Original stock color of early M1s?

[ssgross]

This stock was from a very reputable seller, at least in my experience and in the recommendation of other reliable people on this forum. They were gracious enough to exchange the first one and cover shipping...and the second one as long I paid shipping, and refund the third with a 15% restock fee and I paid shipping. I overpaid by several hundred dollars compared to the stained NOS keystone scants on Numrich, which is why I kept trying to work with them - that and I was supposed to get a very very very minty stock and matching handguard. I could tell the wood had "aged" in storage, and they disclosed they had sourced them from US surplus stores. They refused to accept my suggestion of end of war factory seconds dumped in the warehouse, and insisted they had sold many before me and I was the first to have problems. I took pictures that couldn't be disputed.
I suppose we shouldn't rule out that they could have been swindled too. I posted pics in my last 1903a4, which alas were lost in the great blackout of 2021. But, I suppose I already disclosed in that thread that the vender was Northridge.
They did right trying to work with me over the course of a month - so I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from doing business with them. If the stocks were milled properly, it would have been worth the price. I think it's highly likely that a factory dumped all it's "finished" stores on the gov. to meet final quota at war's end.

[jesse_]

To meet final quotas or fill the final order they requested they be allowed to complete? If the gov wanted to stop procurement could a manufacturer be reasonably assured that that component wouldn't go into service for use for a long time if ever? Its only supposition unless I can find something written.

Also, we have record of 30,000 scrap Rock-Ola M1 Carbine stocks being reworked by Overton.
Wish there was a way to get some additional insight into this. When a stock was truly condemned how would they have been dispositioned?

Also some additional comments from the book about Overtons heavy patching, light patching, as well as equalizing color by hand with stain.

I'm not making any claims that this was done with the Garand or M1903A3, but its interesting that it was done.

The person who wrote the book was so keenly interested in the Overton saga that he even has write-ups on many of the employees during the war years.

Is there a book that delves into the history of the Springfield Armory like that? Where more information might be gleaned?

[ssgross]

told the government what? (second pic). We must know how it all ended!

[Redleg]

I notice the "quiet" regarding replies.

Old advice was to soak the stock to be restored, in tide powder detergent, in the bathub for as long as it takes to lift dents, scratches and old oils.

Never stain, ever. I advise against oil, alchohol, shoe polish, leather dye or anything at all............SA never did it. Don't do it on new reproduction stocks either.

Be patient, after the soak and dry, and let the natural oils in the stock color rise up and color the stock over time...when dry apply BLO or Tung mixed 50-50 with turpentine or mineral spirits, is all you need to do.

Never sand if possible.

I have done over 25 US military stocks, and all look amazing.

[browningautorifle]

I notice the "quiet" regarding replies.

Yes, hard to reason...

[RAM1ALASKA]

Thanks to all for your contributions to this thread.
Very interesting and informative ! Excellent!

[ssgross]

just to follow up on development of "natural" color from the oxidation of raw linseed oil as used by springfield. There is a picture in a thread somewhere on this site of the "dunk tank" of raw linseed oil, which was heated. The natural color would have developed much quicker from that process - i.e. a giant vat of linseed oil kept warm for months on end, and agitated regularly by dunking in stocks by the dozens every few hours. Heat + oxygen produces the color. I would not advise leaving a kettle of oil on the stove on a hot burner for months on end though!

[Rick B]

Springfield absolutely stained stocks. I get so tired of people saying they never stained. I have handled 10's of thousands of stocks and can tell you they stained them. Also all the Barn wood stocks I have straight out of WWII are stained and oiled. Rick B

[Bob Seijas]

Yes, I once had a picture of the sample stock color used at IHC. If it was lighter than the sample, they stained it.

[ssgross]

If it was lighter than the sample, they stained it.

Now this makes perfect sense. I never believed staining was abandoned altogether. Why then would so many contractor-made USGI field replacements have been stained? I've seen many of those.
I read in one of my references staining was standard practice during trapdoor production and prior. I can't recall whether the book stated it was Krag or later when when the practice was eased (e.g. not necessarily staining EVERY stock, or only staining very few, etc.). Rick/Bob, your point connects the dots on this. Would love to see the picture. I'd love to find that picture of the Springfield dunk-tank too. I remember the tank was level with the floor, and guys were lowering a jig from above that had many stocks on it down into the vat.