Cheaper wood used for stocks

[milton]

Any wood experts on board? Is the wood that Marlin uses for its cheaper rifles (including its .22's) birch?When the stock is stripped it appears plain,white and tight grained;quite unlike the various beech's that are used in some military rifles.

[Old Savage]

Don't know what Marlin uses but I believe Remington used birch on the express shotguns. Might actually be a better wood.

[milton]

Thank you ! I visited the Remington web site and they had photos of two different 870 express guns.The first gun had a "hardwood" stock but had some grain and did not look too bad.The second gun,an 870 Express -youth had a stock that looked like the very plain wood on some Marlins I have seen.If that is birch then perhaps Marlin uses birch.

[Idiot]

I think Beech is also a commonly used hardwood stock material. It appears very white and very even when stripped down. I think Beech is used more than Birch. Both are good stock materials, but neither are as good as walnut in both form or function. Laminated wood is probably the best from a practical standpoint, but it is awful hard to make plywood look attractive. Not to mention, the words "look at this beautiful plywood stock" don't seem quite the same as "look at this beautiful walnut stock."

[milton]

Thank you ! I really believe this stuff is birch.I have worked with beech before and it is not too hard to stain but this stuff is almost impossible to stain without making the wood downright ugly.I agree that walnut is better and nicer looking but I am sorta stuck with this stock.There is not much of a way to make it appealing to the eye but at least it is wood!

[Jaguarundi]

Milton the stocks on the Swedish Mauser M96 & M38 Military Bolt Rifles are also Birch.In original state( or later arsenal refinished)they are a lite yellow.With age/use the the varnish/laquer finish oxidizes to a brown color.Birch is very tough cookie to stain without looking like it is stained.I prefer to strip birch levergun stocks and refinish with oil to enjoy the golden yellow "glow".

[Jaguarundi]

Don't know what Marlin uses but I believe Remington used birch on the express shotguns. Might actually be a better wood.

Yup,years ago I refinished a Remington M78 bolt rifle for a gent.Birch stock also.

[Jaguarundi]

Thank you ! I really believe this stuff is birch.I have worked with beech before and it is not too hard to stain but this stuff is almost impossible to stain without making the wood downright ugly.I agree that walnut is better and nicer looking but I am sorta stuck with this stock.There is not much of a way to make it appealing to the eye but at least it is wood!

My 5year old Marlin 336W has the factory stained Birch stock.Remington rotissserie bakes(heat lamps/blown air) the stain/finish conveyor belt style onto the stocks(Walnut stocks also) .I suspect Marlin does the same (as well many other firearm mass manufactures do).

[milton]

Jaguarundi ,thanks for the in-depth answers!Yes that is my problem,though the wood is a good wood it is a royal pain to stain without making a mess!
This may interest you;if I can find it I have and older article which studied the various woods the Swedes used in their Mausers.They apparently used many types of wood and I have one that is stocked with curly beech and another in walnut.I will try to find this article if I can!

[Jaguarundi]

Your article would be a interesting OT post.I had a early 1898 original M96 Obendorf Banner Mauser swede contract that was walnut stocked.Early indiginous M96 Swedes used Beech.The late 1930's(M96/38 conversions and M38)- with the Nazi invasion of Norway and later Soviet invasion of Finland-the bulk of restocks and new stocks were Birch(and anything else for that matter). Birch is a royal pain to stain.I found it easier to Oil finish for asthetics.Poly would make a durable finish just doesn't have the warm glow that Oil has.

[TX Gun Runner]

I take that plane jane wood and redo it .

[milton]

What do you do ?

[TX Gun Runner]

What do you do ?

Sand it down and use a torch to put the pattern in the wood you want , sand and paint it .

[Hagler]

tn gun runner,

Your "tiger stripes" reminds me of the "flaming string" faux finish. Yours look quite good.

Shawn

[marlinman93]

Marlin uses birch on most of it's less expensive models, and also on models made for chain stores like Walmart, etc. Birch is extremely hard, but doesn't take stain well because it's such a closed pore wood. Marlin uses a combination sealer/stain spray on finish on the newer models, which colors and seals the stocks.
If you want to darken the birch you'll need to order some chromium trioxide from Dixie to do so. Then the stocks can be stained and finished once the CT does the work of darkening the wood.

[TX Gun Runner]

This stock is maple and stained with chromium trioxde or I should say acid burn . This is REAL curly maple and I didn't do the torch trick to this one .

[marlinman93]

That's beauty Tn gun runner! You really brought the figure in the wood with the CT! Very nicely done muzzleloader!

[TX Gun Runner]

That's beauty Tn gun runner! You really brought the figure in the wood with the CT! Very nicely done muzzleloader!

That was a block of wood and I made that stock without any power tools and breach plug and dove tails all hand cut also . And I had a mill and lathe at that time , but I want to do by hand .

[milton]

Wow ! Thanks everybody ! I also have used a torch but those stocks you did look great ! I have also used potassium permanganate to "slow burn" wood to get it darker.I will have to buy some chromium trioxide and try it out.

[marlinman93]

tn gun runner,
That's a beautiful gun all over! Even better with all the hand work you've put into it!-Vall