I am looking to make/or have made, a new stock for one of my rifles. I plan on using some exotic wood for the project. I was looking at the many different types of exotic wood available through wholesalers, and came across a few different types that I would like to use, if the wood is appropriate for use in making a gunstock. Could some of you more knowledegable folks offer some advice on the types of wood I have listed as to whether they are good for gunstocks or not, and reasons why. I know I am asking for a lot of info, but it is going to be a long winter and I need to do something other than visit this website!!! Thanks in advance for the help!

Here are the types of wood I am thinking about using, ranked in order of my personal preference.

1. Purpleheart
2. Rosewood, Patagonian
3. Bubinga
4. Bloodwood
5. Tigerwood

From your post, I'm not sure what you're after for a gunstock, but your choices are interesting, if not wholly suitable for the purpose. I'm not the expert some here are, but I've bought a lot of these woods for furniture work and other things and this is my take on them.

Purple heart, while probably suitable for a stock material, would be heavy and have a dark, reddish color which is not really attractive in a gunstock unless you use a water base finish to preserve the pretty purple color. Most water based finishes aren't as durable and waterproof as a gunstock needs to be.

Most rosewoods tend to be exceedingly hard, heavy, dense, but beautiful. This is the reason most rosewoods in gunstocks are usually used for tip and cap material only- decorative uses. I wouldn't want to be the one trying to carve a gunstock out of a piece of rosewood big enough to make a gunstock, even if you could find one. It would take power tools for every step and even then would probably wear a few out before you got anywhere close.

The last three choices mostly come under the same heading as Rosewood, beautiful for ornammental uses such as tips and caps, but heavy, dense, and fairly hard. Some of these hardwoods are also very brittle and not very stable if exposed to moisture, so you would need to look out for that also.

There is a reason the gunstock woods you find have been used for so long. Workability, weight, stability, and grain structure are at least as important as how a wood looks. However, if you do decide to use one of these woods, I'd sure like to see what the end result would be. It would be interesting at the very least.- Sheister

25 cal .. I think most nice stock makers and good gunsmiths like walnut. I think . But I maybe wrong.

i have built several gunstocks with various woods not usually thought of as stockwoods. the hardest problem in finishing is the natural oils in the wood hindering the drying of the finish and finding a truly clear finish that won't add any color of its own. i have used various types of rosewood, purple heart, and my favorite was zebrawood. i currently have a paduk blank here but can't decide weather to sell it ot keep it.good luck in your project.

hm2
I love the smell of of paduc when it's being sawn. It almost smells good enough to eat.
Jim

Anybody have experience with ramin wood? There's not much grain to it but takes a finish wonderfully.
Jim

I've had experience with walnut, maple and rosewood.....and never again with the rosewood...The last piece I used was so oily it was almost impossible to put a finish on.....

If you want something other than walnut, I'll suggest maple in fancy, birdseye, shellflame and myrtle wood.

Pick a pretty blank and have a ball.

Ditto what Vapo said. If you want something really wild, look at exhibition fiddleback Claro, Bastogne, maple or myrtle. Bottom rifle stocked with $175 Bastogne blank (not "exhibition"):



[ 12-08-2003, 05:49: Message edited by: fla3006 ]

Thanks for the great responses! Lots of info to digest, but thats what I was looking for.

As far stock weight goes, not a huge bother to me when I go hunting. I've used a 9.5 pound mauser with no problems. Now the purpleheart waterbased finish problem is a hinderance. As far wood hardness, that too is a problem, don't want to add to the expense by ruining tools. Lot of different things to think about.

As far as using walnut, everyone uses walnut. Personally never been a fan of walnut. Always loved maple, but again lots of it out there. I want to do something different with a stock. Make a somewhat unique looking rifle, know what I mean.

hms2, where are you located in SE PA? I live by Scranton/Wilkes Barre and would love to take a look at some of the stocks you have made, if you still have them. Would give me a better idea of what the finished product will look like. You can send me an email thru my profile if you like.

Again, thanks to all of you that replied. Thats what I love about this forum, the ability to get multiple viewpoints in such a short timeframe.

You have to be careful with certain types of exotic wood.
The dust reacts with your sinus membranes and can really ruin your week.

Jim Wisner