My first 1903

[bigbossman]

I'm on the other side of the fence re: refinishing. I say go ahead, as long as you proceed gently and refinish it as USGI spec with Tung Oil, Boiled Linseed, etc.

This is not an un-messed with 1903 - it is a rebuild. You will not hurt the desirability or resale value by cleaning the dirt off and rubbing a new coat of oil in.

[pterrell]

What would you use to clean the stock then? I don't want to take sandpaper to it unless I need to but I'd like to get rid of some of the grunge. I have tung or true oil that I used on my AK stick but can't remember which offhand.

[highpower]

I use either Hoppes No9 if it is not too grungy or lacquer thinner if it's really nasty. Rub it in with 0000 steel wool and wipe it off with a rag periodically. It might take a few applications to get most of the dirt and oil out of the pores in the wood.

After you have cleaned it as much as you can, rub several coats of Boiled Linseed Oil into the stock.

That is really all that you can do without removing any material or damaging the wood.

[USAF4564]

Classic, nice choice. Also just bought one recently.

[bigbossman]

What would you use to clean the stock then? I don't want to take sandpaper to it unless I need to but I'd like to get rid of some of the grunge. I have tung or true oil that I used on my AK stick but can't remember which offhand.

What I'm about to say will no doubt raise calls for me to be drawn, quartered, and then burned at the stake, but................. I'd completely refinish it.

Why? Assuming it is not an original stock with nice original cartouches and such, it is just a replacement stock. Genuine USGI to be sure, but not a high dollar rare and desirable collectible.

Personally, were it mine and it were as rough as you intimate, I'd strip it, maybe smooth it out a bit with with fine steel wool, and then hand-rub re-finish it with BLO.That would get all the grunge off, make it look a lot nicer while still being "correct", and most importantly would not hurt the value one cent.

You paid $600. Now, after stripping it and then carefully refinishing it as USGI with BLO, you will still be able to sell it for as much if not more than you have into it.

[TMB 1]

Nice looking 03! Mine is similar to yours ser#132xxxx except it has a 5-11 RIA barrel, no finger grove stock and Remington bolt. I was told it was probably rebuilt for WWII. Does yours have the Hatcher hole?

[Enfield47]

What would you use to clean the stock then? I don't want to take sandpaper to it unless I need to but I'd like to get rid of some of the grunge. I have tung or true oil that I used on my AK stick but can't remember which offhand.

You can heat up some BLO in a metal can so it is just hotter than your body temp and using burlap rub the stock like you mean it. That will safely remove the grunge from the wood and condition it at the same time.