Laminate Stock Questions???

[BucknRut]

I’ve done lots of looking, but have failed to find any info on laminated stocks. I am looking to buy a new .300 and I am eyeing up the Tikka T3. I like the feel of the Laminated Stock a lot better than the Synthetic Stock. It just feels a lot more balanced to me. The weight difference is not that significant, mere ½ lb in the magnum models. The LS weighs in at 6 13/16 lbs and the SS at 6 3/8 lbs. One feller told me to drill a hole in one side of the synthetic stock, pour some lead in it to balance it out and fill the rest of the cavity with expandable foam…anyone ever heard of this? If the Laminated will hold up just the same, I would rather carry that.

So my question is how do laminated stocks hold-up/react in the weather and what pros and cons do you all have for me concerning laminate and synthetic stocks. I am open to all opinions and criticisms so don’t hold anything back.

Thanks in advance,
bnr

 

[FALCON]

Laminate

Laminate

BR:

I have a Winchester model 70 270 with a laminate stock. I live in Western Washington. I am not sure if it is the rain capital of the world, but it has to be right up there. lol That laminate stock is really tough, and will hold up to rain and some rough treatment.

 

[8x57 Mauser]

My brother's .300 Win. Mag. has a laminate stock. When he bought it, a fellow customer at the gun shop told him, "Laminate is still wood, and it'll swell, and it'll freeze, and it'll crack."

My brother carried that rifle around Baranof Island for a week in pouring, driving rain and noticed no problems whatsoever. I don't know if he's taken it out in the cold, but if it didn't soak up water in Southeast, it isn't going to have much trouble up North.

As for drilling and filling a synthetic stock... What would be the goal? Synthetic stocks are desirable in part (to those who desire them at all) because they're lighter. What am I missing?

 

[bizymocha]

Laminate stock

Laminate stock

I would certainly carry a laminate stock before walnut. Walnut looks good but will show all the hunting wear you give it. A wet environment is potentially not conducive to walnut staying straight. It may, but why take that chance.
Obviously a synthetic/kevlar stock is the most weatherproof but if you like the look of laminate, it should work fine. Its a good compromise between looks and totally weatherproof.

 

[BucknRut]

Not looking to impress anyone...

Not looking to impress anyone...

I would certainly carry a laminate stock before walnut. Walnut looks good but will show all the hunting wear you give it. A wet environment is potentially not conducive to walnut staying straight. It may, but why take that chance.
Obviously a synthetic/kevlar stock is the most weatherproof but if you like the look of laminate, it should work fine. Its a good compromise between looks and totally weatherproof.

...unless I am showing them my target or my kill. I've got all of the "pretty guns" I need (for the moment anyway). I could care less about the looks for this rifle, so long as it will hold up to everything I put it through. I care for my equipment, but I also hunt hard and I am looking for a gun that will stand up to the elements and abuse. I've read a few horror stories of synthetic stocks shattering in cold or cracking from the impact against a sharp rock...makes me nervous. Anyone know of a good aftermarket synthetic or kevlar stock made for the T3? Maybe I could switch it out.

BNR

 

[Paul H]

As a friend and I have concluded, if you start with good wood, you don't need to cut it up into thin layers and glue it back together. Which is another way of saying, laminated stocks are made out of cheap wood, and a bunch of glue to hold it together. To me laminated stocks have the worst attributes of wood and synthetics. A lamintated stock will get just as dinged up as a walnut stock, likely more so due to the type of wood used to make them, but they are so ugly you don't notice it. To me the laminates are way too heavy.

If you find the synthetic stocked rifle doesn't balance right, you can also add some lead to balance it out.

I use both synthetic and walnut stocked rifles, and they both work great. Properly sealed walnut will not move, but the factory wood stocks don't fit that catagory. A good synthetic stock provides a solid stable platform for a rifle. Many of the cheap production "tupperware" stocks are too flimsy in the forearm, yet still produce reasonable accuracy.

 

[BucknRut]

Drilling and filling??

Drilling and filling??

As for drilling and filling a synthetic stock... What would be the goal? Synthetic stocks are desirable in part (to those who desire them at all) because they're lighter. What am I missing?

Thanks for the info!
Your missing the same thing I am missing I guess...balancing the thing out maybe, reducing recoil maybe??? Hey, I never said it was a good idea, just wondering if anyone else had heard of such a thing.

 

[RupertBear]

laminate

laminate

I've been using a laminate on my primary rifle for several years now and have no complaints at all. The first thing I did when I got the rifle was to pull the action and remove the bounce pad, then coat the butt and the barrel channel with a couple of coats of TruOil. The stock has lots of glue and sealant, but it is still wood and I didn't want to take any chances. Here in SE AK, it has held up with no swelling whatsoever in drenching downpours, day after day.

