What kind of wood is Beretta using?....walnut?
Recently stopped at Sportsmans Warehouse and saw a dozen Beretta O/U's with a chocolate colored wood and wild erratic grain. It almost looked synthetic. Beretta claims to be using American and European Walnut...I don't recall seeing that species of wood looking like this. Here's a sample from their web site.
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thats known as a '#7 select grade' of french walnut. its one step higher than aaa select. though pretty, stocks with grain like that are prone to cracks, especially around the grip.
former air operations officer SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2. former navy skeet team, former navy rifle/pistol team member. co-owner skeetmaster tubes inc.. owner/operator professional shooting instruction. NRA certified instructor.0 -
I was wondering if that's what is called "stabilized" wood? Where they take wood normally prone to cracking, inject it with resin/epoxy and microwave to cure. 0 -
Turkish walnut from the stump comes close to that, very dense and very heavy. Bobski is right about the cracking problems, the grip and around the tang. I was just looking at a friends Stoeger O/U and was wondering about the finish, it makes the wood look synthetic.
"Aim small...Miss small"0 -
My buddy at the gunshop said it's walnut with shrink wrap around it before they complete the finish. I dunno why they do it that way, but OK
O Lord,
grant me the Serenity
to accept the things
I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can,
and the supreme firepower to make the difference.0 -
Beretta does use some pretty nice walnut on some of their shotguns, but they also have a number of models that have what they call the "Extra" wood finish. The "Extra" models are actually dipped in some kind of oily finish floating in a water bath. The wood pieces are lifted through this oily film that sticks to the surface of the wood giving the grain-like pattern of the "Extra" finish. It's not actually a highly figured burled or crotch wood. If this finish gets scratched or rubbed off, and you're left with the plain basic walnut showing through. They can be refinished or redone, but it's a difficult and expensive project. The models with this "Extra" finish have "Extra" stamped in the area of the pistol grip cap. I would avoid these like the plague. IMHO. 0 -
Didn't look at one real close, but from across the counter they looked nice...guess I've been had thinking this was real wood. [:(] 0 -
wow. i learned a lesson on this thread. i had no idea great gun companies were into cheating and taking short cuts like that. the reason i say cheat and short cuts is there was a day where wood scouts would canvas the countryside looking for old trees that were being cleared and theyed buy them and haul them back to the shop to be made into stocks. the process is expensive and its what commanded and still commands such high prices for pretty wood. stump or crotch wood is much like the whole cow being butchered just to get one 'filet mignon.' and theres never enough to go around for everyone, so only the discriminate shoppers get it and the others just druel. how sneeky its all become. gun mfger's have always realized that wood will sell a gun. now they cheat and make fake wood finish. granted, everyone knows our wood supply is dwindling and that spectacular wood is rare, and soon, there wont be any old wood anymore, but to make man made stuff to feed the masses just rubs me the wrong way. much like a VW kit car is suppose to look like porshe. i'd rather confess the dwindling supply and accept a cheaper alternative, than to be sold a straight grain slab cut made to look like aaa select and pay out the nose for the extra process. sad truth is....demand is forcing suppliers to inovate and even go into the rain forests to harvest fancy woods. soon, like our own american walnut supply, it will all be gone. french walnut is almost gone, and myrtlewood and mesquite are the next in the sights. you can almost understand why companies are doing this oil dip process. theyre trying to slow the loss of trees down to give them a chance to grow. but it just seems fake to me. how do you guys feel about it?[?] 0 -
Bobski,
AMEN!0 -
Bobski... Would have to completely agree. Don't forget how many other products require fine woods for manufacture. Musical instruments are the first that come to mind.
I'm not sure what Remington is doing either. The older 1100's had such a nice finish, and the new 1187's just look like wood dipped in plastic to me.0 -
I like the look of rich dark straight grain stocks - that's just me 0 -
I have not seen or know anything about that gun, but because of things like this:
http://www.beneteauguitars.com/ziricote-concert-standard.htm
...I have no doubt that the wood on that shotgun is real.
Natural beauty at its best.
(and NO, that is not a laminate. That is solid wood)0
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