I am planning an all-weather rifle in .358 STA using a Stainless CRF barreled action with a Black-T finish and a Leupold 1.75x6 or 2.5x8 scope, but hate the noise and feel of synthetic stocks. I know that a laminated stock is heavier than a synthetic and can live with that, as I am aiming for 8-1/2 pounds with scope. I would like to hear about experiences with laminated stocks in wet, nasty weather.

I have had laminated stocks(Winchester factory, Serrengeti/Acrabond, Bishop) on four rifles, but my experience is limited to intermitant exposure to wet, not days of continuous rain.

Please include details on performance, stock brands, and the finish used.

Thanks,

Dave

I haven't found the laminated stocks to by any stronger than normal woods stocks and more prone to splitting along glue lines in the laminate. A good kevlar bases synthetic is much better on a foul weather gun than any laminate. I dislike the injection molded plastic stocks that come on most factory rifles, they are flimbsy and hollow sounding, but a good synthetic stock is a whole different thing altogether.

PS.
sounds like it will be a great rifle once you get it done.

Dave; How ya been. I have 2 stocks from Serrengeti and they are great. 1 on a 416 Rem Mag and 1 on a 375H&H that has been my guide gun for about 6 years now. The 375 stock is looking a little used but only from days of carry. The laminate is holding up great. This gun has seen days on end of foul weather. And much of it on the costal brown bear hunts. If ya want to see it come over to the house. I know you will be over my way because Sportsmans warehouse is open now. And you and I were going to look at O/U shotguns.. Talk to ya soon Marc

Marc:

Thanks for the feedback. The Serrengeti would be my preference, as they don't have that plywood look. I'll give you a call.

Dave

Dave,
I've been using one of the Serengeti's on my 300 H&H. I've hunted it in some horrid weather and don't see any issues yet. Last year it went from the sheep mountains/glaciers/rain/sleet on a two week sheep hunt then was at home for a few weeks, then to Zim where it was dry and hot (mid Sept early Oct). No problems with accuracy, strength, laminations or aesthetics.

Dave

My personal opinion of laminated stocks is, if the wood is good enough to make a stock out of, you don't cut it up and glue it back together. If the would isn't good enough to make a stock out of w/o cutting it up to make a stock, then it still isn't good enough to make a good stock, and just got heavier with the added glue.

The key to a stable stock is a good grain flow and impregnating the stock with epoxy to seal it. You have to make the stock from a blank to have clean wood to seal with epoxy, that done it'll be stable in the wettest weather.

If you don't want to dish out for a good wood blank, and they can be very expensive, then go plastic. To me laminate is the worst of all worlds.

A synthetic stock is a lot like a leather hunting shirt; it is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I've used both laminates and synthetics. Like most all else in life, you get what you pay for. A cheap sythetic is a piece of plastic junk and a cheap laminate isn't any better than plywood.

Counting the good stuff, I prefer the laminate. It is waterproof enough for me to hunt in the rainforests of SE AK for weeks on end, then go to AZ or Africa without warping or otherwise changing. In the cold, a laminate isn't as big a shock to the face as is a synthetic, and in the sunny heat it doesn't fry my face.

I suspect that the differences are mostly personal preference; either will work. IMHO, the laminate just works a bit better

Guys:

Thanks for the feedback. I have decided to go the laminated route using an Obeche wood blank. I am still looking for a good pattern.

Dave