Wood stocks and humidity

[Grey Taylor]

I've been concentrating on a longbow for the past few years and seem to have forgotten some basic firearm information.

With a wood rifle stock, multiple applications of linseed oil won't do anything to prevent a wandering zero when the humidy changes... right? Linseed oil is never going to completely penetrate a wood stock. At best it's a surface treatment.

To the best of my recollection the only way to prevent zero changes due to changing humidity is to go to a synthetic stock. Pillar bedding or glass bedding will help in a wood stock, but a completely synthetic stock is the only sure way to prevent the issue.

Do I remember this correctly?

Thanks, Guy

 

[myfriendis410]

The magazine "Fine Woodworking" did a test to determine the best finish for moisture prevention which included conversion varnish, epoxy, varathane, lacquer, varnish and boiled linseed oil. The test was performed on blocks of maple, cut and finished and then weighed. The blocks were submerged in water for 24 hours and weighed again. The best one was.......linseed oil! The kicker was it took about a year to get the amount of linseed oil on the wood to be effective.

 

[richracer1]

Look at the selection of laminate stocks out there. All the looks and feel of wood and all the weather benefits of a synthetic. Plus you can get them in a variety of styles and coloring.

Check out: Stocky's New Rifle Stocks - America's Gunstock Specialist!

 

[TonyS]

No doubt that composite stocks are fairly impervious to shrinking and twisting.

If you want to do the linseed oil thing I can tell you this. If you put a copious amount on bare wood, then heat it with a torch you will drive it into the wood. The more you put on and heat the more it soaks into the wood. I used to do this planking boats especially when dealing with tricky shearstrakes.

But the thing is, it makes the wood much more flexible which I am not sure is a good thing for a rifle stock.

 

[tony270]

From what I understand a rifle set up with a free-floating barrel prevents the barrel from touching the stock by connecting the barrel to the receiver. The receiver is attached to the stock, which just about eliminates miss alignment of the barrel.