Sassafras for stock wood

[Belleville]

I am getting older and keep looking for a lighter gun. Sassafras would make a light weight stock. Does anyone have any experience with sassafras or a different ligher weight stock wood recommendation?

A friend made a couple of 1/2 stock underhammer perc guns years ago and it seemed to work OK. I was thinking a full stock smoothbore.

Doc S.

[deano]

Wow, Sassafras trees must get a whole lot bigger than what I am familiar with where you are from.

[Rootsy]

It'll smell nice...

I cut a few sassafras every year, up to 24" across at the base... Most are loaded with carpenter ants...

[tallbear]

I have some here in the shop compliments of Freddie Harrison.My take is it's way too soft for a gunstock.

Mitch

[Jim Kibler]

If weight is a concern I would focus on reducing the weight of metal parts first.  If you desire a smoothbore intended for shot, the barrel could be made thinner than commonly available commercial barrels.   A piece of lightweight red maple or cherry might be a good choice as well.  I always think its wise to stick to the time tested stock woods.  The sassafras I've seen was not very attractive as well.  I'd stay away from it.

[Belleville]

Jim and all,

Do you have any recommendations for a lighter weight barrel source. Ben Coogle made them, but the last I contacted him he was not doing it.

Even thou I have cut sassafras for firewood, am really not familiar with how soft it is. Thanks, I will mill a sample piece to check out its softness. Another concern is how easily it splits. A neighbor had some sassafras boards that he used in a home made silo and he accidently ran the tractor on to one of the boards and it was remarkably springy without breaking. I did make a mortar out of a small green sassafras log recently (for grinding corn) for demonstration at a local Indian Village project. That reminded me to ask about its possible application as stock wood.

Thanks,
Doc S.

[Jim Kibler]

Jim and all,

Do you have any recommendations for a lighter weight barrel source. Ben Coogle made them, but the last I contacted him he was not doing it.

Ed Rayl.  (304) 364-8269

[Habu]

Doc, if it were me I'd skip over sassafras and go straight to butternut.  It is a bit less-dense than sassafras.  I've done cabinets from both; butternut held fasteners (pins, screws for hinges, etc) better than sassafras. 

I've seen two (modern) rifles stocked in butternut.  One was a .25 (250 Savage I think), the other was a 7 Mauser.  Both showed more signs of use than would be expected of walnut, but the bedding was holding up well.  Depending on gauge of the fowler I'd still watch for signs of setback. 

Good luck, sounds like an interesting project. 

Jim

[Glenn]

You can always try beech.  CVA used it in several of their production guns including their Kentucky rifle.  Obviously durable; it seems to me to be a little lighter than maple or walnut.  In my opinion, maple, cherry, and walnut are about the same when it comes to weight.  I've never seen beech figured all that well.

I know once up a time GunstocksPlus had cut some sassafras stocks but I don't think it's one of their normal options.  They were selling them on some sort of clearance.  Here is their link: www.gunstocksplus.com

I have no knowledge of butternut, but the point raised about holding fasteners better, etc., is a very good point.

I read once where applewood was also used way back when.  I don't know anything about the weight, density, figure, etc., compared to the others.  Maybe somebody else has some experience with applewood, or other fruitwoods like pear, and others.

If I have a chance one day I might try pecan.  I've thought about that for a while.

Anyway ... If I didn't help the answer to your question I hope I gave you some other ideas.  

[Jim Kibler]

I wonder why people have the desire to use peculiar wood species for gunstocks?  There is a reason specific species were originally chosen.    As far as cherry, maple and walnut being being about the same weight, I'm not sure I totally agree.  There is a range of density of each of these species and they can overlap.  Sugar maple can typically exceed the weight of cherry or walnut.  It must be noted there is a significant range in density of any of these species.  As mentioned previously, using a light piece of red maple or cherry will provide a satisfactory stock and keep the weight to a reasonal minimum.  In my opinion, forget the odd wood species.

Jim

[Glenn]

I wonder why people have the desire to use peculiar wood species for gunstocks?Jim

Revert to the original, initial question and it's pretty self-explanatory.

[Kermit]

Where's Taylor? Ask him about Western Bigleaf Maple. About the same hardness as cherry. You might get the look of sugar maple without the weight? Maybe? Taylor?

