# Wood for stock



## rosewood (Jul 17, 2019)

Have a double with busted stock I want to replace.  Want to carve my own butt stock.  I know typically walnut is the preferred wood for gun stocks for hardness and durability.  What type wood can I pick up at Lowes that will be sufficient for as stock?  It doesn't have to be fancy, just durable.  Or are there other stores that might be a source for what I need?

Thanks,

Rosewood


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## Rabun (Jul 17, 2019)

I don't think you'll find what you need at Lowes.  i would go online and find resources for walnut and go from there.  It needs proper grain and it needs to be dried properly.  I'm sure no expert, but a quick google of hardwood gun stocks will provide some guidance.  I sure would like to follow you through this project so please keep us updated.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jul 17, 2019)

Plenty of stock blanks listed on eBay from pennies to hundreds.
Make sure to ask about cracks before you bid.


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## rosewood (Jul 17, 2019)

I am trying to be cheap and didn't want to wait on shipping.  Was hoping I could find something local.

Thanks,

Rosewood


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## sbroadwell (Jul 17, 2019)

You could look at Peach State Hardwood or Atlantic Fine Wood, or some retailer of wood for woodworking. Probably could give them a call and tell them what you are trying to do, and they could tell you if they could help.
Don't think "cheap" is going to be involved, though. I've sourced this kind of wood a few times, for rod handles, and it goes for a pretty penny.


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## lagrangedave (Jul 17, 2019)

Get red oak at Lowe’s and laminate it yourself.


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## ryanh487 (Jul 17, 2019)

What area do you live in?  Hardwoods, Inc has locations in Cleveland, Mableton, and I believe Columbus GA still.  They have a lot of hardwoods in 4/4 to 8/4, in various finishes.  Sold by the board foot so you only have to buy what you need.


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## rosewood (Jul 17, 2019)

Macon


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## ryanh487 (Jul 17, 2019)

Nevermind, it appears that they closed their Columbus location.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jul 17, 2019)

Ga hardwood is not what gun stocks are made from. Our best walnut is the poorest grade walnut on the planet. Maple would do if it’s dried properly.
Any wood needs to be air dried to a certain moisture content before you start otherwise it will definitely crack.
Do you really want to spend all those hours working a piece then have it crack on you?
The gun already cracked a gun grade stock. You need a better than that piece of wood.
This project is not something you can wing from Home Depot and end up with a decent product unless you take your sweet time and use the perfect wood from somewhere else.
The best thing you can “try” is start with a gun grade air dried wood and hope you get it looking good but mainly it’s got to fit and not crack. Getting it to look ok is the easiest part.
No piece of wood is going to work unless it’s been dried properly before you start.
Those stock blanks on eBay are dried and exactly what you’re looking for.
If you can’t wait three days then your out of luck before you even start cutting a board. I’ve seen blanks sell for $15 on eBay so three day is nothing to wait.
This project requires 110% patience from start to finish. GOOD LUCK I tried to help.
A replacement stock cost is probably a smarter choice and a better bet in the long run.
It only takes one major mistake and your wood is ruined. YMMV.
Now you know why blanks are expensive. Shop eBay.


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jul 17, 2019)

So even me sayin kiln dried is wrong.http://doublegunshop.com/phiatt4.htm
Good luck. They say air dried for 12 years.


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## rosewood (Jul 17, 2019)

I have looked and I do not see any listings for this gun.  It is a Stevens 330 made in like 1928.  I am actually going to make it a pistol grip stock.  So, I really don't want to spend a lot of money on something I am going to cut down.  I am not trying to build a show piece.  Just something to hold on to.

Thanks for the tips.  I am going to dig around and see if I have any old stocks that are not being used to cut up first.  Seems like I might have a scrap mauser stock somewhere.   If no luck there, I will look into Ebay.

Thanks,

Richard


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## Skeeter XRi (Jul 17, 2019)

I’m sure it’s well intentioned, but I think maybe some here are overly worried about it.  I’ve carved a couple out of plain walnut that I picked up from Suwannee hardwoods(?) and another out of poplar that I got from the biz box store and they’ve been fine.  They certainly aren’t exhibition grade, and one of them did crack (actually before I started IIRC), but some epoxy with the walnut sawdust mixed in filled it and it’s likely stronger than new.

I will say getting it to fit right is time consuming, and you will make mistakes so get enough material to make two or three, but the worst thing that can happen is you end up with expensive firewood.  ?

If it works out, you’ll end up with what you want/made and if it doesn’t, you’ll know not to try that again.

