Cherry stock

[ed lundquist]

I have a cherry stock I'd like to build a rifle on but I'd like to get some opinions before I put chisel to wood. It is quarter sawn and very straight grained, no flow through the wrist. It is dense compared to other cherry I have worked and I think it may show some figure when finished. I don't plan on using it as a club and wonder how break prone the wrist might be. I have a 50 cal. barrel I would use in it. So would you hesitate to buy a rifle built on such a stock or bother to build on it. Thanks for the help.


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[Jeff Murray]

My 50 caliber early period long rifle has a cherry stock and I love it.  The rifle is over 40 years old and has probably several thousand rounds through it.  I hunt and shoot with it.  It has seen everything from hot desert sun to heavy snow and rain.  I would go for it.

[alacran]

If you are worried about the wrist since it is a quarter sawn blank, preemptively fix.
Take a piece of 1/4 inch allthread, drill a hole in the wrist from behind the end of the breach-plug and run it down a bit past the comb. Clean the allthread with acetone or lacker thinner. Epoxy it in place, using a slow setting epoxy, such as Acraglass. I used stainless allthread on my .54 Bucks County rifle as it has a very thin wrist. I have hunted that gun hard in various climate zones.

[rich pierce]

Great advice above. I try not to fall down as much at my age. I’d not worry especially if you reinforce as suggested. But if you break it you can repair it, have a story and a more interesting gun. Your blank has fine figure; wish it was mine.

[ed lundquist]

I will do that, thanks.

[staggerwing]

Beautiful piece of cherry!  Please keep us posted with photos of the build! 

[t.caster]

Nice piece of cherry. If you don't use it I'll buy it!

[FALout]

The grain may not flow exactly like “you” would like, but I think you will be fine, otherwise I love the curl, could be interesting when shaping the stock but if it is dense it may be fine.  The softer wood like cherry can be more challenging sometimes.

[Bob Gerard]

Pretty stock! It reminds me of Quilted Maple. I wonder if there is such a thing as Quilted Cherry? 🤫

[ed lundquist]

Dug four more of these out from under the porch, they were sawn on 1/18. Sawed out a rough profile, planed and jointed three of them. One had a long stress split, I may get a couple pistol stocks from it. Another has some inclusions and little figure but will still make a nice gun. The remaining two are handsome and will take long barrels. Moisture is only down to 19% so they will go by the hot water heater for a year or so as I did with the one previous. That one is at around 6% now and waiting on a barrel. We get beautiful big cherry here and on a north facing slope they grow tall and wide. I did a fingernail test and could barely dent it, won't know for chippy till I carve one but I'll figure it out. Wish I had been there when It was taken down, it was cut about two feet from ground and had a good bell at the base. Might need to cut another. Yes the quilted effect is really noticeable on the top flats.