Is maple suitable for a .416 Remington? A friend wants to replace his synthetic stock and is wondering if maple will hold up.

I am sure that it has been done, but I've never seen a big bore with a maple stock.

Is it suitable?

Thanks,

Jeremy

Maple has been used for generations as a "gunstock" wood. It can have some of the wildest grain structure ever.
As in all gunstocks layout for strength through the wrist should be paramount, especially in a larger bore firearm.
JNHO-FWIW --- John

Maple is stronger than Black Walnut; make sure it is Sugar or Red Maple, never Silver, which is not used for gunstocks, and some of the Western Maples are softer. Sugar Maple (Acer Saccharum) is best and usually hardest, depending on how and where it grew. Maple was the original long rifle wood of choice; 90% of original Pennsylvania (Kentucky) rifles are made from maple.

I wasn't sure if it would have a tendency to crack or have some other trait that made it less suitable for a heavy recoil rifle. I've no experience with maple on anything larger than a 30-06.

I'll take the normal precautions with cross bolts, and pin the wrist.

Thanks guys.

Maple is a great wood for gunstocks. A bit harder to work than Walnut, but tighter grain and stronger, too.
I've built several guitar necks from hard sugar maple and they are tough. The same attributes that make Maple good for Guitar necks make it good for gunstocks...strong, durable, dense, and resistant to bending and twist. Not sure, but I don't think it is a susceptible to the effects of moisture as walnut is..
You can find a wide variation in grain, but likely have to be very selective to get the figure you want.

Good luck

www.gunstockwood.com I've bought some good, solid, highly figured blanks from him.

Yep, Maple will be harder and tougher than Black Walnut; it is approaching English//french/ whatever you call it (Juglans Regia). As with all wood, they vary in density depending on a lot of factors. But let't put it this way the average Hard Maple will be much harder and tougher than the average or above Black. Certainly much better than most Claro.