Where has all the wood gone?

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Beautiful wood grain, like good wine, whiskey, jazz, and literature, requires exposure and maturity to be appreciated. That’s why us old farts like good wood, wine, jazz, and classic books.

I have faith that younger, newer shooters will evolve in their preferences. Finely figured walnut, like those other things, will always be appreciated by those with good taste. And if they don’t, their loss.
 
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Being in my early 30's, I can say that most of the young punks like me that I know, the old walnut and blued that was an expected standard back in my fathers/grandfathers day is no more. Those are seen as "Fudd" guns for ol fuddy duddies. It's not a travesty altogether because I love the old school checkered walnut and polished blue and people of my generation seem completely disinterested, especially if it's an older rifle or shotgun. More for us I would think...... let them fall over backwards getting the newest latest and greatest synthetic wonder gun while we hold out for the gems of old........
 
Well, I am closer to 70 than I like to think about, and I truly enjoy the figure and warmth of fine woods.
Some years back during my "real estate phase", I sold an older home that had lots of beautiful cathedral paneled, old, red oak cabinetry in the kitchen. The new owner promptly painted them and the red oak window trim white. That should have been a crime punishable with a prison term.
 
Beautiful wood grain, like good wine, whiskey, jazz, and literature, requires exposure and maturity to be appreciated. That’s why us old farts like good wood, wine, jazz, and classic books.

I have faith that younger, newer shooters will evolve in their preferences. Finely figured walnut, like those other things, will always be appreciated by those with good taste. And if they don’t, their loss.
Ooooboy… you old timers are something else! Just take it easy and enjoying life . God Bless you, now, we’re my french chalk paint, about to refurbish something
 
Well, I am closer to 70 than I like to think about, and I truly enjoy the figure and warmth of fine woods.
Some years back during my "real estate phase", I sold an older home that had lots of beautiful cathedral paneled, old, red oak cabinetry in the kitchen. The new owner promptly painted them and the red oak window trim white. That should have been a crime punishable with a prison term.
not going to lie, I bought a old 1934 Tutor in Seattle about 6 years ago. It’s been renovated over the century. Nice Walnut cabinets, cherry cabinets, classic dark brown paint scheme…. Well the wife wanted me to gut it… well I’m gonna shut my mouth now.

Oak Floors too! I told her NOPE on that
 
Beautiful wood grain, like good wine, whiskey, jazz, and literature, requires exposure and maturity to be appreciated. That’s why us old farts like good wood, wine, jazz, and classic books.

I have faith that younger, newer shooters will evolve in their preferences. Finely figured walnut, like those other things, will always be appreciated by those with good taste. And if they don’t, their loss.
I do like soft jazz. But you left out the part about the pretty, sophisticated, well gowned and endowed ladies. They, too, are fine to have around with a glass of fine wine and some Charlie Parker in the background.
 
not going to lie, I bought a old 1934 Tutor in Seattle about 6 years ago. It’s been renovated over the century. Nice Walnut cabinets, cherry cabinets, classic dark brown paint scheme…. Well the wife wanted me to gut it… well I’m gonna shut my mouth now.

Oak Floors too! I told her NOPE on that
You need to educate that woman. Take her out and price some cabinets to replace what you have like-for-like. That might shine a light for her. ;)
 
You need to educate that woman. Take her out and price some cabinets to replace what you have like-for-like. That might shine a light for her. ;)
I told her! like 20 times how expensive this stuff is. I did save the wood. So not all was lost. Tell you what, next house… New Built! nothing worst for my temper then being the middle man between contractors and wife.
 
I do like soft jazz. But you left out the part about the pretty, sophisticated, well gowned and endowed ladies. They, too, are fine to have around with a glass of fine wine and some Charlie Parker in the background.

No disagreement here, just trying to be cautious in my examples. Wood can be appreciated by the ladies also, can it not?
 
be

I know a guy who got into guns from video games.
I got into guns because of videogames. But i had no other way. Saying my father is an incredibly broken man is an understatement. Survived Afghanistan in '86 and Bosnia. Of course he has a disdain for firearms.

On the other hand, I grew up on the El Paso/Juárez border in the early 2000's. Y'know, when cartel violence was at an all time high? Gun violence? We lost friends and family in a crossfire once. So they were frowned upon.

Guns weren't big in my family until I started getting into them myself. I have my great grandad's Marlin M60, and that's it(in terms of family firearms). But now though, my Aunt's family has guns, my grandfather has guns, even my sweet old grandmother loves guns. Man, the smile on her face when she shot black powder, like in the movies from her times. I have a few friends i got into guns. All because I liked them in videogames.

