deepforest27
Inactive
I really want to buy a couple of rifles, but now that all my stuff is synthetic, I'm scared to buy wood. I'm concerned that it will warp and ruin in no time. Does anyone hunt in rough weather conditions with wood?
Rifle Wood...How sturdy is it really???
- Thread starter deepforest27
- Start date
Gale McMillan
Member In Memoriam
With properly sealed wood you can do pretty well if you will re bed occasionally and keep an eye on it but naturally synthetic is much more maintenance free.. If you want wood for looks then put it on the rifles you don't expose to rough weather!
My area is very dry and I hunt with wood very often. However, I recheck zero and check the stock anytime it is subjected to rough weather.
I am a rather traditional rifleman and I love the looks of wood. However, I am putting fiberglass stocks on my elk rifle and varmint rifle. It is nice to know you can go afield in snow and slush and not have to worry about the stock walking off. The truth is (and it isn't even arguable), if you want a trouble free stock, and probably the best accuracy, then synthetic is the way to go.
I am a rather traditional rifleman and I love the looks of wood. However, I am putting fiberglass stocks on my elk rifle and varmint rifle. It is nice to know you can go afield in snow and slush and not have to worry about the stock walking off. The truth is (and it isn't even arguable), if you want a trouble free stock, and probably the best accuracy, then synthetic is the way to go.
Robert the41MagFan
New member
I live in the Pacific Northwest, foul weather capital of the world. Most all my guns have wood of some kind or another, all they need is a bit more TLC when used in bad weather. If the gun is blued, it will need the extra care anyway. Here is another twist though, If the gun has laminated wood, you can treat it as you would a synthetic, those are almost more resin than wood anyway.
Robert
Robert
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
The finish on the outside of most wooden stocks is fairly impervious to moisture. Oiled finish, or maybe urethane...
But look at the inside! Commonly, it's bare. So, if you wax it thoroughly, you'll make the whole stock fairly impervious to the warpage from a change in moisture content.
The high-quality, more expensive walnuts are denser, and thus more resistant to the effects of moisture.
I've never walked around in the rain while hunting, although I've been out during mist and drizzle. A one-day or two-day jaunt won't really bother things, generally. Going from a dry home-climate to a week-long hunt in very wet country might be another story entirely.
FWIW, Art
But look at the inside! Commonly, it's bare. So, if you wax it thoroughly, you'll make the whole stock fairly impervious to the warpage from a change in moisture content.
The high-quality, more expensive walnuts are denser, and thus more resistant to the effects of moisture.
I've never walked around in the rain while hunting, although I've been out during mist and drizzle. A one-day or two-day jaunt won't really bother things, generally. Going from a dry home-climate to a week-long hunt in very wet country might be another story entirely.
FWIW, Art
Art's right about the insides. When I do a glassbed job, I'll use polyurethane (or similar), add a few coats to seal up the guts o' the stock. Too, a good quality paste wax never hurts on the outside. can even be touched just a bit w/0000 steel wool to cut the shine.
Have a coupla synthetics on the fun guns but use only wood for elf & deer. The synths make a funny noise to me if they contact brush, etc. Lotsa snow here in CO & never a problem.
Have a coupla synthetics on the fun guns but use only wood for elf & deer. The synths make a funny noise to me if they contact brush, etc. Lotsa snow here in CO & never a problem.
Labgrade,
When is elf season, and where is the best place to hunt them?
Are they indiginous to Colorado, or are they imports like pheasant?
What are the most suitable calibers for bagging them?
Are commercial elf calls available, or do you need to make your own?
I have never hunted elf, so any info would be much appreciated.
When is elf season, and where is the best place to hunt them?
Are they indiginous to Colorado, or are they imports like pheasant?
What are the most suitable calibers for bagging them?
Are commercial elf calls available, or do you need to make your own?
I have never hunted elf, so any info would be much appreciated.
Jeez! Make a typo ... 
One sub-species is indigenous to the Boulder, CO area but spreading throughout parts of Denver & the other sub- is mostly imported from CA. The latter sub-species has infested the entire front range -'nother hot-spot in Ft Collins. Not very difficult to locate as their shrill cries can be heard most anywhere.
Make a sound like somebody's developing an area infested with prarrie dogs & they come a runnin'.
Any cartridge/rifle combination w/"minute of Reno" (Nevada! you sick puppy) accuracy works right good. I advise hi-caps as there's so many - no bag limit.
As an added bonus, you get to take 2:1 females as they're breeding out of control - but the hard part's telling sex.
One sub-species is indigenous to the Boulder, CO area but spreading throughout parts of Denver & the other sub- is mostly imported from CA. The latter sub-species has infested the entire front range -'nother hot-spot in Ft Collins. Not very difficult to locate as their shrill cries can be heard most anywhere.
Make a sound like somebody's developing an area infested with prarrie dogs & they come a runnin'.
Any cartridge/rifle combination w/"minute of Reno" (Nevada! you sick puppy
) accuracy works right good. I advise hi-caps as there's so many - no bag limit.As an added bonus, you get to take 2:1 females as they're breeding out of control - but the hard part's telling sex.