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Hi guys. I'm new to this site. Yes, I'm a Tx. CHL holder but actually followed a different search thread and found this. Name is Greg, by the way. Ok...question....I have a C&R and have several various older Milsurp type rifles. To date I only take them out of the stock, give them a good cleaning, and enjoy shooting them "as is". I just got in a Ishapore Enfield 2A that AIM is selling the last of their stock in. It has the cosmo all on it and soaked into the stock and the black cruddy paint that they put on this. I'm thinking of trying my hand and actually doing a home refinish job on it. Experience wise.....I know my way around a piece of wood and general woodworking and as far as gunsmithing.....no on actually making or replacing parts requiring special tools and skills.....but I have never found a gun that I couldn't take apart and eventually get back together with no pieces left over! Anyway, I'm looking for your experiences as far as what has worked well in procedure and product wise in stripping stocks and getting all the cosmo out, stripping the metal parts, finishes, etc. Actually saw one thread where the guy put the wood stock in a dishwasher with degreaser, followed by stripper and another trip to the dishwasher! Would not have thought of putting a piece of wood in the dishwasher! Anyone heard of that or other techniques to clean up these old stocks? Thx and good shooting!
Greg

Welcome to the Forum Greg. Glad to have someone else join us on nights. I will let some of the experts help answer your question.

Thx and glad to be here! I did put a little info over in the "introduce yourself" thread! Am about to have to hit the bed, so look for ya tomorrow!
Greg

I have heard varying reports of what's under the black paint.

Some have reported really nice parkerizing once the black is gone.

Until you see what's under there, I would be conservative in my efforts.

Some good reading, if you're not already aware of these:

http://forums.gunboards.com/index.php

http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/index.php

http://www.surplusrifle.com/

This one was down for maintenance during the night.

http://parallaxscurioandrelicfirearmsfo ... forums/124

Thx. I will check each of these sites out and get some ideas.

Now that it's hot again, the best way to get a majority of cosmo out of your wooden stock is to wrap it as tight as you can without ripping, with newspaper. Putting rubber bands around it to keep it in place nice and snug. Place that badboy out in the sun to cook all day long.

Unwrap it, wipe her down really good, and repeat the same process. The heat will cause the cosmo to come out of the wood, though this process can take weeks, and never fully get it out.

As far as the metal, break cleaner works well, but nothing works better then heat. Heatguns for the barrel, to be followed up with swabs works wonders since the cosmo mostly melts and drips right out. I boil a lot of parts like bolts etc in a large mixing bowl. It'll help break it up, then I follow it up with mineral spirits, or if its really bad, the break cleaner.

As far as refinishing, it's a pain in the butt. You'll never match the original finishes. If you want a brand new looking rifle, that's your own business. As far as re-sale value, no collector considers a refinished mil-surp worth a dime and will usually ignore it.

As far as any tips or howto's, feel free to get in touch with me. I've got a "little bit" of experience.

BobH wrote:Now that it's hot again, the best way to get a majority of cosmo out of your wooden stock is to wrap it as tight as you can without ripping, with newspaper. Putting rubber bands around it to keep it in place nice and snug. Place that badboy out in the sun to cook all day long.

Stick the whole thing in a heavy black trash bag, and it works even faster.

Thanks guys. Think I will go break the stock out and do just that. May combine both.....wrap it in newspaper and stick it in this W. Tx. heat today in a plastic bag! And after much searching, think after that I will clean it with "Tom's" mix that I found via one of the suggested links here and use his 1/3 beeswax mix I have ordered on it. Seems to be about the closest to getting it clean and pretty while leaving it basically original. I don't want to do an actual "refinish" on it but did order it as a project gun to see what I could come up with. Probably kick myself in 10 yrs for not leaving it as it came from the aresenal.....black yukky paint included......when they go the way of the Garands.....ie can't touch a decent original one for less than 8 or 9 hundred plus! But oh well......I tend to keep 'em and shoot 'em anyway! I'll take some before and after pics to post later! And BobH....thanks for the offer....if I hit a stumbling block I may send u a PM for help! LOL Have a good one and happy shootin! Stay safe.
Greg

Any time Greg, good luck and have fun :)

Actually its NOT that hard (and what a coincidence...I refinished my Ishapore 2A as well)

My new Ishapore Enfield 2A rebuild

Putting the stock in the dishwasher is actually quite gentle on the wood..just make sure you turn off the heated try, otherwise it could get too hot and cause the wood to split.

I got a simple parkerizing kit and parkerized mine...the finish is absolutely bulletproof!

I am by NO means an expert on the stuff..but if you can boil an egg, you can parkerize a milsurp firearm!

Drop me a PM..I still have 3/4 gallon of the parkerizing solution, the chickenfeeder tray, and a TON of sandblasting media
If you need help..let me know

T45Rex wrote:Thanks guys. Think I will go break the stock out and do just that. May combine both.....wrap it in newspaper and stick it in this W. Tx. heat today in a plastic bag! And after much searching, think after that I will clean it with "Tom's" mix that I found via one of the suggested links here and use his 1/3 beeswax mix I have ordered on it. Seems to be about the closest to getting it clean and pretty while leaving it basically original. I don't want to do an actual "refinish" on it but did order it as a project gun to see what I could come up with. Probably kick myself in 10 yrs for not leaving it as it came from the aresenal.....black yukky paint included......when they go the way of the Garands.....ie can't touch a decent original one for less than 8 or 9 hundred plus! But oh well......I tend to keep 'em and shoot 'em anyway! I'll take some before and after pics to post later! And BobH....thanks for the offer....if I hit a stumbling block I may send u a PM for help! LOL Have a good one and happy shootin! Stay safe.
Greg

8 or 9 hundred for a Garand, can I suggest the CMP Store.... http://www.odcmp.com/Services/Rifles/sales.htm

texasag

T45Rex,

I talked to a guy in Ohio when I lived there. He sold Garands mostly, but LOTS of other milsurplus.

He took the whole rifle and put it in a commercial transmission cleaner. You have to know someone with a tranny shop, but if you do, it takes off all of the cosmoline and all the crud. His rifles looked sharp.

I have never done it, but his rifles had their origenal finish and the wood fibers filled back out.

texasag

I use DuraCoat for my metal refinishing. They sell a kit that attaches to a pressured "spray paint" can basically, and have about 500 color choices. I use mine through an airbrush.

I have one Garand and two carbines from CMP. All were pretty clean but had spots of 50+ year old cosmo on the metal. Denatured alcohol took it right off. Simple Green or just regular old dish washing liquid will work well on stocks.



Fairtrimmer's Military oX is a great finish for old military stocks. These are both boiled linseed oil.

This is one of the carbines as it arrived...



Then, after a good scrubbing with Simple Green...



Then I put on a coat or two of boiled linseed oil, which makes it darker like the military did. Now I'm using Fairtrimmers on a Winchester stock.