Best Stain & Finish for Rifle Stock
Just got a Muzzle Loading rifle kit and was wondering what would be the best Stain and Finish to use on it. It is a 32cal Squirrel Rifle Kit that has a Maple stock.
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You may want to try using an oil finish that 'dries hard'. Something like Watco Danish Oil finish, or others. From 'raw' wood, you might apply 4 coats before the wood stops taking it in, using fine sanding or wooling between coats of the oil finish. Some like to finish off with a high carnauba content wax.
Any scrapes and such that your stock will eventually get can be restored 'invisibly' by sanding the area and oil as before....you can't do that as easily with a stain and something like a poly finish.
I have not added tints to my oil finishes, but it is an option with some oils. Regardless of your choice in finishes, be sure to use a lot of patience to get the best results.
ENJOY !0 -
Tru oil has always worked good for me. I sand the wood with 400 grit sandpaper then I rub the tru oil on with my finger. Let the first coat dry for 2-3 hours then take 000 steel wool and rub all the wood, wipe it with a clean rag and repeat five times. Tru oil is made by the birchwood casey company and can be found at most sporting good stores. Wal-mart used to carry it but I have not bought it there in a whil.. Hope that helps. 0 -
Travis3, there is no such thing as best finish or stain. Anyone who has finished more then two or three stocks will have their own opinion on the subject. Experts will sometimes go so far as to mix their own from scratch from secert recipes. So, what is your personal experience with fine wood finishing? Maybe what you really need is a good desertation on stock finishing. The key, IMO, to it all is to have the stock totally ready before you apply any stain or finish at all. Most any good stain will do the job as will any of the oil type mass market oil finishes. Personally I use a commercial tung oil or sometimes linseed oil for my final finishes. Just don't rub thru the stain below as you work the oil. Good luck...
Ok, I understand where you are comming from. Maple comes in a number of shades of color so it is no surprise that one color doesn't work for all. In the past I have had very good results with Brownells red military, alcohol based, stain. I have also used dark walnut minwax oil based stains to good effect. But, it is your stock and what works for you is what you want. If you have not started sanding out the stock as yet you might want to hold off. In the past I have used this stage to experiment with various stains to get a feel for there effect on that particular wood. I'd put 8" of one here and another there until I decided on which I liked the best. As far a what is a closer to oldtime color I doubt that they were staining stocks with much other then red military type stain back then but I am no expert.0 -
I had been in the furniture repair and refinishing business for 40 years. I used a lot of lacquer and Poly finishes in my time. I have refinished and put new finishes on many a walnut stock but never had to stain a stock before hand. I like the tru-oil and tung oil for this type of wood stock. I was just not sure what type of stain to use (Water or Oil) Minn wax always had a good oil stain. What color for a maple stock so it will look like the old time muzzle loaders? 0 -
Hello travis 3
For your own information call customer service at Brownell's 800-741-0015. Ask them about a stain they carry called---
"1787" Golden Walnut, made by R. Gale Lock Co. They turned me on to this stain, and is is incredible on maple. If your wood has any "Tiger stripe" this stain will bring out the stripes like you won't believe. Then finish with what ever you want over the stain. I used a spray gun to apply a clear spar varnish, sanding between coats with 400, 600, 800 wt. paper. The last two were $400+ pieces of wood, and came out gorgeous. Before this stain, I hesitated to do high dollar maple, not any more, Send us some before, and after picts. of your project. Good luck HAWKSHAW0 -
If you are wanting an original vintage type look, check out aquafortis stain at track of the wolf. It highlites the tiger stripe on maple 0 -
Find a good hardware - lumber supply store, there are alot more stain colors available at that type of store. They even sell them in small trial size cans. I find when staining gun stocks, it's best to wipe it on with a rag then wipe it off. Don't let it dry on there before wiping it off as it will go almost black.
Not too long ago, I stained a Romanian laminate AK stock green. The butstock came out beautifully. The forearm (different type of laminate) was not so hot.
For a final finish I use a minwax gloss spray on polyurethane on my AK stocks. You might want to do a hand rubbed finish on that BP gun though.
Not the best photo but the bottom AK is done with a minwax cherry color stain and minwax polyurethane. The grain the of laminate really pops out in person. Middle AK forearms are un-refinished.
asphalt cowboy - Wow that's pretty! Can you explain how that was done?0 -
Travis, have you ever amonia fumed maple? It's a means of force aging for the old look.
I'll transfer an image to image shack.
I had a better image somewhere, but can't seem to locate it.0 -
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How does one amonia fume a stock? I have thought about the Danish oil used it on furniture in the past. I need to do the final sanding and fitting and then I will see how it goes. thanks everyone![:)][:)] 0
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