Nice blank, although the grain flow isn't straight looking down the top. Can't believe the prices these days though.

I got this blank from Chiron (Hunterbid) a few years ago for about $500, not as nice I know, some unusual coloration around the pad area, not due to a stain, possibly a graft, don't know what caused it. Point is, it isn't necessary to spend alot to get a decent European blank, even in today's market.

We've had many bubbles over history. Maybe we are experiencing a wood blank bubble? Right along there with tulips, alpacas, and internet stocks!

BUY NOW

LOL

I hopped off the mineral line fancy look train and I am now into the plain look but in an elegant style.I no longer want dark mineral lines in my stock.I pay attention to other things in the stock besides the way the lines flow across a blank.

George, didn't you pay $3000 for that blank Ralf is carving for you:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...821047541#7821047541

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I am now into the plain look but in an elegant style. I pay attention to other things in the stock besides the way the lines flow across a blank.

Me too. http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/...e-Ring-p/700-001.htm

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
George, didn't you pay $3000 for that blank Ralf is carving for you:
http://forums.accuratereloadin...821047541#7821047541

Yes I am going to go with that for my Satterlee lott and blank #3 for the Ralph Martini project.I am going to see how that one(#3) turns out and might use the 3000 blank for firewood.I was informed that Ralph has started to "rough up" #3.

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
I am now into the plain look but in an elegant style. I pay attention to other things in the stock besides the way the lines flow across a blank.

Me too. http://www.boydsgunstocks.com/...e-Ring-p/700-001.htm

There is nothing uglier than a laminate stock-except a synthetic stock.

To me, there are few things uglier or more wasteful that an exhibition piece of lumber put on a tool, thus converting it to a safe queen, too pretty to be taken out into the elements.

It's about the same logic as putting a $1,000 piece of walnut on a hammer for a handle, and showing it off to your carpenter buddies.

Function, service and value is pretty to me.

KB

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
To me, there are few things uglier or more wasteful that an exhibition piece of lumber put on a tool, thus converting it to a safe queen, too pretty to be taken out into the elements.

It's about the same logic as putting a $1,000 piece of walnut on a hammer for a handle, and showing it off to your carpenter buddies.

Function, service and value is pretty to me.

KB

Why would a rifle with a niece piece of wood be a safe queen? If I enjoyed carpentry as much as I do hunting and shooting,I would have a hammer with a 1000 dollar handle and show it off to my buddies and use it to work with more than my other hammers-one life to live.Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun!

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Why would a rifle with a niece piece of wood be a safe queen? If I enjoyed carpentry as much as I do hunting and shooting,I would have a hammer with a 1000 dollar handle and show it off to my buddies and use it to work with more than my other hammers-one life to live.

It's a matter of where one places value, I suppose. I've had a few rifles with really nice walnut, great fit and checkering. I worried over every little scratch or dent, and found that I reached for other less "pretty" rifles more often. Each and all of the really pretty rifles have found a new and happier home.

Discretionary money is the key to a guy owning more than two rifles, and it's the first prerequisite to ownership of just one of these queens. I'm guilty of spending discretionary money on too many rifles, but I'm pretty sure that I'll never be guilty (again) of wasting money on pretty lumber for a rifle. Pretty is as pretty does.

Life is too short to be babying a pretty rifle while on a hunt. One life to live, revel the hunt, use the tool.

KB

I disagree.I prefer to have one good one rather then twenty cheap ones.A good one-one that makes me feel good.A rifle becomes a safe queen when it doesn't please me not when it does.

That's my impression - that it's about feeling good, and somehow that comes from the tool rather than the experience. Typically, those of your opinion, seem to "feel" that the greater the expenditure, the gooder the rifle is, and less expensive is the same thing as cheap.

Some call that snooty or looking down your nose, etc.

In my experience there are lots of less expensive rifles, even custom made, that I "feel" good about, and they perform perfectly, by design, which in my way of thinking is a very good thing indeed.

KB

No,it does not have to be more expensive to be better but it is usually the case.Your not going to have a really nice rifle if you don't spend a little money.

Well that's something we can agree upon.

I'll take that notion a little further. It's been my experience that there are a few out-of-the-box rifles that are really "nice". And by "nice", I mean exceptionally accurate and fit and function exceptionally well, and have that look to boot. The Blaser or some of the Sakos for examples, and there are others. You pay for what you get with those rifles, although I kinda think the Blaser is out there as far as price, but the quality is there too.

On the other hand, my primary experience with "nice" rifles has been those that have had gunsmith/professional tweeking to one degree or another. I have no - that's none - rifles that meet the "nice" catagory that haven't visited a gunsmith, sometimes more than one or more than once.

Frankly, I spend my money on rifles in the quality of the metal work, and go for functional but "ugly", in your book, stocks.

