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CMP M1 finish
- Thread starter lfacfp
- Start date
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Boiled linseed oil (BLO) or Tung oil is the normal finish for a M1 Garand. Tung oil has a little more shine than BLO. True Oil is shinier than Tung oil and it is more durable. The purest would use BLO or Tung oil and keeping the normal type of finish would most likely help retain the value of the firearm. A fresh coat of BLO or Tung oil will make the stock shinier.
jblomenberg16
Grandmaster
THIS!!
You probably have a newer replacement stock, and those are basically just stained. Some hand rubbed Tung Oil (can get it at furniture stores) will help add not only a little classic shine to it, but also help protect it.
jblomenberg16
Grandmaster
Correct. But they are also not supposed to have dry porous stocks. PTO and BLO were used on them as a way to protect the wood. By default these have a dull luster to them that does have more shine than a raw stained piece of modern wood.
Many of the modern replacement stocks used today are only stained or lightly oiled, and need some PTO or BLO to "finish" them. The OP is not looking for a lacquer or varnish to get a high luster finish like some of the very high end commercial finishes.
Pic:
All 3 of these are from the CMP and have original military stocks on them that are either finished with PTO or BLO.
Contrast that with this stock, which is a "replacement."
DragonGunner
Grandmaster
New stock or old? The new ones have just a stain on them. I have used BLO but in hot humid weather it will bleed. I like Tung Oil better. I've seen all kinds of Garands, with all kinds of finishes. I look at it as "its my Garand, I'll finish and keep it the way I like." The Garands I have I have stripped and put different kinds of stains on, and both have a low shine varnish tung oil over it. Never have to worry about keeping it oiled. I have a USGI Birch stock on my m14a that has all natural tung oil with no varnish and it shines more than the Garands. If your stock is a old one you could clean with murphy's soap, then I would keep all natural tung oil on it. Have fun shooting it !!!!!!!!!
jblomenberg16
Grandmaster
Love that tiger stripe in the middle!
DragonGunner
Grandmaster
Thanks….CMP N. Store find. Had that FG in my hands like 5 or six times, deep dents and dings all over it, almost pure black stock, couldn't see any wood almost…lol…but the metal looked good and had a ME of 2 when most were all close to 4…..finally I spotted what looked like a little stripe, then maybe another…so took the chance and bought it….stripped it down to bare wood and my eyes popped out!!!! Then got wet towels and the iron out and went to town on the hammer dents, did a red stain and finish then. Always wanted a tiger stripe….wonder how many guys wished they hadn't passed that up, but I'm glad it was dinged up and nasty looking so it lasted for me!!
From what I have studied and read on the care of the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine stock in old Army field manuals. Boiled linseed oil is what the military directed be used on them to preserve and protect the wood. One can buy said oil at Wal-Mart for $4.00 +/-. A can of it will usually last many years. I rub it into my Garand stocks and other rifle stocks about twice a year.I have had the same can for close to ten years. It has always worked and held up well for me.
BLO is good for a military rifle like the Garand when being used in the course of warfare. The beauty is that when the wood starts getting a little dry, the soldier could just rub some more BLO into the wood and keep on.
If you are wanting to stay true to the period and rifle, then use it. If you are going to shoot it often it will be fine, but other finishes may be better. Like what has been mentioned, BLO can "weep" some when shooting outdoors in the heat of the day.
That said, I am not overly happy with the results I got with Tru-Oil on my Garand wood. It ended up too smooth. I have knocked down the sheen some with steel wool, but it is still very slick. Without having any checkering, it is not so easy to hang on to. I may at some point strip it back down and just put a coat or two of something on it. I made the mistake of trying to fill the grain.
Or checker the stock.
If you are wanting to stay true to the period and rifle, then use it. If you are going to shoot it often it will be fine, but other finishes may be better. Like what has been mentioned, BLO can "weep" some when shooting outdoors in the heat of the day.
That said, I am not overly happy with the results I got with Tru-Oil on my Garand wood. It ended up too smooth. I have knocked down the sheen some with steel wool, but it is still very slick. Without having any checkering, it is not so easy to hang on to. I may at some point strip it back down and just put a coat or two of something on it. I made the mistake of trying to fill the grain.
