for my new Custom build rifle, I am now facing the choice of the grade of wood. Everybody likes the looks of a nice piece of wood for a rifle stock. However I wonder what your experiences are on how good or bad your rifle stocks hold up after several safaris. I.e, is it worth investing in a nice piece of wood? Thanks,
Ron

In depends on how much you value good wood. If it is important to you and you can afford it go for it. If your stock picks up a few nicks on safari, they will be memories for you or it isn't very costly to have it refinished. Mine have gotten a refinish twice in 30 years.

465H&H

It really depends on what you want and are going to do w/ the rifle. I started out, b/4 plastic, w/ all wood rifles. Then went thru the "all weather" phase. My last rifle was a true custom big bore and I ordered(and paid for) beautiful wood.
If you are going to build a working piece of art, ONLY good walnut will suffice. If you just want a tool, plastic or laminate are more practical. If you are of the mindset that a rifle is just a tool to shoot an animal(or paper), then don't waste your $$$. IF, on the other hand, you put a rifle in a special place as something to be admired, treasured even revered--spend as much as you can afford in the grain pattern/style you like.

Upgraded wood is well worth the extra $$$. Just insure it's able to handle big bore recoil. JJ Perodeau walked me thru the process of choosing wood for my 470. It's a good thing he was there to advise. I've huntede ele in Zim with him and he really knows what is needed in a dangerous game rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by 7kongoni:
Upgraded wood is well worth the extra $$$. Just insure it's able to handle big bore recoil. JJ Perodeau walked me thru the process of choosing wood for my 470. It's a good thing he was there to advise. I've huntede ele in Zim with him and he really knows what is needed in a dangerous game rifle.

A suggestion:
In consideration of the fact that you are having it customized, include a walnut stock worthy of the
work and money you intend investing so that your end product will turn into a showpiece.
At the same time get your gunsmith to provide you with a separate working stock that will bear the brunt
of its travails on your hunts.

I love rifles but a rifle for me is a tool. If it so pretty that you have to treat it with extraordinary care it's no good to me. I've basically gone all synthetic on my real hunintg rifles. I just don't worry about scratches, dings etc.

Mark

I like wood also and I have not had any problem fixing most stock marks with 600 grit sand paper and Tung Oil

Like Mark, I use synthetic stocks on all my African rifles. I don't want to be concerned about the beautiful wood stock while tracking in the bush nor while bouncing around in the back of the truck. They work in all weather, don't warp and can be cleaned up easily. I've even changed from wood to synthetic on Custom Shop rifles from both Remington and Winchester.

I'm going to side with Mark and LionHunter too.

Nice wood is fine, but if I spent the money for high end fancy wood and dropped/gouged/scraped it up I would be upset.

I've generally got a preference to stainless/fiberglass, tho there is a spot in my heart for walnut and blue... don't get me wrong I love a nicely engraved firearm with fancy wood, but I would think it more appropriate on my skeet gun than my crawl through the brush gun.

I'll leave the furniture grade wood in my living room, and take the field grade wood/synthetic into the field.

If your investing in a nice rifle, the appearance and resale will be much greater with nice wood. But get a hand-rubbed oil finish, not ploy over stain. A hand-rubbed finish is built up slowly, so if/when the rifle gets some marks, enough to bother you, just have a stock guy sand or steam them out, and add additional coats of oil to the area until it matches the rest. That's why almost all European guns are oil finished, they think past the "shelf appeal" when new to the actual long and sometimes rough live of the rifle ahead.

I admit that my opinion of stocks is different from that of most gun owners. Having been involved in wooden boat construction for 25 years and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of hardwoods, I prefer something quarter sawn with little figure, good color and the grain running the length of the stock, curving through the wrist. I have seen heavily stressed wood structural components (grown knees) with properly oriented grain structure still in service after 100 years, and others with figure that have torn apart while being installed. Can only imagine the stress a highly figured stock goes through moving from a humid environment like Coastal Alaska to a hot dry climate like the Sahara.

Ron, I own hunting rifles and that includes a boomer in 450#2... I am not into collecting firearms as an investment... I shoot and hunt with all of my firearms... Yes, I do have some special ones, but I am more then proficient with all...
Triple A wood not for me but a very nice upgrade would be OK...

