Proper Rear Sight for Long Branch No4 MK1*

**Seaspriter** · 02-12-2015 10:41 AM

Banjo, how we all cringe every time you see a Bignorant's video on You-Tube (it's the network for the Good, the Expert, the Bad, the Ugly, and the MisGuided).

Remember, there's a difference between a gun you will use primarily for hunting, for shooting, or for preservation. If your Enfield is a "hunter" I'd suggest using a sporterized version, it's already been butchered. Coat it with plenty of linseed oil and don't worry about how it looks.

But if your Enfield is an occasional shooter, but primarily a historic arm that you are preserving for future generations (like mine which are babied on the range) then you only need enough BLO icon

to protect the wood from deterioration -- a little is just fine, you don't need to build up layers -- if the gun isn't out in the rain, the extra layers don't do any good. (Think of how ridiculous it is to wear a heavy overcoat inside your warm house -- when just a shirt is enough.)

Here are a couple of tips I've learned about taking off the years of dirty/grimy/overloaded linseed oil that has that ancient "muddy" look (often obscuring important stampings on the stock, including the infamous DP stamps!): Use a paint/varnish remover (like Citristrip or you'll find that Rubbing Alcohol works just as fast and is dirt cheap). Just apply, and remove the gunk with an old rag. Then apply again, this time removing any residual junk with very fine steel wool, which scrapes a microscopic amount of surface junk, without removing the patina of the wood -- it's the patina you must preserve! The patina is the history of the gun's use in battle and aging. (it's okay to steam out a dent, but don't sacrifice the patina to remove a scratch) NEVER use sandpaper, no matter how fine -- it gouges the wood and harms the patina layer (which may be finer than the width of a hair.) Sanding will also begin to obliterate any cartouches or regimental stamps, and take off any of the original stain that may remain on the wood.

Next, apply a 50/50 solution of turpentine/BLO icon

for the first coat to get the BLO (you could use RLO at this point, if it makes you feel authentic) deep into the pores of the wood. Use either a small brush or a nylon stocking (neither will leave lint on the stock). Once fully absorbed, spot apply to places that are absorbing a lot (these will be dull in appearance). Then apply a coat of 100% BLO and let it sit for a while, and then spread BLO that is on the surface into the areas that are still absorbing the BLO (you could soak in a vat of BLO for a while as an alternative).

Then rub everything off with a lint-free (usually synthetic such as an old stocking) cloth, using pressure to create heat that will polymerize (harden) the surface so it wont have a build up of semi-sticky finish. (If you are going to apply stain, just wipe off the excess, so the stain will have an even surface for application).

If you have a wide variety of woods (walnut, beech, birch, maple) like most Enfields, you might want to consider applying an oil-based stain if appropriate at this stage to create some visual harmony. (I've used a variety of stains from Venetian Red with Burnt Sienna to Red Mahogany to get the right color -- try to match the colour of what still remains on the stock.) The colour should resemble the gun in this thread Savage No.4MkI* Don't overstain -- yours is an old gun, not a new one. Let the wood's patina show through. [Note: this staining applies to the No.4 MkI Enfields, I'm not sure about the WWI and Lithgow icon

Enfields. From my experience the MKII Enfields and the post-war FTR Enfields used Beech (primarily? or exclusively? -- help me here experts); there was never a stain applied, thus a much lighter appearance.]

After staining (let it dry a day or two), you could either: 1) apply a light coat of BLO and rub down to polymerize the surface, 2) apply Briwax, which is used by the finest museums in the world to treat their treasures (it breathes and doesn't "seal" the wood", or 3) apply a light coat of Tung Oil (which breathes and doesn't seal the wood as long as you don't overdo it with 8 coats, leaving a gloss that is just squeals).

Always remember, you are not really doing this work for yourself alone. You are an "heirloom custodian" preserving your Enfield for future generations. You should be thinking about everything you do to the gun with the future owner in mind. I document everything I learn from the league of masters on the Milsurps website (these guys are great and so informed -- thanks guys: you are the best on the internet!) on a piece of paper, which I roll up tightly and insert in the hole in the butt-stock.
Robert