button Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Evening all So this today, new 525 GL, normally I would say I'm a bit of a traditionalist but I'm quite drawn to this, so my question is what is the supposed advantage of Laminate and does it require any extra care? TIA https://en.browning.eu/products/shotguns/over_and_under/b525_hunter/A-B525GAMELAM12.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 You can't beat a decent grade of wood, but this looks better than a cheap grade of walnut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 It is much much stronger, less prone to warping, swelling or cracking, is more or less waterproof and is heavy. A good mate of mine had a Winchester Select in grey laminate; it was a fabulous gun in my opinion, and one which he still isn’t sure he should have sold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted February 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 15 minutes ago, Gordon R said: You can't beat a decent grade of wood, but this looks better than a cheap grade of walnut. I totally agree but I have to say that looks cracking IMHO I also really like the forend shape 3 minutes ago, Scully said: It is much much stronger, less prone to warping, swelling or cracking, is more or less waterproof and is heavy. A good mate of mine had a Winchester Select in grey laminate; it was a fabulous gun in my opinion, and one which he still isn’t sure he should have sold. Was it alot heavier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, button said: Was it alot heavier? It’s just dense, so possibly feels heavier, but I’m sure it won’t be any heavier than a normal sporter. Enquire about the weight and then you can compare? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Yes laminates are stronger But for around 2000 of your finest British I would want a good piece of walnut and not some plywood where the grains are more exposed Just my own opinion. I work in woodwork Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
button Posted February 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 13 minutes ago, sabel25 said: Yes laminates are stronger But for around 2000 of your finest British I would want a good piece of walnut and not some plywood where the grains are more exposed Just my own opinion. I work in woodwork Are they not as good in the wet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 7 minutes ago, button said: Are they not as good in the wet? They should be as they will be varnish/ sealed coated. But if the finish starts deteriorating who knows. Natural wood has it's own inhibernators to wet and fungal attack and takes oil. I have seen many varnished stocks that look awfull when the varnish wears and breaks down. This happened to an old AYA no 4 i had in the 70's. I stripped all the varnish off the wood and oiled it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 1 hour ago, Scully said: It’s just dense, so possibly feels heavier, but I’m sure it won’t be any heavier than a normal sporter. Enquire about the weight and then you can compare? I used to have a Browning 525 hunter 28" and weighed 3kg This laminate is 3.5kg That's alot more weight for a game gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Well if you can shoot it well I doubt anyone will take the mick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stonepark Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 42 minutes ago, sabel25 said: They should be as they will be varnish/ sealed coated. But if the finish starts deteriorating who knows. Natural wood has it's own inhibernators to wet and fungal attack and takes oil. I have seen many varnished stocks that look awfull when the varnish wears and breaks down. This happened to an old AYA no 4 i had in the 70's. I stripped all the varnish off the wood and oiled it It started with varmint rifles, and is moving over, not heard of any laminate stocks breaking down, and certainly appear to be more moisture stable (at least that is reason given for rifle use). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 17 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Well if you can shoot it well I doubt anyone will take the mick! I had two Brownings a 12g hunter and 16g white lightening and could'nt get on with them.Then got a CG . Now my cabinet is full of Italian shotguns. Sold the Brownings The 525 Hunter was the biggest loss i've had on a gun. Yet it had some nice wood. I would hate to think what the loss would be on a 2k gun with plywood bolted on it. One can buy a far better looking gun with nice wood And as everyone seems to agree that it's the wood that makes the gun and sells it . Here's one that cost less Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 6 minutes ago, Stonepark said: It started with varmint rifles, and is moving over, not heard of any laminate stocks breaking down, and certainly appear to be more moisture stable (at least that is reason given for rifle use). Yes i can agree with that But this is accuracy for a bullet as timber alters in temperatures But for shotguns makes no difference. I have walnut on 3 rifles and work well for me.and drop rabbits at 100yrds with my .22 lr. But rifles are not sold on good looks They brought out plastic stocks on rifles and some of them were a dissaster with too much movement Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 45 minutes ago, sabel25 said: I used to have a Browning 525 hunter 28" and weighed 3kg This laminate is 3.5kg That's alot more weight for a game gun Weight soaks up recoil, but apart from weight or aesthetics it’s simply down to what a person prefers. Nice wood is fine if that’s what you want, but a highly figured grain is more prone to cracks, and that just won’t happen with a modern laminate. It is extremely stable in every meaning of the word, which is why it has a major role to play in structural building design, and if a finish wears then it’s pretty straightforward to replace. If someone dislikes it because of it’s appearance then that’s fair enough, but the integrity of the materials used in their construction simply cannot be knocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRINITY Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 Bit of a browning fan myself. I have looked at these and even considered one. Ball park figure of around £400 more expensive than a traditional 525 . My conclusion is simple ... they are extracting the urine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 2 minutes ago, Scully said: Weight soaks up recoil, but apart from weight or aesthetics it’s simply down to what a person prefers. Nice wood is fine if that’s what you want, but a highly figured grain is more prone to cracks, and that just won’t happen with a modern laminate. It is extremely stable in every meaning of the word, which is why it has a major role to play in structural building design, and if a finish wears then it’s pretty straightforward to replace. If someone dislikes it because of it’s appearance then that’s fair enough, but the integrity of the materials used in their construction