Got tired of the "pumpkin" stock

[Dad]

As the story goes, a year ago I bought a CMP Service Grade M1.
The metal was superb, the barrel like new, but it came dressed in a CMP "Pumpkin" stock.
I tried to live with the stock, but every time I wiped it down or even handled it in the heat of the summer my hands or cleaning rags would turn orange...
I tried all the tricks in the book to tone down the orange color of the stock and to seal it, but Birch is a very tough wood to work with.
So I gave up and restocked my M1 with a Dupage Black Walnut stock.
Here are some before and after pictures.
The "before" Birch stock pictures are of the stock after much dyeing and Tung oil applications.
The "after" Walnut stock pictures were taken after six Tung oil applications.

D.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

EEEEExellent. Very nice looking piece of wood. Happy now? It looks brand new!

[ldp9b]

I have always had a soft spot (between my ears) for different colored, configured stocks and the like. Did you toss it in the corner for a future project or is it for sale?

Just curious,

Lewis

[mustanggt]

Walnut just looks right. No other wood does it for me. I just got done with a Russian that had a ton of the crappy laquer just globbed on it. So I couldn't stand it and decided to use laquer thinner and took it down to bare birch wood. I tried gunstock stain from minwax and got a big fat pumpkin. Decided to go with jacobean stain, very dark. So I alternated them till I got the right to my eye look. It looks like an old military stock to me and looks right. BLO made it even better. Love your stock. Good choice.

[Dad]

Thanks for all the comments.
I decided to keep the original stock for a future project.
I just like the look of walnut gunstocks, they just look right to me.

Mustanggt, I re-stocked a ex-dragoon M91-30 that came with a laminated stock. The shellac kept coming off and I just got tired of the mess. I found a pre war stock online, and after cleanup applied tung oil. If you are interested it can be seen here.
1927 Izhevsk Ex-Dragoon - Dads Photo Gallery - Military Surplus Collectors Forums

D.

[Amsdorf]

Wow, that is really beautiful.

[Dad]

Thanks for the comment.
I'm glad I went with the Black Walnut stock.

D.