A buddy and I are considering a trip to Alaska in 2011 to gun for black bear. I can't think of a better excuse to buy a new gun and have pretty much decided on the Ruger M77 All Weather in .358 Winchester. It comes with a synthetic stock and in my old age ( I just turned 30 ) I am starting to prefer the look of wood over synthetic. How weather resistant are the laminated stocks from say Boyd's or Richard's? I have a Richard's on my .416 and it seems like the finish is pretty resistant but I'm not sure if it's a factory finish or not. If I go the laminated route I'll probably most likely choose Boyd's. Would they hold up to the constant rain with out absorbing much moisture?

I've been using regular walnut for 40 years here. Just make sure it sealed and use Johnsons auto paste wax on the steel.
But if you want a new gun have at it.

IMO, laminated stocks are too shiny and on bright sunny days can reflect sunlight for a long ways.

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Originally posted by Kusko:
IMO, laminated stocks are too shiny and on bright sunny days can reflect sunlight for a long ways.

Thanks and thats something to consider. The un I'm buying is stainless so I'm not to concerned with reflection right now. Just more curious if they absorb water or can swell if wet or if anyone has had experience with laminates in inclement weather.

I thought lamenated would be a good answer for me too since I like the look of wood but haveing been a guide here in AK for 31 years now I have had the oppertunity to observe my contemporaries useing them and I have seen three of them delamenate over the years. My take is there not what there cracked up to be.

Wood works fine up here and I don't mind a little effort maintaining them but if you want bomb proof skip the laminate and go for synthetic.

Thanks Akshooter! I guess I'll deal with plastic then...

I agree that wood works just fine up here. At the end of the day, I would rather have a nice wood stock with a few dings than a piece of scratched plastic. I am slowly selling off my synthetic guns. My two cents...

I hate laminated stocks. If a piece of wood is good enough to make a stock out of, i.e. quality wood with proper grain flow, then you make a stock out of it. Seal the wood with epoxy and it will be utterly stable.

If the wood isn't good enough to make a stock out of it, cut it up in thin pieces and add a bunch of glue to it. So you end up with something much heavier than a single piece of wood, and it you aren't starting out with quality wood.

Give me real worod or plastic, you can keep the laminations.

Gonna try this again. I've worked with laminations when I built hardwood furniture. A laminated piece of wood, when properly done is stonger and more stable than a solid piece of the same dimensions. This of course is an advantage in furniture making. Several of the most important requirements in a lamination is using enough of the proper glue, proper curing and using laminations with no voids (knot holes) between the pieces. To do a laminated stock, one of the requirements for the glue would be something water resistant - the West System epoxy comes to mind here.
At any rate, my .338 WM Ruger has a laminated stock. I would guess but don't know for certain that the stock does weigh slightly more than one from solid wood. Normally, laminated wood does weigh more than an equivalent solid piecee of the same species. For my .338, it's not a big concern - helps with the recoil. I will admit that in wet/rainy weather, 1 or maybe 2 of the laminates begin to feather out slightly and the stock does expand slightly. I notice this dimensional change when comparing it to the ribber recoil pad. None of this has really concerned me but I've never shot it in that condition at extended ranges to compare changes in impact. I attribute the condition to inadequate gluing, perhaps inadequate curing, and inadequate sealing. A laminated stock when properly done, has to be stronger and more stable than one made from solid wood.
Personally, were I to make a laminated stock for myself, I'd use sequential laminates from the same flitch and I would not use contrasting woods. That's me tho. It beats me as to why the firearms companies insist on using contrasting woods on their laminated stocks - they just look "loud" to me. This above is just FYI. I think if you wanted a laminated stock, you should get one. I should add that the stock is more "slippery" in my hands when wearing gloves.
Bear in Fairbanks

Thanks all! I think I am going to go with laminate. I emailed Boyds and they said if I buy a finished stock from them its sealed and I won't have to worry.

