H&R Garand stock finish, Tung or Linseed Oil

[Detritus]

Finally getting around to doing a proper finish on my CMP Special, and trying to decide which kit from Garand Gear i should use between Linseed or tung oil.

rifle is built on an H&R receiver and i want to use the appropriate type to the rifle.

what i can find seems to show that the finish started as Linseed, switched to Tung between '41 and '43 when it went back to Linseed at least for the remainder of WW2 due to supply issues with Tung (aka "China oil"). but so far i haven't personally come across data showing what was used AFTER 1945.

info and suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[gwpercle]

I do a bit of military stock re-finishing , wood sporter stock finishing and pistol grip finishing and over the years have come to prefer Tung Oil . To me it's a nicer finish . After re-finishing a antique golden oak Dining Room Table and six matching chairs ( circa 1920's) with Minwax Tung Oil Finish ... I realized they came out looking fantastic and the finish dried harder than Linseed oil .
Re-finished a 303 British Enfield No 4 MK I military stock and it came out looking as WWII a finish as you could have asked ...after that , I never went back to Linseed . The tung oil looks good and will dry to a satin and hard finish . All my wood gets Tung Oil Finish now .
Some still cling to Linseed so ...takes your pick .
Gary

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Agree, Tung takes more patience, but looks better and seems more durable, IMO.

 

[Laphroaig]

I found a gallon of RLO when I cleaned out my parents house so that's what I've been using, mixed with turpentine. Its a nice finish, but sometimes takes too long to dry.

I did my CMP Special stock and liked the way it turned out. Four coats before I ran out of patience and time. It's not hard to touch up a stock every couple of years and keep a great looking finish.

 

[JDeere]

BLO will work just fine from Lowes or Home Depot and give it that reddish GI finish. I cut mine with mineral spirits. Wipe it on and let it sit over night. Wipe off the excess and repeat until you get your desired look. It takes time and patience. There is also info for stock finishing over on the CMP site...

 

[usaral63]

Can't speak for everywhere in the U.S. military but I went thru basic with the Garand.....we used linseed for stock rubdowns and that was also the practice when the Garands were replaced with 14's at my first permanent duty station.

I never saw or heard of tung oil being used..........time period '63 thru '65.

 

[bannockburn]

I used Minwax Tung Oil when I refinished the stock of my U.S. Model 1898 Krag Jorgensen. It had previously been used as a parade rifle and all the metal was bright chrome plated along with a heavy coating of varnish on the wood. So I lightly sanded the stock to remove the varnish, stained it, and then finished with Tung Oil.

 

[BigBlue 94]

Cant say as to what was original to your rifle.

Raw Linseed Oil and Boiled Linseed Oil will give similar results. Raw wicks in a bit more because it dries slower than BLO. Raw linseed also works great on steel tools like axes, shovels, hammers, etc.

Tung oil wicks in very well and dries a bit harder. This allows it to be finished to a nicer quality. You can find tung oil varnish, tung oil mixtures, and 100% tung oil. Old Masters makes a quality 100% Tung oil.

Watco Danish Oil is a blend of oils, in natural or colors. It works the same way as the other oils finishes. It is a favorite of furniture makers.

 

[Wireguided Marine]

In December I posted my refinishing of a Garand with a new Boyd’s stock I got from CMP.

I used pure tung oil because I read somewhere that it was a little more water resistant than BLO but I can’t remember the source. The first couple of coats I did 50/50 of tung and orange oil and then just PTO for the additional coats. It came out really nice and as long as you give the stock a fresh, thin coat about once a year the stock should last a long time.

 

[FL-NC]

I believe linseed is what was the standard thing used by Soldiers and Marines when cleaning their rifles and preparing them for inspection. Remember that things as crucial as a weekend pass hung in the balance.

 

[BigBlue 94]

I believe linseed is what was the standard thing used by Soldiers and Marines when cleaning their rifles and preparing them for inspection. Remember that things as crucial as a weekend pass hung in the balance.

Because linseed is significantly cheaper. A pint of tung oil is as much as a gallon of BLO or RLO. Dont forget that the military does everything as cheap as possible.

 

[50of4064]

Detritus, pray all is well with you and yours'..
Was it BLO? Or Tung oil?
We're you able to finish the stock? If so can you post some photos of the finished beauty?

 

[I6turbo]

I used Minwax Tung Oil when I refinished the stock of my U.S. Model 1898 Krag Jorgensen. It had previously been used as a parade rifle and all the metal was bright chrome plated along with a heavy coating of varnish on the wood. So I lightly sanded the stock to remove the varnish, stained it, and then finished with Tung Oil.
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I like the look of that gun. Some questions if you don't mind:
- Are the photos representative of how the wood looks to the naked eye?
- Did the stain give it the red cast, or was the wood naturally that color?
- What stain did you use?