Wood stock in wet weather and extreme elements

[bamban]

Would a couple of layers or so of Polyurethane be a good wood sealant?

 

[Old Rooster]

Bamban is right,seal the finish and no problems.
You also need to seal the finish in the barrel channel but first make sure you have proper clearance and if you are sure you do seal it and all will be fine.
I shoot and have owned and shot wood stocked rifles all my life and no problems.
Watch out for Bell&Carlson stocks as they have that aluminum block that does not absorb the rearward energy but increases it big time.
I have one for my 300 Weatherby Mag and it will cross your eyes when you shoot it.I took the Bell&Carlson back off and put that stupid Butler Creek bedded stock back on and way better to shoot.
I like Manners stocks better than MacMillan.

 

[ntsqd]

If the current stock is something that you want to save then Id also suggest getting a Boyd's stock and having it bedded. It comes sealed, something that lot of OEM wood stocks really are not. As others are saying, the whole inletting and barrel channel on older wood stocks is rarely finished or sealed. I've no idea why not, but it needs to be for wet weather.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

@ Threej's,..
Sounds to me like, BrentM, KNOWS what, to "do" !
You might want to, PM him and discuss,.. the subject / Price !

 

[AggieHunter]

Try Pam at AG Composite's in Alabama. I have 2 of their stocks and are easy to work with. Also you could go to the website called Stocky's ad see what they have.

 

[bamban]

Prior to the M16/AR15 and the McMillan and laminated stocks for service rifles, you will see a bunch of wood stocked rifles at Perry and other ranges with Polyurethane finish on them.

In service rifle matches, we shot in the rain unless there is thunder and lightning.

 

[skipglo]

When I was 16 a gunsmith had a 300 wm Parker Hale that the stock split right behind the bolt. It was new but for some reason he did not want to send it back. He talked me into buying it cheap and letting him glass bed the stock. I used that rifle for years taking deer, elk, coyotes and rabbits etc. in other words I carried it every where and shot everything on or around our Wyoming ranch.

Oh, I was 16 in 1973. I still have the rifle and would not hesitate to take it anywhere for a moose or elk.

My 2c.

Gosh...you just admitted to being older than dirt! Oh I was 16 in 1972...lmao

 

[orkan]

There is a marked difference between the "works for me" advice, and the "to ensure best possible chances of the highest outcome" advice. Everyone would do well to remember this when soliciting advice on the internet.

 

[skipglo]

I have a really nice sako 338 that I want to use moose hunting. But it's a wood stock. A new McMillan is going to run me $1400 by the time it's totally done. Is there anything I can do to be able to just use the wood stock? Can I get it pillared and bedded and be good to go?

A good wood oil costs 15.00! For the first 200-300 years of gun making...all stocks were wood! Shoot it use IT the way it is for SEVERAL YEARS...! When it's all marked-up and battle weary...replace it. It probably is pillared already....All my first rifles were of course wooden stocks as well. And I guided and outfitted with Jet boats on the Athabasca River in Alberta...moisture, rain, snow - 15 degree nights...guns all worked just fine! Wood oil! 15.00

 

[RD57]

I love hunting with my wood stock rifles. Most have been pillar and glass bedded by myself. A few have been also refinished with Laurel Mountain Permalyn which even withstands modern gun solvents. I also wax all my wood stocks with Renaissance Wax. The Renaissance wax really does an excellent job protecting the wood & finish, good enough to use an old wood stocked 12 ga Winchester for turkey hunting in the spring. The wax does a good job on protecting the metal as well.

 

[Mike Matteson]

You should bed the action. Float the barrel. Then seal it for weather. (Note some rifles want forearm pressure) Me being left handed I have had to build my own stocks. I generally get wood stock partly let in for the action I using. The other is I am long armed and require a longer stock from trigger to back of stock (14-1/4"). The rest is slow and you need tools to do it. I presently looking at Boydsgunstocks.com for my new Howa LA rifle being built for me. The Boyd stocks are built for that action. Now I haven't used one yet, but going to. Getting a wood stock to let in is a lot of work and tools. Can they be sealed yes. I hunt in -20 to 100_ degree weather. Never had a wood stock fail me. I took the time to seal the stock. Outside finish was True-Oil. It takes time get a high gloss finish. I have then painted the stock to camo it. That way if I want to go back to a natural finish I could sand and True-Oil the stock back to natural. I don't like plastic stocks and seen problem with them.

 

[VTbluegrass]

Get some Renaissance Wax. You'll take the barreled action out and rub a very light coast into the whole thing. Its like Franks hot sauce "I put that s@%$ on everything". All wood and blued or stainless metal.

 

[LaHunter]

I have a really nice sako 338 that I want to use moose hunting. But it's a wood stock. A new McMillan is going to run me $1400 by the time it's totally done. Is there anything I can do to be able to just use the wood stock? Can I get it pillared and bedded and be good to go?

There are several excellent options other than McMillan for synthetic stocks. I have had great performance with HS Precision, and they are WAY less $$ than McMillan.

 

[LRNut]

See if Boyds has a laminated stock option for your Sako. I have several of their stocks and really like them as a drop in stock. They may benefit from some bedding depending on your rifle. If you sent them the rifle, I am pretty sure they could custom make a stock for you. Call their customer service for more info; they are really helpful. boydsgunstocks.com

Exactly what I was thinking - laminated stocks are pretty impervious to moisture. My Edge came with one and I was going to replace it with a McM, but why bother? Shoots great - why take a chance? That said, I also have a Boyd's stock for my .416 RM, but I have never put it on because the walnut stock I have shoots great (was bedded with glass).