I was thinking about purchasing this to replace the wood stock on my CZ. The stock is fairly beefy (5.5" circumference around the grip). Does anyone have one that would be willing to measure the circumference of the grip or the width of the forend? If the synthetic has the same dimensions, I will probably look at other options.
Thanks,

The CZ American style walnut or laminate stock for the 550 Magnum is pretty chunky and weighs 3 pounds or more.

The Bell & Carlson "Kevlar" stock for the CZ 550 Magnum is definitely slimmer and lighter and stronger all around
with the full aluminum alloy endoskeleton from stem to stern including full bedding block.
Must be aircraft aluminum with some titanium in it.
Stock weight is about 2.5 lbs. No more than 2 pounds and 9 ounces on my scales.

The grip at narrowest circumference, above/ahead of the truly pleasing palm swell on mine is 5.25". Perfect for me. I wear a size 8 surgical glove.
The forearm is definitely slimmer than the CZ American-style stock also. 1-7/8" wide just ahead of the recoil lug recess, at maximum diameter below the slimmer flat of the barrel channel top, and tapering to smaller towards the forend tip.

They may be calling the CZ composite stock something else now, but the ones I have were called "Kevlar" and made by B&C, only to be had by ordering directly from CZ USA.

Here is one of mine:













I got one of these $450 "Kevlar" stocks from CZ USA for free because of this happening to one of my fancy American black walnut stocks on a 404 Jeffery:



CZ USA offered to replace the walnut, but I asked for the "Kevlar" instead and they said OK.

The 404 Jeffery then looked like this and shot nicely as a drop-in fit in the "Kevlar" stock, unaltered factory rifle:



he Talley-CZ QD lever rings were switched to the stronger CZ-OEM rings that are are still QD with socket head main mounting screws torqued to 65 inch-pounds.
The QD lever is carried in pocket of pants, it is a 5mm Allen wrench/hex key.
Any smears on the scope tube are silicone adhesive that did not get cleaned up yet.
I am proud to show silicone adhesive smears on my scope tubes. It cleans up easily. It seals out penetration of moisture or lubricants between rings and scope tube. It also strengthens the setup. Winner all around:











I just add a 1" thickness of slip-on pad to make the approximately 13.5" LOP into a 14.5" LOP, perfect for me.
Leather for extended pinky finger types, rubber for us common folk.

There is no better stock for the masses.
As Voltaire would say if he had written about it in Candide:

"It is the best of all possible stocks."

Hey, I just like spending Saeed's money on band width.

I've the same stock as RIP (at his recommendation) and truly love it. I have another 550 in 458Lott in a walnut stock, I'll get some photos of the two side by side tonight for comparison for you. Definitely worth the money.

Give Wayne a call at AHR. He makes a custom stock for the CZ.

http://americanhuntingrifles.com/?page_id=74

Check out the EH7 stock by manners composites. Built for the CZ in a very traditional fashion.

http://mannersstocks.com/2015-tactical-hunting-stocks

If you cannot tolerate the standard 13.5" LOP adjustable by you, best value for the $ (low cost, high quality), immediate shipment to you if not sold out, full metal endoskeleton and bedding block (where else can you get that?), drop-in-and-shoot-it fit (glass bedding by you if desired), etc.,
well,
you could consider McMillan in addition to the alternatives mentioned above.

https://www.mcmillanusa.com/mc...g-stocks-cz-express/



DESCRIPTION
This is an English safari style stock designed specifically for the CZ 550 Magnum action. It will work with many other large caliber actions with drop belly floorplates such as the Brno 602, the Olympic Arms BBK-01 and the 02 actions. The medium-width forend will accept custom barrel contours up to a Douglas #5 but will not take heavy straight taper target type contours. Right hand only.
PRICING OPTIONS
HUNTING STOCKSFLAT TOP (no inlet)$306.00BASIC INLET (action outline & barrel channel)$354.00FULL INLET (action & barrel inlet, includes molded-in color)$448.00CUSTOM DROP-IN (with Decelerator Pad)$537.00CUSTOM DROP-IN (with Limbsaver Pad)$562.00(Custom Drop-in is completely finished and includes: full inlet, pad, 2-studs, paint or molded-in camo or marble colors)


I have a couple of McMillan stocks, and the last time I specified the LOP and color I wanted, it took about 4 months to get it after I ordered it, and it cost more than the CZ Kevlar eventually, after I had pillars and hidden cross bolts installed with the glass bedding.
Beautiful, durable, accurate results, but not as cheap and easy and strong and light weight as the CZ Kevlar.

