# Most water resistant finish possible?



## elkins45 (Nov 15, 2011)

Hi:

I just joined and this is my first post. I'm in the process of refinishing a wood rifle stock and I want to make it as water resistant as possible. For those of you who aren't hunters or shooters I should explain a bit. Wood rifle stocks have fallen out of favor a bit in recent years as compared to synthetic or laminated wood because of the natural tendency of wood to absorb moisture and change dimensions slightly. As it turns out, those small dimensional changes can make a big difference in the point of impact of a rifle at longer ranges.

My particular rifle is a rather unusual left-handed variant that isn't too common so nobody makes an aftermarket stock for it that doesn't cost more than the rifle did! So that leaves me with the option of refinishing the existing walnut stock to make it as weather resistant as I can. I have already stripped and prepped it. All I need to do now is finish it.

My amateur wood finishing knowledge makes me think a polyurethane finish is the way to go, but I wanted to consult the experts before I went out and bought a can of finish. If you were trying to waterproof a piece of walnut what finish would you use?

Thanks in advance for any replies.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

I'd say a two part marine epoxy would be the best protection. I have done a few in poly, lacquer and spar but I'm planning to refinish the walnut stock on my Belgian Browning A-5 in epoxy now that I've been enlightened to how awesome it is.

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## 240sxguy (Sep 13, 2010)

West systems epoxy is what they use on boats which is what I assume ^ is basically talking about. 

Waterlox is another option.


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Yep... West System is what I use. If you get it be sure to get the metered pumps too... They work great and save you from a lot of trouble.

~tom ...it's better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt...


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

elkins45 said:


> Hi:
> 
> I just joined and this is my first post. I'm in the process of refinishing a wood rifle stock and I want to make it as water resistant as possible. For those of you who aren't hunters or shooters I should explain a bit. Wood rifle stocks have fallen out of favor a bit in recent years as compared to synthetic or laminated wood because of the natural tendency of wood to absorb moisture and change dimensions slightly. As it turns out, those small dimensional changes can make a big difference in the point of impact of a rifle at longer ranges.











I don't agree with the statement: _"Wood rifle stocks have fallen out of favor a bit in recent years as compared to synthetic or laminated wood because of the natural tendency of wood to absorb moisture and change dimensions slightly. As it turns out, those small dimensional changes can make a big difference in the point of impact of a rifle at longer ranges."_

I'm very sensitive to my rifles, and whatever moisture the stocks gains or loses, I don't notice the difference. Most commonly those stocks are just oiled. Sealing the wood in a film finish will eventually fail, as the wood cannot gain or expel vapor or air. Using a finish like an epoxy, or an oil base polyurethane will for all intents and purposes seal the wood. The stock would have to be removed from the rifle frame and any exposed wood would have to be sealed. Just finishing what's exposed won't prevent vapor from getting to the stock.

If it were my rifle...I wouldn't do it.













 







.


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## elkins45 (Nov 15, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> I don't agree with the statement: "Wood rifle stocks have fallen out of favor a bit in recent years as compared to synthetic or laminated wood because of the natural tendency of wood to absorb moisture and change dimensions slightly. As it turns out, those small dimensional changes can make a big difference in the point of impact of a rifle at longer ranges."
> 
> 
> If it were my rifle...I wouldn't do it.
> .


What would you suggest if you were refinishing a walnut stock?

I should add that I'm planning on epoxy bedding the barrel and action, so the inside is going to be fairly well impervious to moisture anyway. I've used Tru Oil and also traditional linseed oil & turpentine before, but it's mostly been on shotguns or other guns where I wasn't really concerned with high precision shooting. Theres a part of me that says just slap some spar varnish or poly on it and be done with it, but the traditionalist in me thinks an oil based finish could be oiled and waxed and be made almost as waterproof as a film. I like the idea of a finish that soaks into the wood.

Wonder about oil-based deck finishes? Those are designed to withstand constant exposure to the elements.


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## Midlandbob (Sep 5, 2011)

I would use only a penetrating oil on a gunstock. 
Pub bars have been made that way for centuries. The old expression daily for a week, weekly for a month, monthly for a year and yearly for life.
The oil finish with a bit of wax will stand up to most uses. It get better looking with time and wear.
- surface finishes like poly scratch and look worse with use. Poly does not stick to itself once dry so is not too good for something taking wear and scratches.
I have use west epoxy on paddles. It is awful to sand and buff but can give a finish as "good as plastic" because it is. It is not very resistant to ultra violet light so is usually made opaque in boats. The clear finish, if left in the sun, gets cloudy after a few years.
- shooting accuracy is related to how the barrel is attached. Check with a gun expert but I think the super accurate rifles have "free floating" barrels.
I have had target rifles and once had a 22-250 that were more accurate than all but the most accurate shooter.
Bob


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## Shade (Nov 15, 2011)

My son and I just refinished his Stevens Model 87A stock I used Tung oil. I would suggest an oil finish and not a coating for the 
reasons mentioned above.

BTW it turned out great!


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## Carlo Bartolini (Aug 30, 2011)

Epoxy if receives UV turns yellow, brittle and opaque with time, in boats we have to coat epoxy'd wood with several coats of UV poly to protect it from UV, it is as resistant as I know (except perhaps solid polyurethane coating, but I've never tried it)...and it looks like plastic...

this report on protecting wood from humidity is interesting

www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/pdf1987/feist87a.pdf


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## Jim6620 (Jan 17, 2011)

The best and most simple (as long as you can keep the dust out) is Epifanes marine varnish. Read the can. The first coat is thinned 50% then 25%... 10%. This product is designed for very oily woods and if applied correctly will grab deep into the fibers of the wood and provide a solid finish. Epoxy has a low viscosity and will not penetrate as deep, and the uv rays will break down the raw epoxy. Don't over sand go only up to 120 grit.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

I wasn't gonna respond as it just adds confusion to a very deep subject....oh well.

The OP added a very important point....its a Lefty so sorta answers replacement stock question.

But theres a few more questions.....how valuble is the pkg?Any historical significance? and a host of other questions.

>We use alot of epoxy....on guns and bows.In my mind it does NOT seal out every bit of moisture.That would take a film thickness beyond what you'd call a "finish".And I'm talkn every square mm of surface(even inside holes N such).

>Right here we need to interject whats making the gun lose its zero...IOWs why is the wood moving?Deep subject to include bedding,free floating,yadayada.BUT,if you have a POS stock to begin with there ain't no amt of finish or in the case of epoxy above,gonna "fix" it....period.

>Epoxy in my mind gets the "nod" when you're looking for other properties,moreso than moisture barrier.It can be mixed to give a degree of toughness to stocks exterior that leaves everything else far behind.And you can blend for different degrees of shock resistance...........think of dropping it in a gravel driveway,vs draging it through a briar patch.

It is also easy to apply.....we're "hoser's".IOWs,give me two med-heavy coats instaed of trying to keep doing thin coats.But thats us....you need to figure which works better for you-all.

Its easy to fix....somewhat correlated with film thickness,but easy nonetheless.

I like how you can scratch the livin chit out of it and then hit it with some steel wool or a variety of products and we're almost back to sq one.

>Epoxy however is NOT the only finish....it has some very good strong points......but the one thing most associate with it,in my pea brain isn't one of them.Looks is an aquired taste....Epoxy looks like it.Works fine on "working" and/or professional hunting rigs.Looks ghetto on anything remotely associated "fine guns"....just my,ghetto Martha opinion.haha,BW


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