KB

If a rifle was too "nice" or too expensive for me to hunt with I wouldn't buy it in the first place. I love every nick and ding on my rifles; they add character and I wouldn't have them removed even if I could. If I chose to have a custom rifle made I'd hunt with it no matter how nice it was. No, make that especially given how nice it was.

In the world of electric guitars you have to pay extra for the scratches and dings. With rifles may it never come to such artifical airs as that, but on my rifles my own scratches and dings, honestly obtained, add value to me.

This scratches and dings thing apparantly varies by individual too. It may seem odd, but I feel the same way you do about it, if I'm talking about my factory CZ 550 stocks, but it's a different story with those few really high $ stocks I've had. I don't abuse my CZs, but they don't get babied much either.

On the other hand, I have a few rifles wearing Hogue stocks, the ugliest of synthetic stocks, second only to Ram Line stocks IMO, but it is a very nice and noticable relief when I'm using one of those rifles to not worry hardly at all about the stock. To me, the lack of worry is very very pretty. I have solved a lot of worries, and stock problems by using a Hogue.

I've even gotten to the point that when I order a custom barrel, and Hogue makes a stock to fit the action, I'll order the barrel contour to fit well into the Hogue stock barrel channel. That way, I can at least start shooting the rifle right away, and testing it at the range, then decide how I really want it stocked. Often, I'll finish the metal, have it blued, Black T or Gray T, or whatever, and continue using the Hogue.

I see no problem spending $1,000 or even $2,000 on metal work, and dropping the barreled action in a Hogue. It won't shoot any more accurately, and maybe less accurately, or vary day to day, wearing walnut.

My point is that there is a place where art and aesthetics doesn't contribute to servicability or function, but actually supersedes it, for its own sake. Pretty for the sake of looking good, rather than serving another purpose. That point differes from one guy to the next. For me, I have a low threshold, where aesthetics actually deminishes the usefulness of the rifle, and I would actually prefer to carry an ugly rifle that shoots well, rather than worry about messing up one that's pretty, and especially extravagantly expensive and pretty, and its value is in direct correlation to it remaining pretty.

KB

FLA30-06

Gorgeous stock. Who was the maker?

Kabluewy, I know where you're coming from - I used to have a Ruger canoe paddle stocked rifle and I wish I hadn't let it go. That was a pure hunting tool and I didn't have to give a second thought about babying it.

And I'm having a working rifle built right now that I'm planning to stock myself; maybe I'll look into one of those Hogue things you talked about while I fiddle around trying not to butcher a cheap wood stock too badly.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Yes I am going to go with that for my Satterlee lott and blank #3 for the Ralph Martini project.I am going to see how that one(#3) turns out and might use the 3000 blank for firewood.I was informed that Ralph has started to "rough up" #3.

George
This is what you posted way back....

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
I would like to know why they thing No 1 is worth $3000
and the others $500.

.

You'll see why it costs 3000 when you see the rifle.You'll see why the others cost 500 when you see the junk rifle.Look how it came to life in the picture below,when it was moistened.

George, are you for real????

Why the change of heart, did Ralph tell you that your that your "stunning" $3000 blank was actually an overpriced POS?

$3000....is that a Dakota blank?

The original Hunterbid blank is nice, but about $2-2500 overpriced.

The others shown are on par with fla30-06' blank, certainly they shouldn't command 4 digits, not even close.

quote:

The original Hunterbid blank is nice, but about $2-2500 overpriced.

How can it be $2-2500 overpriced? Please reread the site. This blank is listed for $1950!

quote:

Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:

quote:

The original Hunterbid blank is nice, but about $2-2500 overpriced.

How can it be $2-2500 overpriced? Please reread the site. This blank is listed for $1950!

I'm pretty sure when I looked at the link earlier today, the blank was listed @ $3000

Nope, it is infact $1950.00. I just looked again. Foaming at the mouth everytime I view this wood. 48 days left..........A lot could happen in 48 days! The govt could decide to get off their ass and bring me on fulltime and allow me to work weekends too!

I purchased a blank from these folks a couple years ago for around $1300.00. I still have it and would probably part with it to get this pornstar!

quote:

Originally posted by JBrown:

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Yes I am going to go with that for my Satterlee lott and blank #3 for the Ralph Martini project.I am going to see how that one(#3) turns out and might use the 3000 blank for firewood.I was informed that Ralph has started to "rough up" #3.

George
This is what you posted way back....

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:

quote:

Originally posted by 500N:
I would like to know why they thing No 1 is worth $3000
and the others $500.

.

You'll see why it costs 3000 when you see the rifle.You'll see why the others cost 500 when you see the junk rifle.Look how it came to life in the picture below,when it was moistened.

