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Boiled linseed oil or tung oil. I believe I read somewhere that gunstocks were dipped in tung oil (post-war) once and allowed to dry before being assembled into a rifle at the factory.
After that initial tung oil treatment, rifles issued to soldiers were given applications of linseed oil by those soldiers. Linseed oil, if I remember my reading correctly, was what was in the supply system for the military. Naturally, soldiers (in peacetime) would find "wonder finishes" to apply to their rifles that would give it a high "parade ground" sheen. Just like using "leather luster" finish on black boots. It is faster and easier and looks pretty good. I imagine some of them got away with it.
Honestly, I have never read of soldiers applying linseed oil to their stocks while in combat. That doesn't mean it didn't happen. Perhaps it occurred when frontline units were taken offline for short periods for recuperation, etc. It is necessary for waterproofing the wood.
I was standing in line at the Camp Liberty PX in 2005 and noticed that the soldier in front of me had a sniper version of the M14 rifle, the M21. I was immediately struck dumb by the condition of his wood stock. It was so dried out it looked like bleached driftwood. I managed to refrain from launching into a discussion of the merits of regular applications of linseed oil to rifle stocks.
My own M14S wears a "big red birch" stock from Fred's. I played around with that finish. For about two weeks I would alternate a linseed oil coat, and then when that dried, a tung oil coat (not "tung oil finish"!). I eventually finished with several successive coats of tung in order to get the "wet wood" look that almost looks like a matte varnish finish. Looks pretty good and I know it is sealed excellently against water and probably pretty good against humidity too.
After that initial tung oil treatment, rifles issued to soldiers were given applications of linseed oil by those soldiers. Linseed oil, if I remember my reading correctly, was what was in the supply system for the military. Naturally, soldiers (in peacetime) would find "wonder finishes" to apply to their rifles that would give it a high "parade ground" sheen. Just like using "leather luster" finish on black boots. It is faster and easier and looks pretty good. I imagine some of them got away with it.
Honestly, I have never read of soldiers applying linseed oil to their stocks while in combat. That doesn't mean it didn't happen. Perhaps it occurred when frontline units were taken offline for short periods for recuperation, etc. It is necessary for waterproofing the wood.
I was standing in line at the Camp Liberty PX in 2005 and noticed that the soldier in front of me had a sniper version of the M14 rifle, the M21. I was immediately struck dumb by the condition of his wood stock. It was so dried out it looked like bleached driftwood. I managed to refrain from launching into a discussion of the merits of regular applications of linseed oil to rifle stocks.
My own M14S wears a "big red birch" stock from Fred's. I played around with that finish. For about two weeks I would alternate a linseed oil coat, and then when that dried, a tung oil coat (not "tung oil finish"!). I eventually finished with several successive coats of tung in order to get the "wet wood" look that almost looks like a matte varnish finish. Looks pretty good and I know it is sealed excellently against water and probably pretty good against humidity too.
