Inputs on refinishing stocks; M14 and M1

[GUZ371]

I got assigned to refinish about 20 M14s and 10 M1 Garand. These stocks have been sanded and finished multiple times. I am trying to get the finish with what we have. The wood is beat up and dented.
Only "finish" we have is Minwax (Sequestration = no funding) They also add polyurethane to give them some sort of durability.

These rifles get used outdoors for funerals, colorguard, military events. Most of the users just know them as guns, They get dropped, kicked, etc. (The results of needing to be finished multiple times)

Main question, how to apply poly smoothly? Other budget minded top coat? I'll get some pictures later on. On some of the stocks, they still have the original markings, most of them are gone due to the sanding.

 

[angsniper]

You can remove some minor dents with a damp cloth and an iron. All of the surplus stocks I refinished were just rubbed with gun stock oil. Linseed oil IIRC.

 

[doorgunner]

I just refinished an M1 stock. And angsniper is right. All I did was put a damp cloth over all the scars, heated it with an iron. I then went over it with fine steel wool. Then put a few coats of boiled linseed oil. After that, I took brown shoe polish and used it kind of like a stock sealer/wax. While cheaper, it will take some time. If this is for the color guard at tinker, you might consider letting/finding us civilians out there who would love to help. You give us each one stock, and it would save you ALOT of time and money. And besides, we need something to do on these furlough Fridays!

 

[Lurker66]

Linseed oil or tru-oil is about a cheap a finish as there is.

 

[turkeyrun]

To use the poly ........... stock prepped and ready to finish
1. stir gently to mix . NEVER shake it. Make sure to get OIL-based poly, not the water based.
2. Use a fine Chinese bristle brush, not a cheap one; the cheap sponge type brushes work pretty good, but use gentle strokes to prevent air bubbles.
3. Let dry 24-48 hrs, time depends on humidity. higher = longer
4. Buff with OOOO steel wool
repeat 3 -4 times



I have a home-made stock on a 1917 Springfield that I finished in 1974. It is still nearly perfect. My son deer hunts with it, every year. It does have 9 coats of poly, only because I was living in west Texas and it took that many to get to a smooth finish. I used the same poly to finish Dad's woods. The finish doesn't last quite as long smacking golf balls, but letting it dry longer betweens coats will improve durability.

 

[ronny]

Tung oil works. Then a good wood wax.