The Manners stock might be lighter in weight, ad says it is 100 % carbon fiber?

2015 MCS-EH7

Classy old school safari stock designed for the CZ550b action. 100% carbon fiber and strong enough to hold up to any big bore.

MCS-EH7 ( EH shell std ) $569.00 + shipping




The AHR stock is an MPI, IIRC, and will cost you close to 1 K by the time you get it installed by AHR, as required, +/- the pillars and crossbolts they also offer.

Uh-oh, sold out. "Email me when available link" is shown at the webstore.
You have to log in there to get the link active.

What I find at the CZ-USA webstore, they call it "Aramid" now: Aramid fibers are used in Kevlar, brakepads, combat protective gear, ...

http://shop.cz-usa.com/Product...ari-Aramid-Composite



STOCK 550 AMERICAN SAFARI ARAMID COMPOSITE
Product Number: 19919
Availability: 0
Your Price US$425.00

Item Description
STOCK FOR 550 AMERICAN SAFARI - ARAMID COMPOSITE
FOR SAFARI MAGNUM AND SAFARI CLASSICS CALIBERS ONLY
FULL LENGTH ALUMINUM BEDDING BLOCK
FITTING MAY BE REQUIRED
GUNSMITH INSTALLATION IS RECOMMENDED

Thanks! This is exactly what I was looking for!

The rep at Manners says the EH7 will weigh between 31-34 ounces. Can get it with a really long LOP too.

Comparison photos as promised....

I absolutely love the Kevlar stock on my 550 American in 9.3x62. I don't know how much lighter it is than the factory wood stock but I do know it is "bullet" proof and bedding is simple and effective.

Thanks again for the comparison shot and the info on the weight of the Manners stock. I checked the specs that RIP included of his B&C and they match closely to a stock that fits me pretty well. Weight is also a consideration. Just weighed my cz (.375) and it weighs 11 lbs. 6 oz. with scope (vx6 1-6 w/QD rings) and four shells! Rifle alone weighs 9 lbs. 13.4 oz.

I custom ordered a McMillan stock through Bruno Shooter Supply the week before Halloween and received it in less than 4 weeks. I was quite surprised,but pleased.

Mark

Rip,

We no longer use stocks by MPI. We've been making our own in-house for a couple years now. We make them for the CZ 550 both magnum and standard, GMA African magnum and 375 H&H size, and Win model 70 to come soon.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:


What I find at the CZ-USA webstore, they call it "Aramid" now: Aramid fibers are used in Kevlar, brakepads, combat protective gear, ...

Not to worry, Kevlar is just the DuPont brand name for Aramid fibers - like Thermos for a vacuum bottle.

quote:

Originally posted by Bitterroot:
Rip,

We no longer use stocks by MPI. We've been making our own in-house for a couple years now. We make them for the CZ 550 both magnum and standard, GMA African magnum and 375 H&H size, and Win model 70 to come soon.

Thanks for the correction with this new-to-me information.

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
What I find at the CZ-USA webstore, they call it "Aramid" now: Aramid fibers are used in Kevlar, brakepads, combat protective gear, ...

Not to worry, Kevlar is just the DuPont brand name for Aramid fibers - like Thermos for a vacuum bottle.

Still the same stock, just named differently for whatever marketing or copyright reasons.

Apparently that stock is hard to keep in stock at CZ-USA.

