Laminated bamboo gunstocks

[mehulkamdar]

Accurate Innovations, one of the biggest drop in stock manufacturers have come out with a bamboo laminate stock http://accurateinnovations.com/golden_sporter.html

Do check it out. There might be an opportunity in there for one of our very enthusiastic members if he decides to get into this business.

Cheers!

Mehul

[eljefe]

Mehul,
there is a predicted famine in the North East because of the flowering of the bamboo plants
( supposedly once in 50 years) the last time I was in Mizoram, the place was full of rodent experts from around the world , there on govt request!Jonah, whats the story there now?
Bamboo stocks! live and learn...
Best
Axx

[jonahpach]

Hmm sounds like a good idea! I was just looking up the possibility of manufacturing bamboo fly rods. a.k.a (Tonking cane flyrods). Have even looked up the possibility of importing/smuggling the original species (arundhinaria amabilis) from Tonkin area in China. (My wife's cousin is in the diplomatic corp. in Sanghai) Am looking into the prospect of using local bamboo now.

The Govt. of Mizoram is in the process of setting up a bamboo processing plant for the manufacture of bamboo ply and boards. Maybe if they ever get into production mode I'll be able to use their products. (for the manufacture of gun stocks). Have built a gunstock out of teak myself for my muzzle loader and am quite proud of it.

About the rodents... Yes! The bamboo has started flowering and Mizoram is at present being innundated with tie wearing rodents that are stealing all the centrally sponsored funds that have been allocated towards fighting the bamboo famine.

[mehulkamdar]

Jonah,

Could you post pics of your teak stock? I know that teak was used on some Enfield rifles made at Ishapur (then spelled "Ischapore" ) during the two world wars but am yet to see what the wood looks like. Also, how was the weight?

I suspect the bamboo stocks made by AI would be very light and strong, ideal for lightweight "mountain" rifles. It might be an area for an entrepreneur to venture into in India - bamboo laminate stocks for the OFBI 22 lrs etc.

Cheers!

[Mark]

It is an interesting stock:


I'm wondering how they do the checkering. Is it by hand or is it CNC somehow?

[mehulkamdar]

Mark,

I wondered about that myself. Could it be roll on chequering? But it does seem to be a very good idea because bamboo is very strong and light - this could be the world's first lightweight laminated stock.

[Mark]

If the gunstock did not cost $300 that was what I was thinking, that it was embossed but I cannot see them doing that for this price. My suspicion that it is CNC engraving but I guess we'll have to wait and look at them at next years shot show.

[jonahpach]

OK mehul here goes.





I know it's nothing compared to the ones you have access to but what the heck! After seeing it my wife wants me to make her a dresser! I was not too choosey about the piece of teak i used for the stock as I was not sure i would be able to complete it. Now I realise that a piece of teak with a lot of knots would have been much better. I use a hand chisel, hatchet, planer, saw, wood file and lots of sand paper. It took me 3 full sundays to complete it! Also my wife almost fainted when she discovered the wood chippings on my balconey floor! Biggest problem was the barrel bedding (Mehul try doing this by hand with a flat chisel) I later ground the tip of an old file end to the required curve and used it as a scraper and it worked. Of course i can still remember the stiff fingers i got by scraping off about two feet X 1.5 inches of hard teak by hand!

I also had a problem of design. I couldnt decide whether to use the original furniture design (antique type) or the more modern designs a.k.a some of the Gun books where modern black powder guns are shown. I guess my design is a mix of both! I better not talk about the barrel restoration job! It could be illegal.

Finishing! boy hoo boy... I experimented with 3 products the first of which was my own formulation made with tung oil! It's supposed to protect it from termites and severe weathering. Then I realised that I some of my friends would not be too impressed with the tung oil finish which gives it a not so shiny matt finish. I tried natural varnish (shellac & spirit). After which i coated it again with a polyurethane product.

The gun is missing a few items like a powder rod and trigger guard. Also i was hoping to be able to find some brass sheets to fabricate to cover the front end of the stock.. no such luck yet. Best thing about this gun is the ammo! It's freely available and no need to show licence at the qunshop! And also what a heck of a blast! Dev, I think u should get one.. you'll forget about the blast form the QB thingy that you have. Night shooting is the best as the flash from the hammer and barrel makes you remember the 'charge of the light brigade' I just love the smell of black powder.

[mehulkamdar]

Jonah,

I am a new convert to black powder shooting after coming under my good friend and business partner Mark's influence and yes, the smell is addictive. What many may not know is that India has one of the world's finest muzzleloading gun manufacturers, Curious House Ltd. Sadly, their guns are appreciated much more outside India than within. I am sure that if muzzleloading were permitted, it could become a great sport in India. Over here, there are even 1000 yard matches where muzzleloaders are shot.

Thanks for posting the pictures. As I suspected, the teak has very little figure to it and would make for a dimensionally strong stock but not a good looking one. There is an Australian wood that is as dimensionally strong as teak - Acacia Mangium - I wonder how it would look as it ahs been extensively planted in Kerala in South India for commercial purposes.

[eljefe]

You taking orders for dressers Jonah? Wife wants a couple and a bunk bed too-me I wouldnt mind a new book shelf!
Great job!
I dont know how the laws go-wont start again- but is it that easy in some parts of the country to get BP and shot for a ML?Yup, I've tried ML a couple of times-mighty impressive tongue of flame-and a very major sense of relief that the jeep steering column hadnt blown up. The short Hawkins that Mark's son was posing with? that is a my kind of BP...
Best
Axx

[jonahpach]

Heck Asif dont lead me into dark waters! I just barely got away from getting banned permanently from this board by the skin of my teeth. Who ever mentioned jeep steering columns.. mumble mumble.. not I.. no not ever! After almost a year after handling a hammer and chisel, my corns are almost gone and my hands are just beginning to get their 'babyskin' softness back. Am trying out "backyard metal casting" as a new hobby and will post some pics of my brand new home made target winder sometime next week.