Mauser Stock Re-Furbish

[Duncaninfrance]

I just finished stripping and oiling/waxing the stock of a 1941 Mauser K98k which I bought a couple of months ago. The sling is a repro for the moment and I am waiting for a cleaning rod.
The rifle is a Russian Capture I believe and I stripped the grotty varnish then sanded and oiled the wood. Finish is a pure beeswax and white spirit soft wax.
Caliber is 8x60S ( It's a French thing!!)













I am fitting a Lyman aperture sight to it because I wear varifocal glasses and I can't see a thing with the original battle sights!!

 

[DMK]

Very nice Duncan. Most of the Mausers we've seen over here lately are also Russian captures. That shellac finish just looks terrible on these elegant rifles.

That's an interesting finish you used. I suppose you had to apply that hot?

I agree about the sights. I can't understand how the Nazis hit anything with them. I went and got me a 1903 Springfield just to get a Mauser with decent sights.

 

[minutemen1776]

How did you strip the finish that the Russians put on it? I got one of these last week, and I was thinking of refinishing mine as well.

 

[DMK]

How did you strip the finish that the Russians put on it? I got one of these last week, and I was thinking of refinishing mine as well.

I used BIX paint stripper and steel wool on mine. Got it at Lowes.

 

[Cosmoline]

Finish is a pure beeswax and white spirit soft wax.

This is a new one to me! You mean you didn't use an oil finish, just this beeswax/wine spirit mix? Can you give us a recipe? Should it be served with a light salad?

 

[Duncaninfrance]

First - stripping the Russian stuff was easy. I used a spray on paint stripper and scrubbed it with a stiff toothbrush. I then repeated the spray with fine wirewool. I then washed it off and left it for 2 days.
It then had about 4 coats of thinned linseed oil (50/50 with white spirit) rubbed in with more wirewool.24 hours between coats.
It then had about 8 coats of neat linseed oil well rubbed in with a pure cotton rag. At least 24 hours between coats.
3 days after the last oil coat I applied a COLD soft wax ( 50/50 Bees Wax and White Spirit) and rubbed it in well followed by another 2 at 24 hour intervals. Buff up well and boast about it

Hells teeth Cosmoline, I didn't use WINE!!! That is for drinking..............

 

[Cosmoline]

Oh, I thought "wine spirit" was a reference to brandywine. I was trying to imagine some uniquely French rifle finish that included brandy and beeswax. LOL I thought it was a "French thing." Like urinating in cheese vats or going on strike.

WHITE spirit makes more sense. Is it used in place of turpentine?

So you were using LO, instead of BLO? I've been thinking about trying that out. But 4 plus 8 hand-rubbed layers! That's a lot of elbow grease.

 

[Ad Astra]

Don't sand off the cartouches...

I noticed some that became visible after chemically stripping the Russian shellac.

 

[SigfanUSAF]

I thought it was a "French thing." Like urinating in cheese vats or going on strike.

Nice!

 

[voodoorootbeer]

I thought 8x60 was a German civilian caliber reworked from the standard 8mm Mauser because of a post-WWI law against military calibers.

 

[Duncaninfrance]

I thought 8x60 was a German civilian caliber reworked from the standard 8mm Mauser because of a post-WWI law against military calibers.

It was. Here in France, if I want to own a Military caliber rifle I have to jump through hoops and become registered for Cat1. If I buy a Military rifle in a Hunting caliber then no hoops and it is Cat5!
So, there are lots of Military rifles offered in 6.5x57,.303 sporting, 8x60s, 8x64s 8x348, 30-06CC and 30-284W. Hit with any you are still going to be just as dead
I can't even buy 30-06 brass because it is Military!!
ALL handguns except Black Powder are Cat4 = more hoops, irrespective of caliber.

 

[voodoorootbeer]

I suppose I should have noticed the "Location: France" next to your name. Non-military caliber hoops make me sad. Nevertheless, that's a beautiful rifle.