With the recent introduction of the Remington 798/799 with a laminated stocks, I started thinking about the stock business. Does Remington have it's own sawmill with dry kiln, graders. laminators, and other positions? I realize that much of the work is computerized now days. Does Remington contract with Mills to provide the solid blanks, and laminated banks which are then feed into machines for shaping? In California the wood burl business is good in areas that have a lot of old walnut trees. You will see large flat bed trucks loaded with wood burls lined up as old orchards are bull dozed. I believe most of this is going to custom stocks, and thin veneer for dashboards in very pricy cars.
How big of a business is it to provide stocks to Remington, Savage, and the soon to be closed Winchester plant. I assume that most of the wood that goes into the big three stocks comes from the East Coast and South. The trees of choice are walnut and beech. Parting out a factory rifle the stock makes up a little over 1/3 of the value.
The positive side of lamination is that you do not need wood with a fancy grain. Your create the design by layering different woods and dying some of the product. You also come up with a stronger stock. The Russian military rifles had laminated stocks for years.
How long does it take to produce a wood stock. I have notice the price on a wood stock M7600 is more then the plastic stock.
Graybeard has some sponsors who build stocks.
http://www.gunstocksinc.com/index.htmlDoes gun stock inc. have it's own mill?
