Thread: Mahogany for rifle stock?

Has anyone used mahogany as a rifle stock?
Looking at the specs it looks suitable in terms of stability etc. Will attempt at making my first stock in the near future and have access to a large supply of well seasoned 60+ years mahogany.
Any drawbacks? I understand it probably won’t be as light as walnut but that’s not an issue as if it goes well I might make another out of a walnut blank. Thanks in advance

I've got one a mate made for me 55years ago. A bit heavier but stable and strong. Never had any problems with it.

Good to know. Cheers

I have an english hammer shotgun with a mahogany butt. It is heavier but its very stable and finishes well

You can always hollow out the butt section and barrel channel if you want to save some weight

Yep I built a mahogany stock for a Omark action target rifle. easy to work with and very stable. Go for it.

Always go with the grain and use very sharp tools.
Ask me how I know.

so what have we got in NZ suitable - I know red beech has been used - maple used in states likely rare here - kauri ?? - Matai ?? - totara ?? be interesting to know

Honey suckle has nice grain.

Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

Honey suckle has nice grain.

Honey suckle is not a stable wood it suffers from cell collapse while drying. found this out the hard way when I milled some.

yup very brittle honey suckle and quite often to get good grain it is cut on the quarter grain and used as very thin slices - I reckon kauri could be worth a look

by honey suckle you fellas mean rewarewa???? my older brother got a set of riot batterns made from it ...for martial arts.....it dented aussie hardwood.... Ive seen lee enfield stock done with it.... guess its all a matter of getting correctly seasoned piece.
totora would be light and easy to carve BUT splits really easily....guess it would be stronger than paulownia so might just work.
matai would be heavy..also splits super easily
mairie...you would need to be a massacist to attempt it with a wood that hard
Rata would look great if could keep the purple hue
Tawa would be plain as very willow like
our boy Tasman has a nice T3 with rimu stock he built himself....

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

by honey suckle you fellas mean rewarewa???? my older brother got a set of riot batterns made from it ...for martial arts.....it dented aussie hardwood.... Ive seen lee enfield stock done with it.... guess its all a matter of getting correctly seasoned piece.
totora would be light and easy to carve BUT splits really easily....guess it would be stronger than paulownia so might just work.
matai would be heavy..also splits super easily
mairie...you would need to be a massacist to attempt it with a wood that hard
Rata would look great if could keep the purple hue
Tawa would be plain as very willow like
our boy Tasman has a nice T3 with rimu stock he built himself....

Yep Rewarewa. Beautiful wood when quarter sawn but hard to work with

Mahogany Yuk !, like tacky 1970's furniture . If not traditional walnut, NZ native would be the way. Rata would be quite something to look at but being a mertle would be heavy.

Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Mahogany Yuk !, like tacky 1970's furniture . If not traditional walnut, NZ native would be the way. Rata would be quite something to look at but being a mertle would be heavy.

well what about kauri - was ships spars and masts early days - pohutukawa used for bow sprits but likely just to heavy- ake ake hard as hell but diameter of trunk to small - maybe laminated - didnt our NZ made .22 Bradley was it ?? I remember them being advertised with NZ red beech stocks - kanuka can grow big enough