Refinishing the wood on Surp Rifles...Ok to do, or big Taboo!!!

[greyhound]

Looks great!

Learned a little something about 0000 steel wool this weekend. My 91/30 has some rough looking spots on the bolt top and handle where it looked like much contact with human hands had left some brown spots, but that steel wool polished it right up!

 

[ReadyontheRight]

It's your rifle, but I personally like a little personality and it's difficult to avoid messing up the cartouches.

 

[BamBam-31]

IIRC, steel wool leaves behind some of itself in the wood you're buffing. These little filaments can rust later on. I think it's better to use some sort of synthetic brillo-pad type of material to lightly sand out rough spots.

Looks darn purty, BTW. Nice job.

 

[Joey2]

I have refinished all of the stocks on my M-1 Garands (5 of them). I could care less about the collector value nor the cartouche whatever.

My guns are all shooters, no safe queens waiting for the value to go up.

One of my Garands was made in 1942 with all original parts. The first thing I did when I got it was to put new rear sights on, new barrel, new stock and op rod.

Shoots great now. I use it for CMP matches.

All of my other guns I also refinish the furniture. I do not like it to shine like a mirror or have a very slick finish. I like to grab them without my hand slipping.

I have all wood satin finish using linseed oil and rubbing it in with my hand until I get the desired finish. Time comsuming yes, but very durable.

Oh, I also have a WWI M-1911 in original condition that I put a new barrel in, Pachmer grips and refinished it with GunKote.

The lack of a grip safety gives it away as not being a M-1911A1 etc.

So I say yes go ahead and refinish the stock, but please go carefully, because what you take off you can't put back on.

Work your way up on the sandpaper grit and you should be alright and stop when you like the feel.

 

[six 4 sure]

M14nut, when you were refinishing/cleaning you FR8 stock were you able to remove the sling latch/hoop/thingy mounted on the side of the butt? I just purchased a FR8 this past weekend and I’m in the process of refinishing/cleaning the stock. I’ve been able to remove all the hardware but that. I was lucky to find one with beautiful wood but a crappy finish. Now the hard part, having the patience to apply several coats of tung oil. Thanks.

OOPs forgot to add, for those that have one of these I’d like to make mine a little more pleasant to shoot. Is there a good slip on butt pad that will fit? I don’t want anything permanent because I want to keep it original.

six

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Looks great to me!

 

[m14nut]

The side mounted sling loop I was not able to remove:banghead: I had to work around it. When I removed the buttplate, it appeared that it is held in [on] with long nails that went down into the stock

Yes, it does have sort of a stout recoil don't it

PAST makes a slip-over recoil pad made of neoprene, and there is another company that makes a leather one that slips over and fastens with velcro.