Walnut Stocks

[Wagonrider]

I was wondering if walnut was the only wood used for producing stocks for the U.S./C.S. during the unpleasantness. Surely for durability it would have been preferred but how available to both sides would it have been? If not, then what other woods were used? And was it the only wood that was used for English firearms? Are there any period references on this subject?

 

[johan_steele]

American Walnut was not in short supply & readily available at the time. In Europe not so much, better than a century of wars had depleted the stock of European Walnut.

 

[ole]

Four factors are involved in stock-making: strength, weight, tooling characteristics, and availability.

Oak is strong and available, but heavy and hard to shape.

Walnut meets all the factors.

 

[Bob Owen]

Walnut.

 

[Southron]

I have always hears that "Walnut is the hardest Soft Wood, and the softest Hard Wood."

Back in the old days, walnut planks were "aged" for several years (5 to 7) before they were used to make gun stocks. Now, green walnut can be quickly "dried" in steam sheds down to approximately 7% moisture content which is considered the best for gunstocks.

Thirty years ago I owned two original Cook & Brother guns-a carbine and a two band rifle. I could sweat that the stocks were made out of pecan wood!

Also, cherry and maple are traditional gun stock woods besides walnut-so I am fairly certain that some Confederate gunsmiths made arms using those woods for stocks.

 

[Southron]

Many of the Austrian Rifles imported by both sides had stocks made of European Beech-which in many ways is a better gunstock wood that walnut. Beech is a strong, fine grained wood that can take a lot of abuse.

Years ago, I had a replica Zouave rifle made in Italy that sported a beech stock.