Stock woods

[northmn]

I have seen a few threads on using different woods on rifles.  Curly ash, hickory. remember some claiming apple looks good.  I used birch and found it appropriate for the project but would not want it for a truly fine fowler or rifle.  Cherry. maple and walnut seen to be the standbys.  From those of you that get to see a few originals.  How common were other woods and for style?  I think its fun to experiment and commend those who do.  Just curious.

DP

[B Shipman]

DP, clearly the big three are maple, walnut and cherry. All the rest were rare and occasional. I can also think of pear, Am. chesnut, persimmon, and so forth.

[keweenaw]

The fruit woods, especially apple and pear, were rarely used in America but were used extensively in europe for building wheellocks and early jaegers.  Many of those guns with fruitwood stocks had lots of inlays, etc. on them so the very, very plain character of the wood was far less important than the very fine grain structure.

Tom

[Feltwad]

The most popular wood here in the UK is walnut English or French mostly because it is close grained and have a good figure .The best wood comes from the root of the tree ,second wood from the heart of the tree ,the poor wood is the sap wood which has very little figure.I have also stocked with sycamore  which is similar to maple, another good plain wood is cherry .I have also come across original sxs percussion shotguns with birds eye maple stocks one. of the best looking gun stocks I had in for restoration had a stock of elm and was a sxs flinter.
Feltwad