Stock Material

[ajj]

There are lots of people more experienced than I. You do read a lot about how weather changes the moisture content of wood stocks with resulting accuracy problems so maybe it's true. But I've been an avid silhouette shooter for, I dunno, eight years or so, first with a Finnfire, then with a wood-stocked 1712. We shoot all year and I ain't seen problem one. Here in central Arkansas we DO have major humidity and changes of same, but these two rifles didn't care. If you like wood stocks you should build what you want and not worry about it.

[BlauBear]

ajj;

There are several points taken from this thread.

First, I fully accept that wood stocks will change shape, at least slightly, with changes in temperature and humidity. However there are several ways to minimize the problem without resorting to laminate. Manufacturers may use laminate to stabilize their rifles without having to bed or use more expensive wood.

1. Use a dense wood, in my case probably American walnut - CZ uses something they call walnut, but it's much softer than American walnut. I would love to use maple, but given the cost and the certainty of damage, walnut seems like a more practical choice.
2. Seal it. A good topcoat, or several, will stabilize moisture content.
3. Maintain it. It will get dinged, so make sure any break in the finish is re-sealed, and a regular rub down with appropriate polish will keep the finish flexible and sealed. I would like to use tung oil, which will take many hand rubbed coats, but is very resilient and easily maintained with lemon oil.
4. Pillar bed it. Aluminum and epoxy make a great buffer between wood and metal.

If you're flying to matches, and the rifle flies with you, this might not be enough since those are extreme, abrupt changes. Maybe someday I'll have the good fortune to find out!