Is this walnut or birch? - Page 1

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Is this walnut or birch?

Posted: 11/6/2018 9:59:34 PM EDT

Recently got a SA M1 from CMP born on date Sept 1942 with a rebuild June 1947.

The stock grain looks like walnut but it has blonde areas in it like honey color. So far I have not found any cartouches or other identifying marks. Looks like there could have been one at one time on the left side but it is hard to tell. I believe it is a replacement stock that happen to be put on during its life.

I would have posted this in the CMP forums but after two weeks of being registered and activated I still cannot post.

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If any expert with more knowledge of either M1 stocks or wood grains has any ideas it would be most helpful.

Thanks

Posted: 11/6/2018 10:08:31 PM EDT

[#1]

I want to say walnut as birch is a lighter wood than walnut. Yet not an M1 excerpt based off the color of the wood.

Posted: 11/6/2018 10:24:42 PM EDT

[#2]

Looks like birch to me.

Posted: 11/6/2018 10:32:21 PM EDT

[#3]

It is so hard to tell because there are light like honey areas and then some darker spots. There is also some speckling (for lack of a better word) in the grain. I have looked at samples of wood grain but it is not clicking with me which one it is. I want to say the speckling is more a walnut trait but I am not sure.

Thanks for the replies.

Posted: 11/6/2018 10:58:08 PM EDT

[#4]

I am really leaning toward walnut because of the grain and after looking online at some walnut stocks for the M1 I can see a few with the honey color in them.

Anybody else got an idea?

Thanks

Posted: 11/7/2018 6:18:19 AM EDT

[#5]

It looks a little bit like Euro walnut.

Posted: 11/7/2018 6:37:26 AM EDT

[#6]

I have read about that. It is lighter then American walnut. I wonder if it was part of the lend lease program? I believe this rifle is one of the Philippine returns.

Posted: 11/7/2018 3:00:01 PM EDT

[#7]

Walnut

Posted: 11/7/2018 4:58:54 PM EDT

[#8]

Walnut.

Posted: 11/7/2018 5:09:12 PM EDT

[#9]

Thanks!

Posted: 11/7/2018 6:00:40 PM EDT

[#10]

Walnut for sure. Birch is clearer between the grown rings.

Posted: 11/7/2018 7:17:01 PM EDT

[#11]

Two things:

1. The tag that comes with the CMP rifles - does it have a "Y" on the back? This is associated with the Philippine returns.

2. Perhaps my eyes deceive but I do indeed think I see the ghost of a crossed cannons cartouche there. Any chance to see a pic in different lighting?

ETA one other question - how did you find out the rebuild date for yours? Etching on the receiver? I recently got a couple of service grades, one with a rebuild cartouche on the stock, but couldn't find any etchings on mine...

Posted: 11/9/2018 6:34:24 AM EDT

[#12]

Quote History

Quoted:
Two things:

1. The tag that comes with the CMP rifles - does it have a "Y" on the back? This is associated with the Philippine returns.

2. Perhaps my eyes deceive but I do indeed think I see the ghost of a crossed cannons cartouche there. Any chance to see a pic in different lighting?

ETA one other question - how did you find out the rebuild date for yours? Etching on the receiver? I recently got a couple of service grades, one with a rebuild cartouche on the stock, but couldn't find any etchings on mine...

View Quote

Thanks for replying. No Y on the tag. They did put SA 9-47 on the tag across from the serial number and just below their inspection date. I believe that is the rebuild date. I will have to go back to CMP forums and ask.

I thought I saw that as well but believe me I have tried in all light and it doesn't get better or more noticeable.

On the CMP forums everyone is saying it is definitely a birch stock.

Posted: 11/9/2018 7:30:32 AM EDT

[#13]

Looks a lot more like my birch stocks than walnut

Posted: 11/10/2018 9:26:15 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Looks a lot more like my birch stocks than walnut

View Quote

Yeah, I am very positive now that it is birch, especially after posting on the CMP forums.

Thanks.

Posted: 11/10/2018 9:40:15 PM EDT

[#15]

Yes, birch

Posted: 11/12/2018 1:00:52 PM EDT

[#16]

I'd say it's birch.

