Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Seeking Input on French Walnut/ Grade

I’m seeking some input and/or expertise regarding French Walnut, namely grain pattern. Winchester classifies the Super Grade dressed in French Walnut as AAA. In the pictures, what type wood or (grade) would any grade this pattern?

To the best of my knowledge there are no standards for wood grading - one mans AAA is another mans AA, its all subjective.

It is like a beautiful woman, what makes one beautiful to one person many leave another person cold. But with stock woods and women I know what I like when I see it regardless of grade or someone elses opinion.

drover

With the amount of mineral streaking in that stock I would agree with the grade being AAA in this case. The next grade up would probably be exhibition grade but that requires a bit more figure or ornate streaking.

I'd guess it's grafted Cali English. Not French.
Can't see the layout through the whole stock which to me is more important than how much color/contrast is in the butt. As well as any problem knots that can knock a blank down a few pegs regardless of color.

Since there are no specific standards, I would not rate that a grade III. It’s lower and that’s my opinion. Take or or leave it.

I’d agree here. Every supplier of European walnut, whether it’s French, English, Turkish, Circassian etc etc. has their own grading names & standards. it’s all the same species: Juglans Regia. The figure can be different in different growing regions.
I’d consider that just above the basic grade, with no sapwood and some streaking. At AAA, which would normally be a grade under so called “exhibition” it should have some marble caking along with streaking in the butt, and the blank should have a slightly upward grain through the wrist and through the forend.
The wood is graded, but the blank should be graded as well.
45 years gunsmithing.. cut a lot of shavings off Juglans regia.

I certainly agree with you and I have a few of yours in my gunsafe.

Sent the rifle back to Winchester to have the ejector port opening enlarged. These are the only two pics I have right now.

Since Winchesters are made in Portugal now I would think they would be sourcing their wood in the most convenient place they could- like France, Italy, Turkey, etc.... but then I could be wrong- it's happened before....

Some of the nicest “French” I’ve ever seen, came from New Zealand.

Yes, you are correct. Winchester (Derek) said the wood (French Walnut) was imported from Europe and Asia. I may opt for a new stock (French Walnut) contingent upon gaining access. Derek said there were no short action .308's available in French Walnut or for any other caliber. I sent out two certified letters today to Winchester, documenting the entire gamut of events. Not that I wish to travel this route, but it is essential in the climate we're experiencing. The only problem, Derek said if they do receive a French Walnut stock, it would only be one and that would be the stock I would have to accept. Furthermore, Derek said the French Walnut may be discontinued. He offered me the Super Grade stock if worse comes to worse, but it is of less cost and the Fleur Di Lis pattern (Checkering) is not displayed on the regular Super Grade. Thank you very much for the information and the courtesy. If you could add to the above content, I would appreciate it.

Very well could be. I'm not really experienced with wood, just learning. Even though I have some nice presentation stocks, that makes me no expert. I was just seeking to receive a fairly good stock, with possibly some marbling or curl. However, this seems to be extremely difficult. The Winchester Super Grade French Walnut I just purchased isn't too bad, fairly good grain. However, the port ejector recess was cut too short as Brad pointed out. Needless to say, as being a collector I dislike the fact of a mistake on a firearm. Purchased as a specimen. What is your take on the French Walnut in obtaining a new stock from Winchester? Would you wait a significant amount of time, hoping to receive something better or have the original French Walnut recess cut and call it a day? Thank you very much for your assistance.

Good thinking.

Even if they send you a new stock, which I think will be unlikely, they will have to cut it because every single short action french walnut super grade I've seen suffers the same defect in the stock at the ejection port. The long actions are correctly cut at the ejection port, at least all the ones I've seen. Something went wrong in the blueprints or translation, or a mistyped number entered when the set up of the machinery was done when they were cut and shaped. That can happen when they are not manufactured in house and only gets discovered when a shipment of thousands of finished checkered stocks from across the pond get delivered to the assembly site. Oh well, too late now, put 'em together and sell them. Maybe they are not all that way but at least one production run of a large number of these stocks is and I haven't personally seen any of these short action French Walnut Super Grade stocks that are not cut incorrectly or maybe they sent most of them to Canada lol.

