Stock Finish Job Complete

[DWalt]

The Model 81 in .30 Remington (ca July 1950) I bought last week is now complete. Metal finish was excellent, except for a couple of small dents in the bottom of the magazine well and a few rust freckles. I guess the magazine dents could be pounded out but as they are not too obtrusive and don't affect functioning, I'll probably leave them alone. The stock and fore end were badly scarred and scratched, with a fair number of dents in the fore end. I stripped both with acetone. The stock looked much better stripped, and it turned out to be relatively scratch and dent-free. The fore end was different. I did a little sanding on it, and it helped some, but I didn't want to go overboard. Anyway, I applied four coats of Minwax Tung Oil Finish to both, with 0000 steel wool buffing between coats. It turned out better than I expected, in that you can actually see some wood grain now. I couldn't see any under the original factory finish, which was a dull brown, sort of like a varnish stain. By the way, the Pachmayr butt pad was there when I got it.

[81police]

Nice work Dwalt! It's nice to see too that whomever installed the sling swivels actually used the factory hole in the barrel jacket. I grit my teeth when I see one where the swivel is installed in the forearm.

[DWalt]

I believe the previous owner(s) took pretty good care of it. It probably wasn't shot too much. but may have been carried a lot judging from the condition of the wood finish. Such good condition is also a benefit of finding one with a very late production date.

Too bad someone put on a rubber butt pad, but at least it's a Pachmayr rather than something from Sears Roebuck, and whoever installed it did a good job. From its aged appearance, the pad was installed long ago, maybe shortly after it was purchased. The stock length fits me well.

I didn't know about the front swing swivel mounting hole being in the jacket. I assumed that the swivels were OEM.

[81police]

those swivels are vintage but I don't think factory

[ctgodog]

Very nice job Dwalt. My 1907 Model 8 .30 Rem also has the same Pachmayr butt pad, which was there when I purchased the rifle.

Clint