Minelli Stock is crazy light in color

[John L. Lucci]

FYI: your stock bolts and nuts are in backwards...

Will it impede function other than looking off to an expert?? Getting them in without the proper spanner was a PITA and getting them out after being impacted with Tung oil isn't going to be pleasant.. Also, I seem to match many of the pictures of 1903A3s on Google. I Googled images of 1903s before I set the pins. The "new" production advertized by Aim Surplus has the bolts inserted left to right with the nuts screwed in on the bolt/right side of the rifle.

[John L. Lucci]

Went with some Minwax Dark Walnut and it's now much improved.. Attachment 31512

After this coat I hit it with a coat of red mahogany stain and it looked better yet.. going to give it one more coat in 5 hours and see how it stands then compared to the HG..

[John L. Lucci]

After this coat I hit it with a coat of red mahogany stain and it looked better yet.. going to give it one more coat in 5 hours and see how it stands then compared to the HG..

And here it is after the two coats of red Mahogany: 2015-07-01 19.27.52.jpg Handgard is still darker, but is close enough..

[chuckindenver]

i would say,,,AIM surplus rifles are far from originals...
no it wont change the function...but anything worth doing, is worth doing right..

[Johnny P]

Several outfits off a "Military Stain" to give the wood a slightly red tint. This is an original finish 1916 vintage 1903 that probably had nothing but linseed oil finish.

[louis]

I'm not an expert on staining but I would think that since you applied the Tung oil your stock would have difficulty absorbing any stain applied afterward. I use my own blend of red mahogany and dark walnut, let it soak in for awhile then rub it off. If necessary I apply a second coat after 12 hours or more. If I'm satisfied I use Tom's mix (a few coats) I left out all the sanding involved. I've read and seen photos of Garand stocks finished with Fieblings dark brown oil leather dye (alcohol based not water based), they look really good but haven't tried it myself. Just some very basic info

[John L. Lucci]

i would say,,,AIM surplus rifles are far from originals...
no it wont change the function...but anything worth doing, is worth doing right..

Except if you come across an unmolested original that is pinned similarly: 5485240026416b388877627d8046bc14.jpg Granted it's a Smith Corona..

[Punch the Clown]

Except if you come across an unmolested original that is pinned similarly: 5485240026416b388877627d8046bc14.jpg Granted it's a Smith Corona..

Those bolts are in correctly. They drive in from the left side and the nuts are on the right side-the bolt side.

[Major Tom]

Yeah, my stock bolts are exactly the same. Mine is a WW2 Remington.

[Southron]

When I worked for Euroarms of America in the 1970's, Euroarms in Brescia, Italy was getting the walnut for their gunstocks from Yugoslavia.

Regarding staining gunstocks....I found to get the best "dark walnut color" on a walnut stock when finishing it for the first time when I built a muzzleloader was to use a dark Mahogany stain!

The fella at this website says he has developed a military gunstock stain that works:

http://www.thegunstockdoctor.com/index.html

GOOD LUCK