[woodstock]

Ruger uses birch from Maine for their stocks. On a scale of 1-5 both birch and walnut have a hardness rating of 4. Walnut is more desirable for gun stocks because it usually has more and darker figuring in its grain. While the visible grain in birch is lighter in color it looks better if it is stained to more closely resemble walnut and when scratched a lighter color is revealed. If you are concerned about scratches and the lack of figuring in birch then find a walnut stock if you can. If you want something just a durable but at a lesser cost then birch should be your choice.

Ruger originally used walnut stocks built by SE Overton for them. That is the one I have that is pictured above. They also has a run or two of walnut stocks after they started building their own an there was also at least one run of curly maple stocks for the 10/22.

Ruger walnuts in the barrel banded carbine R model were first SE Overton's from the inception (1964) until 1971 Ruger then began manufacturing the walnuts themselves from 1971 until they became a cost issue in 1984. First Birch, then for a short time maple and back to birch was the sequence of materials used from 1984 to the present.
The metal buttplate which is specifically aluminum was present from 1964 until the Liberty Model guns of 1976 at which time they were replaced by GE's Celcon. The C-63 is a part number. The early Celcon buttplates were installed after the stock was finished however they were inconsistent on fit. Much later Ruger installed the Celcon plate before the final standing on the stock which provided a very consistent fit.
The DSP stock with it's checkering and sling studs continues to be made of walnut today.
The real beauties were the original SE Overtons of black walnut.

 

[DDDWho]

Walnut is lighter in weight than birch and you'll never get close to this with birch.

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[woodstock]

Walnut is lighter in weight than birch and you'll never get close to this with birch.

Yes it is.

 

[TMB]

Walnut is lighter in weight than birch and you'll never get close to this with birch.

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Wonder what it would cost to get a fancy walnut stock made for 10/22?

 

[woodstock]

Less than you might think. Monte Carlo Style

 

[Cajun Kamikaze]

I have one sitting in my garage taking up space... Want to make me an offer?