H&R 12 stock upgrade

[hebes405]

This should be an interesting project. This is from richardson microfit stocks. AA fancy walnut. I'm a little disappointed in the figure of the wood but it may look better once I get it all sanded out. Overall it shouldn't take a lot to get it inlettted.
https://imgur.com/a/P7kE6cP
Right now I'm thinking of adding an adjustable cheek riser and 3-way adjustable buttplate. I will also glass bed it. Not sure if it's worth putting a pillar on the front action screw. There's definitely not enough space to pillar the rear action screw.

[broomhandle]

Hello hebes405,

Good luck with the project! I have a spare H&R stock, I have been thinking about refining some of the lines on it, to cut down the shear bulk of the stock and make it a better shooter in prone. I have to get some measurements of some of the better shaped stocks first.

My wife & I are planning to visit Camp Perry sometime between Aug 4 and 7th. Hope to pick up some stuff and visit with some of the great people I met last time including YOU!
I will not shoot, can't pull the target frames up and down any more! Arthritis and old age has given me a bad right shoulder.

Best wish's and good luck with all the match's you shoot in,
broom

[navyrifleman]

That is a nice looking stock blank. The right stain should really enhance that grain figure. What sort of finish are you planning for it?

[hebes405]

Originally Posted by navyrifleman

That is a nice looking stock blank. The right stain should really enhance that grain figure. What sort of finish are you planning for it?

I'm still undecided. I'm leaning towards danish oil then a couple coats of polyurethane. Open for suggestions. Wood worker I am not.

[weimar_police]

That grain ought to be real purdy when its stained

[navyrifleman]

I like to stain a walnut stock with a medium brown walnut oil stain by MinWax.

After they dry, and I get them the color I like, I use boiled linseed oil in a very light coat that I wipe off with a lintless cloth. I apply successive coats of linseed oil a day or two apart, each time wiping them down with the cloth. Doing it sparingly over the course of many days is the trick to a nice, even finish. This is true of any oil finish.

[hebes405]

I had thought about taking it to the local body shop and having it sprayed with a clear coat. That would seal it up!

[navyrifleman]

Originally Posted by hebes405

I had thought about taking it to the local body shop and having it sprayed with a clear coat. That would seal it up!

It certainly boils down to personal preference and choice. I am personally not a fan of varnish finishes on rifle stocks.

Varnish will seal it up to an extent, however it will also trap moisture IN. Now with a .22 rifle, you might not be out in the same sort of weather that a high power competition shooter or hunter would be, but I tend to look at a worse case scenario when considering a finish.

My military issue M-14 National Match rifle had a varnish finish and when shooting in rain, it would absorb moisture and fog up under the varnish. I have also seen this with some hunting shotguns.

Also, once the varnish/clear coat gets scratched, it is hard to fix to make it look nice again without a complete re-do. With a nice oil finish, you just have to rub some more oil on the scratch to cover it up and blend it in.

[USriflecal30]

Originally Posted by navyrifleman

It certainly boils down to personal preference and choice. I am personally not a fan of varnish finishes on rifle stocks.

Varnish will seal it up to an extent, however it will also trap moisture IN. Now with a .22 rifle, you might not be out in the same sort of weather that a high power competition shooter or hunter would be, but I tend to look at a worse case scenario when considering a finish.

My military issue M-14 National Match rifle had a varnish finish and when shooting in rain, it would absorb moisture and fog up under the varnish. I have also seen this with some hunting shotguns.

Also, once the varnish/clear coat gets scratched, it is hard to fix to make it look nice again without a complete re-do. With a nice oil finish, you just have to rub some more oil on the scratch to cover it up and blend it in.

Totally agree, just oil it. I like natural wood color, whatever it may be. I just finished an M12 stock a couple months ago. Original stock was split clean through the wrist, fellow forum member sent me a nice stock that already had a little (very little) shaping done to it, and really nice straight grain. I just sanded smooth, fit a Pachmyr pad that almost fit perfectly, tung oiled it, and called it good for now. This rifle is still unfired.

[Fireman Ron]

My first H&R M12 was from the CMP. The stock was a little rough to say the least. The wood didn't take the walnut stains I tried very well so I cleaned it and just for the hell of it I applied some Brown leather dye I purchased at a local leather shop. It worked very well and turned the wood a very nice cherry red/brown color. I think the brand was Fiebings or something similar. I get lots of comments on the color of that stock.