Thread: An old war hero back in service

M1 thumb is worse than a case of slide bite from an auto. You just have to work the bolt smartly. Make sure it is actually locked back and when you put the clip in keep a finger over the charge handle if it slips forward. Dad had an M14 in Korea and he still talks about how nice it was. He was in town when it arrived so I let him christen it at the range. I think he enjoyed it. The recoil is surprisingly tame in comparison to a bolt, the o3a3 kicks much harder. I stripped the wood off, gave it a wipe with some 600 grit to de-fuzz the wood and am putting some linspeed oil on it. Linseed oil does not harden, linspeed oil has a resin that hardens and seals but keeps the matt oil look. I should have it ready to put back together later this week. I would still like a M1a and a Thompson but those are conquests for another day.

The Old Man did some good work with its baby bro the em1 carbine when he hooked up with Pattons tank column, Dad had been a POW for over 4 years, and was being marched into Germany at the end of the war.
You have a great score there, and a great piece of youre history. Have plenty fun !!

Cheers

Heelerau

I have a nice M1A which is also a great shooter, but I am really in heat with your new rifle.

Awesome!!

Enjoy!!

That is gorgeous. I've been eyeing one for a while. The CMP deal is really good. Last time I looked (couple years ago) they offered I think three different grades of them. Someday I'm gonna shut down this baby factory so I can have nice toys things again.

Even an old solder deserves a nice suite. I stripped the furniture off and went to work in the wood shop. I gave the dry walnut a good sanding to de-fuzz and smooth out the milling and hand fitted the wood. Then it got 10 coats of true oil. The traditional finish is linseed oil but the problem with it, it never cures. Linseed stays liquid, forever. Trueoil is a gun stock finish with a polymerised linseed. It has a resin that hardens. So I gave the wood 12 coats and sanded the finish back to the wood on the 6th coat to fill in all the wood grain. Then steel wool'd between each coat after that to build up a deep gloss finish more common on custom shotguns than a battle rifle. I was concerned the gloss finish would not look good with the parkerized matt finish of the rifle. Once I put it back together, that went out the window. The contrast really makes it pop. I will have to take a couple better photos tomorrow in the daylight.

Better photos.

Oh that is so sweeeet! If she were single I'd marry her meself .


Mick

Very nice! Here's mine, WRA 1942.