How to care for Wood stocks?

S

S.F.S

New member
What is a good way to take care of wood stocks on rifles and shotguns?
Do you polish them wax them or what? Also I don't want them to absorb to much moisture to affect accuracy.

I was told by someone at the range to rub them down down with a little gun oil.. What will that do besides make the stock very oily?
Thank you
for your help...
 
Careing for a Wood Stock

For rifle stocks that are not LAMINATED, I wipe them down with a dry cloth. Then rub BOILED LINSET [spelling is questionable] OIL. This water proofs and preserves the wood.
 
As Madison says boiled linseed oil cut 50-50 with mineral spirits paint thinner works well. As long as the stock is well rubbed with it inside and outside (this includes under the buttplate) moisture absorption will be minimum unless the stock is dropped in water or is unprotected in the rain. Do not over do this. Most stocks today have a pretty tough finish as they come from the factory, however it is worth ones while to check inside the stock and under the buttplate.
 
It may not sound good but i use Hope-9 gun oil on all on my wood stocks. It makes then look real good, and the oil stays in the wood for a long time.
 
%$^#@&*()@@!!!!!

after over 42 yrs. of hunting three years of USMC. Don't do anything to that stock but rub in a little oil, when you are ready to refinish the stock use plastic lightly sand it and then refinish it . linseed oil or its derivitives like linspeed oil only build up a coat that your going to have to sand out all that crap about wood falling apart is s*#!. When you are going to put your rifle away then is the time to refinish the stock. till then don't worry what to do with the stock just have fun with it . When your ready to retire I'm sure someone will be able to tell you how to refinish it ,some one like one of us old far**. Have fun hotdog
 
I just wipe mine down with a silicone treated cloth.

Here's something to consider. A while back I read that you should remove your butt plate and let your stock suck up varnish until it stops. It's supposed to seal the end grain and prevent stock distortion during periods of changing humidity.
 
wood stocks

Another thing to be careful of with wood stocks is to not leave excessive oil in the barrel and/or action. If you store the guns muzzle up (obviously the most common way), the oil will run down the barrel, into the action, then soak the wood and make it soft and discolored and may eventually split when fired. You can look at lots of older guns and see this.

When the wood is finished at the factory, I assume they mean "finished" (done). If you were going to hunt in rain, check to make sure the barrel channel is finished.
 
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