B.L.R and a bunch more stenciled characters on '42 Savage No.4 Mk1*

[Brian Dick]

Polyurethane is NOT the way to go Longbranch .303. Raw linseed oil is the ONLY original finish. Don't get too violent in the woodwork refinish. Wash it carefully with the simple green and dry well. Then carefully rub out the woodwork with RLO and fine steel wool, staying off the painted markings. Put as many coats as your heart desires but PLEASE don't use polyurethane. I've got arthritis in my hands and arms from removing that crap from original military rifle woodwork over the years!! Yuck.

[Peter Laidler]

I agree with Brian. NEVER but never varnish rifle woodwork. linseed oil and if you're in the mood and good at it, just a sniff of french (or button) polish

[Longbranch303]

Havent really gotten started with the woodwork yet, but this is the specific product I was considering:

Gun Sav'R CUSTOM OIL GUNSTOCK FINISH - Brownells




A super-tough, professional-looking stock finish applied in only hours without runs or sags. Fills as it coats so you won't spend extra time cutting-back or sanding in. Dries to the touch in only 45 minutes and can be recoated in as little as six hours. Specially formulated, oil-modified urethanes resist scuffs and scratches but provide the look and feel of traditional, hand-rubbed oil finishes, without all the hard work. Will not cloud or discolor with age; dries to a uniform satin finish without the aggravating splotches so common in many aerosol "furniture" finishes.

[Brian Dick]

Save that plastic stuff for your favorite hunting rifle. Go to the hardware store and get some raw linseed oil and do it correctly. The whole key is to NOT get in a hurry.

[Beerhunter]

All that AND you're looking to refinish it......................... Can we all assume, sadly, that you've already obliterated the workshop markings? The trouble is that now, when you want to dispose of it or pass it down to your kids, there'll be hard nosed forumers out there wanting to buy but without the proof, they'll be saying to themselves............. 'great story' but something else will be telling them 'make sure you buy the
rifle and not the unproven story' I'd leave it well alone. Anyone else out there in forumland agree with me?

I wholeheartedly agree. By current standards, these guns are antiques and so the standard question should be asked (as with any antique): clean off the patina and historical markings or not? Close to 100% of the time the answer is no.

Next provenance (BTW, has anyone noticed that people pronouncing it in French lately?). Without provenance an artefact is just another floggle-toggle Mk.1A, or whatever. For example, EVERYTHING that we take into our museum is labelled as it comes though the door. So that my successors do not have to spend a year (as I did) trying to ID strange bits of computer and where they have come from.

[Longbranch303]

I have linseed oil and this spray stuff on the way already from Brownells...my thought was that the latter would be a good high-tech way to better preserve the wood, but I think you are right, let's just go traditional. There's no need to rush into a high tech "solution" for a problem which may not really exist, so I think we will just put the spray on the back shelf, perhaps for another future project.