Filled forend swivel stud hole with epoxy?
There are better ways to do it, so as to preserve the function of that hole for bipod or sling attachment even with your barrel band sling base:

500 Bateleur FN Mauser in a B&C Medalist stock:



.375/404 JS of 2012, CZ 550 Magnum in a Kevlar/Aramid stock from B&C/CZ-USA, Pacnor No.4 sporter of 1:10" twist, fits barrel channel well:



Another .375/404 JS of 2012, CZ 550 Magnum, Aramid stock, but this is a No.6 Lilja fluted sporter barrel, 1:12" twist,
showing how the barrel barrel channel will take bigger than No.5 sporter contour, with work required, as by Rusty McGee, Gunsmith:









Brockman stud:



Here is the excellent palm swell on the CZ-USA/B&C Kevlar/Aramid stock:



Here is one of my crude do-it-yourself jobs on a Kevlar stock before I got Rusty to do it right.
I just cut off the swivel stud and filed a slot in the remaining threaded shank, screwed it in as a hole filler, big filler screw.
Rusty uses a proper hex head screw but has to face off the underside of the head to get it to fit almost flush:



Adjustable LOP method:



Above pad was trimmed to fit CZ Kevlar stock cheek piece, and died to fit color, started off same as the one below:



But one of these could be used too:



Rubber or leather:




Unusual custom-turned barrel contour was made to fit into the Kevlar/Aramid stock of a CZ 550 Magnum by filling barrel channel with MarineTex, .395 Tatanka:







Yep the .395 Tatanka (40-07) above was photographed before I did this to it, and it is still doing fine by me as it is:

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
The CZ American style walnut or laminate stock for the 550 Magnum is pretty chunky and weighs 3 pounds or more.

The Bell & Carlson "Kevlar" stock for the CZ 550 Magnum is definitely slimmer and lighter and stronger all around
with the full aluminum alloy endoskeleton from stem to stern including full bedding block.
Must be aircraft aluminum with some titanium in it.
Stock weight is about 2.5 lbs. No more than 2 pounds and 9 ounces on my scales.

The grip at narrowest circumference, above/ahead of the truly pleasing palm swell on mine is 5.25". Perfect for me. I wear a size 8 surgical glove.
The forearm is definitely slimmer than the CZ American-style stock also. 1-7/8" wide just ahead of the recoil lug recess, at maximum diameter below the slimmer flat of the barrel channel top, and tapering to smaller towards the forend tip.

They may be calling the CZ composite stock something else now, but the ones I have were called "Kevlar" and made by B&C, only to be had by ordering directly from CZ USA.

Here is one of mine:
...


...
...
The 404 Jeffery then looked like this and shot nicely as a drop-in fit in the "Kevlar" stock, unaltered factory rifle:

It looks like the barrel channel has a mounting pad that could be used for bedding the under-island barrel recoil lug on the CZ Safari's. Is that correct, or do they even take a chance by cutting a barrel lug flat in the factory?

PS: The tan bedding looks exceptionally clean and neat. It sets a high standard.

RIP, came back from AHR with the filler in the stock. I don't ever see myself being a bipod guy, but can appreciate the ability to reuse the stud hole in the future as you point out. I love the 375/404JS build! Were you also the gentleman who attached the 1913 rail bedded in the end of the stock for a QD light mount??

Brandon,

If I may ask, would you explain your handle significance?

I own Sharps rifles, so that is where ISS came from.

Very nice work, chief.

quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
Brandon,

If I may ask, would you explain your handle significance?

I own Sharps rifles, so that is where ISS came from.

Certainly! FF for firefighter, I've been a volunteer since I joined the local (across from my childhood home) explorer post at 14. EMT, as in emergency medical technician, which lead to RN (registered nurse). Spent the last 6 years as an RN working ER, disaster relief, critical care flight, and most recently image guided surgery. 5/2/87 is my birthday.

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:

It looks like the barrel channel has a mounting pad that could be used for bedding the under-island barrel recoil lug on the CZ Safari's. Is that correct, or do they even take a chance by cutting a barrel lug flat in the factory?

PS: The tan bedding looks exceptionally clean and neat. It sets a high standard.

