Myrtle (mostly from Oregon) can be drop dead beautiful. Its characteristics are quite similar to walnut. Unfortunately, O'Connor have it a bad name once as he had a rifle stocked with it and apparently the blank had not been properly dried, or maybe not properly finished. Anyhow, he professed long and loud that myrtle would "never quit walking." In truth, if properly dried and finished it will prove as stable as any good walnut.

As a stock wood maple is legendary. If you don't like the light color it can be stained or given a sungi (sp) finish - which I think is most beautiful.

There are dozens of other wood that can be used, but they start falling into the category of exotics. Many are not as expensive or scarce as one may think, but all of them have one or more characteristics that make them less then desirable.

On the other hand, you could be daring.

Steve

Kent

Teak is not a stock wood, it is much too brittle...I have never seen a teak stock in 50 years of building guns, not to say that it hasn't been done...It would weigh a ton.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

American woods
Screwbean Mesquite
Oriental Flowering Pistachio

Australia used these timbers for SMLE stocks
from 1915 to 1955
Coachwood - Ceratopetalum apetalum
Queensand Maple - Flindersia brayleyana
(In America it is called Oriental wood)

Regards
Deafdog

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deafdog@turboweb.net.au
http://deafdog.turboweb.net.au

quote:

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Originally posted by efryman:
What kind of woods are suitable for making rifle stocks?. I'm thinking of making my own stock, but want to make it out of something other than walnut. Any suggestions?.

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Mesquite makes a real nice stock. Don't know if you can find it anymore. I got a couple of blank sized pieces from a friend in the valley, who happened to have a friend with a sawmill! Anyway, he said most all mesquite production was going for flooring...