Woods

[Crow#21957]

What would be the mist beautiful wood for a long rifle build in your opinion? I've read that western quilted maple is awsome? Myself from my archery years would like some nice myrtle but probably not obtainable. Any pics of some really nice stocks would be welcome. Maybe a nice 4 grade curly maple would be the thing. Pics if you will and your thoughts. Thanks
P.s. I would like a real nice Claro walnut with alot of figure.

 

[nchawkeye]

Curly maple, and it's historically correct.

 

[billraby]

Western quilted maple is very nice. But it is usually much too soft. I am a big fan of Turkish walnut. A really nice blank from that will cost a few thousand dollars. Expensive stuff. Curly maple is also very nice and price is reasonable even for a very nice one. Another option is birds eye maple. That is some very fancy wood. Hard to find. It is cheaper than the Turkish walnut but still quite expensive.

 

[longcruise]

I would like to get my hands on a piece of apple. Peach. Pear or plum large enough for a stock. Probably not going to find it though.

 

[ronaldrothb49]

A guy I used to shoot with had a rifle stocked with curly Cherry. That was a beautiful piece of wood. It's the only piece of curly Cherry I have ever seen. I have a stock I haven't used that is a combination of Curly and Birdseye maple.

 

[Flintandsteel]

This is a pear Woodsrunner from Mr Kibler. Nice to work with.

 

[Crow#21957]

That's nice looking wood. Classy

 

[deerstalkert]

beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I am attracted to the best of curly maple.
a piece of turk walnut will get my juices flowing.
I built a stock from a nice piece of mesquite that some thought was Gucci.
there have been a few stocks of maple shown here that were breath taking.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Ok, heres some nice curly maple.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Maple

 

[Mark E. Prickett]

Look at jim kibler.net. he has some guns made with burle wood. Stunning.

 

[Mark E. Prickett]

https://www.jimkibler.net/blog/staining-and-finishing-burl-maple

 

[NorthFork]

No one will agree with me but.....


A HARD durable wood that the grain follows the natural contours of the stock, including the wrist, regardless of specie. I don't care about figure or 'looks'. I want/NEED durable!

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

No one will agree with me but.....


A HARD durable wood that the grain follows the natural contours of the stock, including the wrist, regardless of specie. I don't care about figure or 'looks'. I want/NEED durable!

I built a lot of guns with wood just like that.

 

[Kevin Houlihan]

This is a pear Woodsrunner from Mr Kibler. Nice to work with.
View attachment 241396

View attachment 241397

Dane,
I have a piece of pear from Jim that I'm going to use on a pistol. What finish did you use?
Thanks,
Kevin

 

[oldwood]

Rare quilted maple is both rock hard , and has a magnificent quilted look to it. I've had only three pieces of it in 50+ years. Bought all three pieces back in the 1980's at Log Cabin M/L Shop. It's a chore to make a stock out of it. Very hard wood. Anyone else used this stuff???

 

[deerstalkert]

Rare quilted maple is both rock hard , and has a magnificent quilted look to it. I've had only three pieces of it in 50+ years. Bought all three pieces back in the 1980's at Log Cabin M/L Shop. It's a chore to make a stock out of it. Very hard wood. Anyone else used this stuff???

i used some for a couple unmentionable rifles i built in the 70's. i lived in Oregon and had a sawmill. had a friend with family on the Olympic peninsula. it is hard to get these days. poaching is rampant on the OP. very high dollars involved. as in 50k for one tree.

 

[oldwood]

This rare quilted or tortoise shell maple is in Pa. called Sycamore maple. Not related to a Sycamore tree , or Planet tree , found along lowland streams. I know of a row of them , large , old trees , that are in a Grange park , and the last cut down were made into fire wood.. A shame unknowing and uncaring folks are so clueless as to the value of such trees.

 

[Kmcmichael]

This is the forearm on my Colonial .50 it was an above grade wood(grade4?) I struggle with finishes being red/green colorblind,

 

[Flintandsteel]

Kevin,
I left the pear unstained, per Jim Kibler. I did add some black to the finish, (Chambers Oil finish), added some patina for age. Pretty simple.