Hello all,
I've been perusing these forums for awhile now and appreciate all the valuable info I've been able to glean from the posts.
Awhile back I purchased a re-arsenal Mosin sniper. As the first "project" gun I owned, I decided to refinish the stock myself using info I gained visiting various forums on the internet. As the stock was still heavily encased in cosmoline, I borrowed my brother's steamer and steamed the stock until the cosomoline bled out. I then used mineral spirits and progressive grit block sanding to remove the finish. I utilized a walnut stain that I believe was Miniwax, but it's been quite some time so I've forgotten. I then progressively added coats of TruOil to finish the rifle, doing somewhere between six and eight coats. I was satisfied as it was my first project rifle, but as I look at it more and more and compare it with other Mosin images I've found, I've begun to dislike it. Additionally, the stock feels a bit sticky still. (I allowed the coats to dry and buffed with #0000 steel wool in-between as the instructions on the internet I found had said)
Anyways, I suppose what I'm getting at are opinions on the nature of oil vs. varnish like TruOil for Mosin stocks? I'm hoping to glass-bed this and turn it into somewhat of a sporter, though with the original PU hardware. (This gun is going to be used to shoot, not to sell to some collector or sit in a case somewhere) The more I've read on the gun forums it appears Tung Oil or BLO are the preferred method.
Are these methods effective vs. rain, snow, sleet, etc.? Is it possible to strip my stock again and redo it with Tung or BLO? How would I go about this? (website suggestions perhaps?) Also, I had left the inner portion of the stock where the barrel and receiver sit unfinished as I was planning on free-floating the barrel. Should I refinish these portions of the stock as well?
Thanks for all your help guys, I look forward to hearing from you. Oh, and I can provide current pictures (cell phone) of the stock if need be.
I've been perusing these forums for awhile now and appreciate all the valuable info I've been able to glean from the posts.
Awhile back I purchased a re-arsenal Mosin sniper. As the first "project" gun I owned, I decided to refinish the stock myself using info I gained visiting various forums on the internet. As the stock was still heavily encased in cosmoline, I borrowed my brother's steamer and steamed the stock until the cosomoline bled out. I then used mineral spirits and progressive grit block sanding to remove the finish. I utilized a walnut stain that I believe was Miniwax, but it's been quite some time so I've forgotten. I then progressively added coats of TruOil to finish the rifle, doing somewhere between six and eight coats. I was satisfied as it was my first project rifle, but as I look at it more and more and compare it with other Mosin images I've found, I've begun to dislike it. Additionally, the stock feels a bit sticky still. (I allowed the coats to dry and buffed with #0000 steel wool in-between as the instructions on the internet I found had said)
Anyways, I suppose what I'm getting at are opinions on the nature of oil vs. varnish like TruOil for Mosin stocks? I'm hoping to glass-bed this and turn it into somewhat of a sporter, though with the original PU hardware. (This gun is going to be used to shoot, not to sell to some collector or sit in a case somewhere) The more I've read on the gun forums it appears Tung Oil or BLO are the preferred method.
Are these methods effective vs. rain, snow, sleet, etc.? Is it possible to strip my stock again and redo it with Tung or BLO? How would I go about this? (website suggestions perhaps?) Also, I had left the inner portion of the stock where the barrel and receiver sit unfinished as I was planning on free-floating the barrel. Should I refinish these portions of the stock as well?
Thanks for all your help guys, I look forward to hearing from you. Oh, and I can provide current pictures (cell phone) of the stock if need be.
