I remember back in the day shooting M-14’s, my favorite military rifle. Most times the stocks were walnut or God forbid, that plastic crap. Many times though my rifle wore a birch stock. Supposedly it was just as strong, if not stronger, than walnut. Occasionally I’d shoot an M-14 tricked out by the USAMTU and it wasn’t unusual to see a birch stock there as well.
Go figure
For the purpose of stocks (on a comparable density basis) there are few woods close walnut. Beech is quite strong but very unstable in use. Birch is not even close.
Oak fails because it splits readily.
Cherry is a little brittle.
Mesquite works, as do a couple maples, myrtle is good but hard to dry, and after that the pickings get slim.
