Gun stocks for cold weather
- Thread starter tommy88
- Start date
You would have to wonder if the difference between provinces and their cold weather differences plays a factor? Out West typically is a drier cold as to say here in Ont with more moisture/dampness in the air?
For the record, I've had OEM wood to cheap Synthetic and B&C/HS Precision stocks endure everything this province has to offer weather wise. From 20+ to driving rain, wind, snow or sleet and -20. Never had an issue or cause for concern.
Simple wipe down and slow warm up inside the camp at the end of the day will go a long way to protecting & saving your investment.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I learned that the hard way too! Purse your lips and blow your breath out of the corner of your mouth.
of my cold experience i found out that the bushnell elite hold very well even with the blow of breath.
I have carried rifles with wood stocks in weather as cold as -42ºC. So far, never had a problem.
I prefer the "feel" of properly finished wood, but there are decent synthetics out there.
I moved my M70 Winchester in 325 WSM out of the synthetic and into a Laminate. Like it better
that way.
To each his/her own though. Dave.
I prefer the "feel" of properly finished wood, but there are decent synthetics out there.
I moved my M70 Winchester in 325 WSM out of the synthetic and into a Laminate. Like it better
that way.
To each his/her own though. Dave.
The CAF went with a laminate stock on the new Tikka/SAKO C19 Ranger rifle for arctic operations. Specs required operating temperature from -51 to + 39C. Presumably the laminate was best suited to this temperature range.
http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/c-19-the-new-canadian-ranger-rifle/
http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/c-19-the-new-canadian-ranger-rifle/
Is it warm to the touch if you can’t feel your fingers?
Nice Remmy Rifle - Leo Combo ? What Cartridge Bucky ? RJ
It's -43C here the last few days, and -50 where the bison are, two hours away.
Won't matter what you take, that stock's going to be cold.
Ted
so true.
I hunt all over Manitoba. Generally only to -30 but a couple of days have gotten colder. I prefer wood stocks over junky synthetic stuff but the "soft touch" rubber/synthetic stocks that Sako and Thompson Center ICONs use are very decent.
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
It's -43C here the last few days, and -50 where the bison are, two hours away.
Won't matter what you take, that stock's going to be cold.
Ted
Bit of a side issue but with the present +3C down here on the 'wet' coast, it's hard to imagine the -43C and -50C you gentlemen are contending with. Stay healthy, WARM and safe.
Cold weather might not be the big issue, issue is the changing temperatures. I don't know what a damp wooden stock does when it freezes. Changing around 100 deg between a hot day in the car in summer vs your -50 winter will have quite a bit of movement and stress/strain in the bedding area when a steel action sits in an aluminium stock. Overall it is hard to beat a carbon fibre stock, warm to touch with a light fill material that doesn't drain the warm out of your hands. Also epoxy bedding can be tailored to be quite close to the expansion of steel.
edi
edi
Interesting discussion - Just to add a relevant point here, the Russian Military seems to have gone from wooden stocked AKs to polymer ones as seen in their newer more recent deployments of troops.
If anyone has had experience using rifles in cold harsh environments - it would be the Russian Military.
If anyone has had experience using rifles in cold harsh environments - it would be the Russian Military.
Carbon fibre has about 50% resin content, then the ones we have have a few layers of resin over, filler, and filled epoxy rough grippy surface... then about 3-4 layers of paint.
Even so a few grams of carbon maybe (400-600 grams per square meter) is not huge (at the surface area of a hand), warms up quick and is highly insulated from behind.
I never quite understand the the hype about carbon cooling barrels quicker. When I pick up my rifle by the carbon barrel on a cold day it is lovely, not like a steel barrel that sucks the heat out of you.
Wood has no highly insulated material behind the surface, just wood with a moisture content.
edi
