Have a Volqartsen .223 with a laminate wood stock. Don't much care for the look of the laminate and am considering a change in finish to a matte black finish approximating the finish of the black metal parts. What would be the best way to proceed in doing this? If this is better left to the professionals, who might you suggest? If a paint type application is suggested what material would be needed? Would like something that will hold up under a bit of handling etc. A lot of paints get very hard when cured and subject to chipping and such. Your comments will be appreciated.

This will get more responses in the Refinishing section...but while I'm here...I did a camo job on a Glenfield .22 wood stock for my son with Rustoleum.  Krylon and Aervoe are the other 2 rattle cans to try.  Just like painting any wood, sand it and paint multiple light coats.  I don't throw my guns around so they stay looking pretty good.  The advantage of rattle can is you can touch it up easily when you do scratch it.  Some folks spray on a clear coat to finish.  Remove the receiver from the stock and go for it!

Strip down your stock. Remove the existing finish.  Coat it with a black dye made for wood.  (I recommend General Finishes water based stain). Then apply the top coat of your choice. I would recommend Birchwood Casey Tru Oil.

General Finishes stains and dyes can be found at Woodcraft

Most gun shops carry Tru Oil but you can order it from Woodcraft as well (also Brownells).

ETA. Tru Oil when dried has a glossy finish. Rub it down with 0000 steel wool to get the flat look. 0000 steel wool can be found at Lowes and Home Depot where they carry sand paper.

I've been a woodworker for 35 years.  My way WILL work.

Duracoat Ultra Flat Tactical in black. If you're determined to do this.

My way is easier, the guy above me, his way is more satisfying, and will probably look better. To me. I'm a sucker for wood.

That's what she said

Problem with finish stains and dyes is the stryations left it the wood from the layers of glue.The wood works nicely but the stripes of glue not so much.For me a beautiful piece of walnut or even maple is great. The laminated stuff drives me crazy with all the small slats and the grain going in all directions. I know about all the strength benifits but I just like the looks of a solid piece of quality wood.

This...

 

I'd trust what Covertness said, and I don’t know the effect the lamination would have, but a few years ago I had a
project where I took a rusty old .300 Savage, removed the rust, got the barrel chopped and threaded, used matte
black Aluma-Hyde II on the metal parts, and refinished the stock in a matte black.

For the stock, I used spray-on oven cleaner (maybe called Easy Off) to strip it.

After it was stripped and dried, I used Minwax Ebony stain.  I think I put two coats on it.  I’m sure if I’d have used
more, it would have been even darker.  To seal it, I used matte Minwax Helmsman urethane spray.  It turned out
pretty well.  Again, it could have been darker, but the Helmsman does end up giving it a relatively flat appearance.  
I’m not the best photographer, and these photos were taken with an older iPhone, but in the last picture you can
see how much shinier my black dining room table is compared to the finish of the stock.

It was a pretty easy and fun project.  And shooting subs, that rifle is very accurate and extremely quiet

Before


After stripping


Done deal