I received some advice from a very helpful member here who explained to me that English walnut would be a more fitting wood for this project. Based on his advice and a bit of research, I bought the following blank this week. It's a bit understated, but a good fit for this "working gun" and has good grain through the wrist.
Sometimes I prefer the plainer walnut to exhibition. That is a lovely blank with nice mineral streaking.
Figures don't lie, But Liars figure Assumption is the mother of mistakes