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Greetings to all. I recently inherited a 1941 62A Winchester. The original buttstock was broken and I have ordered a replacement from Numrich (I hope that is a good source) and I’m wondering if I should finish it with Winchester Stock Oil (pre-64?) available on Ebay or perhaps tung oil with walnut stain? Something else? Thanks in advance for your thoughts. 
I know nothing about the 62’s. Most likely it is stained. The first coat of anything will cause the wood to fuzz up. I use a light coat of water over the entire stock and then let it dry. After drying sand off the fuzz. If you sand you must use a sanding block so everything is flat and you won’t round over the edges.
Use the old stock to experiment with stains to get the color you want. Now stain it. It may fuzz again. If so, use #0000 steel wool.
Whether it is oiled or varnished we can only tell if you send us a picture. If it is oiled, use Boiled linseed oil. 3 or 4 coats over a couple day period is usually enough. Use #0000 steel wool between coats. After the final coat hand rub it vigorously to polish it up. If varnished you could use Truoil. Again, hand apply enough coats so the wood has absorbed to the point there aren’t any dry spots. Sand between coats with 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper.
I’ve found most all so called winchester stains are too red, I mix my own using minwax stains (Walnut and Gunstock). Then use Tung Oil, the best wood protectent and looks like hard varnish but easyier to use. Be sure touse pure tung oil available on line. The stuff in hardware stores isn’t pure. The more coats the higher the shine, with no sanding inbetween.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
Vince said
I’ve found most all so called winchester stains are too red, I mix my own using minwax stains (Walnut and Gunstock). Then use Tung Oil, the best wood protectent and looks like hard varnish but easyier to use. Be sure touse pure tung oil available on line. The stuff in hardware stores isn’t pure. The more coats the higher the shine, with no sanding inbetween.
I agree with Vince except, if between coats you still have little nubs you need to remove them.
Some very handy advice here – thank you! The stock will be delivered this week and I will start the finishing process.
I had a discussion with one of the top Winchester restorers about his red/brown stain. He said, and I agree, that when the guns were new they had some red in them. After about 100 years though the red seems to have faded to more of a brown. I too do not use stains already mixed for Winchesters. I mix stains so they will match the rest of the gun. Sometimes I add a mahogany stain for some red.
Not sure what area you are in but if you have a retail paint store that sells old masters stain, the wiping stain has done a nice job on a few stocks I have done for a friend of mine. The store can match the other wood on the gun if necessary,but most times they will have a stock color that will work.It is a very thick heavy stain that you can let sit for a time then wipe it off( I am actually a professional painter and this stain is great for obtaining darker color without it appearing black).I used Formby’s low sheen for the finish and it turned out prettty nice, it’s just tricky to get it on in the right thickness and not allow sagging.
I got the Numrich stock yesterday and was very disappointed – It is at least 1/2″ shorter and 1/2″ thinner (height) than OEM. The buttstock plate will not come close to fitting. I knew it was going to be unfinished but it also was chipped and poorly shaped. Anyone have a suggestion on a source that might be a better match?
November 7, 2015
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I use Boyd for modern projects, not sure if they offer one for the 62.
Mike
[email protected] said
I got the Numrich stock yesterday and was very disappointed – It is at least 1/2″ shorter and 1/2″ thinner (height) than OEM. The buttstock plate will not come close to fitting. I knew it was going to be unfinished but it also was chipped and poorly shaped. Anyone have a suggestion on a source that might be a better match?
I have no experience with them but gunville.com lists repro stocks for the 62/62A
What about trying to find an original period stock? They turn up on the auction sites often and you could also put a WTB ad here and on rimfirecentral and wait until a good match shows up? It may not take as long as you think.
Great idea! I don’t have to do this by any specific date. I don’t know how the price might compare for an OEM part but worth investigating. Thanks.
Follow up: A nice member of this forum was able to provide an OEM stock from another rifle so I was able to keep the family heirloom “all Winchester”. That was important to me. My grandfather, whom I was never fortunate enough to meet, got this gun for my father when he turned 15. Last month, my Dad turned 91, so I was able to send him pictures today of his 1941 rifle in good condition. Thanks everyone.
That’s great news, and very glad to hear what you did for your Dad. Also, thanks for the follow up on the story for all of us to hear. The time honored task of keeping an old Winchester in the family is something we all like do. Kudos to our member who helped you out.
Bill
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