simply cannot be knocked. I work in the costruction industry and know all about laminates and computerised design of phink joists that cannot be interfered with or altered. All designed to the bare bone and cost more than a good old 9x2 structural stress graded timber joist that can be worked on Anyway i would rather carry 3 kg all day on walked up days than 3.5kg. all depends on the type of shooting, But as of the op This is a game gun Not a clay dtl gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, TRINITY said: Bit of a browning fan myself. I have looked at these and even considered one. Ball park figure of around £400 more expensive than a traditional 525 . My conclusion is simple ... they are extracting the urine Spot on. Was trying to be diplomatic haha. I've a John Mcnab with nice wood and not a young gun but still very good with no splits or shakes made by B Rizinni decades ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 4 minutes ago, sabel25 said: I work in the costruction industry and know all about laminates and computerised design of phink joists that cannot be interfered with or altered. All designed to the bare bone and cost more than a good old 9x2 structural stress graded timber joist that can be worked on Anyway i would rather carry 3 kg all day on walked up days than 3.5kg. all depends on the type of shooting, But as of the op This is a game gun Not a clay dtl gun As do I, or did until very recently. We built entire houses with structural laminates. Engineered wood is a marvel, especially on externals. The thing with glulams is that whilst being unbelievably strong and durable, they are designed not to move, in any direction, and can also be worked on, hence laminated stocks! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRINITY Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 7 minutes ago, sabel25 said: Anyway i would rather carry 3 kg all day on walked up days than 3.5kg. all depends on the type of shooting, But as of the op This is a game gun Not a clay dtl gun That's also correct. Getting a gun to weigh more is extremely easy and cheap, making them lighter is nigh on impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRINITY Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 I must apologise, I did not read the opening link, I thought it was the 525 in grey laminate. The model which this post refers is around the same price of a standard 525. Nevertheless I would still go for the traditional 525 or the miroku equivalent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 4 minutes ago, Scully said: As do I, or did until very recently. We built entire houses with structural laminates. Engineered wood is a marvel, especially on externals. The thing with glulams is that whilst being unbelievably strong and durable, they are designed not to move, in any direction, and can also be worked on, hence laminated stocks! 🙂 I have made and constructed timber frame houses both as an employee and for myself since 79 The outer skin was either ply or OSB and the trusses were manufactured in a factory but timber and everything was timber apart from the outer ply osb sheathing. Never had any movement or complaint. I live in a timber frame house done by another company The same construction technic and no cracks in 28 years I do loads of hardwood floors But no one has asked for a plywood floor. They want a nice timber floor Oak . jatoba. pine. Maple etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 5 minutes ago, TRINITY said: I must apologise, I did not read the opening link, I thought it was the 525 in grey laminate. The model which this post refers is around the same price of a standard 525. Nevertheless I would still go for the traditional 525 or the miroku equivalent Miroku better buy, The laminate 525 is still £200 to £300 more than the wood. Made in the same factory in Japan. We had a simulated day on an estate i beat on and a friend stopped and gave me his gun and said try this and i shot realy good and he said so. But i told him i sold my Brownings as i could'nt use them. Then he said it's a Miroku' Different gun to shoot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 (edited) 26 minutes ago, sabel25 said: I have made and constructed timber frame houses both as an employee and for myself since 79 The outer skin was either ply or OSB and the trusses were manufactured in a factory but timber and everything was timber apart from the outer ply osb sheathing. Never had any movement or complaint. I live in a timber frame house done by another company The same construction technic and no cracks in 28 years I do loads of hardwood floors But no one has asked for a plywood floor. They want a nice timber floor Oak . jatoba. pine. Maple etc Well done you! 👍Is this a Willy waving contest? 😀 I built Tradis and Passiv Haus for many years, the length and breadth of the country, and the company I subbed to was a main contractor via Warmcel to East Lothian Council for many years, in which time we built entire schools at Tranent, Dunbar, Haddington, Gullane and Stoneyhill. An Isle of Man Parliament building we constructed and erected is supported entirely by laminated ( glulam ) beams of such a depth, width and length I had never seen before. We have built others, as well as more bespoke private houses than I can recall. None of this however, proves anything, and certainly has no bearing on the integrity ( or lack thereof ) of laminated stocks. As an aside, the roof panels we made for East Lothian schools had snow loading considerations taken into account. Not bad for laminates. 🙂 Edited February 12, 2021 by Scully Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabel25 Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, Scully said: Well done you! 👍Is this a Willy waving contest? 😀 I built Tradis and Passiv Haus for many years, the length and breadth of the country, and the company I subbed to was a main contractor via Warmcel to East Lothian Council for many years, in which time we built entire schools at Tranent, Dunbar, Haddington, Gullane and Stoneyhill. An Isle of Man Parliament building we constructed and erected is supported entirely by laminated ( glulam ) beams of such a depth, width and length I had never seen before. We have built others, as well as more bespoke private houses than I can recall. None of this however, proves anything, and certainly has no bearing on the integrity ( or lack thereof ) of laminated stocks. No not a willy ****** contest. I like timber, Proper wood and a traditionalist and time served the old ways and done besoke joinery since leaving school. No one will ever sell me the idea of laminate stocks or battery cars that cost more to manufacture and more carbon footprint and toxins in the glues Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRINITY Posted February 12, 2021 Report Share Posted February 12, 2021 If we are discussing the merits of strength in this type of stock, would carbon fibre be even stronger and perhaps lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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