George, are you for real????

Why the change of heart, did Ralph tell you that your that your "stunning" $3000 blank was actually an overpriced POS?

The 3000 blank I bought from Dressels is a nice blank but I am not sure it will look nice on my project.I am not sure that one of Ralph's will or any other blank.There are actually very few custom rifles that I really liked.Some turn out nice while others... I will wait and see how the rifle with Ralph's blank turns out then I will see what I am going to do for the Satterlee.Thye 3000 dollar blank might turn out to be a beauty.Like I said before,the Dressels might know something about blanks.

Before anyone spends that kind of money on this particular blank, I'd advise them to have their stock maker look it over and give a thumbs-up. The blank certainly catches the eye but it has some serious issues as well.

Look at where the pattern is drawn and everything that is going on in the wrist area...you couldn't move the pattern back any because of the steep drop in the grain in the wrist...at the same time you can't move the pattern forward because of the upsweep in the grain in the foreend. The stock a buyer wants to build had better fit this blank EXACTLY or he will have wasted a couple grand.



This blank reminds me of a really hot girl who is also bipolar and has a touch of Tourettes...probably best to keep looking.

I agree 100% with Forrest.....that blank isn't suitable for a one piece rifle blank, because the grain flow is all wrong.

I just don't think it is necessary to spend alot for a good blank. Perfectly fine, nicely figured & layed out European walnut can be obtained for alot less if you look around. Luxus recently sold a Turkish blank on the Classifieds for $250 that I though was near perfect, far nicer IMO than several more expensive pieces they were also selling. This picture does not do these blanks justice but the top blank which was an exhibition piece from Denli cost $900, middle $300, bottom $250 (the best IMO).

I agree as well, but just make sure your stocker ain't in the wood selling business before you ask his opinion.

As far as this blank goes I doubt you will find a better grain layout than this in a "highly figured" blank - the grain and pattern drops perfectly through the wrist - on both sides! Of course we can't tell everything we need to know from just a few photos.

I buy a lot of wood - mostly for shotguns. Have had great Luck with Chrion.

Murat is easy to deal with and has great customer service.

Somebody would be wise to shoot up an offer on this one if they are serious about building a fancy magazine rifle.

Also, regarding the idea of a "wood bubble". That happened back in 2006-7. What you are seeing now is a fairly adjusted price marketplace - A very limited marketplace at that!

Never let a great blank pass you by!!! (Ok, so I have a gun wood-compulsive problem)

JW

I am a certified wood-nut, and I think a man should buy the best blank his checkbook can handle.

Over the years I've purchased a few blanks from Cecil Freddi in Las Vegas, he has to have one of the largest inventories of walnut in the country, and his $1000 blanks are right in line with the $2500-$3000 blanks offered by some of the other sellers.

On the way back from a hunting trip in Utah last October, my hunting partner and I stopped there, and he bought the most amazing piece of marbled English (with perfect layout) I have ever laid eyes on, for $1000.

This is not a paid commercial for Cecil, but anyone who is willing to invest in a high dollar blank should at least consider contacting him, and see what your money will get you.

quote:

This is not a paid commercial for Cecil, but anyone who is willing to invest in a high dollar blank should at least consider contacting him, and see what your money will get you.

I've bought wood from him too!

Top blank is ebay Bastogne, $250, bottom Chiron/Hunterbid Turkish, $350, identical figure on both sides, dense, no knots or imperfections, straight grain down the tops:

Who turned the bottom one.. nice pattern?

quote:

Originally posted by fla3006:
Top blank is ebay Bastogne, $250, bottom Chiron/Hunterbid Turkish, $350, identical figure on both sides, dense, no knots or imperfections, straight grain down the tops:

The bottom one is not bad.That is what I mean by plain and elegant without dark fancy mineral lines.

Rich, I bought a close-out with imperfections from Great American Gunstock, modified it, used it for the pattern. Basically GAG's Freischutz Classic with added drop, Schnabble forend, pancake cheekpiece. Reverse side:

You will also find that the Turkish has smaller pores (finishes off nicer), is most likely lighter in weight and has more even and vibrant coloring.

Don't get me wrong - those are both gorgeous rifles -I too am a big fan of fiddleback!

Well I finally found something to disagree with with Jeff. I don't like fiddleback at all. On second thought maybe this is a good thing. Now we won't be bidding on the same blanks and since he has way more money than me, it is a good thing!

465H&H

I coulda sworn the blank I saw last night listed for $4500, has it changed?

fla3006 has shown quite nicely how one needs not be sodomized for a decent piece of wood.

Nice wood dude.

Mike...your going to hate me for taking this blank off your hands for the price I payed. Not turkish, but how much do ya'll think I payed for this?

Bastogne or Claro? Beautiful.