how well do laminate stocks hold up to nasty weather conditions(high humidity), as compared to regular wood stocks. i know that synthetic stocks are supposed to be impervious to the weather, but i'm starting to like the look of some of these laminated stocks. what i really want to know is how they hold up(warping etc). thanks!

If I remember correctly when I was at TSJC they were experimenting with the first laminated stocks. Used center walnut 1/2" or so with 3/8" maple then walnut then maple. Made pretty stocks. They laminated using Fosco from Foss lumber (same as Elmers glue I believe) they put samples on roof of shop and left for 2 years with no ply seperations. Todays resins and pressure laminates should be even better. Miller uses them in his Marksman stocks and that should be some reccomendation. I have one on a 375 that has been to Africa 6 times with NO problems except the shooter.Just put one of Brockmans on a 416 Brno to use this year.

I know about wood from Hoadley's book and can make some guesses about laminates.



Wood expands fairly linearly ~7% tangentially, ~4% radialy, and .1% longitudinally with changes in the equilibrium moisture content until the wood is saturated at ~30% content. The air humidity does not map onto the wood moisture content in linear way but in a "S" shaped transform.



Anyway, the laminate is made with layers sliced off a cylindrical log, so all the expansion in the plane of the layer is either the 7% or the .1% direction. All the expansion in the thickness of the layer is in the 4% direction.



Alternating grain directtion when laminating makes the laminate stock expand .1% in height or length, but 4% in width from bone dry oven baked to water logged. The % of the thickness that is the glue would reduce the 4% proportionally.



This would contrast with a wood stock that would expand 7% in height, 4% in width, and .1% in length.



Now that I think about it, that is not an important improvement. Maybe it is staying straight that is the advantage.



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