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Wood for Rifle Stock

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18 November 2001, 09:43
Erik Fryman
Wood for Rifle Stock
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?.
17 November 2001, 23:13
<holtz>
There are two excellent alternatives, Myrtle and Maple.

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



18 November 2001, 04:09
Kent in IA
You could also go with birch. That is the wood they stock cheap guns with. If it were me though I think that I would opt for teak. It looks somewhat like walnut, but is much harder and tougher. It is about as heavy as laminate though.

Kent

18 November 2001, 06:54
Atkinson
As far as I'm concerned there is only one stock wood and that is thin shelled walnut, English, Turkish etc...

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.

------------------
Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

18 November 2001, 13:44
Erik Fryman
I have been looking at some of the exotic woods (Bloodwood, Canarywood, Lacewood etc). Have not gotten a price for a piece large enough for a rifle stock, might be way too expensive. Will try too find out sone more of the caracteristics/prices of the different wood types. I assume I'm looking for a wood that is easy to machine/carve, is strong, but not brittle. Does not creep or "walk". Anything else
18 November 2001, 14:35
<Deafdog>
Hi efryman
Here are some non walnut stock timbers

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

18 November 2001, 14:42
Pedestal
quote:
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?.

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...