Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Oil a Marlin stock

I recently bought a Marlin 1895, current production and noticed the stock doesn't seem to have the deep oil finish like my older JM stamped 1894's. I'd like to put a couple of additional coats to give it a richer look and better protection. What should I use?

I’ve had good luck on some early ‘50’s vintage Remingtons by rubbing them down with boiled linseed oil (BLO), letting them sit for 15 minutes or so, then buffing well with an old t-shirt. Do the same for a couple or three days. It really brought back some “depth” in the finish.

Spray some Rem Oil directly on the stock or on a cloth and get the wood wet with it. Let it stand in the corner for a couple of days then rub it with a soft cloth to dry it. I usually put it away then and repeat the next couple of times I shoot it. Probably violating some sacred law of gunstock maintenance but it's worked very well for years for me.

While the whole time slowly attacking the cellulose in the wood....

Kind of amazing, ain't it?

Years ago I had a hunting buddy who was a GREAT hunter, but didn't know much about rifles. His main rifle was a "sporterized" South American Mauser .30-06 he'd bought through the mail while he was still in high school.

He knew I did some "gun work," and one year asked if I could look at his .30-06, as it had gotten "a little loose." I asked what he meant by that, and he couldn't really explain it, so I told him to bring it by.

Turned out that even with the action screws totally tight, the stock WAS a little loose. I asked how long it had been that way, and he said the past year or so. He couldn't understand it, because he took very good care of his rifle, giving the stock another coat of oil every year. I asked what kind of oil, and he said 3-in-1.

I managed to save the stock with an epoxy bedding job, and told him to quit oiling it.

Unless the guns in question are really "old", like early 20th century or earlier, I doubt they have an oil finish. Probably some form of varnish. Remember, manufacturers were in it to make a profit, and those guns were never intended to be collector items, just to be sold through normal retail to hunters, etc., at an affordable price.

Even back in the days of "oil", from what I've read it appears that Winchester and Marlin just dunked the stocks in a vat of oil, perhaps after staining. They certainly weren't hand rubbed by master craftsmen. Production costs have always been a major consideration, as with any manufactured product.

Paul

try a coat or 4 of renaissance wax. what Paul39 says about the new gun finishes. wax is the best bet.and it can even go on the metal.

Avoid BLO like the plague is my humble opinion. I would use Pro Custom Oil, a combination of urethane and tung oil. I'm not sure what Marlin would have used, maybe poly or lacquer, but you can put gunstock oil on top of those. However, the reverse isn't true.
Phil

Why avoid BLO if one simply wants to shine up the finish? It doesn’t build up a finish, etc. I just know how well it’s worked for me on several Remington rifles built between ‘45 and ‘55 and on whatever finish they used before they went to their RKW finish

Now if you want to go with a completely new finish, have at it with a urethane mix..I like Permalyn and Permalyn filler (VERY thin right from the can)

BLO is the industry dregs. Inhibitors are added for shelf life, driers are added so it might actually cure some day, solvents are added to reduce viscosity.

It has no place on any firearm. Even if you are looking to add it to old military arms. Go to an art or paint store and get fresh oil in a tiny container and replace with fresh regularly. More problems are caused by old garbage oils than just about anything else in the finish world.

Permalyn is a polyurethane, which is very different from urethane. It is a very average finish geared heavily toward ease of use. It is far superior to BLO for any and every application. They sell it in quart bottles, which is an insane amount for virtually any occasional stock maker to use before the oil gets old. Using any old finish is a recipe for a serious PITA.

Old West Snake Oil Formula #2 here on my stocks.

What he said!!

That rifle has a 15 second polyurethane (or some other thane) sprayed on finish. No oil is going to penetrate the plastic finish.
If you do strip it to bare wood, BLO is not your friend even if it looks good early on.
Everyone has their pet finish and mine is pure tung oil.

Pro Custom oil doesn't have to penetrate. Just scuff the poly, then add the Pro Custom oil. Keep adding until you get the sheen you want or go all the way to glossy and rub it down with pumice stone, then rottenstone to get the sheen desired.

On some antique rifles I am replacing the wood, I put down a few coats of Pro Custom oil first, then orange shellac to get the proper color, the back to Pro Custom oil to finish up. Like WTF said, everyone has their preferences for oil. I use Pro Custom oil for hunting rifles but for high dollar rifles I use pure tung oil that has been polymerized so it drys fairly fast. I might not live long enough of unpolymerized tung oil to dry. I wouldn't use BLO if you were holding a gun on me.
Phil

That's the polymerized tung oil I use. Great stuff
Phil

I'd go with the Renaissance WAX technique. As many coats as you desire. It gets better with numerous coats.

If you don't like it, sitka deer can lend you some 0000 steel wool to make it better.

You do realize "pure tung oil" does not have to have any tung oil in it, right?

Tung, in service, is virtually identical to linseed oil and used interchangeably. Lots of people are allergic to tung nuts so it is not used as food. That means it all goes into paint and chemicals while the best linseed oil goes into food...

So how do you apply "polymerized" oil?

Suppose they mean "polymerizing" oil?

It is polymerized according to their website. I think in involves boiling it at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time. It dries fairly fast, I can usually get two coats in a day especially if I set the stock in the sun for a little while. I put in on with my fingers and rub it with the heel of my hand.
Phil