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Stock material
Stock material
Simple question---Can a gun stock size blank be too heavy? I have a blank that is 4" x 6-1/2" x 52" and it weighs 30.5 pounds.

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23 May 2018, 00:09
Duane Wiebe (CG&R)Sounds more like a fence post than a stock blank..the thicker it is, the more issues there may be in the drying/curing
Can it be too heavy and still be wood?
No. Will your finished stock be too heavy for you?
Only one way to find out.
23 May 2018, 08:53
Toomany ToolsIf you look at the photos in Custom Rifles I posted of the pre-64 Model 70, the blank I used for that rifle weighed over 26 pounds when I bought it, green. By the time I used it the weight had dropped to just over 11 pounds. How dry is your blank?
John Farner
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23 May 2018, 09:59
montea6bThat is a big stick of wood. You could calculate the cubic inches and compare the weight/density to other standard stock hardwoods if you are concerned. It's an awful lot of work to shape a stock from it and decide later it's too heavy...
23 May 2018, 10:07
Dennis Earl SmithAs I read the blank dimensions... it is 4"thick. That would cause extra weight. You say in your ID you are in the PNW. Relative humidity plays a part. Portland, OR kept my wood at 18% even after 10 years of "drying". May I suggest, IF the blank is 4" thick..... you get 1" off the blank in thickness and weigh it again. Great length for a Mannlicher stock!
Dennis Earl Smith
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This blank was cut in the 1930's. There is no written documentation but this blank was given to me from a very good friend who's grandfather
claims it came from the Henry Ford estate.
It should be dry!
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Walnut can weigh 35 - 40 lb. cuft
If your blank is rectangle it's about 3/4 of a cuft.
23 May 2018, 19:46
Duane Wiebe (CG&R)Curious... Assume this is black walnut?
This was labeled Rosewood. It is as dark as any walnut that I have seen. I could post pics if needed.
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