HI Troy
Is the applewood wild or tame in its growth habits?.
The wild wood will be much stronger in nature than the tamer variety. Wild applewood when dry will make superior mallet heads, and we used them for commanders in the 1846 Mulley Saw mill to tap the large heavy cast Iron Dogs that held the logs in position.
I have never known of fruit wood to be used for this particular job, but it is possible.
NH