Gun Stocks

[Kirk_Allen]

Can anyone tell me if Cherry is used for gun stocks and if so, what sizes should the blank be cut to?

Thanks
Kirk

[beenthere]

Cherry can be used for gun stocks, but walnut is the usual (normal) wood used. I would suggest you have a buyer for the cherry gunstocks before you saw the logs, and then cut to the specifications of the buyer. Otherwise, you may end up with an inventory of cherry gun stock blanks that sit with you for a long time. Gun stocks come in many different sizes, which depends on full length stock, mannlicher stock, cheek rest, target rifle, fore-end stock, butt stock, big bore rifle, carbine rifle, and on and on. Hope this helps a bit.  

[Kevin]

What's rosewood, is that specific to something or a term used in describing colour?

[beenthere]

Rosewood is a specific wood, and may be Indian rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) or Brazilian rosewood (Dalbergia nigra).

I use it as fore end caps and pistol grip caps on my rifle stocks. Usually put a thin veneer of hard maple between it and the walnut stock to set it off. It is a very reddish looking wood, and I suspect that is why the name.

[Kevin]

Interesting, thank you.

[Kirk_Allen]

Beenthere,
I know that Walnut is more common but I wasnt sure about cherry.

I have about 1200 bf of FREE cherry to cut tomarrow morning and I was planning on cutting most of it into gun stock blanks since I already have every other possible dimension of cherry drying right now and another 3000 bf to cut next week.

If anyone has some typical dimensions for guns stocks I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Kirk

[Kevin]

*Approximate standard wood blank dimensions:
Length: 32",  Width (butt end): 6-1/2", Width (fore end): 3-1/2",
Thickness: 2-3/8"

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