Looking for opinions. Putting a .416 Ruger Alaskan in a gray Boyd’s laminate. Crossbolts have been reinforced and action is bedded. Thinking about adding a lug on the barrel. If anyone has a .375 or .416 in one of these, how do they hold up to recoil? Thanks
Laminate stocks, how strong
- Thread starter MTM
- Start date
sharp shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Essex county (Ontario)
I would rather get hit in the head by a walnut stock than my laminate stock.
New Camper
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lurking in the woods near SFRC.
I'll raise you one Hogue overmolded stock.
As to the OP: I'm not sure I get what is being proposed... adding a lug to the barrel somewhere for transferring recoil to the stock to augment that provided by the action lug?
Your rifle is manufactured and sold in wood and laminate stocks with no additional lugs added. For a century more powerful rounds have been handled by the basic setup you already have but with straight walnut stocks: Laminate is stronger.
I put a Stevens 325A into a Boyd's laminate. I'm not sure which model it is, I liked the look of it on the website and ordered it up for a "truck gun". I've cerama-coated most of the metalwork and almost ready to put it all back together, the stock is definitely a solidly built product. There is a cross bolt behind the recoil lug and some decent "chunkiness" to key areas from a recoil perspective.
But it's a .30-30, so not really a concern
On the other hand, I think I would use one on a larger rifle as well based on the overall quality. I have a Zastava in 9.3x62mm and the stock is trash, way too long, too slim in the wrist, crappy recoil pad, very dry wood (some cracking and splitting internally), uneven barrel channel, and the safety won't engage when it is screwed into the stock. So I think a second may be on the way shortly.
But it's a .30-30, so not really a concern
On the other hand, I think I would use one on a larger rifle as well based on the overall quality. I have a Zastava in 9.3x62mm and the stock is trash, way too long, too slim in the wrist, crappy recoil pad, very dry wood (some cracking and splitting internally), uneven barrel channel, and the safety won't engage when it is screwed into the stock. So I think a second may be on the way shortly.
- Location
- Haliburton County, Central Ontario
I drive tent pegs with mine...
I put a Stevens 325A into a Boyd's laminate. I'm not sure which model it is, I liked the look of it on the website and ordered it up for a "truck gun". I've cerama-coated most of the metalwork and almost ready to put it all back together, the stock is definitely a solidly built product. There is a cross bolt behind the recoil lug and some decent "chunkiness" to key areas from a recoil perspective.
But it's a .30-30, so not really a concern
i did that on my 9,3x62 and it was a game changer.
Today's laminated birch stocks are not as strong as the walnut/maple laminates offered by Fajen many years ago but they are still a stable and durable stock. Some will slow a tendency to split. They do not fail at the glue joints but the veneer strips sometimes split. Crossbolts can help to prevent this and so can proper bedding. I have always kind of liked the look of the laminated stocks and I have several of my own.
when i was at the range one day. another guy beside fired his rifle. I asked him to stop for a minute he says why. I said your rifle made a funny sound. like a piece of wood cracking. so we both looked over his rifle sure enough a hairline crack behind the top part of the receiver in the wood. I would say a good half-inch long .hopefully warranty replaced it.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
I'll raise you one Hogue overmolded stock.
As to the OP: I'm not sure I get what is being proposed... adding a lug to the barrel somewhere for transferring recoil to the stock to augment that provided by the action lug?
Your rifle is manufactured and sold in wood and laminate stocks with no additional lugs added. For a century more powerful rounds have been handled by the basic setup you already have but with straight walnut stocks: Laminate is stronger.
Recoil lugs on the barrel are not that uncommon. I had a 1968-ish Winchester Model 70 in 375 H&H, that had one from factory. Multiple Weatherby rifles apparently have them. Was a specific concern that Phil Shoemaker had when building up his Mark X in 458 Win Mag, so he installed one. How to install one is a question that I have not figured out - I want to put one on my Zastava 458 Win Mag - I have seen how Weatherby does a dovetail across the bottom of the barrel, and then welds the insert - I am not really "brave" enough to weld on my barrel - I really would not know what I am doing to avoid warping, etc. Shoemaker's solution was a fitted barrel band that had a recoil lug underneath, that was then drilled and pinned to the barrel. New England Custom Guns sells (maybe, "used to" sell) a rear sight with a recoil lug underneath - I am not sure how that gets secured to the barrel to share the recoil impulse with the integral lug under the receiver. In all cases, I read, it is about avoiding splitting the stock on recoil.
For most bolt action rifles, the recoil impulse has to split and pass along each side of the magazine - those side panels want to bulge outward - that applies a splitting force to the bulkhead ahead of the trigger mortice, behind the magazine well. Many heavy rifles had a cross bolt there to resist that. Apparently, many Weatherby's have a steel stirrup epoxied inside - same effect - to hold the sides together under recoil, except Weatherby solution has nothing showing on exterior - as opposed to a Win Model 70.
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