Laminated stocks are vastly superior to o f wood stocks for toughness . but they will split lengthwise with sufficient recoil / bedding problems . . my wifes laminated stocked 308 has been in ALOT of rain / snow and salt water . . I have never taken the time to seal it properly and it hasn,t delaminated , . I personally prefer the look of laminated stocks as I have broke plenty of wood stocks . and a broke stocked rifle don,t work when you need it to work .... The Boyds JRS laminate stock on my 9.3 has a very tough coat of auto clear top coat .Like 6 or 7 coats .... and lots of other neat things done to it and it is the single favorite stock that I own .... It it the only stock I didn,t need to modify to get the rifle to fit me .... ..

I do most of my hunting with a stainless rifle that wears a Mark Bansner's synthetic stock. Years ago I picked up an old pre-64 Mod. 70 .375 H&H with a 21.5" barrel and a McMillan stock. Other then that everything is blue steel and walnut. I just make sure the wood is sealed up good and keep a coat of wax on it when hunting. I would think one of those laminated stocks from Serengeti would be about as tough as it gets short of an aluminum stock.

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I've been using regular walnut for 40 years here

Mike, remind me to never buy a used rifle from you!!!!

carnold- I would not worry too much, if any, about delamination. The fellas up in AK use their rifles a lot more and subject them to a lot more abuse than those of us in the lower 48.

Perhaps there is an occasional case of delamination; I have never heard of them. How frequently are you going to be hunting AK? Not likely that you are going to face the potential problem if you are the avg lower 48 hunter, infrequently going to AK or Canada.

As for the glare of the finish, you can dull the finish with fine steel wool. Also depends on the maker; my sheep rifle, a 6 5/8 lb M700 Rem. Mtn. Lt. .270 Win.(SS barrelled action) has a satin finish lam. stock. Used it on two sheep hunts in AK and Canada. No problem. Love not having to worry about rust or warpage of stock.

My first sheep hunt I used my walnut stocked, blued Mauser FN. I painted the metal and worried about warpage during the hunt. (The thing was butt ugly.) When I got home I had to clean off the paint. It was a chore; never again. Next sheep hunt I had the new rifle above. (The paint idea I read about in one of my reference books.)

Yes, there are preventive/protective things you can do to a blued/wood stocked rifle, but if you can afford it, I like the convenience and peace of mind which comes with SS & synthetics/laminates for tough weather. I too am a great admirer of the aesthetics of a nice piece of walnut combined with blued steel but they do have their shortcomings.

i think it was parker that told me a laminated ruger swelled up, but i think it was the exception, wood is quieter but a mcmillan is pretty much foolproof the only noise i notice is plastic rubbing on your coat buttons which probably doesnt make any difference . ive gotten over a gun lookin brand new when i die some jackass will get some well used guns the only way they will be worth anythin is if i die famous

A laminate wood stock is stronger than plastic, and can be stronger than fiberglass.

They are heavier, and will change the way a rifle recoils, as they don't flex as much as fiberglass.

However, I don't think it's possible unless you are hanging it off the side of the boat for water to penatrate through the epoxy and soak the wood.

If you had 4 stocks and all had the same solid material properties then fiberglass would be the heaviest and the strongest.

But fiberglass stocks are made as shells with the only part that is solid is the tang, wrist, and reciever area.

I never had any problems with wood stocks that were sealed well. Be sure to treat the barrel channel, entire action inlet, and under the grip cap and buttplate or recoil pad. If the action and barrel channel are glass bedded, you won't have any trouble there.

"Laminated" is the bees knees; at least that's what I'm telling myself and it had better be! I have a new Sako Kodiak in 338WM and Wayne (over at AHR) is putting the finishing touches on a CZ550 in 375 H&H, both with laminated stocks.
I tend to over-research everything; all of that excessive research sent me directly to laminated over synthetic or solid wood for wet, ugly climates (read tons-of-fun kinda climate).
In all honesty; I think they will all perform admirably if properly cared for - BOTTOM-LINE; get what makes you feel right and you WILL take care of it. . . Just my experience. Thanks for listening. . . Dave

I've yet to see a failure with a McMillan,though I have with wood of all flavors(including laminate).

I'm no laminate fan for a hard use rifle,because I've broken too many,though I'm hip on the beavertail VLS for building a Budget Blaster for giggles.