Hi 416Tan,
"The tan bedding" ... Do you mean the Tatanka bedding? Well, whatever, Rusty McGee does excellent bedding.

Your questions about the recess in the forearm barrel channel for bedding of the barrel recoil lug should be cleared up by some photos of a factory job done by CZ-USA on a .458 Lott.
The aluminum endoskeleton extends to the bedding point, with a gap and a substantial crossmember there. But it does not end there, the aluminum endoskeleton goes on out to the forend tip.
CZ factory bedding of this: They get rid of the sliding ferrule and the F-block imbedded in the wooden forearm, and no escuthceon and screw through the forearm of the Aramid stock.
Then a little blob of epoxy at the barrel recoil lug and another blob of epoxy at the primary action recoil lug and that is all.
Excellent fit of stock to the aluminum bedding block and allaround metal to stock fit, barrel channel, bottom metal, etc.
This is the first time I have knocked the metal out of this stock, and you can see a couple of little spots on the bottom of the action recoil lug where some epoxy adhered.
One whack on the end of the barrel and the action popped free. I scraped the offending spots off the bottom of the primary action recoil lug with my fingernail.
Everything went back togeteher easily and snug.















The barrel is free-floated forward of the barrel recoil lug.

Any of my jobs by Rusty, or myself, are full contact epoxy from primary action lug to secondary lug on the barrel.

Rusty does the custom rebarrel and bedding to go with it, sometimes tang and inside of action well and all the way to forend tip, depending on how the rifle shoots.
The CZ Aramid needs very little bedding usually, just like CZ USA did it on the factory barreled action.





Sometimes I futz around with a rifle too, but I am sure to cover everything with masking tape where I do not want epoxy on the outside of the stock,
and if I have my druthers, I druther Rusty do it instead of this:



I have shot the Aramid Kevlar stock as a drop-in with no bedding except letting it settle itself into the aluminum.
In such a case I just get rid of all the loose parts from the barrel recoil lug contraption and let the remnant lug free-float in the recess in the forearm.
Sometimes they will be 3/4 MOA for 3 shots at 100 yards, sometimes 1.5 MOA.
Best to bed them like CZ says, and does.


Dang, 20,000th post here.
I gotta get a life.

quote:

Originally posted by FFemtRN5287:
RIP, came back from AHR with the filler in the stock. I don't ever see myself being a bipod guy, but can appreciate the ability to reuse the stud hole in the future as you point out. I love the 375/404JS build! Were you also the gentleman who attached the 1913 rail bedded in the end of the stock for a QD light mount??

Brandon,
It was not me with the Picatinny in the forend, but that sounds tacticool.

Very nice stocks there, guys!

RIP,

I gotta say I always enjoy reading about one of your rifle build sagas.

Thanks!
Gotta say I cut my teeth on rifles while reading Finn Aagaard mostly, and his working M70 as a PH had gobs of epoxy smeared on the outside of the stock as extra reinforcement for his crossbolts.
A man with style after my own heart.
Since I discovered this "Aramid" stock, there is none other to be used for a CZ 550 Magnum build, though the obsolete stocks still work OK, and have sentimental value.
After all, look how some still cling to walnut.

I got the CZ aramid stock for my AHR 458 Lott build and it's a very nice stock. Pricey though

quote:

CZ factory bedding of this: They get rid of the sliding ferrule and the F-block imbedded in the wooden forearm, and no escuthceon and screw through the forearm of the Aramid stock.

That little quote helps support my decision that I've followed on my 500 AccRel Nyati. I had McGowen do the second barrel (with the 1/2 calibre throat instead of the originial 2 1/2 calibre throat) without a hole in the barrel lug under-island for a clamp to the fore-end of the stock. My 500ARNyati has the barrel lug bedded to the fore-end but without any extra restraint. It seems to shoot just fine, as long as the main lug and action are bedded tight to preserve the exact same position, shot after shot.

That brings up the best way to mount and shoot a factory CZ550 Safari. I have not removed the fore-end screw and sliding nut on the under-island of our 416's. I tighten the fore-end screw just to the point of feeling resistence from the stock, but without added significant pressure on the stock. (The metal F-shaped recoil pad is already lightly epoxied in place. So it doesn't move whenever the barreled action and stock are disassembled.)

