I have read of an African wood: "Obeche". It is often shown as a laminate on F class 1000 yard rifles and benchrest rifles.

I wondered if this is the same wood as I have read elsewhere which is both lightweight and strong?

I have some vague memory of one of the Hollywood styuntmen in "Where Eagles Dare" had a rifle stocked in some exotic wood which was very light, so could not be dense, but was very strong.

Any idea if this is the same wood?

Does Obeche wood make good, strong light weight laminate stocks?

I asked a similar question a couple of months ago. Darcy Echols has used Obeche wood laminates for some of his rifles. He got his blank from Bill Shehane. I am planning on using one of Bill's stocks on a .358 STA project that I am building.

Dave

Sorry, I missed your question / thread.

Just goes to show - parallel evolution, great minds etc

Light and strong, plus impervious would make it the ultimate wood laminate for a 'carry' rifle. The lighter of the two laminates on Bill Shehane's webpages is rather nice to my eyes.

I doubt there are many problems from a recoil splitting viewpoint if DArcy Echols used it on an African hunting rifle (the front cover magazine photograph).

If you can use it to stock, say a 458 Lott, I would guess a .358 STA would be ok?