Choice of wood?

[rusticbob]

I am getting ready to order a Kibler SMR in .45. I would like to get your opinions on two wood species I am considering, cherry or walnut. I am not a big fan of the fancy maple, I like a more subtle looking rifle. I have almost all walnut firearms now, and have both stripped the factory finishes, sealed and Tru-Oiled them. But I have recently seen some beautiful guns made with cherry, ant that has caught my fancy, but I have never worked with it. Is it any different to work with than walnut? Is it harder? Or softer like maple?
Just some experienced opinions and ideas please. No wise guys telling me to buy both.
Thanks in advance for your opinions

 

[Campbell]

Yeah, I feel the same way about maple. I’ve opted for cherry on my Kibler. I like walnut but since so many modern rifles employ it I associate walnut with modern rifles.

 

[tenngun]

It’s an SMR, maple and beech were predominant. Walnut and ash not uncommon. Cherry was not a large south crop, so cherry wood anything very rare in the south
But….
You’re laying out the bucks, it’s your toy. And cherry is so good looking, so the question is what do you want?

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Well you cannot get more subtle than cherry. It can be so subtle that it virtually disappears into the back ground. Just kidding. It is a good wood if you get a dense blank and I am sure Jim only selects good wood. I have a lot of experience with cherry, walnut, and maple. I would gladly select cherry over American black walnut unless the walnut was well figured or I had to use walnut for historical reasons. If you spend a little time using the search function on this site, you will locate many, many threads discussing the merits of walnut versus cherry. It is a question asked very often.

dave

 

[Pukka Bundook]

I think cherry can have a beautiful soft home-spun appearance, depending on the finish.
Soft and warm to look at and touch! Ideal if you want the finish a little aged.
Steer away from a high polish or varnish. I can see it now!

Rich.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

For a SMR I'd go with walnut. Request a hard piece. Cherry, unless hard isn't worth a crapola for making guns.

 

[James Kibler]

We sell a fair amount of cherry, but for a mountain rifle, I would choose walnut as it is much more appropriate. Lots of these were stocked in walnut. Walnut just seems to look "right" as well.

 

[user 34300]

I am a sucker for fancy wood so I always get the best I can. I used to work on modern stocks, all walnut. Walnut is extremely variable in denisty pore size. You have to pay a lot for really nice walnut. I do not like filling the grain on American walnut. It is tedious to do right. Walnut is also irritating to your nose and lungs.

After about 100 stocks over the years I now strongly prefer to work and finish maple. Maple cuts very clean, is easy to sand, and I think less likely to chip than average American walnut.

You want a "subtle" stock? So, a thought, get quality dense maple that has little to no figure. That is Kiblers basic stock. Then stain it dark. You can stain maple to any color you desire. Make it a little red if you like cherry. Possibly do the bone black thing. Bone black looks really good and old timie to me. Play with it until you like it. Experimenting is the key, no two stocks react the same to the staining process. There is no set procedure.

 

[Sean E Bug]

I prefer cherry.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

I am getting ready to order a Kibler SMR in .45. I would like to get your opinions on two wood species I am considering, cherry or walnut. I am not a big fan of the fancy maple, I like a more subtle looking rifle. I have almost all walnut firearms now, and have both stripped the factory finishes, sealed and Tru-Oiled them. But I have recently seen some beautiful guns made with cherry, ant that has caught my fancy, but I have never worked with it. Is it any different to work with than walnut? Is it harder? Or softer like maple?
Just some experienced opinions and ideas please. No wise guys telling me to buy both.
Thanks in advance for your opinions

I have 2, 1 in walnut 1 in cherry. IMHO, The cherry is much nicer. Semper Fi.

Walnut

Cherry

 

[rusticbob]

I have 2, 1 in walnut 1 in cherry. The cherry is much nicer. Semper Fi.

Walnut
View attachment 214699


Cherry
View attachment 214700

Two beautiful guns indeed. Thanks for posting them both , makes my comparison choice much easier.
I actually prefer the walnut, did you do anything special except seal and finish the stock?

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Two beautiful guns indeed. Thanks for posting them both , makes my comparison choice much easier.
I actually prefer the walnut, did you do anything special except seal and finish the stock?

No stain, just 2 coats Tung Oil then let cure 1 week then BriWax. Now I just use BriWax. Semper Fi.

 

[MSW]

just scored a walnut stocked .45 SMR from Mr. Kibler ... looking forward to starting it this summer

 

[Snydly]

Putting together a SMR in cherry. The grain looks wonderful but it is still unfinished. Will show it when finished. I have put together guns with Maple and Walnut ,,, just wanted something different.

 

[ColonialRifleSmith]

Putting together a SMR in cherry. The grain looks wonderful but it is still unfinished. Will show it when finished. I have put together guns with Maple and Walnut ,,, just wanted something different.

You'll find cherry is a great wood to work with. Enjoy. Semper Fi.

 

[HSmithTX]

I would go walnut without a second of consideration for anything else, my only worry would be what grade to get.

 

[Daveboone]

I had the same decision to make. I know that walnut was the more traditional and accurate wood for the SMR, with maple the 2nd...but I have a gun case of walnut guns already, and my Colonial is maple. I fell in love with the beautiful coloring in so many different shades, that I have seen here, and dangit, its my rifle and I will only have a limited number. Cherry.