[Jim Kibler]

I wonder why people have the desire to use peculiar wood species for gunstocks?Jim

Revert to the original, initial question and it's pretty self-explanatory.

Glenn,

I don't think it's so simple.  Topics such as this resurface on a regular basis.  Seems people have a fascination with the idea of using non-standard wood species for stocks.  Perhaps it makes their project or creation seem special in some additional way. 

How much weight is really going to be saved from using a light piece of maple, cherry etc. to some other type of wood that will likely not hold up nearly as well?  It could be estimated, but my guess is that it's not that much..

Ok,  I've preached plenty.  Have at it  

Jim

[billd]

The OP is just throwing ideas around for a lighter gun.  If sassafras will make him happy, more power to him, it's his gun.  Just this past Saturday I was shown a gun by someone we all know (who will remain nameless). It was a English style short hunting rifle stocked in Mulberry.  To me it looked like pink ash.  It was PINK   Myself, if I wanted a light gun, I'd look for some walnut on the soft side, some is very light.  If it gets scratched or dented, it's easy to fix.  Glass bed the breech area, should be fine.

I do agree with Jim that you can save more weight by carefully choosing a barrel and thinning castings.

Bill

[rich pierce]

Are we sure we're talking sassafras and not sycamore?

[billd]

Rich, that's a good question.  The sassafras we have around here only seems to grow to about 6" diameter.  My grandfather used to pull up a sapling and whittle down the roots so they would fit inside a bottle of whisky.  Insert and let soak. I was to young to taste it but the roots sure smelled good.

Bill

[woodsrunner]

According to the Wood Handbook Sassafras compares favorabily with Sugar Maple in strength, shock resistance, stability, etc. Rot resistance of the heartwood is off the scales, and a good heartwood Sassafras fence post will outlast three postholes! It's a beautiful wood. I've used it for door facing material in my home's master bedroom.

Pecan might be a little too heavy. It's a Hickory, you know.

[volatpluvia]

No less a person than Kit Ravenshear was using butternut to build English rifles.  He showed it to me when I visited his shop way back when.  He said he got it from a planing shop because it didnīt machine well.  But he said it was wonderful for hand tools.  He loved it.  I don't know how it compares for weight.  He obviously considered it solid enough to be a gunstock wood.
volatpluvia

[Kermit]

Been some pix and talk of sycamore stocks hereabouts. Search maybe? I agree, sassafras is pretty soft. Makes GREAT oars.

[Glenn]

Here's an interesting and informative link.  Yall check it out:

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-density-d_40.html

[Captchee]

 
if one looks at the Janka scale , you  will see that Sassafras isnt even close to  sugar maple or walnut in it average hardness . In fact its only marginally harder then black spruce

http://www.sizes.com/units/janka.htm

[oldiemkr]

I supplement my oil furnace by burning a lot of wood in a woodstove.

A couple years ago I came across some {already cut} sassafras logs mixed in with other hardwoods. I had to take it all so I came home with some big sassafras logs. The first thing I noticed it seemed to be half the weight of the ash. I stacked it and covered it for over a year.

When I started splitting it I got a good look at the grain and structure of the big pieces. It was light, straight and I must admit I thought about making something with it. It did remind me of a walnut stock I built a .45 with in the 70's. That stock was seemingly light weight and light colored {for walnut} and it just never felt right. I'm going to revise that gun with a new stock this winter. It did hold up however but it did chip in places.

I don't know where the original poster is from but I would like to know of a source for some butternut wood, not neccessarily stocks. I don't know where any are around my home. Indiana put out a bulletin some time ago about butternut trees there in some kind of disease or stress. Around here its called "White walnut" by oldtimers {now I are one!}.

Its your work / effort. I'd try a pistol stock or other small project first.

[Fred]

Makes a nice light poundage longbow and smells great whileou are working it.

[Glenn]

 
if one looks at the Janka scale , you  will see that Sassafras isnt even close to  sugar maple or walnut in it average hardness . In fact its only marginally harder then black spruce

http://www.sizes.com/units/janka.htm

BUMMER ... They didn't do pear or pecan.  Thanks for posting the link though.  I'm going to save it.

[Habu]

Pecan is generally rated about the same as hickory (which makes sense, since they are about the same thing): 1800 lbf or so.  Pear is about 1650 lbf.