take care of them and use each one in the way it was meant to be used. Laminated stocks in "rain forest" conditions is just not wise if you plan to keep it for any length of time, unless you want to get a new stock for it from time to time. Most of us here have the money to do such things, but when it comes to wasting, I just choose not to, it's just better judgment.

!!ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING!!
 
chasu, like I said before, we think alike. I was just wondering if I was completely out in left field. Those Acrabond stocks sure look purty, but I'd just scratch and ding the thing up anyway.

Looks like a McMillan is the winner.

Thanks, guys, for the info.
 
Plywood better than solid wood for variable climate longevity.

But nothing is forever, not even plastic in Arizoney.

Sam
 
There's more resin than wood in the popular laminates these days.

Rutland Plywood in Vermont is the company that provides those pretty laminates to such folks as Fajen, Savage, Ruger, Remington, etc. By the time they finish building up the laminate with pressurized resin and high temperature, you've got something that resembles more of a synthetic stock than a piece of wood. It ain't your grandad's laminated K98 Mauser anymore. Two of my 1000-yard rifles are in Fajen Ace Varminters. Temperature and humidity extremes have yet to bother them. I had a problem with the altitude change on the bullet ballistics, but there has been no change in zero based on stock warpage.
 
I think the whole "wood stock/ shifting zero" concern is exaggerated. I enjoy the look/feel of wood stocks better than synthetics, and outside of benchresters, I dont think that most of us have EVER noticed a poi shift, due to warpage. Its something else the gun magazine writers can fluff up thier articles with. Has anyone here ever missed a deer because of stock warpage? I dont think so.
 
Laminate stocks

I recently refinished a laminate stock for a 1945 Russian M44 carbine. The stock has held up very well for it's age. I only cleaned off surface grime and applied the correct color shellac matching the well worn original finish. The laminate stock weight was very close to the hardwood stock on another M44 I have. It is significantly heavier to synthetic stocks. I used to think that laminate stocks were very ugly but over the years I learned to love them. I prefer wood over plastic except for my ar15 and even then considered wood. As for wandering zero I have not experienced that. If a rifle is in the stock well it should not be a stock problem. I am not a gunsmith. If you want an unusual stock that has your personality get a laminate stock and finish it yourself. You will have an original and heck you will know the fella that did it. :)
happy shooting,
Bamasurp
 
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