I have very successfully used Balsa cores for making a number of riflestocks. I have used 1,5 to 2 cm thick Balsa "boards" laminated together with layers of Unidir CF to form a very stiff "core".
I shaped the core to the final form of the stock, then sealed the entire stock with laminating epoxy, left to cure fully, sanded down and built up a couple of 200gsm and 160 gsm CF on the outside, using wet-lay.
This was my very first CF projects, nearly 12 years ago, both the first stocks have been extensively used, while hunting in adverse conditions (New Zealand mountains, hunting Thar and Chamois
) and target shooting.
They are holding up very nicely ... No distortions or damage, nor have they changed weight (No lasting moisture absorption) One prototype balsa/CF "raw" stock is holding up a ceiling beam, going on 10 years now, with no visible distortion.. loosely calculated it holds more than 800 kgs of force. It consists of three layers of 2 cm thick balsa boards, laminated with four layers of Unidir CF.
I recommend Balsa/CF composites very highly ...
