Sticky Garand stock

[Danus ex]

A few months ago I received a post-war service grade Garand from the CMP. Because of school, I've had to delay shooting it/getting it ready to be shot until now.

I've done a lot of reading and several searches of this forum, and I've been able to answer my questions on ammunition, lubrication, disassembly, and metal cleaning. Unfortunately, the stock on this rifle is rather sticky, and I'm not sure what the sticky substance is or what to do about it (it's more like a shellac and less like the cosmolines I've encountered). It was sticky enough that the CMP owner's manual stuck to the rifle and I had to spend an hour rubbing the paper off. I'd like to maintain the rifle's finish/appearance and get rid of the sticky coating.

I got most of the way through disassembling the stock today. The buttplate took a LOT of convincing and very, very careful (and forceful) prying to remove (I only scratched the stock a teeny bit, fortunately). Judging by the wood underneath the buttplate, it looked like it had never been removed, especially when compared to others' photos. There's no way the front stock ferrule thing is coming off without serious persuasion.

Has anyone else encountered this? What is it and what should I do about it?

 

[30Cal]

It's probably cosmolene or some kind of grease. I'd leave the ferrule on for now, wrap the stock in some paper towels, stick it in a black plastic bag and leave it out in the car in the sun for a couple days till it stops oozing cosmolene and oil. Then decide what you're going to do with it.

It's easy to mar the stock badly trying to get that ferrule off.

 

[Danus ex]

Hi 30Cal

I've actually had it in the car (black interior) in a bag since this morning, and so far no dripping or oozing. I plan to keep it there for a while yet, so we'll see.

 

[W.E.G.]

Put the stock in an oven at 150 degrees for an hour.

Cosmoline melts to complete liquid somewhere around 125 degrees.

Wrap in paper towels surrounded by aluminum foil to contain any mess in the oven.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmoline

 

[Danus ex]

Excellent, the heat from the oven draws the cosmoline out into little beads, which I wipe off with a rag and a little acetone. The stock looks a lot nicer.

I've also done the front handguard, and, like many others, I cracked the rear handguard a bit while trying to take it off. D'oh!

 

[RNB65]

Here's the most detailed write-up on cosmoline removal I've seen.

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/cosmoline/index.asp