Stock making

[okey hunter]

I plan on making a stock for a 30-06 and was wondering would maple be strong enough to handle the recoil with out splintering this will be my first one to do and if it turns out pretty I'll be making another one for my 17 hmr

 

[ASP785]

They make bowling pins out of Sugar Maple and I have seen other types of blanks as well. It seems like making a stock would be quite the undertaking, especially with hand tools, but make sure and post some pictures up once your complete. I have always wanted to try my hand at it myself!

http://www.gobywalnut.com/catalog/maple-rifle-blanks-c-2_6_9.html

 

[okey hunter]

o yea for sure it will be for play and to try my luck at it I found this blank last night on the same site

http://www.gobywalnut.com/catalog/maple-rifle-blank-3211-p-7070.html

 

[Perplexed]

I once asked a cabinetmaker this question because I had visions of a rifle stock made out of curly maple - wouldn't that be gorgeous?? His answer was that maple splits more readily along the grain when subjected to shock, and the wood, being hard and dense, also wears down wood shop tools more readily than walnut. They did use maple centuries ago for flintlock rifles and muskets, but I imagine the shock of firing one of those isn't as sharp and "peaky" as that of a modern centerfield cartridge rifle.

 

[Johnny]

Remington made an anniversary 30-06 with a maple stock. Beautiful gun. If they can do it you can do it.

 

[okey hunter]

my dads 50. cal muzzle loader does, me and my friend maid him a electric guitar out of curly maple and I remember how good it turned out, I guess I'll cut down a hedge apple tree and cut a blank from it and make a ball headed war club with the ball root since I'm there

 

[ASP785]

Remington made an anniversary 30-06 with a maple stock. Beautiful gun. If they can do it you can do it.

You're right! I remember that version. They make bowling pins out of maple. Those withstand quite the repeated shock.

 

[SoonerTactical]

If you're going to do something like soaking it in wood hardener to help with the shock and splintering, please please please do it AFTER you've already formed the stock cause it'll eat up sanding belts like they're candy.

Yes, that's the voice of experience talking...

 

[Phadrian]

There are two kinds of maple hard and soft. I do not know if the figured maples, curly, tiger, or birdseye can be the hard maple variety. Typically hard maple is more expensive than soft maple, and figured maple is 3-4X the price of hard maple.