Having just ordered a couple of Bastogne stocks from Richards, I'm curious what I can expect. I don't think I've ever seen this wood with my own eyes. I'd especially like to hear from anyone who has ordered it from Richards. I went with semi-fancy -- the last semi-fancy I got was in English walnut, and I really liked it; it had plenty of mineral streaking, nice grain flow, and a fair amount of fiddleback in the butt.

Maybe some pics anyone?

Thanks,
Todd

Todd,
Last year I ordered an Exibition grade Bastogne from them. It went back the next day. The piece was vastly over rated. I would have put it at semi fancy, or, #4 at best.
Yes, there was mineral streaking in it, about 35% coverd and that was it. Ugly piece of wood, and, frankly, the worst stock I had gotten from them.

When your's arrive, VERIFY that the barrel channel is at least something close to straight, and that the action is as well.
jeffe

[ 12-20-2002, 17:52: Message edited by: jeffeosso ]

Todd - I don't know anything about the quality of Richard�s Bastogne, however, good Bastogne is very difficult to beat in my books. I have 6 stocks done in exhibition grade Bastogne. It is more dense than English walnut making it a great choice for big bores. The only drawback is Bastogne can chip when checkering. Make sure your stockman knows what they are doing and has plenty of experience working with the wood. I will E-Mail you a picture of a 4 gun set in Bastogne.

Hmmm. Both good and bad. I'll hope for the best. I'm not expecting any wild figure, just a nice dark piece of wood with maybe some reddish cast to it. I also ordered a higher grade piece from Richards once, either AAA or exhibition in claro (from their bargain list). I wasn't that impressed, in fact my dad's A grade from Richards was probably nicer. In fairness though, wood often has a lot more figure than you imagine hiding under the rough exterior, so it might have looked a lot different sanded (I sent it back for other reasons).

The stock man would be me, I'll take special note of the chipping. I have yet to do my first real checkering job, although I have all the tools. I'm still looking for a pattern I like, and reading up.

On a semi-related note, I got home from work at 8:00 am and installed a London guns red rubber pad on my 416 taylor stock (light english with some nice dark streaks). WOW! What a dramatic change in appearance from the all black Pachmayr pad. The inletted nub also adds a neat touch. I think all of my guns from now on are going to have these.

Todd

Todd,
Do this, before you waste your time. Call up richards, and ask them if their Bastogne is dark.

Might was nearly as WHITE as birch.. they said that dark bastogne, with any english walunt type lines is very very rare, and they don't have any.

They took it back, no hew or cry, but I had told them exactly what I wanted, what it was for, and placed the order expecting exhibition. It wasn't.

jeffe

Good bastogne can be found here.

www.dressels.com

You will spend more than at Richards but it is money well spent. All of their wood is dry and seasoned. I have several pieces of their bastogne. I cuts clean and is very dense.

get a hold of rimrock gunstocks, very good bastogne and very reasonable, also inletted stocks from a don aled pantograph. i buy lots of wood green as well as seasoned from these guys. bastogne as well as good english is gettin harder to get every year and the prices arenot dropping. rimrocks email, bastogne@mako.com

I'm still wrestling with the AA Bastogne Old Classic pattern I got last spring for a FN Mauser...

The wood is light colored (not quite birch though) but displays excellent fiddleback as requested.

The inletting was horrible. Mag box too far back and canted. Remember the old Fajen stocks??? A far far cry from that... It's now a $250 piece for checking practice.

Next, I'm going to try to bed my rifle to a pattern and then send it off to a professional inletter- never done this before- any information on this might be helpful to us all...

I actually asked the lady I ordered from to describe the wood, and she said is was similar to but darker than their claro. Perhaps it's only in higher grades that it is very light? I'm just screwing around at this point anyway, as long as it's usable I'll be happy.

DeBee, how much do you want for that chunk of firewood?

Todd

If you want some Bastogne blanks, check out Rimrock, great blanks at fair prices. I was told a long time ago to look at a few before you make your decision in something as unique as a blank.

Rim rock gunstocks has just cut up a "big" bastogne tree. 5" diameter, and solid kinky fiddle back all the way through the tree. buy blanks now while they are green for coming projects. by the time these blanks are dry they will be very expensive........ i just ordered 10 of the better ones....

I'd love to dump it, but I already fit it to the gun and patched the gaps with 'dutchmen' made from the forend... I'm probably going to finish it out as practice. I regret I didn't send it back for a refund...

It'll look good on the outside and from the top but whoa what a mess on the bottom... Did I mention the stock cut for the ejector box was over 1/8" too long? Don't look too close...

I might rebarrel the action anyway- just a Shilen pre-threaded in .270- the whole project is in flux...

Anyone here use a pattern stock and send it off to a custom inletter for an exact fit? Tips, names, and associated costs appreciated...

300 stw
What kind of savings did buying green bring you?

[ 12-24-2002, 21:46: Message edited by: dempsey ]

about half of new. they will also run a customer pattern that is a very good job of glassing metal into the wood around 125.00 and barreled action will almost drop in the wood.