No. 5 MK1 ROF stock question

Going to be picking up the rifle on Friday. Everything appears to be matching on the rifle/bolt, lightening on receiver and barrel, barrel looks good on inside. Only thing is it stock has been refinished in sort of a shiny black. I did some searching and could not find if that was something maybe done in south east asia or india so figured I would take that finish off and bring it back to its original linseed oil finish. The black finish is not in the barrel grove or where the receiver and trigger assembly fit into stock. Also appears that any markings on stock have been sanded off unless they may still be under the black finish.

So before I start the refinish just would like to make sure this is not a original finish that would have been used.
Thought I took a full pic of rifle. will post more after I pick it up.

Someone painted the stock to hide it's issues. Have fun stripping and oiling now...

Yep. Far more likely to have been Bubba and a can of paint. Paint comes off without too much fuss. Any wood stripper will do it. No dumping the resulting sludge down any drain though. Toxic.

Well picked her up today. Here are a couple more pics with the black stock. Suncorite finish is about 70% on all metal parts everything else looks good. May try to get ahold of Brian at BDL and see if he still does the original suncorite refinish still. Thanks for the replies. Attachment 94865Attachment 94866

I would go for a citrus stripper that's bio degradeable it's what I have used in the past. If that does not shift it then you can then try something a bit harsher.

As Cinders said, use a Citrus based stripper, might I suggest using it in conjunction with a red 3M scotchbrite (or equivalent), it's a very mild non destructive way of removing the black paint. The citrus stripper and the scotchbrite together, allow you to reach between the wood fibers and fully remove the paint.

Hopefully it's just out of a can and will come off without any issues.

I just noticed you appear to have one of the wartime converted SMLE mags fitted, (with the lower rear rib machined off).

London proof house mark

With regards the metalwork, I repainted my rebuilt No4 (after through preparation) with a black primer and some old thinned down single pack BASF Matt black.

Careful prep is the key, with red scotchbrite, de-greaser and 800 grade wet or dry (if needed) in places.

A couple of costs of thin primer and a couple of costs of thinned Matt black

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Originally Posted by mrclark303

Hopefully it's just out of a can and will come off without any issues.

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I bought an M1 rifle at a show once for another guy and it was painted...with a durable marine paint or something special that stripper wouldn't touch. That rifle still bears the signs of the paint...

Looks like some kind of "SAS FOREIGN LEGION SPECIAL NIGHT OPS SECRET NAVY SEAL DELUXE" carbine. What a shame. Best of luck fixing it up.

I might seem ignorant or at least simple here for asking this, but could you just very carefully sand it back until the paint comes off, or would this kind of paint seep into the wood thus making sanding a job that would completely destroy the wood and its worth? Not like varnish that just sits on the top of the wood surface?

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Originally Posted by nijalninja

very carefully sand it

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Yes, the paint will go deep enough into the fibers that you'll have to sand it deep. Also even a bit of sandpaper will take the wood down beyond it's lines. Sandpaper should be avoided during refinishing one of these.

Couple pics of mag with markings.
The black paint on stock should come off fairly easy with the citrus stuff. I can flake off small pieces of it with finger nail. Hopefully there are some markings left on stock under that paint and not sanded off. I will keep you all posted of the progress. Thanks for all the help.

#1 Mk 3 magazine. It should be the other one, same as the #4 rifle. Those can be made to fit but usually won't until altered.

Be funny if that mags off a HT as its serialed! then again lots of strange things have happened with these old girls.......

Well got lucky with the bubba paint, basically bubba just sprayed right over an old oily stock. Couple coats of citrus stripper and paint came off with rag. Wiped down with denatured alcohol after. Stock was already sweating out oils in the hot garage! Still some cleaning to do not much and then I will start the linseed oil treatment. Stock is in good shape, solid, couple dings and scratches under paint, no arsenal markings at all on outside.

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Originally Posted by Mike.s

Well got lucky with the bubba paint, basically bubba just sprayed right over an old oily stock. Couple coats of citrus stripper and paint came off with rag. Wiped down with denatured alcohol after. Stock was already sweating out oils in the hot garage! Still some cleaning to do not much and then I will start the linseed oil treatment. Stock is in good shape, solid, couple dings and scratches under paint, no arsenal markings at all on outside.

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Mike, the woodwork looks to be in excellent condition under the Special Army Soldier/SOE/LRDG/ black paint, superb result!

You have the makings of a really nice No5 there.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

#1 Mk 3 magazine. It should be the other one, same as the #4 rifle. Those can be made to fit but usually won't until altered.

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Hmmm, My thoughts too Jim, generally the lower rib is machined away, I have one of those WW2 expedient (near enough is good enough) mags in my range bag.

Looks to me that stock was painted because it doesn't match perfectly, grain and color. A nice stain would have helped. Looking forward to the end display here. Finally an easy one, not like the AG M42b that we're dealing with on another thread...

Couple pics after some further cleaning with a Turp/Linseed mix. Mix is a little bit more than 50/50. Pictures came out blotchy for some reason but finish is consistent. I do think the foregrip will darken up and even out with the butt stock after a few coats of linseed is applied over the next few weeks.

Looks like there's still a bit of paint in some of the pores of the small of the butt...but for sure far better. Could be just the pics. Doesn't look so different now after all.

Well put the No.5 back together and probably will do a couple more coats of linseed oil but it is just about there now. Wish I could take better pictures has to be in the lighting to get good ones. Overall the wood looks good and I think the front will darken up a little more over time and match a little better with the butt stock. She cleaned up nice now have to take her shooting.

No idea what camera you used, but an old trick dating back to "analogue" camera days, is to attach a bit of tissue paper over the flash "window" using Blu-Tac, rubber bands, whatever is to hand. This acts as a diffuser and greatly reduces "hot-spots" on the subject, reduces "hard" shadows and evens out the light coverage. REAL cameras can use external flash units with heads that swivel so you can bounce light off white walls and ceilings.

Looks allot better than when it first showed up, congrats ~ Range report is required now............

Looks better now, yes time to shoot it.

Nice looking carbine under there, good stuff...

Before shooting, just make sure the forend isn't pitching the exposed barrel.

The paint removal and subsequent re-oiling might well have made the woodwork expand very slightly.

Easiest way to check is a cut strip of A4 paper worked up the barrel, it can appear very close, but providing the paper moves freely she should be fine.

If the paper jams, just remove a tiny amount of wood from the forend in the required area until the paper runs freely when fully assembled and property tighted up.

I've always enjoyed shooting my "booming" No5 carbine, great fun to shoot.