Whats with all the laminate stocks?

[NLMosin]

Lately everywhere I look I see laminated stocks...Gunbroker...The Mosin Crate....gun shows...auction sites. M44's, 91/30's , even an M38. Where are all these laminate stocks coming from?

[Junk Yard Dog]

They were made in Russia, some during the later war period and many more used as replacement stocks after it. They are common enough but do command a slight premium over hardwood stocks. People are cashing in on the Mosin price hike, they are going for the extra gold by starting with the more expensive Mosins first.

[ParrotHead]

I don't care for them...I guess I'm just weird.

[Darryl]

They were cheaper to make then a solid hardwood blank. That is the original reason for turning to them near the end of the war.

I myself would rather have a stock that is more like the stock that was on the rifle during WWII. Even if it wasn't the same stock it had during the war. I pay less for a laminate stock. But that is just a personal preference. I have both in my collection because either would be correct ......as it came out of Russia's arsenal's that way.

Sort of like Germany's laminated stocks at the end of the war also.

Dolk

[NLMosin]

they are going for the extra gold by starting with the more expensive Mosins first.

That makes sense. Just weird I've seen so many available as of late. My '40 Tula in the laminate stock is my best 91/30 shooter.

That is the original reason for turning to them near the end of the war.

Dolk

So the laminate is original to some mosins. Thats cool. Would be great to know if you had rifle that came originally in laminate.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Note that while plywood was in widespread use here in the USA before and during the war for all sorts of things from boats and aircraft to prefabricated buildings, it was never used for rifle stocks. Uncle didn't cut corners on M1 Garand stocks despite making millions of them and millions of other small arms. Scumbag commies and shitbird Nazi's on the other hand were hard up for cash, amazing when you think of the staggering amounts of loot they stole from everyone. The laminated stocks were prone to splitting along the layers so extra reinforcing bolts were added, some can look quite nice with the stains bringing out different colors among the layers, but they would not be my first choice in a service rifle stock.

[Maine 20th]

Said I never had much use for one, never said I didn't know use one. Quigley down Under. Don't own one and don't care too. no premium here

[bunkysdad]

Same here. And I love that Quigley quote after Quigley drops the bad guys with that revolver.

[Darryl]

So the laminate is original to some mosins. Thats cool. Would be great to know if you had rifle that came originally in laminate.

Yes, the M38's had a laminated stock without the bayonet groove in it very late in the war. It is a little different then the Laminates you see later on. They had tighter (and more) laminations on them. Sometimes even hard to tell it was a laminated stock.

The M44's had a different laminated stock and they were put on the very late year M44's. The M44's laminated stock was also used on the M38's very late in the war as a replacement stock. They decided to have just one stock (M44) and use it on M44's and M38's.

A lot of the M44's and M38's ended up with laminated stocks on them when they were refurbished by the USSR. Those are replacement stocks for a damaged stock.

So, some laminated stock were used at the end of the war (on late date rifles) and some were put on during refurb. But there are diffidently two different one's you will see.


M38 with a M44 laminated stock (probably done during re-furb but could be a late war replacement, but not likely)





M44 with a M44 laminated stock. Late war because of the year of the M44 (1945) (Probably)






M38 laminated stock (true M38 laminated stock ....wartime)

m38lam.JPG

http://62x54r.net/MosinID/MosinRareM38s.htm

[steelbuttplate]

Just one on my M-38. If I were gonna use it much and be out in rain I'd have to do a no-no and satin poly it. Justified by the need for preservation. It don't have red varnish...... Aw c'mon, I didn't do it yet.

[Junk Yard Dog]

There is no shellac on the stock at all? A small number of these have turned up since the 90's, I have one, a few other members from the old board and this one have found them. Bare stocks, no trace of ever being shellacked, even more rare are the few that came in early on before Ukraine got into the export business, these have a light yellow shellac and appear to be unissued, unrefurbished late date rifles

[ncreptile]

I'm not seeing anyone with laminate stocked 91/30s right now. I checked gunbroker and found one at the time of listing mine.

The ones I had were imported 2-4 years ago and I got them from a private source. I do not believe any more have been imported for some time.

[NLMosin]

There were some in the past weeks on GB but I see only two there now. I saw roughly 8 or 10 at the three gun shows here in NY I attended. They outnumbered the hardwood stocks. Thats why I mentioned it. And of course on your site.

I forgot about your sale and lost my shot at the two I was interested in.....I'll buy one from you yet Sir!!!

[Longcolt44]

Call SOG, they might have a couple left.

[Rongo]

Call SOG, they might have a couple left.

It's amazing how SOG always & quietly has a few left all the time.

Me? I like the laminate stocked rifles as it is an interesting variation to collect.

[NLMosin]

Call SOG, they might have a couple left.

It's amazing how SOG always & quietly has a few left all the time.

Me? I like the laminate stocked rifles as it is an interesting variation to collect.

I have a '40 Tula in a lam stock. Great shooter. I was looking at The Mosin Crate for some collection hole fillers. I was interested in the '33 Tula with the PM stamp(I dont have a PM stamp) or the '35 Izhevsk which is a 5 on the rarity chart. I know the chart needs some updating but I still refer to it.

I was low on fundage anyway, but if I had remembered the sale that may not have stopped me. Im a full blown junky.