New stock for my Weatherby Vanguard in .243 Win!

[mickeydim468]

Some of you know I just finished my stock for my Weatherby Vanguard in 300 Win Mag. It came out really nice too!

Now I am doing a "Tack Driver" stock from Richard's Microfit in a black/gray laminate. I understand that the laminate is made out of beechwood. It is very hard and somewhat brittle at the edges. It is hard to sand for shaping it too.

My question is this... What finish would be the best protection from the elements and minor bumping around in the field. My rifles are tools. I use them as tools. I take good care of them, but they may get bumped or bruised, so I want to find something that will really stand up to the rigors of the outdoors. I was thinking about maybe using some sort of urethane or something of that nature. The problem I see with that is that everything I have seen with this type of finish was glossy and shiny. I do not want a glossy finish. I am looking for more of a matte finish with a dull luster yet will still accent the wood grain. What does most people use for these types of rifles?

Thanks!

Mikey!

Oh by the way... Here is a link to my picture thread, so you can see what I did so far and to follow along to see the progress. Weatherby Vanguard 243 Stock Job Also if you want to see the 300 since it was finished. Click on my other albums and see what you think.

 

[viking499]

Nice looking stock. I would go with an oil finish. Multiple coats. Let it soak in good to help protect the wood. Easy to touch up if you need to due to bumps and bruises. Will not give you the glossy sheen. Will be more of a satin or dull sheen.

 

[mickeydim468]

Thanks! But would it protect it so the little bumps don't harm the wood or edges?

 

[Geno]

That is a nice package! Good shooting too!

Congrats and enjoy.

Geno

 

[mickeydim468]

Thanks Geno! I have been real happy with it so far. i can't wait to shoot it once it is pillar bedded and glass bedded and free floated. I bet I will get 5 in one hole then! Wouldn't that be sumthin'!

Mike

 

[dpostel83]

i really prefer just blo, but i have used minwax ClearShield on a couple of stocks that i have done(rifles that go out on the 4 wheeler rack). it comes in a satin finish, darkens the wood a little but no more than most oil, and stands up to the water, mud, and bumps and bruises.. i cant say that it wont let the wood get damaged, but it will help hide the imperfections it does get during use. typically 2 coats.. first will soak into wood and since you are using a very hard wood, the second should put i nice layer on top of the wood.

heres a link to the stuff that i have used http://www.minwax.com/products/oil_based_clear_protective_finishes/clear_shield.html

 

[mickeydim468]

Hey thanks dpostel83,

I will check that stuff out. Do you use thick coats, or do you apply thin coats or what? How long does it take to cure?

 

[dpostel83]

i used fairly light coats. if i remember right, it was 6 hours between coats and then i gave it a couple of days before i took them out. just to make sure it was set up all the way. looks great if you just follow the instructions and dont rush it.. i did that on the first one and had to sand it back off and redo the top coat.

 

[mickeydim468]

Cool! hay, thanks for the suggestion. I was just reading their website. It looks like it should be easy enough, and is an all weather coating too!

 

[viking499]

Birchwood Casey Tru-oil works pretty good. Minwax also makes an Antique oil finish that I have used before. Tung Oil will also work.

http://www.minwax.com/products/specialty_products/

 

[mickeydim468]

I think I am leaning towards the Helmsman water based Spar Urethane on that website. Have you guys used that one before? Seems like just the thing. Good water protector and hard urethane surface protector, as well as being flexible enough for wood swell due to temperature changes.

Anybody have bad luck with this product?

Mike

 

[mickeydim468]

I decided to go with the Minwax Helmsman product to finish my Vannie .243 Win. I made up my mind this morning after deciding yesterday to re-work my .300 Win Mag Vannie. The reason I was asking about another type of finish is because the .300 already had bump marks and a couple of small scratches, even with me being extremely careful not to cause any damage. So, I lightly sanded the top coat of Tru Oil, to rough it up, and used the Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane Semi-Gloss that comes either in a liquid, or a spray. I chose the spray because a professional painter I am not. I followed the directions on the can and applied the first coat sort of heavy. I put just enough to really coat it, but not so much that it would run. Then I waited 1.5 hours as the can suggests and applied a moderate second coat, then waited 1.5 more hours and applied a slightly heavier than the last coat, 3rd coat. NOTE: The 3rd coat was completed at 2:30AM this morning. I didn't read the part about subsequent coats needing to be 1.5 hours apart until after I applied the first coat at 11:30PM last night. If you do not apply your second and third coats at 1.5 hours, you have to wait 72 hours and lightly sand and then re-coat. I didn't want to do that, so I went ahead and woke up every hour and a half and re-applied coats.

This morning, when I got up for work, I looked at the stock. It is simply beautiful. Although it is still shiny, the finish is sort of satiny. This was exactly what I wanted for this rifle. The .243 will have a High Gloss finish, but it too will be this same product by Minwax. It comes in High Gloss, Semi-Gloss, and Satin.

