Hi,
I tried posting over on the med bore rifle subforum, but no responses. I "know" many of you here and thought I might get better input as many of you have done custom builds. Going on a 300 H&H w/ a draw bolt so not too heavy recoiling. Hopefully the checks will turn out. What do you all think? Thanks [URL= ] [/URL]

Maybe the reason that you got no response is because the pics are so dark it is difficult to tell if the grain flow is good or not.

I dont think it will work worth a crap, I can send you an e-mail address, and will go as far as paying shipping to here...

I'm by far an expert at looking at a blank on the internet, but it appears to have the proper flow in the neck and wrist..being a draw bolt gives you an advantage also.
Didnt say what action this is going on?

Agree and understand the pics are a bit dark-only ones I have at the moment. If you click on the photobucket images and enlarge it is easier to see. Will be on one of Glenn Soroka's beautiful Farquharsons in 300H&H.
Thanks,
Bill

Thanks srtrax

I think it is a kick ass blank. Barring any checks or unseen issues, it should turn a beautiful stock.

I second what Bailey said.

I'd be happy to have that piece of lumber on anything in my safe. Nice stuff!

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI
DSC

Looking at the straight lines in the pistol grip area should be strong enough.

Mike

How is the grain flow looking down from the top and up from the bottom?

BR

Highly figured blanks always result in some sort of "issues".

That's a really nice piece but would be best suited for a huge actioned shotgun such as a K-80, or a Perazzi. The large bearing surfaces of those actions gives the "overly" figured blank more volume to soak-up recoil stresses.

The recoil characteristics of a large bore DR can be very unkind to highly figured pieces of walnut.

I've seen more than one "Super-exotica" piece of wood do very bad things around the action inletting and the rear of the top tang.

Critical aspect is that the blank has been properly dried and has a fairly low MC at the time of shaping, say below 10%. My stocker won't touch a blank under 6 years old and then only if it has been properly dried with the ends sealed and the sides left pure.

There's a lot more to good wood than just the visible aspects.

Take a look on the net a some of the better guns available that were made when guns really got used and used a lot. There's a reason that the older DRs and Pigeon guns (the heaviest recoiling of guns) never had over the over the top wood on them . The stockers back in the day knew of the pitfalls of overly figured wood and avoided it as a rule.

All said, If I read correctly your project involves a through-bolted action, thus the aforementioned is of less importance.

Good luck and send us pics of the finished gun!!!

JW

Thanks to all for the thoughful responses-echo pretty much everything I've heard on the topic. I will trust the builder/stocker on this one and let you know how it turns out.
Best,
Bill