Non-laminated wood guns?

[SDspearo]

Both JBL and AB Biller make guns which appear to me to be unlaminated mohagony. Anybody ever made a gun out the same? I think I read somehwere about 2x4 guns but couldn't find it. I was thinking an enclosed track gun could be made quickly and cheaply and still be better than an off the rack gun

[ocfirefly]

no laminated is fine as long as the grain is vertical and straight(no swirls or knots) and if the gun is not made out of teak you have got to seal it with either an epoxy or a catalyzed varnish to keep the water out. With teak you can get a away with a coat or two of a penetrating epoxy sealer with teak/or tung oil to topcoat. Although my cousin has a gun that all the oil and sealer has worn off(it looks like a piece of driftwood) and its fine and shoots great. Its made out of teak which has a high oil content and is very commonly used in marine applications....

[Ron S]

Along the same lines I've always thought about pulling the muzzle off of my mahogany Sea Hornet and shaping a Riffe style open muzzle into the wood. The biggest reason I haven't is because I was concerned that the non-laminated wood would split unless I reinforce it with a dowel or something. Seems like it could be a cool project though, and if I screw up a barrel by adding wings or band elevators or whatever, a replacement isn't too expensive.
Ron.

[peskydor]

I use the West Coast Xtreme, no longer made. The stock is solid mahogany and is very stout. No problems with it, shoots like a .22 rifle. Although made of mahogany the gun has plenty of added weight being fitted with several stainless and aluminum parts including an aluminum grip. I added a heavy aluminum reel and the gun still floats, just, without the spear. Some mahogany guns are too light and display recoil/barrel jump. Some teak guns are sinkers. This Xtreme gun is just right. It floats but this stems from the consistant length and thickness of the "2 X 4" stock which gives it considerable mass for that size range (43 inch pull). In other words, it is the same class as the Biller 54 but twice as strong in torsion and much more stable.

[bryansnarked]

Along the same lines I've always thought about pulling the muzzle off of my mahogany Sea Hornet and shaping a Riffe style open muzzle into the wood. The biggest reason I haven't is because I was concerned that the non-laminated wood would split unless I reinforce it with a dowel or something. Seems like it could be a cool project though, and if I screw up a barrel by adding wings or band elevators or whatever, a replacement isn't too expensive.
Ron.

Retrosub makes these and Neptonics sells them.

[Ron S]

Retrosub makes these and Neptonics sells them.

I know, but the ones Mario makes are handcrafted and laminated. I'm just trying to decide if I want to make something out of the existing barrel or just leave it stock. It would probably hold up OK if I leave the band hole solid with no cut in the front, and keep the band power low. I dunno, just something I keep toying with...
Ron.