But to the topic of wood, I'm not old by some of y'all's standards, I'm 22. But I grew up with a lovely Wood Cathode Ray TV, actual wood furniture, and my grandad is a carpenter. I grew up to like wood. Not to mention, I got into videogames about WW2, where most of the rifles had wood stocks. Naturally, all my rifles have wood stocks, and most of my handguns do too (don't worry, I'm trying to fix that). As such, my friend straight up sold his plastic fantastic for a 1911- with wood stocks.

In the end, it shouldn't matter what materials are on your gun, as long as you enjoy it.
 
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I got into guns because of videogames. But i had no other way. Saying my father is an incredibly broken man is an understatement. Survived Afghanistan in '86 and Bosnia. Of course he has a disdain for firearms.

On the other hand, I grew up on the El Paso/Juárez border in the early 200's. Y'know, when cartel violence was at an all time high? Gun violence? We lost friends and family in a crossfire once. So they were frowned upon.

Guns weren't big in my family until I started getting into them myself. I have my great grandad's Marlin M60, and that's it(in terms of family firearms). But now though, my Aunt's family has guns, my grandfather has guns, even my sweet old grandmother loves guns. Man, the smile on her face when she shot black powder, like in the movies from her times. I have a few friends i got into guns. All because I liked them in videogames.

But to the topic of wood, I'm not old by some of y'all's standards, I'm 22. But I grew up with a lovely Wood Cathode Ray TV, actual wood furniture, and my grandad is a carpenter. I grew up to like wood. Not to mention, I got into videogames about WW2, where most of the rifles had wood stocks. Naturally, all my rifles have wood stocks, and most of my handguns do too (don't worry, I'm trying to fix that). As such, my friend straight up sold his plastic fantastic for a 1911- with wood stocks.

In the end, it shouldn't matter what materials are on your gun, as long as you enjoy it.
One thing I like about wood guns, are their battle scars. Video games also taught me about WW2 guns. I have a mid generation Araska war brought back, and the scars in that wood! I can only imagine the war it was gone though. My Tula Mosin, looks like it didn’t see much action but tells a story about being stored away for the American invasion that never happened. But my most scared gun is a Chinese M44. Was told it was a Nam bring back??? not sure. But this thing has seen action. Bore is completely shot out.

I have a Afghan friend who’s family is so smart that if they grow up in the west would probably be billionaires or heads of states. He also hates gun because he had to use it so much. He told me a story of him and older sister fighting off soldiers (maybe Tali)? at their home, because the Tali knew they were being educated. His sister was firing the AK and he was loading mags.
 
So many good replies here....

Personally I think wood is going away because "we" are going away. WE being the old guys that grew up with wood, that is what dad had, that is what was in the cowboy movies we all watched with John Wayne, it was what was in all the war movies.....it is what guns just are.

Now war movies are full of plastic if they are current. The AR "fad" has run everything else into the ground, and now just why bother with wood, it is more expensive over a 1000lb bag of black plastic BB's that we can mold into anything with zero man hours spent on the finished product. It will come out exact and perfect every time, no photos of a poorly fitted stock on the internet talking about how X quality is down, just look at this fitment.

Personally I have had the hots for a Ruger 77/357 for years now, only issue is it comes with a stupid plastic stock, so add another $200 for a stock I will not be ashamed of, and the price of an already over priced gun is over a grand now.

Plastic is the thing now and wood is special. For many reasons, top two being this is what the younger folk grew up with and it is just flat cheaper.
 
So many good replies here....

Personally I think wood is going away because "we" are going away. WE being the old guys that grew up with wood, that is what dad had, that is what was in the cowboy movies we all watched with John Wayne, it was what was in all the war movies.....it is what guns just are.

Now war movies are full of plastic if they are current. The AR "fad" has run everything else into the ground, and now just why bother with wood, it is more expensive over a 1000lb bag of black plastic BB's that we can mold into anything with zero man hours spent on the finished product. It will come out exact and perfect every time, no photos of a poorly fitted stock on the internet talking about how X quality is down, just look at this fitment.

Personally I have had the hots for a Ruger 77/357 for years now, only issue is it comes with a stupid plastic stock, so add another $200 for a stock I will not be ashamed of, and the price of an already over priced gun is over a grand now.

