On wooden gunstocks...

[Slater]

Recently went rifle shopping with my brother-in-law, as he was looking for a new hunting rifle in .308. He settled on a Remington 783 with walnut stock and pre-mounted Vortex scope.

I mentioned that a polymer stock would probably be more weather resistant (not to mention a bit cheaper). He replied "No problem, I'll just put a couple coats of paste wax on the stock".

To me, paste wax is more suited to a coffee table than a gun stock but I suppose it would keep moisture out. Wouldn't the stock be somewhat slippery?



t

[Krazykarl]

The difficulty with most modern wooden Walnut stocks is lack of sealing oil in the end grain under the recoil pad. These rifles are also poorly protected in the barrel channel. Moisture will cause swelling in these areas and if the barrel is not free floated enough, rifle harmonics will suffer. Paste wax accomplishes nothing.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

I wouldn't say it does nothing....

http://reel3.com/images/2014/point-heart-break/Point-Heart-Break_13.jpg

Got my Point Break reference in during the first cup of coffee, brah!

[SomeOtherGuy]

Recently went rifle shopping with my brother-in-law, as he was looking for a new hunting rifle in .308. He settled on a Remington 783 with walnut stock and pre-mounted Vortex scope.
I mentioned that a polymer stock would probably be more weather resistant (not to mention a bit cheaper). He replied "No problem, I'll just put a couple coats of paste wax on the stock".
To me, paste wax is more suited to a coffee table than a gun stock but I suppose it would keep moisture out. Wouldn't the stock be somewhat slippery?
t

1) A Remington 783 probably doesn't have a real walnut stock. It might be birch if you're lucky, or Chinese mystery wood if not. Walnut has proven durable for centuries. Birch is a decent wood, but not as dense or durable as walnut. Birch is commonly used on US-made rifles of lower price points, like many Rugers and Savages. Chinese mystery wood is just that.

2) In theory wood has terrible problems with moisture and temperature fluctuations, but if it's decently cared for it doesn't tend to be that much of an issue. Not to harp on this but a Remington 783 is a bottom-barrel discount rifle, and even a cheap wood stock might last longer than some part of the 783 that effectively totals the gun.

3) Paste wax can be an option for a decent wood stock, and I'm sure it's been in regular use on gun stocks longer than most of us have been alive. It won't prevent water from penetrating if soaked, but it will make water bead and slow penetration.

4) Karl said moisture could get in at the buttpad end. Yes, and probably in many other places as well. Cheap wood stocks aren't thoroughly finished and the action inlet (part you don't see when action is installed) is often left rough, with either no finish or maybe a single spray of sealer or something. All wood really needs to be properly finished, and doing it right takes a bit of time and effort, and I don't think it can be automated.

tl;dr your instinct is right. Wood can be fine if properly finished, but it won't be on a $300 gun.

[tog]

Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlToim_s0c0

[AKDoug]

Having no clue where you live, it is really hard to answer. Some places are just plain dry and woods stocks work just fine. In reality the rifle will likely work just fine for you. My neighbor has an old Remington 788 with a cheap ass wood stock in .308.. He's killed 20 moose with it. It's accurate to "minute of moose" and most of his kills have been one shot deals. Just leave your brother alone and let him shoot it.

[crusader377]

Properly done quality wood stocks can last a very long time with minimum maintenance. I own five firearms that I either bought or inherited that are over 40 years old with wood stocks. All of them look great even though all of them have seen considerable use during the years.

[Slater]

This is the model he bought. I'm note sure of the difference between "real" and "fake" walnut, but it's advertised as walnut, The scope is a pre-mounted Vortex, which probably isn't exactly top quality either:

https://www.remington.com/rifles/bolt-action/model-783/model-783-walnut-w-scope

People have been taking wooden stocked guns out to hunt for at least a couple centuries now, so as long as it's properly cared for I 'm sure it'll be fine.

[SomeOtherGuy]

This is the model he bought. I'm note sure of the difference between "real" and "fake" walnut, but it's advertised as walnut, The scope is a pre-mounted Vortex, which probably isn't exactly top quality either:
https://www.remington.com/rifles/bolt-action/model-783/model-783-walnut-w-scope


The wood in the photo does actually look like walnut. Some companies will label a stock "walnut" based on nothing more than the color, not the wood species. Assuming they aren't playing that loose, there are different types of walnut: American Black Walnut, English, Turkish, others. In the US, we think of American Black Walnut as generically "walnut", and it's one of, if not the, nicest for gun stocks. There is a Chinese (and other east Asian areas) tree that is called a walnut, I discovered. Curiosity got me - turns out there are dozens of walnut species:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans

I have a VEPR with a wood stock that is called walnut by Molot or the importer, and has the right grain pattern, but it's the wrong color (even for sapwood, and it's too big to be all sapwood) and I'm betting 100:1 that it's not American Black Walnut. I imagine it's something that grows in Russia, or maybe China.

Anyway, that minutiae doesn't really matter here. Hope he enjoys the rifle.

[SteyrAUG]

Reminds me, I need a Benelli Montefeltro to go with my M1S90s.

[crusader377]

The wood in the photo does actually look like walnut. Some companies will label a stock "walnut" based on nothing more than the color, not the wood species. Assuming they aren't playing that loose, there are different types of walnut: American Black Walnut, English, Turkish, others. In the US, we think of American Black Walnut as generically "walnut", and it's one of, if not the, nicest for gun stocks. There is a Chinese (and other east Asian areas) tree that is called a walnut, I discovered. Curiosity got me - turns out there are dozens of walnut species:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juglans

I have a VEPR with a wood stock that is called walnut by Molot or the importer, and has the right grain pattern, but it's the wrong color (even for sapwood, and it's too big to be all sapwood) and I'm betting 100:1 that it's not American Black Walnut. I imagine it's something that grows in Russia, or maybe China.

Anyway, that minutiae doesn't really matter here. Hope he enjoys the rifle.


I bet your Vepr does have a walnut stock but it is probably some variation of Turkish or Circassian Walnut in a relatively plain grade. I've been interested in O/Us having own a couple and basically there are many types of walnut stocks that can produce real nice looking stocks. You have American Black Walnut, French Walnut, English Walnut, Circassian Walnut, and Turkish Walnut.

Although American Black Walnut is the best known in the U.S. some of higher grades of Turkish Walnut and Circassian Walnut are used on some of the finest sporting guns on the planet and exhibition grades can be many thousands of dollars for a stock blank.