I'm 99% sure that all the S-man rifles I've seen have been stocked in black walnut. That is a rather amateurish trait, as most top makers had access to English. The style is obviously German, but I don't think S-man trained in Germany or, again, he would likely be using English walnut.
The execution on these rifles is excellent. When these earliest rifles were being made style had not been established yet, so we can't really hold style against him.
If I were on TV making a profile of this guy I'd say he had access to and appreciated the best rifles being made at the time, at the very least photographs. The skill displayed on them says he knows his way around a chisel, maybe a cabinet maker or such. The black walnut makes me think he may have had access to a cheap supply. Again, maybe a cabinetmaker with a relationship with a sawmill etc.
Just some thoughts