Plastic is the thing now and wood is special. For many reasons, top two being this is what the younger folk grew up with and it is just flat cheaper.
Well said! Money talks. (Except when congress insists on spending it when it ain’t there; if I could budget like them my gun collection would be biblical in proportions) oops I didn’t say that. I find the rugged utilitarian looks of a chassis somewhat appealing in function. But my grandpas beat up pre-64 brush scarred model 70 (270 of course because O’Connor) is anthing of beauty as well. I just found out I can get the stock I want for my Mauser build in walnut instead of otherwise… I about did cartwheels!
 
Somehow wood was considered sufficient as a gunstock for hundreds of years. My thought is that it's the gun manufacturers trying to cut costs who push the agenda that synthetic stocks are superior.

Some people here are parroting the makers who talk about warping, splitting, etc. and how synthetic is superior. I've been shooting for over 60 years and have yet to have any of these supposed problems with any of my wood stocked guns.

I see synthetic stocks as being totally devoid of any soul or warmth. if that makes me a Fudd, then so be it.
 
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Stainless on Lam! tell me this is not pretty! Love my #1!!
Nice No 1, I have one in 45-70 Which is my favorite caliber, but mine is blue because I got a deal on it. Here's my SS Lam Remington 700LSS 243. The high gloss finish is stunning to say the least. I wish they still made these. I installed a $230 Jewell Adjustable trigger.
33hHbbzl.jpg
 
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Somehow wood was considered sufficient as a gunstock for hundreds of years. My thought is that it's the gun manufacturers trying to cut costs who push the agenda that synthetic stocks are superior.

Some people here are parroting the makers who talk about warping, splitting, etc. and how synthetic is superior. I've been shooting for over 60 years and have yet to have any of these supposed problems with any of my wood stocked guns.

I see synthetic stocks as being totally devoid of any soul or warmth. if that makes me a Fudd, then so be it.


I agree with you, however there is no getting around wood moving around with humidity is a thing, ask any guitar player. This is the reason the army replaced M14 stocks to plastic, in my book fiberglass is plastic. In the jungles of SE asia it was an issue. Most of us don't see it.

In my book plastic is just void, and just can't get on the band wagon, I see plastic hand guns the same way. Cost just has to be the main reason, and then ease of working with the product. Only plus I see is you can paint it if you so desire....but again see so little point you wear camo, and a bright orange vest flat stupid. I always wore jeans and a button down flannel shirt....deer ain't that smart, but like on the other deer thread they do learn.
 
100% wood changes. You have to design wood items to account for this. E.g. a panel in a door in the house, no rain and tromping through the woods, if you glue or nail it in things will split. Has to float. For over 100 years — as long range and precision shooting has existed — it's been well known that you have to keep the gun dry, but also not TOO dry (oil it or paint it) and if it is too humid or rainy you just maybe aren't making that shot as the stock is gonna throw the gun off.

Wood was good for thousands of years because We Had No Choice. Synthetic materials are only about 150 years old now.

Also: capitalism. We are all for short term returns, and so cut down all the forests, never replaced them. Really. Go to Home Depot find a load bearing 24 ft wood beam. Laughter from the crowd. Now, go find an old wood barn and notice how the beams are that long, sometimes longer. There are no old growth trees to provide lumber like that. Similar for even smaller pieces, in that the hard woods suitable for gunstocks are hard to find now, much less pretty wood bits. So, the few that exist cost more. And it is a market economy. Makers cannot sell a wood stock for $50 or $100 more enough to have them available routinely because stores won't sell those enough to bother stocking them.

The 80s were /worse/ for this to my mind. Few synthetics (and often, pretty bad ones as they hadn't figured out which materials, and how to design differently so they work well, save weight) so lots of wood, but... wood is terrible and/or expensive. So, lots of stocks of lumber I'd be leery to build my house out of. My first .22 I could mark the stock with my fingernail it was so soft.

Last: styles change over time, and individuals are allowed individual taste. That's it. Your style is not everyone's. They aren't wrong, just different.
 
Hi...
I am not a big fan of plastic guns, laminate stocks or the AR platform. I own one synthetic stocked rifle for bad weather hunting, one plastic fantastic handgun and one AR style rifle.
All of my other rifles and shotguns have nice wood stocks. I don't even care for plastic or rubber grips on my handguns...almost all that came that way have been replaced with wood grips.

I am 67, so apparently I qualify as oldfashioned.
My son is 28 and while he has a nice group of synthetic stocked rifles, shotguns and plastic fantastic handguns, he also prefers blued steel and nicely grained wood. He is quite enamored of lever action rifles and revolvers. He often carries one of his 1911 style handguns so I suppose he is the antithesis of the stereotypical younger gun owner.
 
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