quote:

all stockwood in my mind should be quarter sawn...

I have to agree. For quality rifles and work done by a good stockmaker the cost of the wood is the least of your worries.

I once got a stock, not Richards, that was slash grained. In other words the grain ran about 60-degrees side to side. Nothing like front to back. They said it was "fancy" I said it was junk and got a refund. It was for a two piece stock.

The slab sawn cheap wood is of use for guys learning how to inlet and finish. Get some cheap wood and learn on it. Once you have some confidence and skills make a good stock using good materials. I think this is the crowd Richards is targeting, the hobiests. That is good stuff. Hopefully some of them will be our future top notch stock makers.

Here are some really bad photos of the finished stock. I am a terrible photographer.

Doc,

That stock looks absolutely stunning. That sort of colour and grain are my absolute favourite.

I agree. did you stain at all?

I did not use any stain. After shaping and sanding and whiskering I used Pro-Custom oil - about 18 coats - first 2 coats were thinned and the rest were full strength. Steel wool between coats and 2 episodes of wet sanding before the final coat of oil.

doc -

i've got to agree: excellent results....great color and grain!

DrScott, that was quick! It takes me more time to fiqure out what my next experimental finish will be I think it looks very nice.

I am having the gunsmith put a Richard's on my rifle. The cost for finishing the inletting, pillar-bedding and glass-bedding is $550. The stock was $189 delivered. The exterior finishing will be done by a third party and will cost still more...

Update: 28 May

Spoke with my gunsmith this morning. He tells me he had to remove so much wood to get the action to even begin to fit that if I ever brought another Richard's in, he'd decline the job. If you want a stock with LOTS of extra wood to work with (and have lots of extra money to have it removed), buy a Richard's. I've bought my last one...