Couple ? on Ash

[Uncle Alvah]

Snooping through the various websites for a stock blank, I have come across at least one place that supplies blanks in ash.
I have built a few pieces of furniture in ash, it's one of my favorite woods. In each case, the only finish I applied was polyurethane, I love the way just the poly alone makes the grain "come to life", and it's simple besides.

I'm wondering if, when used in a longrifle stock, the ash is typically stained before finishing, or just left "as is"?

Also, is there a preferred type oil finish for an ash rifle stock, or will TruOil, linseed, or a Danish oil finish suffice?

 

[Swampwalker]

Uncle Alvah;
I aquired a piece of curly ash which I've used for several projects.  Just finished with varnish gave the wood a nice mellow honey brown color.  Staining with aqua fortis gave the wood a very nice dark brown color with reddish highlights.  The rifles I've seen made with ash stocks typically are stained.  The aqua fortis seems to give the ash a darker brown color than the same stain applied to maple, at least in my experience.  Ash makes a striking gunstock in my opinion.

[pathfinder]

Ashphaltum was the common stain on Ash. Nothing more than Tar thinned in spirits,makes a beautiful golden brown on Ash. Grandpa usually had me go out to the street on hot day's and "harvest" a bunch from the repaired cracks.

[Scott Semmel]

Just finished an ash stock. If this is a first build you may find Ash bit more challenging than Maple.  Mine about drove me nuts and it will more than likely be my only Ash stock. Stained with aqua fortis finished with Chambers oil it is a nice looking wood.

[Roger B]

Fiebing's dark brown leather stain gave a pretty brown/red tone tone to my ash stock.  If curly, the stain will accent both the vertical curl & the horizontal grain (much less) & be very pleasing.
Roger B.