Advice Sought on Rifle Stock Timber

[Paratus]

I am having a custom rifle made on the .310 Cadet action that I want to stock with a uniquely Australian timber - prefereably one with good figure, suitable strength and reasonable weight (not such an issue with this rifle) Tasmanian Blackwood is a possibility but would something like Sheoak or Mulga do the job?

Any advice on these and other species would be appreciated.

[Nineteen 45]

They usually use a good piece of walnut for custom stocks. English being the most sought after, French and claro are also used. I think they are the same genus of tree, but because they are grown in different parts of the world (primarily) they look are bit different.

What did the guy who's making the gun up for you say about what kind of wood to use?

I've never heard of anyone using Blackwood, Sheoak or Mulga for a gun stock. At the very least you should use something like American black walnut.

Even Queensland Maple has been used, but I'm not sure which other woods would be good.

All the best,
Steven

[Nineteen 45]

Sorry I just re-read your post and you are after Australian timber? maybe the Queensland maple would be your best shot, if you pardon the pun :)

But I'm sure that someone else with more experience then me (not hard) will come along and give you better advice.

Steven

[Mirboo]

Keith Bootle's book "Wood In Australia" states that Queensland Maple, coachwood, Queensland walnut and blackwood is suitable for gun stocks.

[Rocker]

I would suggest you get some blackwood with fiddleback figure in it to make your stock. You can see some pics of this wood, which I used to build a grandfather clock, here: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=28168 . I obtained this wood from Lazarides in Brisbane.

Rocker

[goodwoody]

For the Cadet Martini I have seen stocks made from camphor, grey gum, blackbutt and other hardwoods. The all looked totally unique and beautiful.
Will you have the bent lever pistolgrip? If so this area tends to be a little week and needs consideration when choosing timber.
What is your choice of calibre? I'm currently building a 17 ackley bee with octagonal barrel. Everything is still in the white and the barrel, threading and chambering are yet to be completed. Would love some piccy's!!!!!!!! Damien.

[Paratus]

For the Cadet Martini I have seen stocks made from camphor, grey gum, blackbutt and other hardwoods. The all looked totally unique and beautiful.
Will you have the bent lever pistolgrip? If so this area tends to be a little week and needs consideration when choosing timber.
What is your choice of calibre? I'm currently building a 17 ackley bee with octagonal barrel. Everything is still in the white and the barrel, threading and chambering are yet to be completed. Would love some piccy's!!!!!!!! Damien.

I am staying with the straight grip and having the butt stock and forend done in the fashion of the Winchester 1885 single shot model. This one will be in .357 magnum but I am also working on one in .32-40 built on a Greener GP Martini shotgun action. Both rifles are currently with smiths but will post pics when available.

This is the stock style I want:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/tango4c/blw.jpg

[AlexS]

Can't see why blackwood wouldn't do the job, and fiddleback would look great.
Coachwood was used for army SLRs, and sometimes it's possible to get a piece with a figure like watered silk. IMHO either would be good.

[soundman]

Youve got some wildly varying timbers there.
Blackwood I'm not real sure of but & think its a medium density hardwood & probably about right.
Sheoak is a bit light & soft I would have thaught.
Mulga tends to be very hard & heavy. takes a fabulous polish.

What sort of colour do you want.
& approximately what sort of density will give you the correct weight and ballance, then you can get ssrious about the choices.

There is some fabulous wood down here to chose from, you just need a starting point.

cheers

[goodwoody]

Hi Parantas, nice rifle. I own 3 low walls. 2 in 32-20 and the other in 44-40. I want to start shooting blackpowder but as yet have not started. You can also look around dealers shops as sometimes they have broken or damaged stocks that you could re-engineer. go the single shot!!!!

Whats the cost of brass for the 32-40? Damien.

[black.mac]

I've seen Tasmanian Blackwood used in Cadet stocks. Apparently has the same density as Circassian Walnut. Queensland Maple and Coachwood were both used to stock the S.M.L.E and still giving good service. Not as attractive as a nice piece of Blackwood fiddle back though.

[bsrlee]

If you know someone living around Wollongong NSW, I have seen some beautifull stock work done in Black Wattle - the problem is to find some that is big enough before it is killed by borers - the Wollongong escarpment was the place to look. Very dark brown with figure like the Winchester/Browning pic. you posted.

It is not harvested commercially because of the borer problem - the tree is usually ringbarked inside in 10-15 years & you need 25+ years to get a trunk big enough - usually from a relatively cold & wet area.

[soundman]

how about some red stringybark, that would be different.

[RUSHY]

I was told years ago that lithgow used Lignum vitae for rifle butts,when you look at a slab you can almost see the butt shape in the grain.

[Iain]

Lignum Vitae?
Wouldn't that make the whole gun unbalanced with the exceptional weight?