What wood is this?

I've seen grain like that on Walnut plenty of times. (manage/design for a cabinet shop) Mahogany can also have grain like that, but depending on even the species of mahogany it's more/less common.

The effect is not dissimilar to curly/tiger/fiddle-back maple, but to my eye....in that photo, it's not maple~on that I think we can agree.

It should probably be mentioned that one can't always trust the color they see when looking at gun stocks as being "true". Where 2-pc. stocks are concerned, often the stock/forend come from different wood lots and some "shading" is required in their finishing dept. to make sure they look similar. Shading (staining) can also correct for wood that doesn't absorb finishes consistently. Can't tell from that photo, but my guess is that it's the natural wood color showing.
 
To me definitely looks like walnut.You can get different looking grain depending which part of the tree that it was cut from and the angle of the cut as well.Nice furniture.Just like snow flakes no two are the same.

* At one point in time Winchester and Browning used birch as well.If tinted and shaded right can be made to look like a nice hardwood.
 
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LawrenceN said:
As to the stock that started this thread, it is positively a mahogany family wood. It may quarter cut sapele, it could be andiroba, or even quilted maple, but without seeing a blank or talking to Browning, it's hard to be sure. As to the suitablity of mahogany as a stock wood, no, it's not too heavy. Many of the philippine made Squires Bingham rifles have mahogany family stock wood. There! My 2 cents worth!
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What?

It's walnut.....anybody who puts blade to board as a pro should be able to tell from a mile away.

Besides, Do you really think they would bring mahogany overseas when walnut is readily available? Why...as a cost saving measure?

It's walnut.
 
Wrong Way said:
What?

It's walnut.....anybody who puts blade to board as a pro should be able to tell from a mile away.

Besides, Do you really think they would bring mahogany overseas when walnut is readily available? Why...as a cost saving measure?

It's walnut.
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Been in the trade of Home building,carpentry,and custom woodwork I think before I was born, genetically passed on from father and grandfather.Honduran, Cuban and some Asian mahogany are the true hardwoods used for furniture and bookcases etc. Philippine mahogany can be decorative but not as durable or desirable.I have even seen wood pallets used for shipping and abused by forklifts made from it.
 
The reason I asked the question that started this thread is because I recently purchased two Browning rifles that have very similar patterns on their stocks and one of them is pictured in the first post.

I thought it would help to be able to name the wood when inquiring about any guns that may come up (and good pictures aren't readily available) that feature similar quality furniture, as I am looking for a third rifle (bolt action) to join the two "siblings"...

Thanks for your suggestions, I would settle for fiddle back walnut but those rifles are made in Japan, so mahogany makes sense too.
 
LawrenceN said:
Gentlemen, I beg to differ. I'm a cabinet maker/carpenter with 35 years in the trade, and to my eye, it looks like wood from the mahogany family. The japanese manufactured Brownings, like my buddy's .308 BAR, use this wood as they would have to import black walnut from north america. Most of the imported black walnut is turned into veneer stock to get the maximum dollar value out of it, and used in the high end automotive industry. I'd have to do more research to find out exactly what kind of wood it is, but it isn't black walnut. Anyone else?
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Isn't mahogany too soft for a gun stock?
 
LawrenceN said:
Gentlemen, I beg to differ. I'm a cabinet maker/carpenter with 35 years in the trade, and to my eye, it looks like wood from the mahogany family. The japanese manufactured Brownings, like my buddy's .308 BAR, use this wood as they would have to import black walnut from north america. Most of the imported black walnut is turned into veneer stock to get the maximum dollar value out of it, and used in the high end automotive industry. I'd have to do more research to find out exactly what kind of wood it is, but it isn't black walnut. Anyone else?
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You have the experience no doubt, but identifying wood from a picture is REALLY tough.

Brownings were originally made in Germany, and stocked with walnut. You are correct, the guns are now made in Japan, but they are still stocked with WALNUT. If you check the Browning site, it clearly says so, and I wold rely on their knowledge before a bunch of internet guessing. Browning has never used mahogony on their guns. As to importing it, Japan has no wood supply so walnut, maple, mahogoney or whatever, it is all imported.
 
Dean2 said:
You have the experience no doubt, but identifying wood from a picture is REALLY tough.

Brownings were originally made in Germany, and stocked with walnut. You are correct, the guns are now made in Japan, but they are still stocked with WALNUT. If you check the Browning site, it clearly says so, and I wold rely on their knowledge before a bunch of internet guessing. Browning has never used mahogony on their guns. As to importing it, Japan has no wood supply so walnut, maple, mahogoney or whatever, it is all imported.
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Brownings were originally made in Belgium (F/N Herstal) not Germany. Then in Japan. Some are still mage in Belgium.
 
Win

You are absolutely right about that and since I own quite a few made in Belgium I have no idea where my brain was parked when I said Germany.:D
 
BigUn said:
Not at all, but some types of "hardwood" mahogany can actually be heavier than walnut, which has a good balance of weight, durability and strength,and looks nice as well.
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Remington switched to "hardwood " mahogany from walnut in the early 80's on all their wingmasters, 760 etc. I have both here.
 
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