The wood is very closed-grain (no pores), like birch. It has been stained to look like walnut but the lack of open pores in the wood is hard to hide.

Walnut is the other way - it is very open-grained. It has many, many large, open powers in the wood that are difficult and time-consuming to fill. It can be done but it is not commercially viable to fill them. Left unfilled, they add some 'grippiness' to the surface.

Posted: 11/12/2018 5:03:46 PM EDT

[#17]

It definitely looks like birch to me.

Part of my job includes selecting wood species for finish building products and that definitely looks like birch to me.

Posted: 11/12/2018 5:05:46 PM EDT

[#18]

spent 30 seconds on google ...

https://www.dupagetrading.com/product/birch-m1-stock/

http://www.trfindley.com/pgwalbir.html

Posted: 11/12/2018 5:07:21 PM EDT

[#19]

Compare the grain (not the stain color he chose) in the second link.

See those dark areas in the wood? Your stock has those too.

Your stock has all the hallmarks of birch.

Pay particular attention to the picture below the "refinish" set of pics. The one with stock and CHICOM handguard.

Birch is a challenge because it can look blotchy after staining. I specify a lot of rotary cut white birch and always have to inspect for that mottled appearance (due to the grain structure).

Posted: 11/13/2018 4:28:14 PM EDT

[#20]

Congrats!

You've got yourself there a very RARE example of a Philippine 'walnut' stock, which is actually an indigenous bamboo-hybrid that looks and feels like American Birch.

The only relevant question is, ... how does it shoot?

Posted: 11/15/2018 11:20:07 PM EDT

[#21]

Looks like Birch with a walnut stain to me.

Posted: 11/19/2018 8:17:51 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Congrats!

You've got yourself there a very RARE example of a Philippine 'walnut' stock, which is actually an indigenous bamboo-hybrid that looks and feels like American Birch.

The only relevant question is, ... how does it shoot?

View Quote

I can hit a man sized target in the balls at 200 yards and that was the first time shooting it. I just re zeroed the rifle today on the 1000 inch target and tightened my groups up a bit but need to practice a lot more.

I will say that due to the sight radius of the m1 garand the sights look clearer to my old eyes then my M4 sights. The sight picture is brighter to me and I can focus better on the front sight. I will try to post some pics of the target later. It was not bad for not really taking my time.

Posted: 11/19/2018 8:23:40 PM EDT

[#23]

Quote History

Quoted:
Compare the grain (not the stain color he chose) in the second link.

See those dark areas in the wood? Your stock has those too.

Your stock has all the hallmarks of birch.

Pay particular attention to the picture below the "refinish" set of pics. The one with stock and CHICOM handguard.

Birch is a challenge because it can look blotchy after staining. I specify a lot of rotary cut white birch and always have to inspect for that mottled appearance (due to the grain structure).

View Quote

Yeah I see that now. Thanks. I did already visit both of the websites you posted but decided I needed second opinions. Google isn't always your best source and at times can make things worse.

Without this post I would have not known about other wooden stocks mentioned by other posters. Thanks.

Posted: 1/31/2019 9:49:23 PM EDT

[#24]

Definately Birch

Posted: 2/1/2019 1:49:11 PM EDT

[#25]

If I had to make a bet I'd say walnut. Seems like birch is usually a lot lighter than that. But when someone mentioned birch with a darker stain on it, it does seem like that's a possibility. I'm no wood expert though. So my unexpertly answer is still walnut.

Were you aiming for the balls though. LOL.

Posted: 2/1/2019 5:10:34 PM EDT

[#26]

Birch

Posted: 2/3/2019 7:51:47 AM EDT

[#27]

Looks like birch to me. The 9-47 on the tag is the date the barrel was manufactured.

Are there any electropencil markings in the right side of the receiver leg?

Posted: 2/3/2019 8:57:30 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Looks like birch to me.

View Quote

Birch.

Posted: 3/16/2019 5:35:22 PM EDT

[#29]

Birch.

If you have the patience and will, you can get that stock to look real close to a walnut handguard and forearm color.

Clean, Strip and dye, as stain pigments are to large to get into the birch pours sufficiently and consistent.

Brown and scarlet dye cut with alcohol followed with a Raw linseed oil regimin will get it there.