I am considering restocking a rifle, and doing most of the work myself. I have been pleasantly surprise how affordable a good semi-finished stick of walnut is. I would have the bedding done by a 'smith, but would do the final shaping, sanding, sealing, filling myself.

The biggest thing, in my mind, is whether or not I could do the checkering. I don't like any kind of fanciness here, just good, 22 lpi checkering in a classic point pattern.

*Note: I have never done any rifle stock work. I have worked with tools for many years, and have done some furniture making.

Is checkering something a beginner can do? Is it done before the stock is sealed, or after all the sealing/filling is finished?

What does the average 'smith charge for bedding a 99% inletted stock? For checkering? What should a XXX or Exhibition grade semi-finished stock cost?

Any opinions on type of wood? Claro, English, American? The rifle will be a 7x57, which I want to stock in the "old classic" style, and be light, short, and handy.

I too enjoy finishing my own stocks.

For a classic European round like the 7x57 I would go with English Walnut. I prefer to work with it over claro or black or bastogne walnut. I have been told that English is 10-15% lighter than black; however, in the modest number of stocks I have finished, I can't say as I have noticed much weight difference. However, Bastogne seems to consistenly be the heaviest (beautiful though).

An AAA grade price of English will run you $350 and up - an exhibition grade $650 and up.

I have heard that checkering is done after the stock is finished. You then have to apply finish over the checking to re-seal it (usually using a toothbrush).

Stay away from Richard's Microfit - I have ordered 15+ stocks from them, and I can honestly say I am happy with about three of them.

I am going to try the guy at gunstocks.com next - hopefully he will be a bit more consistent.

Hope this helps.

You probably shouldn't checker your own first rifle....It takes a long time to learn to checker, just laying out the pattern is very hard to grasp for many...

I have found Richards to about as good as any "simi finished" stock, which I won't use anyway unless I was intending to glass bed from one end to the other...but they make a nice utility rifle when fully glassed and all the errors are covered up...Lots of enletting to do on these simi jobs...

You might consider buying a nice turkish blank and I have a few for sale at about $600 that are really nice btw, and have somesmith turn you a near drop in or even go ahead and completely inlet it for an extra hundred dollar bill...you shape and finish it...