As a side-note. The finish is not completely "dry". It isn't sticky or anything, and I am not handling the stock much. I just wanted to feel it, and it has a "durable" feel to it. I can't explain what that means, but it is a different feeling, than the Tru Oil.

Hope this info helps some fellow readers and future readers as well.

 

[Quoheleth]

I like that black & grey laminate look. You've done a good job.

I would concur with your plan on the Helmsman finish. I'm using that from now on with fine furniture that is open to spills and damp glasses. My oak kitchen table, finished with regular urathane, looks like it was hit with a wire brush from 10 years of wet stuff. My father-in-law's table, done with the Helmsman, still looks nice. It could use some TLC, but nothing like my table.

Keep us posted!

Q

 

[mickeydim468]

I went back over my .300 stock with the semi-gloss version, after sanding the finish down, due to bump marks and a scratch. I have already had many of these types of things on that rifle and I haven't even had it for 6 months with the new stock on it. I am hoping that this Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane, will do a better job of protecting the wood than the Tru Oil did. I was able to sand down all of the bump marks to a flush finish without getting to the wood, so the bumps were in the finish, not the wood. I am very careful with my rifles and have even bought this one a really nice padded case, but still it got hurt with the Tru Oil finish.

After letting the 3 coats of Helmsman dry for 48 hours now, the finish feels like it has a bit of a texture. The product was applied as a spray and it feels very durable. I really like the soft satin look it gave the stock, I still have not used any steel wool on it to soften it even more as it is not fully cured for another 24 hours. Then I will try that and see what it looks and feels like.

So far however, I am really liking the product, even if it a top coat, with other oils below, it sure seems like it is going to be better than the Tru Oil.

Mikey!

Hey Q,

Long time no hear. How are things in the land of big Rabbits and the jackelope!

Doing pretty good here. Still using the scale and hammer you sent me. Been reading too. We actually started going back to church last Sunday. We will be continuing to go too! Awesome stuff. Thanks again.

 

[mickeydim468]

I finished shaping and sanding my bare stock over this past weekend. So I went ahead and got some of the Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane in High Gloss. I got it in a spray can, since I am not a talented painter with a brush. I put on 3 coats of it with 1.5 hour intervals, like I did with my .300 and then let it dry until last night, when I hit it with a little 00 steel wool. I put it together to see what it looks like and you can now go see it at the link from my first post. There are 20 more pics for you to see how it turned out.

What do you think?

I like it. The color is pretty interesting and will be brighter after polishing it some more. I do plan on doing that too!

Mikey!

 

[mickeydim468]

I guess nobody though anything about the stock job's progression. I thought sure someone would comment on it!

Here is the link to the pic page again anyway! Pic Page

 

[mickeydim468]

I took this rifle out with me and my family on a hike trip yesterday. I just wanted to shoot it with the new stock, to see what sort of recoil it will have. I shot at and hit a tree across a canyon. Probably a good 300 to 400 yard shot and I had the scope set to 16X power. The recoil was as light as my .22 and I did not lose the target in my sight picture during the shot from muzzle jump. I was shooting while standing, with no rest or stabilizer at all. I am very pleased with the way this feels now. My wife, a southpaw, also shot it, and she said that it was the best she has ever felt it! She is recoil sensitive, due to some things that happened to her as a child, but she said she wouldn't mind shooting this rifle, to become a more proficient shooter. If this rifle helps her overcome her shyness to rifles, I will make her one of her own! This one is really a dream to shoot now!

I will be going to the range soon, and will give you a range report on it too. That is if anyone is interested...

Mikey!

 

[JimKirk]

Looks like you put a lot of hard work in to that stock, looks good too! I hope it shoots as good as it looks!!

Jimmy K

 

[mickeydim468]

It was a pretty good shooter before I changed the stock, so I am hoping I didn't do it any harm, but actually improved it, by doing the work I did. Did you see the pictures of the targets at the top of the page? Those were shot at 100yds, 200 yds, and 300 yds. The captions tell you which one was shot and how far.

I need more practice for the 200 and 300yd shooting, but even that is getting better. Part of the problem, I think, is that by the time I get back from the 300 yard target, I am in pain and have trouble keeping the pain under control enough to shoot accurately. Usually, at that point, I can only take a few shots, because I have been shaking too badly to do any more. That is why lowering the recoil is such a big deal on my rifles. I have back problems, as well as rotator cuff issues with both shoulders, so it is tough.

Yes it was a lot of work, but it was a labor of love. I truly love my rifles, and the shooting sports in general.

If it weren't for my guns, I may not be in as fit a physical condition as I am and I am even getting better. They are awesome therapy for me. Both physically and mentally! I guess I am a wreck! LOL

Mikey!