But perhaps it would be better to just remove the fore-end barrel lug screw altogether, like on my 500 and your factory Kevlar?

We might get out next week for a little hunt and probably have enough ammo for re-zeroing the 416 in TZ, without a fore-end screw. What do you think? Does it sound like a better plan given the swings in humidity that hit Tanzania between July-Aug and Nov-Dec?

Your educated opinion would be appreciated. A person can go through 20 or 30 rounds testing, retesting and resighting-in, if the process doesn't go as planned.

416Tanzan,
You have a good handle on this.
The few walnut-stocked, factory-barreled, CZ 550 Magnum rifles I have left (most got rebarreled to wildcats, and the rest rechambered anyway)
still have the F-block in them, though it is mostly covered with epoxy bedding in the barrel channel, and the ferrule, screw, and escutcheon are still in the forearm too.

When I use the factory walnut or laminated wood stock on a re-barrel, the forearm screw threads are cut off short and bedded in epoxy under the barrel channel,
so it looks normal, just acts as a filler screw.

Any custom barrel, whether with secondary recoil lug or not, does not get engaged with a forearm screw.

I did have a .458/.338 Lapua once that was done with a re-chamber of the factory .458 Win barrel and the walnut stock. On that one I got rid of the F-block and just beddded the remnant CZ barrel lug in the forearm with a hidden crossbolt. Cut off the forearm screw there.
So it was essentially like the Aramid/Kevlar stock pictured above.
It shot well but was re-barreled to another wildcat for other reasons of wildcatting emergency "needs."
It was my second .458/.338 Lapua, and I still have a custom-barreled one in that wildcat chambering.

That steel F-block in the forearm weighs about 2.5 ounces and works somewhat to balance the thin-barreled CZs like on their .458s.
Add the screw, ferrule, and escutcheon and subtract the weight of walnut they displace, and I bet they add close to 3 ounces to muzzle balance.

So, if your walnut stocked .416 Rigby is shooting well as is, congratulations.
I cannot say for sure whether it would be better/more weather-immune to impact point changes, etc., if you change it.
But I would say cover the inside of the barrel channel with epoxy bedding. That could help.
Tight from primary recoil lug to barrel lug, free-float beyond that.
But I have some that are full contact all the way to forend tip, most are free-floated in the barrel channel muzzleward beyond the barrel recoil lug.

If I have anymore walnut/laminate stocks done, they will be done like the factory Aramid bedding, with all forearm hardware non-integral to barrel removed, and a hidden crossbolt (under epoxy) in the forearm to back up the secondary recoil lug, bedded in epoxy.
One less bedding screw to fuss with is a good thing.

As long as they are not "broke" I will not "fix" the ones I have been learning on.
If the forearm screw is functional, I torque it to about 30 inch-pounds for starters, instead of 60 inch-pounds on the action screws with pillar bedding.
That usually works well. Get it zeroed and keep check on it for consistency in torque.

My two 500 Mbogos are done similarly as your 500 ARN is. No functional forearm screw, but the screw and escutcheon are there as fillers.

Later I'll add some more pictures of the F-block beddings I still have and the custom barrel jobs with barrel recoil lugs.
... Looking for my screwdriver and camera now ...

quote:

If I have anymore done, they will be done like the factory Aramid bedding, with all forearm hardware non-integral to barrel removed, and a hidden crossbolt (under epoxy) in the forearm to back up the secondary recoil lug, bedded in epoxy.
One less bedding screw to fuss with is a good thing.

Thanks, RIP, that is good to know.

It is essentially what I have done with the Ruger 500 ARNyati, hidden crossbolt with epoxy bedding of the forearm barrel lug.

I do add some sideline allthreads that go back to a second crossbolt at the beginning of the barrel channel.

Anyway, it seems to shoot and doesn't seem to need the extra sliding forearm screw. CZ apparently confirms this with their Aramid stock design.

