Thanks, Deej. I just GOTTA mod stuff. Can't stand bone-stock anything. Especially vehicles. My wife actually insisted we start leasing vehicles a few years ago because of all the modifications around here!
Our back yard.
Anyways, I slapped it back together for some pics this morning. The Tru-Oil has to cure for a week then I'll knock back the shine with Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen & Conditioner.
Here's the forend, and that battle scar. The pic doesn't do it justice. It's my favorite part of the whole refinishing project, and I'm delighted that I left it in and incorporated it into this. (It's in the upper right of the forend).
It's hard to see with so much shine, but there are more dents, dings, and small scratches in both pieces of wood. Once the sheen is dulled a bit, I use a little beeswax softened with turpentine, in which I dissolve a dab of regular brown shoe polish. It makes kind of a grungy brown paste, which I'll rub in well into the imperfections. Once it's wiped away a bit, it resembles a well-used and loved antique stock.
Then, I'll finish with a regular stock wax. I've used Pledge, Johnson's, hell even Mcguires car wax! Wax is wax.
Then I'll rub-a-dub until I get it where I want it.
The grip. I was on the fence about whether to keep the finger bump A2 style, or remove it so it's A1 style. I left it. It adds a little detail to a slab-sided piece of wood. If I would have checkered it, I would have removed the bump.
Keep in mind, the brass will be browned slightly with ammonia fumes, so it won't be that bright when it's done.
The sling mount plate was something I found at Numrich for a few bucks. It'll be distressed as well. Also, if you look along the bottom edge of the wood near the plate, you can see some of the distressing I'm talking about. Those will be a tiny bit more pronounced than they are now.
Here's a comparison shot of the two pieces of wood. Close enough for government work!
More in a week