Or checker the stock.
jblomenberg16
Grandmaster
BLO is good for a military rifle like the Garand when being used in the course of warfare. The beauty is that when the wood starts getting a little dry, the soldier could just rub some more BLO into the wood and keep on.
If you are wanting to stay true to the period and rifle, then use it. If you are going to shoot it often it will be fine, but other finishes may be better. Like what has been mentioned, BLO can "weep" some when shooting outdoors in the heat of the day.
That said, I am not overly happy with the results I got with Tru-Oil on my Garand wood. It ended up too smooth. I have knocked down the sheen some with steel wool, but it is still very slick. Without having any checkering, it is not so easy to hang on to. I may at some point strip it back down and just put a coat or two of something on it. I made the mistake of trying to fill the grain.
Or checker the stock.
The key to an oil finish is to hand rub it...that helps it really penetrate the pores in the wood and helps prevent the slippery feeling. But as an oil, it will still weep. Sometimes on a hot sunny day I'll actually take my M1's outside and let them sit in the sun for 30 minutes to loosen the oil up, then wipe them down with a lint free towel.
I've got two left, both with issue GI stocks. Stripped the 'guvmint BLO down to the bare wood, then applied one coat of PTO, let it soak in good the went with Culver's Magic Paste [1 part PTO, 1 part beeswax, 1 part odorless mineral spirits made into a paste], rubbed in with fingertips, let cure until dry, do another one, wait a hour then wipe of excess and let set for a week. Keep doing this until surface is cured and pores are full. Water proof. Worked on several other gun stocks.
halfmileharry
Grandmaster
This is as good of a finish as you can get. I use it on my 03A3s and they're beautiful.
Nice chamber flags.
When do OkieGirl & I get to come down to shoot Garands? I'll bring mine.
If you wipe it down with boiled linseed oil and let it dry a few days, you can gently smooth it with 0000 steel wool and wipe it with a tac cloth before another coat, you can get a pretty impressive finish with boiled linseed oil. I spent 6 weeks over one winter putting 4 coats on an exceptionally nice walnut stock and it turned out fantastic.
I prefer raw linseed oil. I have used a RLO kit sold by Garand Gear with much success on my M1s.
Refinishing your M1 Garand Stock
Refinishing your M1 Garand Stock
jblomenberg16
Grandmaster
Thank you!
Name a time and a place and I'd love to meet up! I have a few buddies that go to Perry with me that we can round up as well.
Before you go to all that work on that stock make sure it is fitted correctly. How To: Reworking CMP/Dupage/Boyds M1 Garand Stocks - CMP ForumsThe CMP forum has great information on everything to do with these rifles. I've been going through the fitting process and refinish of a Boyds stock that came on my H&R from CMP. It's been a good learning experience for me. I took down a fair amount of wood overall to get my pieces closer to a original look. My operating rod was also rubbing the front ferrule and it had to be lowered. I'm looking forward to being ready for some nice weather to take her out.
I bought a CMP Special last year, and it's a beauty! The Springfield receiver was manufactured in '42, and everything else is new. The stock came with that same dull, dark brown stain. I couldn't live with that.
Since I didn't buy it as an investment, but rather for my own pleasure, I figured that I'd do whatever I wanted with the stock. So, I sanded it down to the bare wood, and after some research, applied six good coats of tung oil. It came out surprisingly light, but the shiny finish was knocked down with some steel wool and I think it's really pretty. All of the sharp edges are softer now, and I'm very happy with how it came out ...
I was surprised at the light grain on the left side. Lends some character to the rifle, IMO.
Since I didn't buy it as an investment, but rather for my own pleasure, I figured that I'd do whatever I wanted with the stock. So, I sanded it down to the bare wood, and after some research, applied six good coats of tung oil. It came out surprisingly light, but the shiny finish was knocked down with some steel wool and I think it's really pretty. All of the sharp edges are softer now, and I'm very happy with how it came out ...
I was surprised at the light grain on the left side. Lends some character to the rifle, IMO.
