Just finished re-finishing my rifle stock using the Sitka Deer method Tru-oil over epoxy. I don't post here much, but thought I'd share this to say thanks for the advice.

Rifle is a Miroku M-Bolt in .270, with Leupold Vari-X II 2-7x33. For those who aren't familiar with the M-Bolt - it's basically a browning A-bolt with a butterknife bolt handle, different bolt shroud and different stock. They were only available for a few years, and I'm not sure that they were widely distributed. Mine weighs 7lb 10oz ready to go - including scope, sling and a full magazine. Fits like a glove, crisp 3lb trigger and nice and accurate.





The stock was showing the normal scratches and dings you see from a few years of hunting, so I decided it was a good opportunity for a refinish. I take good care of my rifles, but some scratches always seem inevitable.

I'm not going to reproduce Sitka's method here, because he's the expert and not me. But here's a couple of tips that I found useful:

> When sanding, using a block really is the way to go wherever possible.

> The checkering needs to be THOROUGHLY taped off. Even then, the border along the tape line will fill with epoxy and needs to be re-chased. Which I found wasn't easy, given that the epoxy is a lot harder than the surrounding wood...

> I've never quite got the hang of applying the Tru-oil with a lint-free rag, so I just use my fingers. After multiple coats, the finish tends to includes a few dust specks and a slightly ridged effect. I found the best way to cut the finish back to be perfectly smooth was wetsanding with 2000gr wet-and-dry paper on a flexible backing (after the finish has cured for several weeks). I then rubbed the stock down with 3F pumice, then rottenstone, and finally a coat of Briwax to finish.

And now, I'll be taking it straight back out hunting. Haven't got myself a stag yet this year, but there's still time...

Paul

Very nice. I was curious about keeping the epoxy out of the checkering and you confirmed my suspicions that it's a bugger. Thanks for sharing. Ken

When I tape off checkering I go over the border with a pencil on the tape to press the tape down into the border. Then I cut the tape with a very sharp X-acto knife using very little pressure on the outside edge border by holding the stock about 45 degrees. This seems to keep most of the finish out of the border. Art might have a different, better, method; hopefully he'll chime in.

Cutting the tape on the outside edge of the border is a good idea - if a bit fiddly I would have thought. I pressed the tape down into the border, but cut it at the bottom of the border groove. I did re-chase the borders successfully, but I found the cutter and file I have kept wanting to wander from the hard epoxy into the soft surrounding wood. Maybe, after the tape was applied, the border could be filled flush with a tiny bit of modelling clay or similar?

The main thing in any case is to keep the epoxy out of the checkered areas themselves. Don't believe anyone who tells you that you can just brush the liquid epoxy out of the checkering - trust me.

Maybe try a different epoxy next time? The stuff I use is about water thin and using Art's method (with heating the wood) there isn't much left on top of the wood; it's very easy to wipe/brush it out of where I don't want it.

That thing is gorgeous. What's that funny black thing holding it up? I used Art's alternative method...superglue. I didn't spend as much time producing a great finish as you did, but it came out nice for a working gun.

What epoxy did you use? I agree a little heat thins most any epoxy to nearly water thin... And that makes build-up in checkering far less likely.
art

A few days ago, I found a 1956 edition of Gun Digest. In it is an article by Jack O'Connor about stockmaker Al Bieson.

He tells how Bieson finised his stocks, and it was much the same way as Sitka Deer writes about, except Bieson used Spar Varnish instead of Epoxy.

There were two methods, actually. One, he applied coat after coat of thinly applied Spar Varnish, for a built up finish.

The other method was applying Spar Varnish and sanding it down until the pores were fill, then rubbing in a mixture of 75% Lindseed Oil and 25% Spar Varnish.

Epoxy might not have been available when Bieson started making stocks.

The Epoxy, as Sitka Deer describes it, would probably make a tougher and more waterproof finish than Spar Varnish.

Thanks. Holding rifle stocks for either bedding or photos is about all the use that my bipod gets nowadays - I no longer use it when sighting in and it ruins the balance when hunting.

I'll retract my comment about brushing epoxy out of the checkering being impossible. Teaches me to make sweeping generalisations based on limited experience - too easy to be proved wrong I used West System 105 epoxy with 207 special coating hardener - but I didn't heat the stock first. I knew that heating would be advantageous, but I didn't want to risk damaging the bedding compound already in place (not sure what compound it actually is). So I just accepted that epoxy penetration would be reduced. It still worked really well as a grain filler and stock sealer. Had I heated it though, the tendency of the epoxy to build up in the checkering borders might have been lessened - at least for the first coat.

For anyone who's interested, I dug out my sighting in target from after I'd finished the stock and reassembled the rifle. It's just a zero check and not really an accuracy test, but gives some idea of what the rifle will do.

Norma factory 130gr SP
100m



Sorry about the condition of the target, there was a large rock behind where I first set it up and the first couple of shots blew hell out of the paper with rock fragments The little cross I made on the target is 3" above the bullseye - which is where I wanted the rifle zeroed. The first 3 shots were from a cold clean barrel, with shots 1 and 2 touching and the third a bit further away for a 0.57" group. The target fell over between shots 2 & 3, so I had to walk out and set it up again before finishing the group - so thats my excuse for the flyer



I then turned the target 90 degrees anti-clockwise, adjusted the scope and fired two more shots - again touching (you can see them on the right of the top picture). Brought the scope down and left another 1/4 MOA, fired the last shot and called it good. I was running out of light by then anyway.

One interesting thing - I recently switched to using CorrosionX on my guns, and fired that first cold group specifically to check whether a light film left in the bore would give a first-shot flyer. Doesn't seem to be a problem.

Hay mate I have a Miroku m-bolt in 7mm-08 which I have lost the mag for. There is not a lot of information on the internet about this rifle I am wondering if the a-bolt mag will fit this? Cheers

I'm 95% sure an a-bolt mag is identical. Either an a-bolt I or a-bolt II magazine should work (they're the same), but don't get an a-bolt III (AB3) magazine - it's a different design.

I don't think they distributed these rifles all that widely around the world - where are you based?

Cheers for your info, I am based in central Otago new zealand

I thought you might be from NZ too, I'm up in Hamilton. Seems like we got a fair percentage of however many m-bolts they made.