Just my $.02,
Jim


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## Mr Bya Lungshot (Jul 17, 2019)

A small blank on eBay will be cheaper than a buttstock. I looked today and seen one walnut blank full-size for $35 buy it now and another air dried for 12 years at $50. Who’s to say how long it’s been drying?
Just saying a decent blank is found there and more listed soon enough.
You can practice getting it to fit the frame with a cheap piece of wood. Plenty of stock makers will sell fitted unfinished wood at decent semi reasonable pricing. That way you know you can complete something nice. No matter what direction you take I still recommend a blank from eBay with a return policy meaning it’s not cracked. Or a stock maker will stand behind his work. Depends on how you wish the final product to be. But what takes you weeks can be much nicer by a pro faster for $200. The next thing is if you have patience then go to gun shows.
Plenty of aged stocks to be had. Pawn shops have wood laying around sometime. I know you frequently check some of the places I mentioned so good luck with this project too.


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## Madman (Jul 19, 2019)

If you must start from scratch there is Atlanta Hardwoods in Mableton or Georgia Hardwoods in Buford.  
They have most anything you need.  I'd follow the advice of those saying to buy a blank.


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## model88_308 (Jul 19, 2019)

rosewood said:


> I have looked and I do not see any listings for this gun.  It is a Stevens 330 made in like 1928.  I am actually going to make it a pistol grip stock.  So, I really don't want to spend a lot of money on something I am going to cut down.  I am not trying to build a show piece.  Just something to hold on to.
> 
> Thanks for the tips.  I am going to dig around and see if I have any old stocks that are not being used to cut up first.  Seems like I might have a scrap mauser stock somewhere.   If no luck there, I will look into Ebay.
> 
> ...




I'd suggest you try and find out if there are any real differences in Stevens 320, 325 and 330 models. Perhaps the only differences are things like extractors vs ejectors, receiver finish. etc. Boyds has any number of ready made buttstocks for the 310, 315, 320 and 325 for as low as $74

https://www.boydsgunstocks.com/product-configurator


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## rosewood (Jul 19, 2019)

Again, I am going to cut the stock down to a pistol grip.  I don't want to spend $74 for something I am going to cut down.  If I was refinishing the gun with a full size stock, I would probably go that route.

I have always wanted a pistol grip double gun cut down to the minimum to leave in the corner.

However if the 330 stock would work, maybe I can find a used one at a good price.

Thanks for the tips though.

Rosewood


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## doublebarrel (Jul 19, 2019)

Google Gunstocks Inc and see their listings. BB


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## crackerdave (Jul 19, 2019)

One of the purtiest homemade stocks I ever saw was made from persimmon wood.


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## godogs57 (Jul 19, 2019)

Check out Boyd’s gunstocks. Likely that they will have one for you. Unless you are very skilled at inletting a double gun stock....I would advise you buy one. It’s a bugger to get right!

GA walnut is just fine for a gunstock. I have plenty of guns that utilized American black walnut from here. Same species that Fajen and Bishop provided to the gun industry for decades.


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## bg7m (Jul 24, 2019)

Here is a gunstock I made from Georgia air dried walnut, worked for me. Another Georgia walnut blank waiting to be used on something special.
I'm not expert stock maker but I dont know what the problem would be with Georgia walnut


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## Dbender (Aug 6, 2019)

You can get some really nice hardwood out of the runners on certain pallets.  If you make it out of inferior wood all your out is a little time and its just practice for the next one.  Big7 that looks really nice!


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## rosewood (Aug 6, 2019)

I found myself an old Mauser stock that I had already stripped.  I have been staring at it and have come to the conclusion I need a band saw to inlet it and I don't have one.  I do have a scroll saw, but not sure it has enough butt to cut something that thick.

Rosewood


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## BriarPatch99 (Aug 21, 2019)

I know you said ... You want a do it yourself job .... But this is ready made and be a lot less aggravation ...

https://www.combathunting.com/Steve...ge_Stevens_320_Rear_Pistol_Grip_12_Gauge.html


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## rosewood (Aug 22, 2019)

Thanks, but it is a Stevens 330 SxS double barrel.  That grip will not work.  I wished it would though.  At that price, I would have jumped on it.


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## rosewood (Aug 22, 2019)

I bought a bench top mill earlier this year and realized I can use it to do the inletting.  Just have to move this project to the front.  Just finished re-bluing and refinishing a Stevens 940 410 that turned out great.  Also refinished a Savage 110 that I had rebarreled to a .260 rem.  Went with a black stain on it, it is my hunting rifle.  Let a bit of the brown peak through and it turned out looking quite nice.

Hunting season is pending so this may not happen this year....

Rosewood


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