I got wood! Need custom stock built

[Mapman]

Any recommendations on someone that can build a custom stock. I have a black walnut tree in my yard that died and the wood would make a beautiful stock. Tried searching for custom stocks but all I can seem to find is fully custom rifles for big big $$$$$$. Any tips would be great. TIA

 

[1lessdog]

Depend on how long the tree has been dead, it could take as long as 5 to 10 yrs for it to dry enough to make a rifle stock.

 

[ndlongshot]

Following. Always been interested in this kind of stuff, but dont have any good contacts who are "in the know" on this kind of stuff. Would love to learn more.

 

[SDMF]

Not sure what he charges but you could start here, he's in Bismarck:

https://www.facebook.com/Schollmeyer-Gun-Shop-288673131303477/

 

[Retired Educator]

Not much help, but used to know a guy who had a jig built to follow an existing stock and duplicate the pattern to another piece of wood. He had plans to build stocks but never materialized. Don't know if he sold it or what.

Custom built are expensive because of the time involved. I had my dad's old deer hunting rifle rebuilt (blued and stock refinished.) Wasn't terribly expensive but the memories are priceless. Stock refinisher did a fantastic job and it looks like a top notch rifle. Had a gunsmith do some work on the trigger and when he realized he was working on a Remington Model 721 (a plain jane model) all he could say was "Wow, who did this?." So my cost was refinishing, no parts to buy. Do love that gun though.

 

[SDMF]

Not much help, but used to know a guy who had a jig built to follow an existing stock and duplicate the pattern to another piece of wood. He had plans to build stocks but never materialized. Don't know if he sold it or what.

Custom built are expensive because of the time involved. I had my dad's old deer hunting rifle rebuilt (blued and stock refinished.) Wasn't terribly expensive but the memories are priceless. Stock refinisher did a fantastic job and it looks like a top notch rifle. Had a gunsmith do some work on the trigger and when he realized he was working on a Remington Model 721 (a plain jane model) all he could say was "Wow, who did this?." So my cost was refinishing, no parts to buy. Do love that gun though.

Any "gunsmith" who doesn't recognize a 721 by the bolt, bolt handle, and/or bolt shroud certainly ought not be let loose near one with any manner of tools. That, and, they say 721 right on the side of the action!!!

 

[Retired Educator]

Should have been more specific, when he removed the bolt he recognized what it was. It was then that he looked it over closely and commented about the work.

 

[Traxion]

I would check with Boyd's to see if they will do it off of a customer supplied blank. Like others have said, you're going to need a serious drying effort to get it ready. I'd cut about 6 rough slabs and find somone with a kiln to dry it down. Take the least nasty one after drying, plane and resaw it to rough size, and hope someone will take it!

 

[Petras]

http://www.rifle-stocks.com/

You could try these guys.... they may be willing to do it as they generally sell nearly completed stocks.

- - - Updated - - -

http://www.rifle-stocks.com/

You could try these guys.... they may be willing to do it as they generally sell nearly completed stocks.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

Have a guy that is just down the street from us, he moved here and builds custom stocks i am told. Buddy told me he builds HIGH dollar stocks. Will try to get his contact info and post it here.

 

[Allen]

What you are likely to get is a 99% inletted stock from what I recall a few years ago. That percentage suggests it should only take an hour or two to finish sanding/carving out the final product. Not true, I had quite a few hours invested in my 25-06's wood by the time I got it to where I wanted it.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

https://innermountainrifles.com/index.html

He builds custom guns too. His name is Eric.

 

[ndlongshot]

I have a black walnut tree in my yard that died and the wood would make a beautiful stock.

And if you need assistance "disposing" of any of that walnut, let me know!

 

[nxtgeneration]

701 Sawmill in Mandan would be able to mill it and kiln dry it for you. He's about the only mill out there so you will likely pay top dollar for it but like everyone else said you'll need to get it properly dried or it'll fall apart on you.

 

[Mapman]

Thanks for the info guys. Going to check in on a few of these. A couple places say kiln dry, intermountain rifle says air dry only and run from kiln dried. Need to make a few calls. Biggest factor will be budget as a guy could drop 5-10 grand to get something fully custom.

 

[nxtgeneration]

Thanks for the info guys. Going to check in on a few of these. A couple places say kiln dry, intermountain rifle says air dry only and run from kiln dried. Need to make a few calls. Biggest factor will be budget as a guy could drop 5-10 grand to get something fully custom.

Air drying produces the best color and stability but you're looking at 2-3 years of air dry time. A vacuum kiln will produce the same stability but isn't readily available in our area because of the cost of the kiln. If properly done in a DH kiln the material can still be stable enough but the problem you'll find is that 90% of the time people crank the temp and fans to dry quicker, which causes instability in the material. But you'll have plenty of material so if you got the entire thing slabbed and dried you should be able to find a section that is in good condition post-drying.

 

[SDMF]

What you are likely to get is a 99% inletted stock from what I recall a few years ago. That percentage suggests it should only take an hour or two to finish sanding/carving out the final product. Not true, I had quite a few hours invested in my 25-06's wood by the time I got it to where I wanted it.

With a manual stock duplicator they can have the basic shape and action inlet 95%-97% done in a few hours. CNC controlled milling equipment is even faster, but, it takes a craftsman/woman for that last 3%-5%.

That last 3%-5% can take a week, a month, or more depending upon how ornate you want the hardware/furniture to be. Stock cross-bolts, hours. "Supergrade" sling swivels hours and hours. Skeletonized grip cap, lots and lots of hours. Neider style butt-plate hours and hours and hours. Fitting exotic wood frond/grip caps, hours, and hours, and hours, and hours. Checkering, weeks of hours. Then hand-rubbing in 20-30 coats of oil, sanding/steel-wooling between coats.

There's a reason why "close to finished" doesn't cost all that much, and "customized complete" is astronomical.

 

[snow]

Got a couple great shops here in minnesota,Tom Larkin owner of the "Stock Shop" located in kenyon minn,however Tom is most likely in AZ for the winter shooting but google him,call he'll get back to you.,Also Pat laib gunsmithing in spicer mn,Pat should be around throughout the winter in between shoots.

Whatever you decide on doing,make sure you take your wood to a accomplished shooter smith,they know gunfit,very important.

fyi.