I've begun a project rifle. This will be my primary elk, bear, deer rifle and I have sold several other rifles to fund one done right. It will be 338 win, M1999 action, Lawrence cut rifle barrel and I hope to have Acrabond do up the stock if Rod can fit my project in with his (I'm sure) hectic startup schedule. This may seem odd or something but the common denomenators of all the above components is that they are high quality and Montana made. I would like to continue the theme with a stock of native local wood but am at a loss as to whether there is any suitable hardwood to consider for a high quality custom. The Acrabond process can make a very stable stock from a variety of wood, any suggestions of stock material indigenous to the northern Rockies? If I'm taking this too far please feel free to say so and I'll just buy a walnut blank and be done with it. Thanks

[ 05-06-2003, 18:42: Message edited by: snowcat ]

I would suggest a blank of "Montana Walnut" from Mark Bansner... also known as fiberglass

I think you go ahead and just get a good walnut stock and you can have it laminated or not, up to you, but even in laminate you need good properly cured, dry and hard wood..

I'd go visit Bill Dowtin and find a piece of good walnut that is pretty on one side and plain on the other and have that laminated with the pretty wood on the outside and plain on the inside...Bill lives in Whitefish...

Spruce, shinery, sagebrush, and Pine don't make good stocks

I know I gotta start proof reading my posts, so much to do so little time

Well, John Ricks sent over a piece of maple that came from "up here" somewheres. (I think). Maybe not Montana, but a few clicks west.

Maple?? I thought we were talking gunstock wood

Snowcat,
I have made stocks from walnut "yard trees" that were sliced up with one of those trailer mounted band saw mills. You might check with local woodworkers in your area for leads on any one doing this.

Ahh, now Ray, the Maple is for one of those "parlor" guns that matches the furniture. Mell Just wanted to see what it looked like back a year or so ago. Makes good mallets also.

I always wanted a stock made from the infamous "Black Timber" in Montana where a big lone bull Elk was standing behind every tree. Thought maybe it would increase my odds in hunting season, I was guessing a big bull would come over and horn the gunstock.

Thanks to all for the replies--I think the "Yard wood" would be my only option except for maybe the featherweight cottonwood laminate I('ve been kicking around Ray, do you have a contact number for Mr. Dowtin? Sounds like Rod is starting to get things going again up there at Acra-bond. Thanks again all.

Bill Dowtins number is 406-862-9837

I would also contact Richards gun stocks and some of the well known wood pimps...The all have the kind of wood I'm talking about and at give away pricing. Ya gotta shop.

Try some diamond willow - if you can find trees big enough, you might could laminate some?

One customer is sending in a quartersawn blank from a pistachio log.

Our testing with purpleheart continues. With this wood you have to let it "breathe" for three days after milling. This brings the color back. It might be an oxidizing reaction rather than ulraviolet because test planks turn purple back in the corner of the shop too.

The wood has "fiddleback" but not what you're used to seeing. Sort of diagonal to the grain and in irregular half to inch wide tiger stripes. What is really neat is the dark and light stripes invert depending on which way light strikes them. Tilt the blank 45 degrees - dark turns light and vice-versa. It checkers just fine and in about ten days, we discover if the panograph is up to the task of shaping this stuff.

We've got some myrtle, and maple (less now than yesterday), some cherry and a truck load of oregon walnut. There is even a mesquite log out behind the shop.

And John,...plenty of black timber in the Bitteroot, or along the Northfork. "kiln" dried too.

[ 05-09-2003, 09:50: Message edited by: Rod@Acrabond ]

Ray,
I'll talk to Mr. Dowtin first on your recommendation. I'll also let him know that you said he would "give away" a piece of that half figured walnut . I look forward to the search.

Eric,
I don't even think Rod could figure a way to make our native willow serviceable, though after smoking up the shop with that purpleheart alloy he'd likely be willing to work with something a touch softer.

Rod, thanks for keeping us posted--you may want to post some pics on the website of your new work, the old pics aren't real clear. Also an old bookmark of Artistry comes up but the Acrabond page found by the search engines often don't.

John-In a couple three years the green grass in the black timber on the North Fork's Red Bench could make for some long white tips on those brown antlers (morel pickin wasn't too bad either.)

[ 05-09-2003, 10:32: Message edited by: snowcat ]

Snowcat,
I figure all those white tips with be over the line as about this year the big Long Tom fire should be looking mighty tasty to the elk...

We burn Idaho to steal Montana Elk, didn't you know that??