Military stock finish question

yblockhead

I've seen reference to a mix of 1/3 beeswax, linseed oil and turpentine for military stocks. I mixed up a batch tonight (smells nice enough to run the Mrs out of the garage!) Anybody have good/bad luck with this?
I'm putting together a Smith Corona 03A3 with an aftermarket "C" stock and I want it to achieve the 10' rule to make it look correct.

thorhammer

I had to match an M1 carbine handguard, I bought a few but none would match the original stock. I lightly sanded one and applied Minwax dark walnut stain and let it dry. Then buffed it with a rag using no finishing coat and it matched the stock perfectly.

I also believe the miltary had recommended a coat of linseed oil on gunstocks in the field to protect them. I also feel you should experiment on scrap wood as linseed takes a long time to dry.

my .02 cents good luck, Thor

nmyers

Everyone has their favorite "recipe".

The US military never used a beeswax mixture for wood stocks. For many years they used boiled linseed oil, then changed over to pure tung oil.

I prefer Formby's tung oil, diluted with paint thinner. 3-4 coats is usually enough. I rub with 0000 steel wool between coats & after the final coat. YMMV.



Neal

MIKE WISKEY

the mix you mentioned works well, I've used it several times. boiled linseed oil works well to but takes several coats and is time consuming, same with tung oil.

firstharmonic

That three-part mixture is sometimes referred to as "gunny paste" for reasons easy to figure out. And Neal is right - there was never an official (as in Dept. of War/Defense) issue of any such mixture. But it has been reported to have been unofficially a barracks-made stock polish that saw use when service rifles still had wood stocks.

I've never used it as the only finish on a gunstock but I apply it on all of my milsurp rifles as a final polish. Gives the wood a nice glow but not at all anything like a plasticy sheen.

dcs shooters

That is about the same mix we use. The finish matches very good.