Mike

If you treat your rifle like a shovel then get a synthetic stocked rifle. If you treat your rifle like a rifle then a wooden stock is going to be just fine.

I can easily put more wear and tear on a rifle during a week long backpack or horseback hunt than during a month long safari. Most safaris are pretty easy on rifles. I like hunting with nice wood stocked rifles and have had no difficulty keeping them relatively unscathed.

Yes it is. Turkish or English Walnut.

Do not have much experience hunting Africa, one trip to Namibia two years ago, so take this FWIW. I took a S/S, synthetic stocked M70 Win (.338WM) & a blued semicustom M98 Mauser (,270 Win.). They were subjected to much less abuse than experienced on a typical deer hunt here in the States. Worst thing was rubbing of surfaces in the rifle rack of the Land Cruiser. After a day or two, when in transit to the field, I either had it in a gun sack or held on to it.

When I go again I will not hesitate to take a blued rifle wi wood stock (Custom M98 Mauser in
.375 H&H) & same .270 Win.

I did not think conditions were at all bad, certainly not sufficient to avoid a wood stocked rifle, whatever the grade of wood.

It would depend, I suppose, upon the area you are going to, climate and time of year- and also how much care you take. Are you abusive of your equipment? If you take reasonable care I do not think you need worry- if your only concern is for Africa.

If you may use it for AK and/or Can, that is another matter. I made 5 trips to AK & 2 to Can. Both of those places are much harder on rifles(both wood & synthetic stocked), IMO. But, fromm what I hear & read, tropical climes are also tough on guns.

Easy for me to say; not my money, but I would opt for top grade of wood and use it for Africa. I would also, if going to areas wi more severe conditions, have a top quality laminated stock worked up for it.

Another consideration: will this be your only custom rifle? If so, I would not hold back. If you have other custom rifles, or intend to commission another one, or multiple ones, in the future, then that could determine how for you want to go wi this one.

Good luck on your selection. Would like to see pics when its completed.

I love great wood, that said I remove it and use a replacement synthetic stock for hunting === especially if a plane ride is involved.

I have never been to Africa but I think, from what I am told, that shooting in Australia will be much rougher on a rifle. Heaps more shooting, in the back of a Lancruiser chasing stuff etc.

I have owned 3 rifles that had what would be classed as very good wood stocks and I had no problem.

If the rifle has real nice wood you just get into the habit of treating it right.

While I have synthentic stocked rifles I do like a nice piece of wood.

I have not found African hunts to be hard on the wood.

I have used wood stocked rifles, even doubles in really bad weather, in Montana and Alaska.

If you put a good finish on the stock it will be fine.

I have several custom rifles. I have hunted with from NWT of Canada to Bush of Zimbabwe. Sure, I have gotten a dings here and there. But, why build a custom rifle if you are not going to hunt with and why not put the finest piece of wood on it you can afford in some cases you cannot afford. A custom rifle is a thing of beauty but it is made to be hunted. When I had these rifles built many years ago, I promised the gun builder I would hunt with them. Otherwise why have them. Every time you pick the rifle up or look at it, you have found memories of days past, the animals you took with it. Fiberglass stocks have there place but I just like to the feel of wood. Just my thoughts but, to each is own.

I love wood stocks on my bolt guns! Classy and for Africa I think a must! Yep, going to get some bangs and bumps! Just adds character to the rifle. Once used in this manner the rifle becomes what I like to think of as "Experienced".

Use it, give it character and experience. In years after you will look at it and remember where those bumps and bangs come from.

Experienced rifles are very interesting---far more so than "Safe Queens"

Michael

Ron,

Here's how and why I'd sort this out:

I like Blued Steel and Wood Stocks! As a working rifle - I'd put a nice, but not too nice wood on it.

If I were to put a work of art on the gun it would worry me too much about scratching it. So I'd go with something on it I liked but stop short of too fancy - That's just me.

I've used both wood and 'glass stocks in Africa and will again. The hunt itself is relatively easy on the guns.

But the baggage manglers, not so much.

And really what it comes down to for me, is thatI would rather spend my money on hunting than a piece of wood.

