Refinishing dilemma

[kamagong]

Next month I will place an order with the CMP for a service grade Garand. There is a 2-3 month wait, but hopefully I'll receive my rifle before then (I hate waiting for a gun). I may luck out and get a really nice one, but then again I could also get one that is functionally good but beat up aesthetically.

Here's the dillemma. I'm not a collector and this is going to be MY rifle (the CZ-452 Trainer I'm also getting doesn't count, it's only a .22). It's a physical symbol of my belief in the Second Amendment, and will be kept lubed and ready in case I should ever need it. The problem is that my vanity is playing tricks with my head. I know that I don't need to do anything with it other than get the cosmoline out and practice with it, but I want my rifle to be as beautiful as possible. That means reparkerizing the metal and replacing the dinged up stock with a nice, striped walnut one. This rifle will most likely be a mixmaster after all. Are there any problems with doing this?

 

[Roswell 1847]

I don't see any problem with it, since like you say its been repaired and isn't entirely as it left the arsenal.

You might be suprized by the stock, I've seen a few old military stocks with wood that rivals the best of custom stocks. Can't tell till you clean it up and degrease the wood with tri sodium phosphate solution . excessive oil soaking can be baked out over low heat.
Garand stocks benefit from glass bedding regardless so wear to inletting is no big deal.
You can also fix the old stock up as a beater, so as to prevent damage to a custom stock.

Often as not original Parkerizing is almost entirely intact. I wouldn't refinish a gun just because of wear at the edges, thats what they make cold blue for.

PS
Some older parts should be replaced with upgrades. The square cut op rods can break. Some collectors will pay extra for these older style parts if restoring an early issue Garand.
They'll also sleeve a worn bore to retain the original worn out barrel with its markings.