Got me a 1917

[Gmountain]

Winchester, that is, although there are a few Eddy parts on it. I just sort of lucked into it; a friend had some guns he wanted to get rid of, and he had never even fired them. Someone gave him a bunch of guns 20 years ago and he just oiled them up and squirreled them away. Got a great price.

The bore is beautiful-bright and shiny, with clean rifling. I do need to clean the stock...what do you guys reccomend.

[kf4zra]

does he have anymore old military guns he wants to sell? i am very interested.

keep in mind that cleaning the stock can decrease the value substantially, and there arent many 1917's around.

but if you decide to do it, you can use something like greased lightning or purple power to remove the old oil and grease in the stock, and leave it in the sun to dry.

then i put the stock in a black trash bag and leave it in the car for a few days for deeper oil to come back to the top. then repeat the purple power or greased lightning treatment.

repeat this process until all the old oil is out of the wood. then you need to decide whether you want to stain the wood or not.

after any staining dries for a day or 2, apply oil. i personally like tru-oil. its a mix of tung, and boiled linseed oil. some folks like straight tung oil. again totally up to you

after each coat dries, i hit it with 0000 steel wool till it is smooth. then add another coat of oil.

if you want the stock shiny, hit it with gunstock wax, if you want a flat finish, just finish it with the steel wool.

i used only 8 coats to do my m1891 mosin nagant, but used 40 coats to do my albanian sks. again, this is up to you.

good luck, and let me know which guns he wants to sell, i love the old stuff.

John

[kf4zra]

heres a few more helpful stock hints:

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/stocktips/index.asp

remember i need a new old rifle :)

John

[Gmountain]

He has a Ballard rifle..single shot, I am pretty sure, low wall. Lyman sights. I haven't seen it yet, but I will.

[kf4zra]

is it an original or reproduction?

i would be interested in it if i could find one that can fire smokeless cartridges.

any military arms? like your 1917, or 1903, or mausers, or ljungman, or hakim, carcanos, etc?