Help with cleaning damage on M39 stock

[RenoJames]

So I was letting an ammonia soaked patch sit in the barrel on my beloved Puolustuslaitos M39 while I was attending to something else. The ammonia/water ran down the stock and left this run line. The line on one side is slightly raised. Anyone have any suggestions for treating this damage?

[81turbota]

Looks like it stripped some of the pine tar finish, I have had excellent luck with the Finn mix stock wax from the gun stock dr for touching up damaged spots like this. It has pine tar in it and duplicates the factory Finn finish. Not expensive, check it out.
If this is considered refinishing, mods please edit.

Maybe others will have an easier method of repair

[RenoJames]

Thanks again, 81turbota!
That was exactly what I needed - good for future reference/projects as well. I don't see a Finn mix on the site, but I'll shoot him an e-mail.

[qz2026]

To be safe, if you are going to use cleaning agents in the bore or other metal parts that will strip your rifle's finish, it may be a good idea to remove the actionl from the stock before cleaning.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Shit, crap, f***! How many times have I gone on about using that cat piss crap in a bore!!! Now look at the mess it's made of yet another rifle. Hoppes 9, HOPPES 9, available at gunshops , Wal-Mart's, and the internet. It will strip copper fouling, and not harm anything on the rifle no matter if it sits in there a year. You will now have to buy and use some of the Fin wax mix to repair the damage, just touch up the spots you damaged, and get rid of that cat piss shit, get a big bottle of Hoppes 9. It comes in a few variety's, they all work, and have worked for more than a century. I will have to save this thread and trot it out whenever I see anybody going on about cat piss bore cleaners again, I hope you didn't use that crap because you read about it on this board.

[81turbota]

Renojames,
My mistake, it's pine tar mix on his site. I've just gotten used to saying Finn mix as it's specifically for the Finn tar finish.
I bought his combo of the pine tar and natural wax, as I can use them with various rifles with great results.
Let us know how it works for you

[RenoJames]

@qz2026 - yeah I usually do, but I was trying to multi-task

@Junk Yard Dog - I don't necessarily like to strip the copper fouling out of a barrel, esp an older barrel. Older barrels can tend to shoot better a bit seasoned.

@81turbota - OK great, thanks a lot. I'll order some.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I don't bother with copper fouling on milsurps I just plink with, what comes out with regular cleaning is good enough. I am more careful with the new rifles, these are new bores and they do not necessarily need a layer of copper plate in them, a fouling shot or two has them back on track. This is were Hoppes 9 excels, you can leave it wet in the bore and it will continue to do it's job as it sits without scrubbing, and it will not eat the steel. Hoppes when used regularly will prevent excessive buildup of copper in any rifle.

[Rongo]

As a rule... If I'm at the bench cleaning guns nothing is around me to cause distraction short of a random mushroom cloud or severe natural disaster. No Phones, TV, kids, wife or other distraction are to be found save for CD's quietly playing on my mancave stereo.

I don't waste my time with ammonia based bore cleaners at all. Good old Hoppe's 9 & or foaming bore cleaner/followed by a boiling water rinse. Aside from the nasty cat-piss smell, the ammonia cleaners instantly kill any bronze/copper brush it meets rendering them useless. I hate the stuff...

Also, The only time I clean a milsurp bore with the stock still attached to the action is after a quick range session. Two wet patches of Window cleaner (Because it's cheap), dry patches, then Hoppes with .338/8mm bore brush, patch again & a liberal patch of Break-Free CLP to protect. Done.

[Bugelson]

Looks like it stripped some of the pine tar finish, I have had excellent luck with the Finn mix stock wax from the gun stock dr for touching up damaged spots like this. It has pine tar in it and duplicates the factory Finn finish. Not expensive, check it out.
If this is considered refinishing, mods please edit.

Maybe others will have an easier method of repair

Guys, when you will believe there was no such thing as "pine tar finish" on any Finnish rifle ever.

The "pine tar finish" you talk about is rifle stock oil (consisting probably of BLO, wood pitch and painter's naphta) and BLO varnish.

[TopperT]

Shit happens ......but JYD is so right ..........Ballistol and Hoppes is ALL my rifles see........if things are really crappy, J&B Bore paste works wonders too. None of these will adversely affect your rifles finish if they get on it.. Good Luck.

