Is it strictly a personal preference thing, or are there tangible pros and cons when comparing synthetic to laminated stocks?

The main thing is that only godless heathens use these fake stocks.

Weight is certainly a factor since most laminates are fairly heavy compared to most synthetics.

Weight and use when one uses and a abuses a stock one does not worry about a synthetic one.

I never worry about any of my synthetic stocks bang them , drop them, ect they just keep on going.

Now if I could only find one for my savage 99.

It has been said to me before that a laminate will be better than the milk jug type stocks as far as durability goes, in relation to being snapped etc. and that until you get to what I call real synthetic stocks such as McMillans etc. that laminates are better. Then maybe the McMillan and glass laid stocks are better then.

I have a few laminate stocked rifles.

Here's my .02 Schilingi worth:

Nothing is stronger. N.O.T.H.I.N.G!

They are still wood and feel like wood.

They are not impervious to weather, but damn near.

They can warp, regardless to popular beileif, fiberglass is better in a rainforrest hot or cold.

They are much more attractive if your a wood guy than plastic or fiberglass.

They are the heaviest thing to make a stock out of.

They don't flex during recoil, and will make a harder kicking rifle is they are too light.

Nothing is stiffer! Nothing!

They are the absolute devil to checker, inlet, install recoil pads on, and shape.

Sanding them is really tough.

They won't last forever, but they will be around when your injection molded tupperwear stock has returned back to oil, and your wood stock has turned to dust.

so that's strength

1. laminate
2. fiberglass
3. wood
4. injection molded

beauty

1. wood
2. laminate
3 fiberglass
4. injection molded

Climate stability

2 fiberglass
3. laminate
4. IM
5. wood

Heaviest weight
1 laminate
2. wood
3. IM
4. Fiberglass

Since mcmillan offers a lifetime guarantee against breakage,they obviously think that their stocks are more than strong enough for any hunting situation.The fact that I have seen a horse roll over one with no damage convinces me that they are strong enough.Since I buy my guns to hunt with,not to look at,beauty is not a factor to me.That leaves only stability in various climates in which case a high quality synthetic like mcmillan is the most stable.So for me the choice is a high quality synthetic.

On my one African hunt the high grade synthetic on my Ruger 77 got almost too hot to touch.

quote:

Originally posted by vigillinus:
On my one African hunt the high grade synthetic on my Ruger 77 got almost too hot to touch.

Now, that's something I wouldn't have thought of!

In cold I've found the synthetic stock will conduct heat from my hands to the rifle action melting snow on the steel. I find there is a great difference in wood and synthetic for my hands comfort in cold weather. Below zero I carry wood.

D99 put it well.

Nothing beats stability of a quality synthetic (tupperware IM stocks shouldn't even be referred to in the same breath). This is why Kenny Jarret says that would stocks don't belong on a rifle you want to be accurate. Christianson Arms are making stocks that you can drive over w/ a truck & the Brown Kevlar isn't far behind. Still not as strong as Laminate, but far stronger than any of us will ever need.

D. Miller uses laminates on his Marksman serious M70. No flies on these in the accuracy department. Of course, they are extremely heavy and he builds them for long range Coues deer hunting in DRY AZ.

I love the look & feel of wood and haven't tried the company that is making walnut w/ an aluminum bedding block (best of both worlds?), but when I have a elk, sheep or any other tag in a once in a lifetime hunt, but rifle will have a synthetic handle.

Many long-range competition shooters go with the marbled, synthetic McMillan stock. Apparently, they don't flex, warp, crack or vibrate when fired. Shooters in that discipline must have the best stock (among other things) they can get or they buy the beer after the shoot. I personally do not much like the marbled look; my rifle is on a black laminated stock with a tung oil finish.

Imhance has a valid point. I've noticed the same, as the temperatures get even close to freezing. I end up having to wear a glove on my trigger hand, or have it half frozen most of the day, and my left hand is colder even with a glove. On my mule deer hunt this year I packed a wood stocked 700 mtn rifle, and it was much more comfortable with temperatures down to about 10 degrees. Synthetics have their place, but everything has a price!