Yeh, Harry Selby had a lots of problems with his wood stocked 416 Rigby-hell, that rifle only lasted abouot 50 years or so...

Interesting topic...for me there are two criteria... function and esthetics. I have many rifles with various stocks all of which function well. But for me, my favorite rifles (everything else considered) are the esthetic rifles, ones that are most pleasing to the eye. At first I didn't want a scratch on any of them (and still don't) but if you use them things will happen and for me I have adopted the mind set that each little scratch or dent is a battle scar to remember a time in the field. Synthetic makes sense if rainy nasty weather is in store but good wood is hard to beat.

I am good with field scars on my hunting rifles, and hopefully one day my kids or grandchildren will look at them and think about all the wonderful and adventurous times I had carrying them in the bush. My .270 and .300 rifles with the synthetic stock are great tools, but they don't tell any stories.

This being said, I never cease to be amazed at my natural ability to inflict damage on my guns when NOT hunting with them. The workbench is a very dangerous place for my rifles and scopes.

My latest accomplishment was just last night, a result of giving the paint can one last hit with the hammer to make sure the lid was on good and tight, which of course sent a stream of paint in the air, landing on my Ruger Lott which was minding it's own business seemingly out of harms way.

I of course will not tell my kids this, and if asked, will have an excellent story for each and every scar.

If you like the better wood, and have the money, I say go for it and let the fun begin!

Wood all the way, after all that's why gunsmiths are there for. I have two synthetics and frankly I hate them. No way I'd spring for big bucks on a custom rifle with a plastic stock. What's next synthetic doubles? (barf)! jorge

Thanks a lot, guys for your extensive and sometimes very personal input. What I have leaned from you is that most safaris do not put a lot of strain on a rifle stock. I can confirm this, although my experience is limited to only 2 safaris, thusfar. I am of the opinion that once you decide to have a custom rifle build, it should be matched with a decent piece of nice wood and that's what I will be going for. The reason for asking was the fact that I've heard quite some Africa hunters say that investing in a nice riflestock is a waste, because the stocks would suffer too much from such trips. I guess however that most of the problems are caused by the owners themselves, by not caring enough for their rifles. I will keep you posted about the project in the near future.
best regards,
Ron

I will add a few points that are relative to this discussion.

My fathers father left behind a much used and now treasured model 94 Winchester made in 1902.
My great grandfather bought it new for my grandfather in a feed store in Tennessee.
Later in life my grandfather fed his family with that 30/30 and traveled the Appalachians hunting.
I never met my grandfather and my father never took me hunting, he is not a hunter. I always had a connection with the grandfather, though I never met him. I was given his rifle at a young age. It was personal.
It is worn by his hands and though I do not know the stories associated with each scratch, mark and ding I can imagine and daydream based on my own experiences. I would never refinish it or change anything about it.
Would I treasure the gun as much if it were pristine? Perhaps, but very doubtful, it would not be a personal item of his that was favored by him with the use to prove this.
Would I treasure the gun if it had a tupperware stock? Honestly, no.
It would look like so many others. Sure, it would still be his gun with the plastic stock, but it would have no soul.

It is a basic human reaction.
It was a rifle that was his and the wear is there to prove this. I can hold what he held.

I will leave the tupperware in the kitchen where it belongs. My mother can hand it down to my sister along with the cast iron pots and such.

Your children will not care for your trophies when you have left this world. They will shed, deteriorate and be tossed in the trash.
Your photos of adventures and hunts will fade.
Build or use a rifle that is yours.
It will one day be a treasure because of the simple act of you using it.
As it should be.




Thats a 375 H&H on a Winchester pre 64 with an exhibition stock. It is in Alaska at the time of this photo after three straight weeks of rain. It is an oil finish. It had wax applied to it daily.
You cannot tell it was subjected to this if you were to hold it in your hands today.

Guns are for using and God gave us Juglans regia
for the handles.

For me, it's upgraded wood on all of my fine hunting rifles, as my rifle is more than just a tool. I certainly enjoy the looks of my rifles as much as I enjoy hunting with them, and so do those who hunt with me, be it the PH or those accompanying me. Just my two cents worth.

What type of wax is it that you apply daily to protect the rifle?