Next thing you know, we'll be shooting our Safari 500s with a second hand wrapped around a rear sandbag, just like the benchrest guys.
Just kidding. IN the field I need to hold on to the forearm so the rifle is available for a rapid second shot should the need ever arise.

A couple of factory rifles, CZ 550 Magnum .375 H&H, re-chambered to 378 Wby and .375 Wby, glass bedded in the factory walnut,
preserving all the original barrel and forearm hardware (these are ballistic machines, not pinky finger extenders):

This rifle was re-chambered from .375 H&H to 378 Wby in 2000 AD.
It has been worked on by two different gunsmiths plus minor touches by me,
so I am not telling whom to blame for any of this:

















First there was the "Selous Side Plate" and then came the "Aagaard Cross Bolt":





Target from the year Y2K, the only powder charge I have tried in this rifle, having found it good in a previous 22"-barreled 378 Wby with any 300-grainer tried.
This the Sierra 300-grain GameKing bullet from the 25" CZ barrel::



Note the above rifle has full contact barrel bedding, not free-floated. Maybe it would shoot better with free-floating beyond the recoil lug and playing with the forearm screw torque?


To be continued ...

The straightforward re-chamber of a CZ .375 H&H factory rifle to .375 Wby:























Year 2005 AD completion and testing with the GSC FN bullets that generate low barrel friction/low pressure for a given charge.
Maybe the powder lot was slow and higher velocity could be had by using a different powder,
either more H4350 or switch to RL-17:





Above rifle has barrel free-floated beyond the secondary recoil lug on the barrel.
Bedding uses no epoxy in the barrel channel distal to the F block which is only covered over at its proximal end.
This is not quite as "minimalistic" as the bedding of the "Aramid" stock with no F block
but we are getting close when we rebarrel a CZ 550 Magnum with a walnut or laminate stock and throw away the F block ...

The chubby American, the style of stock that started this thread, F block discarded for custom barrel:







































Laminated birch is only as strong as its strongest layer and some help is needed to prevent splitting.
I trust properly grained walnut more than birch laminate.
But it is just so much easier to use an "Aramid" stock on a hard kicker.
Nowadays I would just forget the secondary barrel recoil lug and use the Aramid stock for a 500 Mbogo.
All my old laminate and walnut stocks properly done up have served well, and do have sentimental/nostalgic value that is not based on beauty, other than of an avant garde sort.
And that reminds me of the other 500 Mbogo still in a rather plain "Euro" Lux hogback walnut stock ...

500 Mbogo No. 2, another good reason to use the Aramid stock:

quote:

Laminated birch is only as strong as its strongest layer and some help is needed to prevent splitting.
I trust properly grained walnut more than birch laminate.
But it is just so much easier to use an "Aramid" stock on a hard kicker.
Nowadays I would just forget the secondary barrel recoil lug and use the Aramid stock for a 500 Mbogo.
All my old laminate and walnut stocks properly done up have served well, and do have sentimental/nostalgic value that is not based on beauty, other than of an avant garde sort.
And that reminds me of the other 500 Mbogo still in a rather plain "Euro" Lux hogback walnut stock ...

RIP,

Have you ever had a laminated stock split? I would be very surprised to see one fail.

The lamination process uses both heat and pressure, the result being a stock that's very dense and stable. At least as stable in fact as most synthetic stocks though heavier which on a heavy kicker isn't at all bad.

quote:

Originally posted by Cougarz:

quote:

Laminated birch is only as strong as its strongest layer and some help is needed to prevent splitting.
I trust properly grained walnut more than birch laminate.
But it is just so much easier to use an "Aramid" stock on a hard kicker.
Nowadays I would just forget the secondary barrel recoil lug and use the Aramid stock for a 500 Mbogo.
All my old laminate and walnut stocks properly done up have served well, and do have sentimental/nostalgic value that is not based on beauty, other than of an avant garde sort.
And that reminds me of the other 500 Mbogo still in a rather plain "Euro" Lux hogback walnut stock ...

