Old 22-250 Refinish Job with True-Oil

[huntsville]

This rifle was made by my grandfather from a Mouser. He shaped the stock and all. I got it in 1981 after he passed away. I was 10. Needless to say the rifle means a lot to me. My dad and I began refinishing it back in the winter of 2009/10 by light sanding it, pulling dents and so on. He got sick that winter and in 2012 he passed away too. The stock has been sitting in his shop since... project unfinished.

Dec 2013 I lose my job and in the mean time have a bunch of unfinished projects. This one has been talking to me. I just put some coats on it today. I am using Birchwood Casey's True-Oil. I am not doing it the way I see a lot of guys on youtube do it. I am doing it the way my dad and grandpa did. Put a little on the stock and rub it in with your bare hand. Several thin coats.

I'll keep updating this with progress and better photos - close-ups.

This is roughly 1.5 coats.

This is after 2 coats.

 

[M67]

Damn, that stock looks amazing

I do Tru Oil the same way, a little by hand and just rub it in. Treat it a bit like linseed oil. Takes longer but looks better. Just sucks getting it off your hands, heavy degreasers are harsh.

Anyway, love the stock, looks awesome. Great piece of family history

 

[Slawburger]

That is a beautiful stock and you will have some great memories attached to it.

Sorry to hear you had some unexpected time to work on it.

 

[whitetailbowhunter]

Great looking stock!

 

[jcwit]

One gets the same results using MinWax Antique Oil Finish in the red can, much less expensive and is applied in the same way. Problem it isn't marketed as a "gun finish".

I believe you ment "Mauser", a German manufacturer.

Very nice work, both by your grandfather and by you and your dad.

 

[Racechase1]

Gorgeous work .Looks like you granddad knew what he was doing when he went to work on the stock, and it appears the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

 

[huntsville]

One gets the same results using MinWax Antique Oil Finish in the red can, much less expensive and is applied in the same way. Problem it isn't marketed as a "gun finish".

I believe you ment "Mauser", a German manufacturer.

Very nice work, both by your grandfather and by you and your dad.

Thanks! Yep, "Mauser" is the correct spelling. My bad. The True Oil isn't all that expensive. I'm guessing though you get more material for the money with MinWax. Once I run out of True Oil I'll try the MinWax Antique Oil Finish.

 

[huntsville]

I am enjoying getting the job done and can't wait to have the gun all back together.

 

[clelaj]

Thanks for sharing the story and the photos. Excellent stock work by your grandfather and then by you. Looking forward to finished rifle photos.

 

[churchmouse]

Great story. Family history is important especially with firearms.
Nice work. Beautiful stock.

Hope the job thing works out for you.

 

[jcwit]

There's a long thread "really more than one" on Rimfire central about using Armor All and Tru-Oil or other drying oils. They claim super results and by the pics they are, however I have no first hand experience.

Here's a link to the thread

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331108&highlight=stock+finishing

 

[huntsville]

Thanks for sharing the story and the photos. Excellent stock work by your grandfather and then by you. Looking forward to finished rifle photos.

You're welcome! I am glad folks on here like this. My dad pulled the dents and such out and showed me how. I haven't done any of that work on a stock yet but I know how to now which is nice.

I have a friend who has a carbine 10/22 who put a bull barrel on it and removed the strap on the front that goes over the barrel. He hates how it looks now and wants me to reshape it so that will be the next project.

 

[huntsville]

Great story. Family history is important especially with firearms.
Nice work. Beautiful stock.

Hope the job thing works out for you.

Thanks. I am a web, graphic designer, video production specialist with project management skills. I've made some contacts this week and have some promising leads. But you know what they say about one in the hand being better than two in the bush.

 

[huntsville]

There's a long thread "really more than one" on Rimfire central about using Armor All and Tru-Oil or other drying oils. They claim super results and by the pics they are, however I have no first hand experience.

Here's a link to the thread

Woodstocks Amazin' Stock Finish & photos - RimfireCentral.com Forums

Very cool! I know I'll spend a lot of time on that thread!

 

[boostedtwo]

Very nice looking stock

 

[PGRChaplain]

Looks Great!

 

[IndyGunworks]

Please PM a mod and have GUNSMITHING added to your title to help us get our gunsmithing forum

 

[1911ly]

Awesome job! You have a really awesome piece of family history. Hopefully a new job is in your future as well.

 

[huntsville]

I put two more coats on today after doing a little sanding with 4 aught steel wool. (I love using the word "aught" for zeros like "back in aught two...). Anyway, below you can see the first image has the bottom of the stock after I steel wooled it. See the shiny spots in the grain. If I want a glass finish that needs filled in.



I may go to a method of wet sanding the stock but not with water, with the oil. Sand to make a slurry of finish particles that fill the grain. We'll see...

More pictures below of progress after four coats. Still see grain. It's getting there. Still deciding on if the grain showing is okay or if I want to take it to a glass finish.

 

[GunSlinger]

That is an amazingly beautiful stock, and your hand work looks terrific.

Looks to me like you're carrying on with a talent that begun two generations ago and still flows through you.