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Types of wood used on Mod 71?

PJ1946

Senior Member
I have done some searching but can't seem to find much info about what type of wood was used on the Carbine and 71/84 stock. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Many Thanks in Advance
 
Walnut is standard for all German military rifles, at least until laminate was introduced during WWII. That is not to say that substitute wasn't widely used.. beech was more common on the Mod.98 during WWI (1916-1918), but as these rifles like the M71, there was not emergency that would demand consideration of substitute stock material.
 
Many Thanks. Looking at the hundreds of pictures of the 71, 71/84 and the carbines that show up on here and on auctions there appears to be quite a variation in color and in grain. From very light almost amber to a dark walnut. Of course who knows what patina they have picked up over the years and what has been refinished. I did notice that the WW1 98s seem to be very uniform in color. I have not really taken much notice of the variations in the 71s but suddenly wondered if there was a different wood used by the various companies that maybe was based upon location and lumber in that region. Probably time for me to keep a notepad handy when I am surfing the web. So far the only thing that sticks out in my mind is that the Spandau's seem to be usually dark wood and the Ambergs seem to be light wood. Probably a bunch of useless information but who knows.
 
Many Thanks. Looking at the hundreds of pictures of the 71, 71/84 and the carbines that show up on here and on auctions there appears to be quite a variation in color and in grain. From very light almost amber to a dark walnut. Of course who knows what patina they have picked up over the years and what has been refinished. I did notice that the WW1 98s seem to be very uniform in color. I have not really taken much notice of the variations in the 71s but suddenly wondered if there was a different wood used by the various companies that maybe was based upon location and lumber in that region. Probably time for me to keep a notepad handy when I am surfing the web. So far the only thing that sticks out in my mind is that the Spandau's seem to be usually dark wood and the Ambergs seem to be light wood. Probably a bunch of useless information but who knows.

My Spandau Kar.71 has light wood, my Steyr IG71 has dark, under the metal both are the same lighter color.
20170306_135039.jpg
 
Thanks Mauser. Very Nice line up by the way. More I look at the Carbine I am working on the wood looks like beech if I compare with pictures of beech on line. Oak came pretty close in some parts of the grain but not a match. Then again that would be old growth trees versus new lumber as well. Of course if I can find a scrap sporterized stock from that era that would be a source of matching donor wood……...
 

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Thanks Mauser. Very Nice line up by the way. More I look at the Carbine I am working on the wood looks like beech if I compare with pictures of beech on line. Oak came pretty close in some parts of the grain but not a match. Then again that would be old growth trees versus new lumber as well. Of course if I can find a scrap sporterized stock from that era that would be a source of matching donor wood……...

Looks like walnut to me. The earliest rifles I have seen beech on are wartime produced/repaired Gew.98 every 71 or 71/84 I have handled has been in Walnut.
 
You are probably right. I think I am thinking more in terms of the figuring that most walnut seems to have. Time to track down a local specialist hardwood store and do some comparisons. Meantime I am indeed learning some wood shaping skills LOL
 
You are probably right. I think I am thinking more in terms of the figuring that most walnut seems to have. Time to track down a local specialist hardwood store and do some comparisons. Meantime I am indeed learning some wood shaping skills LOL

I believe the German manufacturers even imported walnut from the US to stock their rifles with. I have seen a picture that purports to be stacks of American walnut ready for export to Germany. Most military rifles prior to and during WW1 were stocked with walnut. It weighed less than beech or birch, had a close grain and was easily machined into stocks. The Swedes were an exception. They used beech and birch, as well as walnut. Maybe the Russians used that, too.
 
Thanks for the info guys. I just ordered some 2"x2" Kiln Dried Walnut turning blanks off of the bay to give it a try. The Oak actually came out pretty well and gave me some experience but just is not right. So it's back to the router when the walnut gets here.
 
Stock Repair Update

Well Thanks for the inputs guys . Now I have the Walnut blanks in hand it becomes very apparent. The 4 blanks were each a different shade so I am doing two so I can experiment. Hopefully I am getting smarter as I go along in the sequence of the work. Anyway the pictures tell the story thus far. I am keeping a log with the instructions and loads of pictures as I go along and sharing with a Canadian Member of another forum who wants to do the same job on his Carbine.
 

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