Winchester has already confirmed in giving me a new stock, if I wish. However, as I've said a few times; 1. Winchester does not have any short action .308 stocks nor any other caliber stock (French walnut). There is no time frame as to when I would receive the French walnut stock. Winchester further added the French Walnut may be discontinued. In all likelihood, that very well may be due to the facts you have stated above. So, the stock I have now is not too bad, some mineral streaking with Fleur Di Lis, unlike the Super Grade with ordinary checkering. In fact, Winchester offered to provide a Super Grade stock "If worse comes to worse", yet the fleur di lis pattern is not on the Super grade and it is of less cost. I would agree with you on the short action stocks, most likely needing to be cut. I'll probably most likely keep the stock I have and hopefully Winchester will cut and finish it correctly (6-8 weeks). Winchester assured me that no fee would would pertain to the stipulation in No. 11 of the Firearm Repair Form. As things are today, it is most difficult to rectify any matter due to the state and world affairs. I will say this, I'm glad i'm dealing with Winchester and not any other gun maker. Thank you very much for the detailed valuable information. Where you acquired those facts are beyond me.

* I removed myself from the main forum board for there are only those seeking attention, jealous, perverted, and lonely people hoping to gather others into their darkness. This is clearly evident to me, and as the days progress; people become worse and worse. I shall not partake with any of them. Again, thank you for the information: most appreciated. I'd like to ask one question: Would you order a new stock from Winchester or keep the original and have it cut and finished? I would only hope Winchester has seasoned/ skilled artisans whom they refer to as 'gunsmiths'.

Since it's a crap shoot whether you will get a better stock or not in the process of having this rectified there are a couple questions that come to mind.

Do you have to return this stock to get the new stock to replace it? If not, at the very least you have a great piece of wood that needs a fairly minor repair to be just about perfect, including the excellent checkering from what I can see. And you would then have a second stock to put on the rifle if you choose- albeit may need the same repair at some point.

Where would you have to send it to if you opt for the repair? There have been numerous stories about stocks being damaged in transit so there is always the risk you would need to start all over again if this occurs.

This whole process seems like it could drag on for quite a while without satisfaction in my opinion. I think for such a minor repair I would take it to a local stockmaker and have him repair the port problem and do a touch up to match the finish where necessary if possible.

Personally I would find a way to keep this stock and have it repaired, either by the factory authorized shop or a third party shop out of pocket. I think this is an outstanding piece of French walnut and would do what I could to hang onto it.

I returned the entire rifle to Winchester. I would only believe that Winchester would 'not' give me the original stock back. I'm really not concerned in collecting additional stocks, pointless: at least to me. I believe the service Center is in ARNOLD, Missouri: at least that's where I shipped to. Where it goes from there is unknown to me: "Maybe Right There". Six to eight weeks is the time frame. I'm in no hurry, so it does not matter. Again, the firearm has a five year warranty, so why would I ever bring it to a shoemaker. I refer to the term 'shoemaker' for I know not many in this generation who are capable as the artists as in years past. I knew a few in New Haven, as one built me a .300 Win Mag (D.B.M.) : Never selling that one: 1/4 minute at 100 yds. Well, accordingly as to your input, I'll most likely keep the original stock. I cannot fathom how a stock could be damaged in transit unless Fedex was delivering. I've received a few rifles and sent out a few: never an issue at all: none. Please tell me how the damage would occur, being inserted in styrofoam and an exterior box? I would imagine anything can happen, just never seen that in well over thirty years. Thanks very much for the detailed information. * I notice I'm receiving these messages away from my OP-ED which has turned into a game with those seeking attention. I do not believe that I've been on any other forum noticing this aspect. Can you see the other comments from: Drover, Sheister, Bushrat, and the rest: just curious?

Wood grading criteria has seemed to change over the decades. I bet most people would agree that wood graded AAA and even some AA from the 80’s would now be considered AAAA or Exhibition today.
Cooper is a good example of this. Generally the earlier they built a rifle the prettier the wood was yet the grading remains the same. The wood they graded as AA 20 years ago they would pass off as AAAA in todays world

Agreed, to me its clear the standards for wood grading are gradually slipping over time, as really nice blanks become scarcer. When you see older Dakotas and what they were graded it becomes more evident.