[RenoJames]

Looks like it stripped some of the pine tar finish, I have had excellent luck with the Finn mix stock wax from the gun stock dr for touching up damaged spots like this. It has pine tar in it and duplicates the factory Finn finish. Not expensive, check it out.
If this is considered refinishing, mods please edit.

Maybe others will have an easier method of repair

Guys, when you will believe there was no such thing as "pine tar finish" on any Finnish rifle ever.

The "pine tar finish" you talk about is rifle stock oil (consisting probably of BLO, wood pitch and painter's naphta) and BLO varnish.

Any suggestions, then on how to repair this? Boiled linseed oil?

[zeebill]

That is just what water based products will do to a rifle finish, with or without ammonia. I saw it often on my black powder rifles if I wasn't real careful in cleaning. I prefer not to use BLO on anything to be honest about it. I would say multiple coats and time using maybe Lemon Oil or Balistoll or something that will darken and eventually remove the water stain. Not disaster! It happens when you clean things that way! Bill

[clayshooter2]

Shit, crap, f***! How many times have I gone on about using that cat piss crap in a bore!!! Now look at the mess it's made of yet another rifle. Hoppes 9, HOPPES 9, available at gunshops , Wal-Mart's, and the internet. It will strip copper fouling, and not harm anything on the rifle no matter if it sits in there a year.

I agree JYD, though you do have to watch it with Hoppes around the brass end caps on the hand guards. It doesn't total them, but it can do some damage (especially to the patina) due to the copper in the brass.

[zeebill]

Shit, crap, f***! How many times have I gone on about using that cat piss crap in a bore!!! Now look at the mess it's made of yet another rifle. Hoppes 9, HOPPES 9, available at gunshops , Wal-Mart's, and the internet. It will strip copper fouling, and not harm anything on the rifle no matter if it sits in there a year.

I agree JYD, though you do have to watch it with Hoppes around the brass end caps on the hand guards. It doesn't total them, but it can do some damage (especially to the patina) due to the copper in the brass.

I think I told you what Balistoll (which is 99% Mineral Oil) did to those rare copper end caps on that one Dragoon I have for sale. It flat lit them up like they were brand new and scared the crap out of me. I was deep into thinking what the heck did I grab instead of the oil! It just flat cleaned years of patina away instantly. I was upset but then I thought any kind of oil has a certain amount of detergency to it so just cleaning after shooting would have resulted in the same thing for it was the nature of the copper I guess. I just wiped the entire gun down with an oiled cloth and the lit up end caps were the result. They are cleaned off as a result of again the detergency of the oil and this is just a piece of nature. Frankly if it had not happened I would have never known they were mostly or maybe all copper versus the brass end caps we have all seen. They will sort of re-patina with time but they will be noticeable for sure. I have seen many things not noticeable without the use of oil pop out of wood surfaces and become readily visible as a result of using it but it is a double edged sword for sure. Even things like Kopper cleanser used on wood does some harm but also makes it last better against the elements and old Father Time. Sometimes the removal of dirt and maybe our efforts to rejuvenate finishes does cause a certain amount of damage but this is something I guess we all have thoughts and boundaries on and make individual decisions on in life.

Clayshooter brings up something we all should be aware of and that is reading labels thoroughly and understanding the meaning of those words. Often the one word we overlook is the one that catches us out to lunch. Been there and done that more than once too! I guess the idea is to be open minded and try to learn from things. Bill

[RenoJames]

That is just what water based products will do to a rifle finish, with or without ammonia. I saw it often on my black powder rifles if I wasn't real careful in cleaning. I prefer not to use BLO on anything to be honest about it. I would say multiple coats and time using maybe Lemon Oil or Balistoll or something that will darken and eventually remove the water stain. Not disaster! It happens when you clean things that way! Bill

Thanks zeebill and thanks all for the input. Lesson learned for sure and I'll consider my options after looking into things and learning a bit more about them.

[vblue42]

I have a suggestion about that sling..........Get the proper sling!

[RenoJames]

I have a suggestion about that sling..........Get the proper sling!

Sure. Send me one.

[vblue42]

Liberty Tree will send you one.