What type of wood for a safari rifle stock?

[Matt304]

I have a project gun nearing completion, and I need to find a nice type of wood to finish the gun with. The whole look of the rifle is based on a safari rifle, so I'd like to finish it with something a bit exotic looking. Now, it is not a top-dollar build, so I'd rather find something that isn't too expensive. Something within a few hundred bucks would be great. If that is possible, of course.

Any suggestions on types of wood I may want to try for an exotic look? Any photos would also be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[gcrookston]

My personal favorite is Bastogne Walnut, a select blank of European is going to be way over your budget (by about a grand, or double for select burl), but you can sitll find find a decent grain Bastogne blank in your price range and finish it quite dark with enhancements to pleasing effect. You can pickup a turkish or bulgarian circassian well within your range. There are litterly dozens of options in the walnut family and finding the right blank with the right grain is really an art I have never mastered. There is also the family of maple, if you are looking for lighter, cooler and more interesting patterns.

You might check out these people for more examples and ideas:
http://www.dressels.com/id91.htm

 

[Matt304]

I found this site searching for the Bastogne walnut: http://www.metalandwood.com/wood.html#pricing

I noticed that these blanks there do look very pretty:

It sounds like about $400-800 though for one of those, which I really can't afford to do on a stock right now. Maybe I can find a decent blank in my range somewhere with a little time.

 

[GunTech]

I'm restocking my 458 in cocobolo. Lots of sanding still to go.

 

[TAB]

Pretty much any type of walnut will be a great choice. Price varry drasticly by type, age, figure.... If your looking to pick something on the cheaper side Claro walnut is not that bad( under a 100 for gunstock thickness) Only prob will be trying to find some big enough. your best bet is getting a hold of some reclaimed stock. Pick up a couple wood working rags and check the back for the guys actually doing the reclaiming. That way you cut put the middle man and also get them to select some good stock for you.( middle man is most likly going to have to order it anyways)

 

[.38 Special]

If you are capable of taking a blank and turning it into a stock yourself -- start-to-finish -- you can find decent but not especially fancy blanks in your price range. If you need even the slightest bit of work done for you, though, I think you are out of luck. Even semi-inletting and semi-shaping is liable to set you back more than the $200-$400 cost of an 'A' (basic grade) blank itself.

IOW, your budget may restrict you to a basic, plain walnut stock like these from Cabela's. http://www.cabelas.com/information/HuntingOptics/CabelasWalnutStocksandForends0012770/CabelasWalnutRifleandShotgunStocks0012770222714a.html

 

[Twud]

http://www.rifle-stocks.com/laminated_blanks.htm

I have a varminter in camoflauge that I really like. They are dimensionally stable and inexpensive. You might like the brown and brown for your "safari" rifle.

 

[Matt304]

I think this rifle is destined for Bastogne walnut after viewing the photos. It seems to be the wood I have seen around and fell in love with.

On a side note, are there any precautions one needs to take on a heavy recoiling rifle to prevent the stock wood from splitting? I have heard it vaguely discussed that some stocks do split, but haven't looked into this as to whether or not it only occurs with cheap wood.

 

[Sunray]

"... Bastogne walnut..." Cheap it ain't. The more grain figuring any walnut has, the higher the price. Have a look at California Claro walnut(English walnut is really pretty, but expensive.)too. Do a 'net search for 'stock woods'.
"...to prevent the stock wood from splitting..." A proper bedding job will help a whole bunch.

 

[rcmodel]

On a side note, are there any precautions one needs to take on a heavy recoiling rifle to prevent the stock wood from splitting?

What caliber are you talking about?

Most African caliber rifles include:
Straight wood grain through the pistol grip area.

Thru-stock bolts behind the recoil lug and magazine box.

Plenty of clearance behind the receiver tang, and stock bolts.

Plenty of glass bedding thickness in all the critical areas.

Steel or aluminum filler added to the glass bedding compound.

Perhaps an extra recoil lug/action screw silver-soldered to the barrel in front of the action about where the old Model 70 Winchester front screw/sight base Dog-Knot was located.

