(Edited and split the above post, not all photos were showing up)


I sanded everything down to 320 grit, then 'whiskered' with warm water and a heat gun. I sanded again to 320 and whiskered again. Then final sanding to 320. That's where it sits now. I did weigh the stock again after all the woodwork was done and before a finish. This time it weighs 2 pounds, 11.7 ounces. So it lost almost exactly 3 ounces.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

After the sanding I'm ready for finish. I took a break so I can take a good fresh look at it tomorrow. If it still looks ready, I'll start the finish. My plan is to use epoxy to seal the wood, then an oil finish on top. I have some West Systems 105 resin and 209 extra slow hardener. Looks like that should have a 45 min pot life, 3-4 hour working time, and a 24 hour cure time. My plan is to heat the stock and then flood it with epoxy using a paint brush. I'll keep adding epoxy as long as it seems to soak it in. I'll let it cure overnight. Realistically it will be next weekend before I can work on it again, so it should be fully cured and then some. Because I'm using the epoxy is one of the reasons I wanted to weigh the stock, I want to see how much weight the epoxy adds.

So this is where it stands. I'll update again after the stock finish. After the stock I still need to make a latch and hinge the bottom metal, chamber and set the headspace, and then finish the metal. My plan on the finish is Norell's Moly-Resin in flat black. Between the metal finish and the epoxy/oil stock, this rifle should be ready for the outdoors.