I have owned several variations of 1903 and 03A3 military rifles. They were all well used but in decent shape and I shot them. Eventually, I weened myself down to one that I decided would be my keeper, a Rock Island 1903 with a 1927 receiver. Unfortunately, when I was getting ready to shoot it I discovered the bolt was an early bolt and it had a crack (posted in another thread).

I sent the RI '03 to the DCM custom shop and it was just returned. It has a new bolt, match style front sight, enlarged match style rear sight peep hole, trigger work, a new barrel of modern manufacture, and a C-style stock made from a very nice piece of walnut.

The stock is completely sanded and fitted but it has no finish. I like it just the way it is but I know that without any sort of finish it will soak up oil and sweat.

Question - What sort of finish was used on original USGI '03 stocks? Should I leave it bare or finish it? Seeking recommendations.

I have re-finished a number of M1903 & A3 stocks on my collection rifles and still have some I haven't gotten around to yet. At one time there was a guide on the CMP website that included stripping the storage cosmoline and grease and old oil stains - that is not a problem for you here - and how to stain to match the original color and directions to finish with modern weatherproofing. I don't know if it is still on the site, but I'll take a look for you. If it's not there I can give you the directions and the brands to purchase, if you will PM me your email address.

Found it on the CMP site.

Go to www.thecmp.org; click on Sales on the top right; click on Armorer's Corner in the lefthand blue field; scroll down to Misc and click on the last entry Wood Cleaning Article.

You can modify this extensive set of instructions to fit your time and needs. The guidance is very good and all the products do work well. I think you will find this information very helpful in competing your stock work. Do not rush and follow the guidelines for drying times.

I personally have used both the R. Gale Lock stains and the Chestnut Ridge stain. I am a big fan of the Minwax #209 sealer stain applied after the desired color is established. I do not use the BLO or BTO. The Minwax Tung Oil Finish can be applied after the #209, if desired.

Good luck. Let me know how it comes out for you.

BTW, next time you have a question about the '03 you might want to post it in the Military & Military Surplus topic heading under Guns, Politics, Gunsmithing & Reloading, located below on AR; you'll get quicker and more specific answers I believe.

Original finish was nothing but a soaking in boiled linseed and draining; the worst possible finish on the planet. Solders were provided cans of linseed oil to put on the stocks after use; I did it many times on M1s and M14s. But for us civilians, never do that; use some sort of modern urethane based finish if you really want to keep out water. Even Tung oil is not all that good by itself. Takes a long time to dry and is not as good a moisture barrier as, say, urethane exterior varnish. Stain or not depending on what color you want it to be.

A number of years ago, bought a Boyd's replica 1903 scant(?) stock to restore a 1903 Springfield. Suspect you have a Boyd's Stock.

Anyway, I used Olympic Antique Oil on my stock. I'd brush it on, let it set for 30 seconds or so (depends on the temperature you're working in) and then take some 400 grit wet sandpaper to the wood. Sanded before the antique oil got tacky, and then wiped off the excess....wiping with the grain. Let it dry well and then repeated application of the antigue oil....sanded again, wiped off excess again.

Ended up with a very nice, very smooth finish. Think of the Olympic Antigue Oil as a boiled linseed oil with fortifiers, maybe urethane and dryers. It is intended for indoors use. use...furniture for example.

But, like me, don't see you out in a rain with the rifle for hours, dealing with moisture.

As mentioned earlier, perhaps some polyurethane product would be good. I have used the Olympic antique oil/sanding technique and then put a couple of coats of Minwax Wiping Polyurethane finish on a rifle stock for better moisture protection.

I suppose it depends on what you are trying to achieve. Since you've had all that work done and no longer have a GI only rifle I suspect a modern finish is what you want. However, if you are trying to get a GI correct finish then use Linseed or Tung oil. On my Garand, Krag, Trapdoors, and '03 I've only used oil. The new stock on the Garand was given a heavy coat of boiled linseed oil, vigorously rubbed in by hand to generate heat from rubbing and allowed to soak in for a couple of hours. The excess was then wiped off with a rag and the stock allowed to "dry" (oil polymerized) till it felt dry to touch (takes a couple of days or more depending on temperature and humidity). Repeated the heavy coat then followed with light coats of only a few drops vigorously rubbed in and wiped down with drying between coats. I did this for about a month with daily very light coats till I go the GI finish I was after. If your new stock shows whiskers (raised grain) with application of the oil use fine grain sandpaper and gently wet sand the stock to remove the whiskers. This method does take a while and the finish isn't as shiny or water resistant as a modern one but it is GI correct and looks appropriate on a collector rifle. For touch up I will occasionally give it a wipe down and rub in with oil or Maj Culver's Gunny paste (equal parts of turpentine, beeswax, and boiled linseed oil) well rubbed in and then buffed with a cloth the next morning.

Jerry Liles

Thanks for the great input and advice!

After carefully looking into the various finishes and methods everyone mentioned, I decided to go with the Minwax Tung Oil Finish. I just applied the first coat. I decided it will give me a military style finish but with a little more protection than Tung Oil, Boiled Linseed Oil, or Boiled Tung Oil. The stock was already stained a nice color and was already very smooth. I did not use a filler because I prefer not to end up with a smooth, furniture like surface.

Its too late now, but when i refinish wood (like cabinet wood) I wad up an old brown paper sack and unwad it, doing this several times to create a soft wrinkled paper. I then use that as a final abrasive sand-down, it is finer than crocus cloth.

Then I use a clean soft cotton rag liberally soaked with ethanol, wiping from one end of the work to another carefully, this picks up superfine dust like a magnet as well as any remaining body oils and moisture. Don't soak the piece, just do it with the grain to gently clean them out.

Only then will I apply tung oil and i drench it pretty good. It takes days for each coat to dry, even a week in the hot garage is not too long. After the 3rd coat you will get a finish that seems every bit as good as urethane, and it looks good too.

But this is on things like cabinets, some furniture pieces, and one time on a piano. Things that were not worth replacing but needed something done. I don't know how well it would hold up to gun oils and body oils on a rifle stock in the long run, but a glass of milk will wipe off with a wet rag.