Teak or Mahogany?

[josedesucre]

Is it really worth to pay extra for a teak barrel instead of mahogany? Some manufacturers charge $50 more for the same gun in teak, others much more. Is there really a difference in performance or durability?

 

[metelin]

teak is more expensive so a manufacturer has to pass on the cost of the material. is it realy worth it? that's up to you, for me mahogany is just fine for a smaller reef gun.

steve

 

[josedesucre]

Thanks, Steve. And for small reef gun you mean 90 or maybe 110 centimeters (about 40/42 inches)? If that's so, then for anything over 110 you would choose teak?

 

[metelin]

teak is a better wood all around, it's has better buoyancy characteristics, it's a bit harder and it's better in a marine environment. is it worth the extra money? if you're making or buying an big/expensive gun that you want to last a long time and not outgrow then thats the wood of choice but if you're getting a gun for a couple of hundred dollars or less that you're going to use for a while till you can get something better then go with mahogany. having said that there are pleanty of european gun makers that use mahogany, generaly mahogany is lighter and needs a bit more ballast but other than that its fine.

steve

 

[foxfish]

Interesting question, teak in its raw form does in fact resist water penetration very well but by its very nature also resist glue penetration! Modern low viscosity glues (used in most gun building) enable lots of previously unsuitable woods to be used for underwater use.
Mahogany will in fact absorb glue more readily than teak (ie epoxy)