Cleaning and caring for wooden stock and fore-end

[bullrat]

Okay, so there are a million and one posts on cleaning metal -- but what's your favorite way to clean and care for the wood on your guns? I searched the forums but came up empty.

Specifically, I have a Remington 870 police model shotgun with walnut fore-end and stock. Not sure of the factory finish, sort of a dull shine if that makes any sense.

1) What type finish does Remington use on their police models?

2) Your favorite way to clean and maintain your wood?

 

[Plink]

Most of my stocks get a wipedown with Ballistol. It cleans well and helps protect the finish and keep the wood from drying. My glossy stocks get furniture paste wax. I'd assume that anything that's safe for high quality furniture or musical instruments would work well. I used to use Martin guitar polish on all my stocks and it worked better than the paste wax, actually.

 

[jpcampbell]

Good old Homer Formby's Build up remover the green stuff. then wax.

 

[LeonCarr]

Scott's Liquid Gold. You can find it on the cleaning stuff aisle at Wal-Mart. It is the best wood cleaner/preservative I have found. And it smells good too .

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Sir Aardvark]

I usually use a good carnuba car wax on the finished portions of the wood at least once a year (during my annual "take-down and thoroughly clean" session). But, after I shoot or handle my guns, I'll just use a silicone-cloth or Breakfree and wipe it all down.

One thing I make sure I do is disassemble all the wooden componenets of my firearms and seal the unfinished, exposed wood (such as under the butt-pad and inside the action/barrel channel) with Tung Oil or Birchwood-Casey Gun Stock Oil (or Min-wax sealer, or whatever you have available).

Sealing these areas help keep the stock from absorbing moisture when you're out in the field when it's wet or damp (or, goodness sakes, if it rains on you!).

Stocks that absorb too much moisture can swell and shift your point of aim and can also cause rust on any metal that they are in contact with.