Recommendations for New Stock on M1 Garand (Finish and Buttplate fit)

[DocBoCook]

So my father got a new stock for his M1, BOYD'S : Fits M1 Garand 3-Pc Set, F (239-000-013) - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools
It's walnut, beautiful looking. I was wondering if any of you C&R type guys can tell me a good way to help his stock really shine.

Also, The buttplate and the stock don't mesh perfectly, should I sand this down? If so, recommendations?

 

[tman]

I use a 50/50 mix of pure tung oil (PTO) and boiled linseed oil (BLO). It seems to work well. Some people say that using PTO will turn the stock a reddish tint after X amount of oil being applied. I have tried that but never saw any change.

I had a new stock from the cmp and I had to sand the butt down a bit to get the butt plate to fit correctly. I have seen stocks where the wood exceeds the edges of the butt plate and it was chipped. I sanded mine down to be flush with the butt plate. Take you time and check the fit often.

I would also recommend going to the CMP forums and search for stock finish. There will be lots of recommendations.

Good luck.

 

[jblomenberg16]

There is a guy on Jouster (Welcome to Culver's Shooting Page) named USSR that sells a mix of stuff that is supposed to closely match the original color of the stocks that were issued when these weapons were orignally produced.

WTS: USSR Service Rifle Stain


I have read of other combinations of stains, BLO, PTO, etc that give the stock that nice deep burgundy look and also provide a very durable finish that will protect the wood.


ETA- I believe that some manufactures actually did hand sand the stocks to match buttplates, but I don't have proof of that, just hear-say.

 

[451_Detonics]

Lin Speed oil is available again in the original formulation. Lin-Speed.com - Gunstock Finish & Care Oil for Valued Gunstocks New & Old I feel this is one of the best finishes for any wood. It does take time as the only way to use it is to hand rub the finish but it is fantastic.

My Remington 700 in22 Cheetah was restocked with a piece of Fajen walnut. It was checkered by a pro but I did the finish myself. I used Pilkington Pre-64 spirit stain available from Brownells ( PILKINGTON : CLASSIC SPIRIT STAINS - World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools ). This is not an inexpensive stain...it runs 23 bucks for 2 ounces but it is the best stain I have ever found...period. Makes Min-Wax look like old coffee. I then hand rubbed about 6 coats of Lin Speed oil on the wood. That was 25 or so years ago and I have never has to touch up the finish. I used the same combo on my Winchester 24 and despite being shot weekly for skeet for years the finish again has held up great. These two products will make for a beautiful stock. These pics don't do the finish justice...

p.s. If you hand rub a finish like this you hands will smell great for weeks...lol.

 

[Walter Zoomie]

I used Minwax dark walnut stain and satin wipe-on poly on my wood. I wasn't concerned about an as-issued finish, and I didn't go all Easy-Off oven cleaner on it and strip it down to bare wood beforehand. For 50+ year-old furniture, I think it turned out pretty good.

 

[DocBoCook]

I don't want to change the color. The walnut is beautiful. I just want to seal and protect. I have heard that PTO, LO, BLO will never truly "Set" as in high heat it will come out of the stock like cosmoline will at 120 farenheit. I saw something called Mil oX. Anyone use this?

Recommendations on Grit of Sandpaper to sand the stock flush to the Plate?

 

[451_Detonics]

Skip the stain then and just use the Lin Speed, if you follow their directions it will never come out of the wood like some oils do.

"GB" Lin-Speed is a laboratory perfection of linseed oil. "GB" Lin-Speed is not a concoction. It is in fact, linseed oil refined to the point that the oil acquires the admirable qualities of good body and rapid dry. Ordinary linseed oil never really dries. The "GB" Lin-Speed refinement process removes the non-drying linseed parts (called Foots).

It will make a dry, hard finish and if you should scrape or abrade it all you need do is apply a few drops to the affected area and rub it in...blends into the original perfectly. There is a reason that it has been used by custom stock makers for over 55 years.

 

[17Chap]

Go to the CMP forum and do a search. You'll gets loads of information. Surplus guns like an M1 are not supposed to be shiny or slick like a sporting arm.

I used Fairtrimmers Military Ox on mine (refinished). Tim's 1/3 Wax could work great on a new stock like that. Others use BLO. If you don't know what that is, check out the forums.

Enjoy the M1, great guns!

Jess

 

[kedie]

The butt plate area may not be the only place you'll need to sand. The Boyds stocks are notorious for being too tight, to the point of throwing off your shots. My Springfield M1 came from CMP with a Boyds. I've done a lot of sanding and the stock is still so tight I have to tap the reciever out with a block.

 

[ol' poke]

Can't comment on the fit issue, as my CMP IH Garand was ok.

What I did to refinish it was strip the existing finish off with EZ-Off oven cleaner - a couple of cycles of apply, wipe off, then wash the rest of the oven cleaner off. After the wood was stripped and dry as a bone, I used boiled linseed oil. Rub it in well with a rag, don't let any drips form, and let it dry. Apply several/many coats and let dry thouroughly betwen applications. Also buff down with 0000 steel wool between coats. If you want a shinier coat, leave the final light coating alone after it dries, otherwise, a final once-over with the steel wool will dull it down. The oil can be re-applied easily after a few years of nicks and bruises. Be careful when using linseed oil - it generates heat as it dries and can cause rags to combust spontaniously - spread any used rags out outside until they are dry.
Congratulations to your pop on his "new" rifle. Garands are sweet!

 

[DocBoCook]

thanks all for your advise. I will print this all out and pass it on to him.

 

[matrxx]

I use a 50/50 mix of pure tung oil (PTO) and boiled linseed oil (BLO). It seems to work well. Some people say that using PTO will turn the stock a reddish tint after X amount of oil being applied. I have tried that but never saw any change.

I had a new stock from the cmp and I had to sand the butt down a bit to get the butt plate to fit correctly. I have seen stocks where the wood exceeds the edges of the butt plate and it was chipped. I sanded mine down to be flush with the butt plate. Take you time and check the fit often.

I would also recommend going to the CMP forums and search for stock finish. There will be lots of recommendations.

Good luck.

And yes,I would go to CMP for help,there are number of expert up there .
I did mine:

 

[DocBoCook]

And yes,I would go to CMP for help,there are number of expert up there .
I did mine:

uuuuummmmmmmm, what did you do? that would be easier to do than weed through their posts on CMP