Yesterday's Weapons Forums

I was just eyeballing some rifles online and came across some Mosins with laminate stocks. So... curious. Is there a benefit to these laminate stocks, or do they just look better? Should I bother ordering one, or just buy one with a hex receiver locally and forget about the laminate stock? Thanks!

....well,laminate are a bit tougher to gettin beat up as any other laminate wood would be I guess...and the look 'pretty'....But I'd go for a Hex to get the history and go for the eye candy later....just my preference and opinion ....who knows what the tang date is in its prior life till you take it down and look...

Laminated stocks were used to reduce wastage as it takes less to make one than whittling down a slab of wood to make a solid stock. If a laminated stock is properly made it is more stable and less likely to warp than most whole wood stocks. Walnut, teak, and a few other woods are an exception. I would not pay extra for one, but that is just me.

One of the reasons the arsenal at Enfield was founded was the abundance of walnut trees around Enfield Lock (canal). Eventually these sources and forests in Europe were depleted and less suitable woods had to be used or walnut was just not available. Most of the Mosin Nagants were stocked with birch or beech
because they did not have a ready source. Reminton and Westinghouse m/91s did originally come with walnut stocks.

The majority of laminated wood is post WWII refurb replacement.

There are lots of K98ks with laminate stocks. Germany started using laminate around 38 or 39.

Rad

....actually, I always preferred the laminate K98's over the Mosin laminates on looks...

I have 2 lammy Mosins. Don't know if they are better, but they sure are prettier.