doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Restocking a Browning

I've got a 28 gauge Diana that I'll be restocking.
Any thoughts?
Thanks



Only because some expert is going to chime in,
There are no cracks in these blanks.
You're seeing dying lacquer thinner, not splits

If I were you, I'd keep looking. These two blanks appear to have serious flaws, and the grain could make drilling for the throughbolt difficult. Just my take.

First blank looks to be one sided. Might get better when cut. Second blank does not call me. Might look better in hand. A project like you describe needs a blank which makes me super interested in seeing it completed. To me the blank is the cheapest part of a custom stock when you consider the total cost. Good luck and I hope you get what you like. After all this is a gun to make you happy. Get what you want.

I’d rather have a straight grained European walnut stock on a Superposed, than any piece of American black walnut.

Best,
Ted

You're in CA and cannot find a decent piece of English walnut? I'm with Ted but keep looking.

Amen Ted. Cash screwed up his 28 ga. upgrade by using American walnut with a candy-apple gloss finish rather than black streaked French/European walnut with a semi-gloss oil varnish. His choice, of course.
JR

i don't think that pic is selling your choice. At least not to a lot of members here. English walnut, semi gloss oil finish wins hands down. It's not like you have to go black walnut. It's not a Winchester and you aren't a stickler for originality.

Mid 60's 28 gauge Pigeon.

This assumes that one first knows the difference between American Black Walnut and European Walnut. I don't think it is all that hard, but as can be seen here, even some who claim to be gunsmiths are unable to tell the difference, even when it is pointed out to them in detail:

https://www.doublegunshop.com/forum...ransformation&Search=true#Post559819

And sometimes, it seems there is simply an affinity for shiny objects or flashy and fancy figured stuff that governs the choice of a stock blank. Something a crow would understand. And there is total disregard for all of the past Threads here that advise folks on what is desirable in a blank, and what to avoid. The blanks pictured in the OP appear to have so many cracks and voids that if Bob glued them together to use as a cutting board for his catering business, they would be repositories for all sorts of bacteria that cause food poisoning.



https://www.nevharris.com/you-are-not-a-crow/

But there's always epoxy and various wood fillers to take care of cracks, voids, and inclusion defects, so who are we to judge???