# Granite Stocked Rifles, Sort of



## Sharps40 (Feb 24, 2010)

Attached is a Siamese Mauser 98, Caliber 45-70 installed in a Bell and Carlson Graphite/Kevlar Mauser 96 Stock.  How the 98 got fitted to a 96 stock is a long story for another day.  Essentially, a $400 savings over having a custom lay up for the Siamese drove that wagon.  

What you see is a faux stone finish, Granite in this case.  Good texture without being too abrasive to the cheek, even with 405g bullets at nearly 2000 fps.  It looks fine, wears fine and is easy to hold, even when wet.

Now, since you are highly unlikely to get any sort of paint or even acraglas to stick well on the thermoplastic stocks like Ramline, Chote, Rem or Win, we are talking about refinishing wood or the synthetic stocks that will acccept and hold a coat of good paint.

Heres how you do it.  After all the accuracy work (inletting, glassbedding, etc.) is completed, sand the stock to about 150 or 180 grit.  Give it a good coat or two of grey automotive primer - about any brand will do.  Just mask off all those good areas where you don't want paint.

Once the primer is set, hang up the stock and give it a light coat or two of Krylon "Make it Stone" textured paint finish.  I like Granite, it comes in other color combinations.  If you mess up, wipe it all off and shoot it again.  If you like, when the texture paint is nearly dry you can pat it down to knock off some of the highest "points".  Sort of like knocking off the burrs.  Let the stock hang until the Krylon Texture paint is good and dry.

Final coat is a good clear finish, either Krylon Clear or my preference to really maximize toughness of the finish is Brownells Metal Coat Matt Clear Epoxy.  If you choose the Brownells product, it will have a slight yellow tint but not objectionable since this finish is about as tough a topcoat as you can spray at home.  (Use the Brownells product above 70 degrees and follow the instructions to the letter or you'll have a sticky stock for 5 or 6 days!)

Short of putting it back together and sighting in, thats about it.  Enjoy.

V.R.


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## jglenn (Feb 25, 2010)

Sweet


had a 98 siamese in 45-70 years ago when you could do them for cheap... Shaw barrels had a deal where they would do all the work for around $130 including the barrel and bluing.....(yeah that was a few years ago....) 

wish I'd kept the rifle but it was a bit heavy and I got into light weight rifles..


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## Sharps40 (Feb 25, 2010)

This one has a Shaw barrel as well.  Good barrels and still do great work.  Overall, even with the price increases, I still think they provide a best buy in terms of qulaity barrels and work.


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## Dr. Strangelove (Feb 26, 2010)

Nice comforter!


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## Sharps40 (Feb 26, 2010)

I remember Where the Wild Thing Are.  My favorite batch of monsters!  Do we ever grow up?


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## cmshoot (Feb 27, 2010)

I like the whole setup.  Very nice!


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## Dr. Strangelove (Mar 4, 2010)

> I remember Where the Wild Thing Are. My favorite batch of monsters! Do we ever grow up?



I hope not!

Great looking stock, by the way...


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## seaweaver (Mar 4, 2010)

That looks nice. Is the Brownels Epoxy UV stable?
I think Krylon is the best spray paint out there. I use it all the time in touch ups on boats. I have done many boot stripes on large boats and they hold up great for a paint that sits right at the water line. It builds quick and polishes like a dream...must be the menhaden oil.
cw


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## rocinante (Mar 4, 2010)

I have used that same stuff on some car interior trim pieces.


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## Sharps40 (Mar 4, 2010)

Well I don't know about UV stability on the Brownells expoy.  But, it says in the instructions to hang it in either direct sunlight or in warm 90 degree circulating air.  First time I coated parts with it, it was cloudy and cold so I hung it in the basement and I had sticky parts for two weeks.  When I topcoated this stock, I hung it out in the sun, about 65 degrees temp and it was pretty well set in 6 or 8 hours.  Two more days hanging in the basement and it seems hard as a rock...sorry, pun.


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