Hi
I've always loved the look and feeling of walnut,but I have heared that laminated is much stronger and not sensible to humidity and climate change as walnut. please give me your expertise.
best regards
Danny

Laminated wood(plywood) is stronger than another wood at the same thickness, it is also heavier. Laminated gunstocks can be almost as attractive as some walnut, and is stronger and more stable than the average piece of walnut. The downside is it is also heavier. A good grade of walnut, with pillar bedding, and sealed real well, with an oil finish that is "in" the wood, and not "on" the wood, is also very stable under all but the extreme conditions.

some of the new laminates are the same weight as walnut. I got a laminate stock from Boydts and was suprised how lite it was

I have four laminated walnut stocks from Artistry in Wood, Mel Smart, Kalispell, Montana, 406-257-9003. The stocks making process they use is patented. I found them to be extremely strong and will not change with temperature and humidity. They are laminated vertically instead of horizontally and, therefore, give you the appearance of a regular walnut stock. My stocks are beautiful to look at as you buy the grade of wood you want laminated. I have not found these stocks to be any heavier than a regular walnut stock.

This stock has about five pieces of wood laminated. The center laminates are chosen for color(to match the outside wood) and strength. They glue these and cure them under a high preasure press. When they are done they appear to be one piece of wood. You will notice the laminates length wise under the floor plate, pistol grip to the butt stock. You will also see them run down the comb of the stock.

I highly recommend these stocks.

On the contrary several years ago Fagen went to a laminate that was made from very thin layers of wood glued together like plywood. These stocks are strong but are heavy and the wood in each layer is not quality wood. This wood is so thin that it splinters easily.

Steve

[This message has been edited by Santala (edited 04-27-2001).]

Hi Danny
I have a laminated stock on my savage 112
Wouldnt get another one!
The biggest difference I found was that the laminated stock chipped rather than dented as would be the case for a walnut stock.
Depending on what your rifle is going to be used for should determine what stock it has,ie if you are going to be in and out of your vehicle on a regular basis with it buy a synthetic,if you are going to be using it as a hunting rifle then go for a walnut,
if you want it to look pretty, choose another sport.
Griff

I've never used Mel Smart's laminates that Steve recommends, but I have used laminated stocks of the plywood variety. I had a custom rifle built with this sort of stock, and the gunmaker finished it with some sort of Tung oil preparation. It looked good, and it worked in dry weather very well. HOWEVER..........

I took this rifle on a late season goat hunt in British Columbia. Two days of wet snow washed out the finish, and the stock began to delaminate. The grain raised considerably, and I had a disfunctional, ugly mess on my hands.

I refinished it myself over a period of several months with Flecto Varathane Plastic oil. I must have applied at least fifty coats, wet-sanding back to the surface after every second coat. I finally had the pores filled after a heck of a lot of effort, then I applied three light build-up coats and let the stock cure for a couple of months.

I came to the conclusion that plywood-type laminated stocks absolutely must have the most rock-solid, weatherproof surface finish possible applied that really keeps moisture out or you're likely to see trouble, especially in wet weather. It also has to be thoroughly sealed on the inside as well as under the recoil pad or your're also likely to see trouble. This sort of finish will also help minimize splintering and chipping, which is (as has been mentioned) another very real drawback with this sort of stock.

Truthfully, I'd rather have stocks of good French walnut or else a fiberglass job from McMillan. I might try a Mel Smart laminate sometime, but the plywood laminates have put a sour taste in my mouth that won't go away.

AD

RChapura, Which Boyd's stock did you get? I've been thinking of getting the JRS to restock a BDL sporter, but don't want it if it's clubby or heavy. I'm looking for somethong like a Remington mountain rifle stock. Any thoughts?

I bought a Boyds JRS Classic for a 700 Rem .35 Whelen and it was clubby (like early Ruger 77's) and heavy (almost 3#). I bought the unfinished one which was fully inletted just not final sanded and finished. I shortened the forearm, hollowed the butt and reshaped and slimmed everything else and dropped the weight to 34 oz. Now it is perfect for me.

Matt I got the target style stock for my rifle. It has a very strait pistol grip and thick fore end. I am going to try it for NRA high power shooting.

I have had three laminated stocks on rifles, my NRA Highpower gun, a .280 Remington, and my current .450 Watts. The Watts is too new to me to tell, but the other two have gone through all sorts of weather without a problem. If you buy a good one, they are great, and I've never had the other kind.

I use only walnut stocks of Bavarian type on all my rifles, from 300WinMag to 223Rem. and I'm fully satisfied.
P.K.