Milsurp Thread!

[flatwins]

Have I mentioned we need a milsurp section?

So I'm working on this M94 Swede restoration and realized how much I enjoy working on these old rifles and bringing them back to their former (and correct) glory. Like many here, I enjoy firearms in general and have since I was a little kid. But these old military rifles have volumes of stories to tell if they could talk. Think about all the hands that have touched them over the years and all the places they've been.

Currently I'm working on the stock, which has turned out to be quite a nice surprise. Not only is it not cut and sporterized, it somehow escaped the Swedish army upgrades of 1914 where they modified the stock for a bayonet lug. And it that wasn't enough, the stock is just plain beautiful. I'm currently doing a linseed oil scrub on it to generally clean the wood. The process is a mix of linseed oil, turpentine, denatured alcohol, and a bit of ammonia. The mix is applied with a Scotchbrite pad and scrubbed on a bit. Then the stock is wiped with mineral spirits and allowed to dry overnight. I'll probably run one more application on it before starting the actual finish process. It will still have some stains from a few decades of cleaning but that is part of the carbine's story.

For the finish, I've decided to run with Perplexed's suggestion and have done some research. The Swedes used a process of four applications of a 50\50 mix of linseed oil and turpentine, followed with applications of 80\20 linseed oil and turpentine until the wood just can't take any more. The only deviation is that I'll use boiled linseed oil instead of raw linseed (flax) oil. BLO has drying agents in it which will prevent the stock from getting as gummy.

The metal parts of the M94 need very little to get them into shape and I don't want to overdo any of it. I'd rather have it show its age than look like it was made yesterday.

After this is done I have a Garand stock on which I want to run a similar resto process. I had thought about getting a new stock from CMP but nah, these old chunks of wood hold too many stories to cast aside.

Sorry for the length but any of you other milsurp junkies feel free to post your work. I, for one, am very interested!

 

[AKguy1985]

When did you get an M94???

and what did that set you back??

 

[Sanjuro82]

I with ya buddy. I love restoring old war relics! Not only do I enjoy the work, I love to learn the history of the particular weapon I'm working on.

 

[flatwins]

When did you get an M94???

and what did that set you back??

That's the crazy part. My bro dlbleak knew I was on the hunt for one and picked this one up at a pawnshop for $300 OTD.

I with ya buddy. I love restoring old war relics! Not only do I enjoy the work, I love to learn the history of the particular weapon I'm working on.

You've got some nice rifles and I like to see your work!

 

[AKguy1985]

That's the crazy part. My bro dlbleak knew I was on the hunt for one and picked this one up at a pawnshop for $300 OTD.

!

You know what those are worth right??? you got a very good deal.

 

[Perplexed]

I'm looking forward to fondling that Swede when you get done with her, Steve Your adoration of that Carbine compelled me to pull my M94 out of the safe last week and look it over. I have to admit, you've got a point about its design and appearance. It's a sweet little thing!

As for the M1 stock, the factories and US arsenals used raw linseed oil early on in WW2, and the arsenals used pure tung oil later in the war. I use a 75:25 mix of PTO and citrus solvent for an initial application / cleaning on my M1 stocks, then a 50:50 mix a couple more times before a final wipe down. The Real Milk Paint Co. ( http://www.realmilkpaint.com/ ) sells PTO in two flavors - original and dark. The latter has an added component that makes the stuff a dark brown as opposed to the honey color of the original; the dark PTO is great for lending a bit of coloration to stocks that have been stripped of all their patina and finish, such as those the CMP power-wash before sending out to customers.

 

[flatwins]

You know what those are worth right??? you got a very good deal.

Downright theft is what it was!

Thanks for the link on the Real Milk Paint Co., Todd. I'll check it out.

 

[Perplexed]

Downright theft is what is was!

Thanks for the link on the Real Milk Paint Co., Todd. I'll check it out.

Forgot to add; the dark PTO is great for darkening fresh cuts and gouges in a M1 stock so they don't stand out as much as before.

 

[ronny]

Strange, must be something wrong with my computer. I can't seem to see the pictures.

 

[flatwins]

Here's some, Ronny. I don't have any "after" pics yet but here's some "before and during"

It was missing the nose cap so here's a reproduction. The originals are next to impossible to find.

Here's after most of the the old varnish was removed. It easily came off with just a thumbnail.

Army work shop at Östersund cartouche.

After the first of a few BLO\turpentine rubs.