Enfield No.4 Mk1 Refinishing

U.P._Bear · 04-26-2008, 02:45 PM

Hi everyone,
I am new to this forum. I am building up a collection of the rifles that served in WWII. Just picked up a Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk1, made by Savage. It is stamped with "U.S. Property". I want to make it look nice again, but I want to do it right. Any suggestions for how I should refinish the stock and the other parts of the gun? And does anyone know what the original finish on the receiver, barrel, and other metal parts was.
Scott

I'll try to have some pics of it up soon.

Beaker · 04-27-2008, 05:34 AM

Lots of different ideas about how far to go so really its up to you but mine I kept fairly origional. All I did is wash the stock with hot water and detergent and one of those abrasive dish pads I then dried the wood well and then oiled it with Linseed oil until it shone

sh4d0ww4rri0r · 04-27-2008, 09:05 AM

Welcome to the forum! I am currently in process of refinishing my rifle. I will post pics when it is all done and show how I did it. If you like what I did then you can just follow my steps. I am not sure if anyone here is going to like what I did to this thing but I like how it looks so far.

USAF_462/2W1X1 · 05-18-2008, 06:48 PM

I also just bought a Savage No4 Mk1* and am wondering the same questions about finish. Mine is not in the best shape on the outside, medium pitting up at the muzzle and on the forward barrel band, but the rifling and bore are spectacular and mirror bright! All parts, including the magazine and bayonet, are stamed with the boxed "S" and all numbers match with no FTR stampings. I read that you can actually coat the parts with bake on flat black automotive paint and it turns out really well, but I am not sure what parts to do this to and what parts are supposed to be blued (if any). The only part on my rifle that retains its original finish (as far as I can tell) is the part of the barrel covered by the stock, it seams that whoever owned this before simply stripped all dark coatings off the rifle and left it with a silvery patina that is the bare metal. I want it to look damn good but I am not sure this automotive paint thing is the right way to go without decreasing the value and making it look worse!

Also anyone have any idea when it was made, there are no date stampings on it that I can find...

SN 83C89**

Thank you all for any help you can provide...

Toad

Iron_Colonel · 05-18-2008, 08:26 PM

Hey if you guys take a look in the Steyr forum, I have some posts about refinishing my own Steyr M95 Carbine. It changed a lot, but the sucker was old and aged and dark. Maybe that can help give you an idea of what it might look like.I used bioled linseed oil.

I prepped with mineral spirits. I wiped down the old finish pretty good then sanded it down until I had nice smooth original wood. (I also sanded out some of the deeper gouges). Then wiped it down with mineral spirits again to try to get off the loose wood dust from sanding (I also used an air compressor to blow some of the really fine dust that gets in some of the grain in the wood out, and in the area where the barrel and mag well reside), let it dry a bit then put on my BLO coats. I have 3 on it I think, and let them dry overnight, or at least 8 hrs before I applied another coat. There were directions on my can of BLO for rifle stocks, so it was a cakewalk.

SwedeSteve · 05-19-2008, 07:07 AM

Lots of ways to go. Go easy on the sanding! Take a look at the Mosin Forum Sticky on the subject. Wecome to G&G!

timberlord · 05-19-2008, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beaker

Lots of different ideas about how far to go so really its up to you but mine I kept fairly origional. All I did is wash the stock with hot water and detergent and one of those abrasive dish pads I then dried the wood well and then oiled it with Linseed oil until it shone

This is the way to go and without any real hassles.

The rifle was a battle rifle , it's going to have dings/bruises /stains , this will leave a personal "patina" to it's past along with stamps in the stocks and metal.
Even if the metal finish is worn , all I'd do is clean / oil .
Keep it simple .

ggordon · 05-19-2008, 06:44 PM

The metal finish on most No.4 Mk I's was done by oil hardening the metal. It was heated to 740 deg. Celsius and immersed in oil. Often, the oil would ignite and be allowed to burn off. This left behind a hard, black, carbonaceous finish.

It's hard to find someone to do this (and likely to be very expensive). If not done properly, it could ruin the temper of the receiver (action body) and make it unsafe to shoot. Matte black paint if fine and approximates the original finish well. In fact, when FTR'ing, the British used a type of thick black paint.

On some Indian No.4 MK I's bluing was performed but I hear it's rare to find.

To refinish the stock, I like to take Acetone on a rag and wipe the stock components. Soaking in acetone might be needed on stubborn wood. The beauty of acetone is that it works without abrasion and leaves stamps and markings beautifully intact. It will remove all soaked in oil and dirt. The less you sand the better. Just be careful with acetone fumes -- toxic and flammable.

Rub on several coats of BLO (boiled linseed oil) sparingly, leaving 2 or 3 days between coats. Rub it in by hand so that the heat of the friction will help it penetrate the wood. Sounds obscene!

Hope this helps.

Gregg

USAF_462/2W1X1 · 05-20-2008, 10:56 AM

Thanks Gordon, good info!!! More or less exactly what I was looking for!, I hope it helps Bear as well...

Thanks again!

