Why no oak stocks?

[thomae]

Why don't people/manufacturers make stocks from oak? I know it has a pronounced grain structure, but it certainly can be sealed like any other wood. It is strong. It is hard. I know it is not as pretty as highly figured walnut, but other than that, is there something I am missing?

Not trolling, and not planning to do build a stock from oak...just wondering out loud.

Thanks.

[tinkerer]

Don't know. I thought about making a striker stock out of good ol red oak. hard as nials and machines well, and I personally think it looks good. I have made some out of maple, smaller grain and a little easier to work, but not much.

Larry
Tinkerer

[Westcliffe01]

Oak flooring is notorious for its expansion and contraction to indoor humidity. Not sure you want that for a stock that needs to stay dimensionally stable so that your point of impact remains unchanged. Now Teak, on the other hand is very weather resistant, but I think it is a PIA to inlet ?

[jon8777]

Exactly, makes great chairs and flooring. The grain is way to open on oak.

[CJnWy]

Many moons ago I built an oak stock for Savage 22 for shop class, the teacher told me I was crazy.....He was right! Oak is very hard to work into shape, its heavy when you get it there and then just cracks after a little use. Coarse it might have helped if I didnt use an old barn board that had square nails in it, they did add a unique detail to it though.

[scope eye]

I have oak stocks on two of my rigs one short one long and would replace all my stocks if I could, these two stocks in particular were cut down in 1923 not a typo, and the tree was several hundred years old when it was stuck by lightning.

Tanks Dean

PS: They were barn door stoppers for almost 90 years before I scooped them up,

[rattfink]

I have oak stocks on two of my rigs one short one long and would replace all my stocks if I could, these two stocks in particular were cut down in 1923 not a typo, and the tree was several hundred years old when it was stuck by lightning.

Tanks Dean

PS: They were barn door stoppers for almost 90 years before I scooped them up,
I'm pretty sure you were supposed to make a baseball bat with a lightning bolt on it from that wood;)

[rattfink]

Exactly, makes great chairs and flooring. The grain is way to open on oak.
This is what I was thinking. Wood like oak or hickory, I would expect to absorb moisture and oil unevenly, as well as tending towards breaking before bending.

[Luckus]

What about white and or brown ash. Up here in northern Wis. there are a lot of these trees. They have a ton of character, with gorgeous grain and even color. It's not as heavy as Oak, but is very dense. I have used it for paneling and wainscoating and baseboard and trim. It is not as expensive as Oak and Maple but imo much prettier. Anybody know why or why not it isn't used for rifle stocks?

[thomae]

I believe that ash is what is commonly used to make baseball bats. Perhaps we could get Hillerich & Bradsby to make some Louisville Slugger rifle stocks.

[Luckus]

I googled Ash stocks and found they are used in ML rifles and bolt actions etc. They are found to be exellent stocks. I just cut one up for firewood that blew down on my 40. Luckus

[Westcliffe01]

Ash was used to make tripods for theodolites. It apparently had great damping characteristics and straight grain so was not prone to warpage. Beetles have killed about all the ash trees in Michigan, but maybe you still have some ?

[Luckus]

The ash around here in northeast Wis is in good shape. We do have Oak wilt pretty close to us and who knows when the Ash will get hit. Good news is although we lost all of the Elm years back, it is growing good again. I have quite a few Elm in the 8" plus range growing near the house.