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I would like recommendations on what measures to take to weatherproof my new Kimber 30-06 wood stock. I've read that the oil finish Kimber uses doesn't seal the wood against moisture very well and the barrel channel and inletting don't appear to have any finish. I'd like to keep the appearance the same on the outside as I do like the oil finish appearance, but am concerned about moisture protection as I live in the humid South and this is a rifle for hunting. I've read of various waxes,etc, but I want something to use on the checkering as well. I'm thinking of using satin finish polyurethane applied very sparingly and carefully to the inletting and barrel channel. Please help. Jed Green
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Campfire Kahuna
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Do not apply another finish on the oil unless it is oil... It will do no good and it will look ugly. The barrel channel does not have any finish or sealant of any kind. Problem is that sealing it differently from the outside of the stock might make the inside and outside take up water at different rates. That is when warping happens.
Apply oil finish to the barrel channel and you will not be sealing it. Apply spar varnish and it will seal it so the water comes from outside only. In wet conditions it will tend to warp toward the barrel.
I would oil the barrel channel and use a liberal coat of paste wax everywhere, including metal below the stock line.
On a side note, in general matte finishes are achieved by adding bad stuff to good finish. It is easier than applying the finish properly and buffing to the desired sheen. On stocks especially matte finishes should never be used. Start with gloss, always, then matte with rubbing compound and oil. art
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Thanks, Sitka. Any recommmendations on what wax to use. I saw in Home Depot the other day a paste wax by Minwax and I also saw a paste wax by Johnsons in the cleaning and floor care section. Any input appreciated. BTW, Sitka, your signature line is why I went with a pretty wood stocked gun and not a Montana.
Last edited by jedgreen; 11/10/07.
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
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Plain old Johnson's paste wax is great stuff, but I prefer Bri-Wax if you can find it.
I have not hunted with a plastic stocked gun in many years and have no intention to start... art
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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Jed, you might want to do a search of the Gunsmithing forum and read some of Sitka's stuff on Oil over Epoxy finishes. You'd have to strip the oil finish and start over but if you really want to have the most waterproof finish you can have on a wood stock Sitka's convinced me it's the way to go. I've been using "CPES" - Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer, that I got from Japan Woodworker but I think Sitka has another one that he prefers. Sitka, All of my Kimber wood stocked rifles have had finish on the inside of the barrel channel, just oil like the rest of the stock but it was there................................DJ
Remember this is all supposed to be for fun.......................
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DJ I have seen them with and without finish in the barrel channel, but I do not believe the ones with finish in the barrel channel were very thorough about it, leaving gaps everywhere.
I have never met a slow-cure epoxy I couldn't like. G-1 and G-2 from Industrial Formulators are my current versions, but I have use dmany and all worked fine. art
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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DJ I have seen them with and without finish in the barrel channel, but I do not believe the ones with finish in the barrel channel were very thorough about it, leaving gaps everywhere.
art Yea, but like you say even if they finished the channel thoroughly with oil it still won't waterproof the way we like em, epoxy's the way to go...........................DJ
Remember this is all supposed to be for fun.......................
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I think I'll go with a good wax job as the epoxy sounds more involved than I want. Any tricks to applying wax to the checkering? What about buffing it out? Old toothbrush? How many coats to apply?
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Jedgreen, Apply a good heavy coat of wax, Johnson's Paste or other decent wax and let dry to a haze.. Aapply into the checkering and IF you are of a mind to, remove barrel action from stockworks and do the hidden surfaces of the wood beneth barrel action mag well etc etc also.
You can buff off with a old tee shirt, or just leave as is for a non glare surface.
Take some wax and a rag with you so you can redo the treatment in the field after drying it IF the rifle gets really wetted down. I also wax the metal on my rifles with Johnson's paste wax.. Not water impervious, but does help shed water or rain during field use.Jim
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This is why God invented fiberglass.
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I have the exact rifle you do with one year under its belt.
I used the Johnson's paste wax and it really helped the stock shed water. I took a 1" dowel wrapped in fine sandpaper and polished down the rifle inlet and then put a coat of oil finish on it. It worked pretty well. I did apply some of the touch up oil to the checkering but I did not wax it. It will probably turn white on you.
In addition I hunted with one of those Bear Tooth rubberized gun sleeves on the stock. It protected the finish fine.
Will
Smellin' a lot of 'if' coming off this plan.
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This is why God invented fiberglass. He doth have a sense of humor.
<<<<<<<<<<<SPACE FOR RENT>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
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Key to keeping the stock straight is applying a similar finish to all surfaces. If you start with a straight piece of wood and keep the stresses equal it has a better chance of staying straight.
Seal the barrel channel perfectly on an oiled stock and let the oil finish absorb some water and the gambling begins in earnest... art
Mark Begich, Joaquin Jackson, and Heller resistance... Three huge reasons to worry about the NRA.
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