Possible disadvantages are:

Grip area may also be highly figured leading to splitting when grain should be straight.

The blank may have been improperly dried or cured. It may have too much moisture when you receive it.

It may have voids or cracks not visable and should therefore be guaranteed not to have them.

Ends of blank may have splits that extend into the area of the planned stock.

The curing all woods is a science. Shortcuts or improper curing/drying may be impossible to detect when the wood is purchased. It is "buyer beware" and why it is safer to buy blanks from reputable dealers.

Rollin

 

Suckman,
I looked at ebay and the burl wood that is on there is Big Leaf maple and it is not a very good stock wood even if it is quarter sawn or slab sawn. If they cut it from burls that form on a trunk, I would stay away from it. Darwin Hensley did a lot of stocks with root stock burl wood but the portion ahead of the butt stock had a more normal grain. I would give it a wide berth. I have seen some photos of old growth Circassian walnut that was cut in turkey years ago. The tree itself was immense, somewhere around 8 foot diameter at the ground. The wood that came underground was amazing. The price would be equally amazing. As Roland stated, bark pockets can form in this kind of wood and it can ruin a blank. Reputable dealers will replace the wood if it goes south, but ebay folks will not in most cases.

 

Greeting, If you want a burl for a gun stock you have to be careful and willing to pay the big bucks. I have a freind in the wood business that has provided wood for stocks for other people. He has said you have to be extreamly choosy. His name is Burly and if you want to email him and let him know what you are looking for I am sure he will help or find the wood for you. his email is burly1@gmail.com. hope this helps

 

Readers,
It is a shame that quite often when buying gunstock wood it is a, "buyer beware" proposition. I have been cutting, drying, selling and performing gunstock work for many years now and I will state this as gospel.
If the seller will not guarantee the blank as "sound", even provide a refund to you after the blank is cut to a gunstock at which time most defects are discovered, walk away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ray's Gunstock Service

 

Ray, that is very good advice. The best folks in the business have that practice and you offering that warranty puts you in very good company.

 

Chic,
Thank you, that was very thoughtful of you.
Since my early gunsmithing days when I was attending college on the west coast and working for Al Timney, the guys who were always looking to "short-cut" someone ALWAYS really annoyed me! As a result of these "types" we saw a LOT of neccessary re-work and in fact, I still see quite a bit of it now. It still annoys me just as much now as it did then too for quality firearms are prized possessions. In conclusion, I will quote a question my Father would often ask me addressing a less than honest transaction,
"how would you like for someone to do that to you"?

That says it doesn't it?

Ray's Gunstock Service