RIP,

Have you ever had a laminated stock split? I would be very surprised to see one fail.

The lamination process uses both heat and pressure, the result being a stock that's very dense and stable. At least as stable in fact as most synthetic stocks though heavier which on a heavy kicker isn't at all bad.

Yes I have had a laminate stock fail, on a 470 Mbogo.
It split behind the tang, a straight back separation of a lamination, despite a pillar bedding and adequate tang relief.

I am not alone in having laminates split on hard kickers.
Laminates need to have everything possible done to reinforce them against recoil.
Epoxy does not permeate through each layer of wood in a laminate. The laminate can still split within a lamination.
A walnut laminate would be better than a birch laminate, eh?
I have never had a synthetic fail on a hard kicker, including a lot of shooting with a 500 A2 in a McMillan, now rebarreled to .500/.338 Lapua Magnum improved, and several other 500's, one in another McMillan and two others in the B&C Medalist-type stocks built like the CZ Aramid stock.
I do believe 500 Mbogo No. 1 is built with a barrel contour that would fit right into the CZ Aramid stock.
That barrel was made by Harry McGowen himself, before he sold the company to Montana folks.
He used the standard CZ contour. The integral "dog nut" on the barrel is apparently how all the CZ integral recoil lugs start out before they are machined into factory CZ configuration for sight base and recoil lug.

I have been often amused when non-gun-nut people see the laminated stock on 500 Mbogo and think it is some kind of fancy, high-grade wood.
It evokes oohs and ahhs that a strong-grained, minimally-figured, solid piece of walnut will not. It happened in 2010 in Tanzania when the cameraman made idle chit-chat during a lull in the action.

Courgarz,
if you follow on the "500 Acc Rel ... Throat" thread you may see that I have split TWO laminate stocks on my 500 AccRel Nyati. I'm on my third stock and very happy that it has not cracked [yet].

The first stock had cross bolts so I assumed that I did not need to bed the main lug for load development. WRONG. See pics:

The split at the tang and in the bridge material between the magazine well and trigger hollow is slightly visible in the first pic:


So I did a follow up bedding to the main recoil area, hoping that a split on the tang was only cosmetic if I fixed the main area.

But no, the main area gave way after a few more shots as is seen in the next pix:

After:

The dark line at the bottom of the recoil lug retainer surface is a crack, as well as the white/gray line along flat surface where it attaches to the side of the stock.


I ordered a second, new laminate stock. This time I bedded the barrel lug before load testing and added some cross lugs,
Before:
Barrel lug bedding illustrated with stock number 2:

but alas, it, too,:


With the second stock you can see the main recoil area cracking and sliding into the magazine, despite factory cross bolts and a bedded barrel lug. It had a 4 1/2" 1/4 all thread epoxied through the tang area down throw the wrist.
So the wrist held, but a third stock needed to be ordered.



The third Boyd's stock received a pin down from the tang into the wrist, too.
An extra, hidden, cross bolt was epoxied into the main recoil lug area despite the factory cross bolt. Then the main area was epoxied.
The beginning of the barrel channel had a hidden cross bolt epoxied into place that supported two all threads epoxied along the bottom sides of the barrel channel up to the barrel recoil lug area.
That area had another hidden all thread cross bolt epoxied into place and the barrel lug was then epoxy-bedded after the main lug area had been bedded.

With that I was finally ready to test fire the new stock and it has held. Finally.

FYI: the 500AccRel Nyati was shooting loads ranging from 6000 ftlbs to 7000 ftlbs.

Factory cross bolts/reinforcements:


Main lug bedding with the preparation for the barrel lug bedding


Barrel lug bedding illustrated from stock number 2:


(Stock number three barrel lug bedding looks similar but I do not have a picture of it.)

Below is the third stock handling the recoil:


The important point is that stock number three is standing up to the stress after seriously reinforcing the primary stress areas.

The reward is a nice group:

I was hoping 416Tanzan would chip in here.
He now has pretty much a full metal endoskeleton, getting close to like found in the "Aramid."
Laminates do work, with a lot of work.