Some folks even like to drill down through the pistol grip from inside the action mortise and glass bed a length of 3/8" steel all-thread in there to make it impossible for a pistol grip to break at the wrest.

Carried even further, you can make the steel rod with a flattened projection and hole that the rear receiver screw lug fits into to help absorb recoil into the stock.

BTW: On the really hard kickers, it's a good idea to mount the front sling swivel on a barrel band, or else on the front of the forend under the barrel. That will prevent hand injury from a sling swivel smacking your support hand during recoil.


rcmodel

 

[Matt304]

What caliber are you talking about?

Most African caliber rifles include:
Straight wood grain through the pistol grip area.

Thru-stock bolts behind the recoil lug and magazine box.

Plenty of clearance behind the receiver tang, and stock bolts.

Plenty of glass bedding thickness in all the critical areas.

Steel or aluminum filler added to the glass bedding compound.

Perhaps an extra recoil lug/action screw silver-soldered to the barrel in front of the action about where the old Model 70 Winchester front screw/sight base Dog-Knot was located.

Some folks even like to drill down through the pistol grip from inside the action mortise and glass bed a length of 3/8" steel all-thread in there to make it impossible for a pistol grip to break at the wrest.

Carried even further, you can make the steel rod with a flattened projection and hole that the rear receiver screw lug fits into to help absorb recoil into the stock.

BTW: On the really hard kickers, it's a good idea to mount the front sling swivel on a barrel band, or else on the front of the forend under the barrel. That will prevent hand injury from a sling swivel smacking your support hand during recoil.


rcmodel

Thanks for the advice on what's needed. I think it is just going to make sense to spend a little more than I intended and have this done by a gunsmith, so that it is setup right. The barrel won't be ready for a little while, so I am considering the stock now. It is a very hard recoiling cartridge like the Tyrannosaur, so it will put wood to the test I think. It is a wildcat 600x3.25 case firing .620 900gr 600NE bullets on a heavy bolt action.

 

[rcmodel]

Well, I doubt you will be shooting it enough to worry about breaking the stock.

Unless it breaks on the first shot!

BTW: Since it is to be a .620 caliber rifled barrel, you might want to check with the ATF first.

That would be illegal in the United States unless properly tax stamped and regestered as a "Destructive Device".


rcmodel

 

[jkingrph]

I'm restocking my 458 in cocobolo. Lots of sanding still to go.

I think cocobolo is a beautiful wood, but is it not a bit heavy for a gunstock, unless you are trying to increase weight naturally.

 

[Matt304]

Rc Model:

Well, I doubt you will be shooting it enough to worry about breaking the stock.

Unless it breaks on the first shot!

BTW: Since it is to be a .620 caliber rifled barrel, you might want to check with the ATF first.

That would be illegal in the United States unless properly tax stamped and regestered as a "Destructive Device".

I will be shooting it plenty. You just can't mind having a yellow shoulder most of the time.

No, it's not a destructive device. It has a sporting use. New big-bore wildcats are registered all of the time for sporting use. The difference here is that this is a shotgun with a loose bore to fire 600NE bullets (5 thousandths difference). It has a 20ga rim with a full-brass case. I can still put in factory 20ga ammo and fire. Technically it is not a rifle, rather it is a 20ga shotgun firing very heavy bullets with a brass case.

 

[Colt46]

Cocobolo is heavy and polishes out nicely

Nice looking wood though. I'd wear a respirator when working it. Has a habit of being more irritating than most sawdust.
How much will your fisnished rifle weigh?

 

[PRazz]

zebrawood...

you said for a safari look, right?

 

[GunTech]

I think cocobolo is a beautiful wood, but is it not a bit heavy for a gunstock, unless you are trying to increase weight naturally.

Bingo. I originally had a 1 lbs mercury reducer in the stock, burt I buy huge slabs of cocobolo for knife making. The wood is tough, heavy and takes a nice finish. The rifle weighs in at a about 10lbs, which makes it fairly decent to fire with 500gn solids over 72gn of 4895.