Professional Stockmaking: Through the Eyes of a Stockmaker

Originally copyrighted in 1994, this 2011 reprint is a step by step how-to with complete photographic support for every detail of the art of working wood into riflestocks. Comprehensive coverage of the techniques are illustrated to gain skill and/or understanding of the professional gun maker's craft. An unparalleled achievement, destined to become the bible for students, professionals or those who appreciate custom rifles.

David L. Wesbrook has had an interest in firearms from an early age while growing up in a small farming community in Indiana. After surviving a near fatal, head-on collision in his last year of college he moved to Friendship, Indiana the home of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association and began to pursue building black-powder rifles.

Friendship, Indiana, is also home of gun maker Jack Haugh who gave Dave the inspiration for quality gun making.

Dave's quest brought him to work as a stockmaker at the renowned firm of Griffin & Howe. In the early 1980's, he began to make fine custom riflestocks and accessories on a professional level and achieved recognition nationally with commissioned works by the Dallas Safari Club and others.

To create suitable images of his work, Mr. Wesbrook went on to study photography under one of America's most important innovators of fine art photography, Mr. Frederick Sommer. Dave's gun photography has graced the pages of Rifle Magazine, Gun Digest, Peterson's Hunting, Hunters Quest, Guns and American Rifleman. His photographic work has included private collections, special projects for National Geographic, National Gallery of Art, National Museum of American History, The Smithsonian Institute, as well as all photographic illustration in this book.

Today Mr. Wesbrook resides in the Midwest and continues to produce custom rifles, hunt, fish and do fine art photography.