What Kind of Wood is This?

[bweidert]

I have a Mowery .50 caliber Hawken replica made in Olney, Texas. I have been trying to figure out what wood the stock is made of and thought maybe one of you would be far more knowledgeable than me. Here are some photos:

 

[64Springer]

Plain Jane Maple.

And tough as nails.

But I doubt it will take an Aqua Fortis treatment if that's where you're going.

 

[bweidert]

Thank you. Yes, no curly maple here. I have thought of refinishing the stock tho I don't know what finish is on there. I should have asked more question back in the early 70's when I bought it. I purchased it at a store near Denver. Upon completing the transaction I was directed to a nearby outdoor range where the other shooters could help me get organized and learn how to load and maintain this rifle. I believe I was shooting downrange about 50 yds and, per instructions, loaded a 75 grain FF charge. Now for the top shooters there was a frying pan hanging from two stakes up on the hill the range was facing. I was new to the double set trigger though not new to shooting. As I brought Old Betsey up to my shoulder I had my finger on the hair trigger and, of course, it went off. Old Betsey and I went into the air. As I came down I heard the ping from that frying pan. Best shot I ever made! I learn not to touch that trigger again until I was ready to shoot.

 

[64Springer]

Try Formby's Furniture Remover to get rid of the finish.

 

[oldwood]

Hope I'm not right , but it might be beech from Europe. If the bare stock w/ no metal on it , feels heavy , could be foreign.

 

[wiscoaster]

....but it might be beech from Europe. ...

Hmmm, I disagree, but I'm no expert, just that I've never seen a beech rifle stock with that much figure, and I have a number of rifles with beech stocks.

Regardless, it's pretty!!

 

[Polecat_Tom]

My first thought was that it looks like it could be beech.

 

[64Springer]

Beech usually has those tell-tale dashes scattered throughout the grain.

 

[bweidert]

Try Formby's Furniture Remover to get rid of the finish.

OK thanks for the tip.

 

[oldwood]

In the 1950's , when it was common to see wood like this looks , a nice redish walnut stain would do well , with whatever finish you like.

 

[64Springer]

I'd leave the stock alone and brown everything made of steel.

Would make for a real stunner.

 

[IanH]

Plain maple or birch. Definitely not beech. Most of my mother's side 2-5 generations back are from Olney, small world.

 

[Graybeard2A]

Plain maple or birch. Definitely not beech. Most of my mother's side 2-5 generations back are from Olney, small world.

Mine looks the same! believe it's Maple?

 

[waksupi]

It's birch. Definitely not maple.

 

[Frontier's]

Mowrey hawken?

 

[muzzlecap]

Looks like birch to me.

 

[bweidert]

Mowrey hawken?

Yes the company has been out of business for quite a few years now. It was originally in Olney, Texas and then moved to somewhere in Indiana. I don't know any details aside from that. They were known for making fine reproductions of the Hawken and other muzzleloaders. Here is one text from the Amerian Longrifle Association:
Mowrey's had good barrels, and incredibly simple locks, that functioned well. They were a copy of the Allen&Thurber late percussion box lock rifle. They made a couple of models, one in a plains rifle caliber, and a smaller version in Squirrel cablers. They all had curly maple stocks. The steel action is preferable, since the steel tumbler would wear the brass action, and require bushing to cure binding, over time. They also made a Hawken, but I've never seen one.
I owned a Mowrey in .45 Cal., years ago. It was one of their squirrel models. It shot very well, and for a single trigger, had a smooth trigger pull.

 

[Rawhide67]

My first thought was birch or beech.

 

[Bill M.]

It looks like birch to me.

 

[muzzlecap]

Yes Mowrey made a few different styles of muzzleloaders. I have a 50 caliber rifle as well as a smoothbore. Below is a pic of the smoothbore.