Toad

04-26-2008, 02:45 PM	#1
U.P._Bear Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 3	Enfield No.4 Mk1 Refinishing Hi everyone, I am new to this forum. I am building up a collection of the rifles that served in WWII. Just picked up a Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk1, made by Savage. It is stamped with "U.S. Property". I want to make it look nice again, but I want to do it right. Any suggestions for how I should refinish the stock and the other parts of the gun? And does anyone know what the original finish on the receiver, barrel, and other metal parts was. Scott I'll try to have some pics of it up soon. Last edited by U.P._Bear; 04-27-2008 at 12:43 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

05-18-2008, 06:48 PM	#4
USAF_462/2W1X1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Currently Clovis, NM but Goldsboro, NC bound! Posts: 327 Blog Entries: 6	I also just bought a Savage No4 Mk1* and am wondering the same questions about finish. Mine is not in the best shape on the outside, medium pitting up at the muzzle and on the forward barrel band, but the rifling and bore are spectacular and mirror bright! All parts, including the magazine and bayonet, are stamed with the boxed "S" and all numbers match with no FTR stampings. I read that you can actually coat the parts with bake on flat black automotive paint and it turns out really well, but I am not sure what parts to do this to and what parts are supposed to be blued (if any). The only part on my rifle that retains its original finish (as far as I can tell) is the part of the barrel covered by the stock, it seams that whoever owned this before simply stripped all dark coatings off the rifle and left it with a silvery patina that is the bare metal. I want it to look damn good but I am not sure this automotive paint thing is the right way to go without decreasing the value and making it look worse! Also anyone have any idea when it was made, there are no date stampings on it that I can find... SN 83C89** Thank you all for any help you can provide... Toad Last edited by USAF_462/2W1X1; 05-18-2008 at 07:13 PM. Reason: Typing error

05-19-2008, 07:07 AM	#6
SwedeSteve Thor's Hammer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Alaska Posts: 10,372 Images: 1	Lots of ways to go. Go easy on the sanding! Take a look at the Mosin Forum Sticky on the subject. Wecome to G&G! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

05-19-2008, 06:44 PM	#8
ggordon Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 85	The metal finish on most No.4 Mk I's was done by oil hardening the metal. It was heated to 740 deg. Celsius and immersed in oil. Often, the oil would ignite and be allowed to burn off. This left behind a hard, black, carbonaceous finish. It's hard to find someone to do this (and likely to be very expensive). If not done properly, it could ruin the temper of the receiver (action body) and make it unsafe to shoot. Matte black paint if fine and approximates the original finish well. In fact, when FTR'ing, the British used a type of thick black paint. On some Indian No.4 MK I's bluing was performed but I hear it's rare to find. To refinish the stock, I like to take Acetone on a rag and wipe the stock components. Soaking in acetone might be needed on stubborn wood. The beauty of acetone is that it works without abrasion and leaves stamps and markings beautifully intact. It will remove all soaked in oil and dirt. The less you sand the better. Just be careful with acetone fumes -- toxic and flammable. Rub on several coats of BLO (boiled linseed oil) sparingly, leaving 2 or 3 days between coats. Rub it in by hand so that the heat of the friction will help it penetrate the wood. Sounds obscene! Hope this helps. Gregg Last edited by ggordon; 05-19-2008 at 06:48 PM.

04-27-2008, 05:34 AM	#2
Beaker Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Auckland, New Zealand Posts: 32	Lots of different ideas about how far to go so really its up to you but mine I kept fairly origional. All I did is wash the stock with hot water and detergent and one of those abrasive dish pads I then dried the wood well and then oiled it with Linseed oil until it shone

04-27-2008, 09:05 AM	#3
sh4d0ww4rri0r Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 186	Welcome to the forum! I am currently in process of refinishing my rifle. I will post pics when it is all done and show how I did it. If you like what I did then you can just follow my steps. I am not sure if anyone here is going to like what I did to this thing but I like how it looks so far.

05-18-2008, 08:26 PM	#5
Iron_Colonel Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington St. Posts: 376	Hey if you guys take a look in the Steyr forum, I have some posts about refinishing my own Steyr M95 Carbine. It changed a lot, but the sucker was old and aged and dark. Maybe that can help give you an idea of what it might look like.I used bioled linseed oil. I prepped with mineral spirits. I wiped down the old finish pretty good then sanded it down until I had nice smooth original wood. (I also sanded out some of the deeper gouges). Then wiped it down with mineral spirits again to try to get off the loose wood dust from sanding (I also used an air compressor to blow some of the really fine dust that gets in some of the grain in the wood out, and in the area where the barrel and mag well reside), let it dry a bit then put on my BLO coats. I have 3 on it I think, and let them dry overnight, or at least 8 hrs before I applied another coat. There were directions on my can of BLO for rifle stocks, so it was a cakewalk.

05-20-2008, 10:56 AM	#9
USAF_462/2W1X1 Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Currently Clovis, NM but Goldsboro, NC bound! Posts: 327 Blog Entries: 6	Thanks Gordon, good info!!! More or less exactly what I was looking for!, I hope it helps Bear as well... Thanks again! Toad