CMP 1903A3 Help

[MechAg94]

I bought a Remmington 1903A3 from CMP. It arrived this week. I haven't even seen it yet as I had it shipped to my parents as I couldn't be home to sign for it.

Can anyone give me any tips or links on caring for the stock? I think I have a pretty good idea on the metal, but I have heard it helps to put some finish or treatment on the stock and I am not sure what I will do.
Thanks.

I intend to post pictures at a later date.

 

[cracked butt]

Clean it up with murphy's oil soap, you can use TSP or purple power for more aggressive cleaning- but do this with the barreled action removed.

Rub 4 or 5 coats of boiled linseed oil into the stock and allow the coats to dry a day or so in between.

I finish it up by sealing it with a product called 'Howards feed and wax' which is baiscly a thick pasty mixture of beeswax and orange oil. It will give the wood a real nice natural luster. Another product that I've used is Formby's lemon oil, it will do almost the sam ething, but doesn't seem to last as long.


Tung oil is another option.

 

[George S.]

When my 1903A3 arrived it was completely caked in cosmoline. The stock was in excellent condition underneath the cosmoline cover. I applied lots of mineral spirits with a paintbrush and wiped it down with rags. After that, I used a hair dryer on the high setting to warm the stock and the cosmoline just ozzed out!!

After about 3 or 4 passes with the hair dryer and the mineral spirits, I let it sit for 24 hours to completely dry. There were a few rough spots so I carefully sanded the wood wit 220-grit paper to smooth everything. I stayed well away from the many cartouches on the stock.

Once the stock was completely dry, I mixed about 4oz each of Boiled Linseed Oil and Turpentine and used a clean brush to coat the entire stock. I let that sit for about 10 minutes before wiping it all off with another clean rag. I let the stock sit for another 24 hours. I then applied another coat of undiluted BLO, let it sit for 10 minutes, wiped it off and let it sit for another 24 hours. Then I did a 3rd coat.

Linseed Oil was the most common material for finishing WWII-era stocks. Another good choice is Tung Oil. Tung Oil offers a bit more resistance to moisture but it only takes a couple of coats for adequate protection.

 

[MechAg94]

Thanks for the info. I had heard bits and pieces, but I couldn't find the right information. I probably wasn't looking in the right places.

I have a CMP M1 Garand, but I bought it second hand and didn't have to mess with that part. (though I got a good lesson in the mechanism figuring out why it wouldn't cycle right) I'll have to buy another one of those eventually.