An advantage that I hadn't thought of until I used it was that it was warmer or cooler when I wanted it. Up in a late season arctic hunt, it was a lot warmer to my face than my hunting pardner's synthetic. Then, in Namibia, I found it didn't get nearly as hot in the African sun as did my wife's synthetic.

And, although scars of honest use don't bother me, I'm able to sand out and refinish the "minor" scratches that tough goat hunts seem to breed.

Yeah, go with the laminate.

 

[BucknRut]

Paul, I agree with everything you said. I have built furniture and worked with wood all my life, so I too uderstand the characteristics of wood and the makeup of laminate. My goal here is to get the most comfortable (and accurate) utility rifle I can. I am not saying I am wanting to do it, but you mentioned filling with lead...have you heard of or done this? If so, is the only purpose to balance it or is there more to it? What does it do to the strength of the stock? Thanks for the input.

RupertBear, I planned on sealing it over first thing if I decide to go with it. I hadn't thought of the temp difference either - makes sense. Thanks for the input.

bnr

 

[Paul H]

The only reason to add lead is to change the balance of the stock, or to make the stock heavier to dampen recoil. It does nothing for the strength of the stock, and if you have to remove signifigant wood, would decrease the strength. That said, a 300 mag doesn't dish out enough to recoil to have to worry about the stock coming apart.

Personally I like synthetic stocks for rough duty use. The downsides are they are typically louder than a wood stock when scraping through brush, and some of them can be on the flimsy side, paticularly the inection molded ones. That said I have a couple of inection molded stocks, and have no problems shooting very tight groups with the rifles. I haven't hunted in extreme cold, but yes there is the chance that such stocks could shatter, but we're talking -40 and below, in which case my motivation for being oustide tends to drop rather quickly.

 

[BucknRut]

Thanks Paul,
I think I will look into aftermarket synthetics and see if I can find something that suits my needs, unless of course someone has some good things to say about Tikka's synthetic stock. I don't know enough about synthetics to make a good judgement on them, I will have to get back to the books on this one. Thanks for all the help!
BNR

 

[Magnum Man]

Laminated is good

Laminated is good

I have A Ruger .300 with a laminate stock.
It rains all the the time here in the juneau area and the stock has held up to 3 seasons of rany fall weather and still looks good without an warpage.
I was on the beech in Barlow cove right after I bought the gun it december and snowing and i slipped on a large boulder and flailed. My rifle luanched like a missle about 12 ft in the air and landed on the rocks. the only damage was a 2 around dent in the fore arm by the sling mount. Im pretty sure a walnut stock would have been severely fractured in that case. I think they put enough glue in the laminate that water has a hard time penetrating and it makes the wood very strong.

 

[BucknRut]

Great Story!

Great Story!

Thanks for the story MM! That is the type of evidence and reasurance I am looking for. I know a lot about wood and you are right, they slop a ton of glue in that stuff. I have written Tikka and asked weather or not they used treated wood (they are a greenish/grey color, thought maybe),no reply yet. I plan on sealing that sucker on all surfaces, so not too worried about moisture.

 

[BucknRut]

Great Story!

Great Story!

Thanks for the story MM! That is the type of evidence and reasurance I am looking for. I know a lot about wood and you are right, they slop a ton of glue in that stuff. I have written Tikka and asked weather or not they used treated wood (they are a greenish/grey color, thought maybe),no reply yet. I plan on sealing that sucker on all surfaces, so not too worried about moisture.

 

[Thebear_78]

Laminated wood will split along glue lines. I had a tikka t3 laminate stainless in 338 win and it split the stock after less than a 100 rounds. THe tikka doesn't really have much of a recoil lug to speak of and it allows some movement in the stock.

 

[bizymocha]

Tikkas' Stocks

Tikkas' Stocks

BNR,
I think your concern over a Tikka stock shattering is overkill. I would be more concerned that the firing pin/spring were properly de-greased and functionable in extremely cold weather. The bottom line to the Tikka T3 Lite is that the overwhelming majority of those rifles shoot on par with very expensive custom rifles at a fraction of the cost.
While I detest detachable magazines and Tikka has a one action size to fit all, you can't argue with the holes in the paper target.

 

[BucknRut]

Ouch!

Ouch!

Laminated wood will split along glue lines.

Man that stinks. Did Tikka do anything for you? Did you end up turning to a synthetic?