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Hopefully I Did Not Get burned

2.4K views 39 replies 10 participants last post by  Hannover Fist  
#1 ·
I've been on the hunt for a really good stock, and spotted what I "think" is an original unissued Birch E2 stock from Canada. It has the liner, and stock end piece, but no other parts. After a quick look around, I decided why not go with Treeline's package of rubber buttpad, picatinny forward rail and swivel.
The price was not all that bad, and the wood sure does look like Birch to me, and the construction seems quite different from Sarco's re-pops.

With all that being said, I'm going to defer to the experts around here. What's the consensus folks...legit or not?

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#3 ·
#9 ·
I would love to, but unless you can tell where I can locate an original buttplate and lower handguard assembly, Treeline is going to be a better option for me, unless I just want this stock sitting around in the corner for years while I look for unicorn parts.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Not sure where in the manufacturing process the staining took place but I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Canadian E2 birch replacement stock without metal that was stained. If they were stained, could someone fill us in on this, I’ve never seen it discussed
This is a NOS CA M14A1 stock circa 1964, no metal (aside from ferrule) and was never mounted. It was stained via (correction) iodine by the manufacturer. I did nothing but add some Tung oil.

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#14 ·
First off, you know you got me drooling over that stock. Mine’s a plain jane birch, but I love it. Now I have a reason for another build. (Like I need one of those. 😎)
Secondly, I learn something new here almost every day. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate the free exchange of hard and sometimes expensively earned information. Outstanding. So these replacements came both ways. I’ve only seen one side of this equation, I think you’ve seen many more than I have. Any thoughts on what the ratio might be and why some stained and some unstained?
 
#26 ·
The replacement stocks came with the front ferrule attached, the stock liner was installed, and if you look real close at my picture of the stocks in the shipping crate, the yellowish package was the "accessory pack". Included was the mounting block and screws for the front grip, the metal channel liner, and the rubber plugs to fill in the holes not used by the front grip mounting block. No one seems to know why several thousand of these spare stocks were supplied but no butt plate assemblies and no front grips.. At least no one I've spoken with.

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#15 · (Edited)
Any thoughts on what the ratio might be and why some stained and some unstained?
My guess is the military might have required CA to strain their stocks as that seems common. Maybe H Sachs and Sons didn’t use as much stain or it didn’t penetrate as well? Either way, yellow birch comes in various grains and the stain might be unevenly seen in birch stocks.
 
#19 ·
I think I may try some of this aniline dye, as I absolutely love Random Guy's stock. Has anyone ever gone this route, and if so, what color is recomended? I might as well ask...would it be heresy to do this? I think my stock may have some flame after a treatment.
 
#25 ·
OP: your stock same as mine as far as I can tell. Mine had a oil finish that appears to be applied at manufacture. I put on the Tree Line rubber butt pad and the Tree Line picatinny rail so to mount bipod. For shooting purposes, these Tree Line additions make a huge difference. I found the GI issue butt assembly to be marginal for my shooting purposes but its fine for a battle rifle. The E2 stock has a purpose for me and its not for making a replica clone of M14E2 . Granted one can do that and fine with that. My purpose was shooting , pure and simple make my M1A a better range rifle. I consider it a M1A...not a real M14 so I don't get hung up with historically correct anything. I find the E2 stock ideal for shooting and range work.
 
#27 · (Edited)
I'll thro this tidbit out that came to me via long discussions with Bill Ricca (mostly about 03s, m1 Garands) but also M14s, and some emails to Lee Emerson, and a gentleman I bought some M1 stuff from many years ago (early 1980s) who worked at SA in the 40s and 50s and at the time I dealt with him he still lived walking distance to the armory..
This applies to Springfield Armory and may well be what other manufacturers did as well.
At SA, up to the early-mid 50s, walnut stocks were "double dunked" into the linseed oil tank. (no stains applied)
Early-mid 50s SA went to tung oil, again walnut stocks were "double dunked" into the tung oil tank (no stain applied)
When birch stocks 1st began, it was found that the grain was so tight it took too long to dry with a double dunk, so they got a single dunk. (no stain applied).

Now the one known exception, many TRW birch stocks did get a color added to darken them significantly and then oil treated. If you study stocks, you may have noticed that about many TRW birch stocks. If "unmolested", factory original, they tend to be quite dark. A dye or stain was applied.
 
#33 ·
The stock arrived today, and I could not be more pleased! I'm still waiting on the Treeline stock hardware, and in the meantime I'm trying to decide the best way forward. I know for a fact that using raw un-refined Linseed Oil will naturally darken up the stock over a few months, so before I make a mistake, should I go this route only, or try a light coat of aniline dye first?
While this stock has no tiger striping, it will have some beautiful flame accents when the darker parts get darker regardless of method. Idea's? Comments?
 
#34 ·
I use tung oil when working with birch. If you don’t like what the relatively clear tung oil does, you can apply the aniline dye at any point moving forward. I dilute the dye in alcohol so it takes several applications. Luckily, it dries quickly. Even a clear oil like tung will darken the wood. I usually get to within 2 coats or so of being done and adjust the color at that point, if I need to. Make sure you give the oil and then dye several days to cure/dry. Otherwise your next coat of oil will pull up allot of the dye you just put down. If you use RLO and dye, it may darken more than you want it to.
 
#35 ·
I think I will go RLO first, and see what happens. I can always add dye later if I think I need to. FWIW, I have a nice birch Garand stock that had to be stripped, and as you would expect, it was very light in color. All I used on it was un-refined RLO, and it darkened up a bit. After a few months, it got even darker and now looks like original finish.
I'll post some pics later after I work with it a bit.
 
#36 ·
Several coats of un-refined RLO and Treeline hardware. I've got some experience with Birch, and over some time, this stock will darken up naturally somewhat. Overall, I'm VERY pleased with the outcome, and the Treeline hardware was a perfect fit. The ergonomics have completely changed for the better, and I'm also betting that a scope on my Bassett Machine low scope mount is going to be just fine with a good cheek weld.
I still need to put a sling swivel on the front and get a Harris bipod, then install my Sparrow Hawk kit, but so far so good.
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#37 ·
Stock looks darn good. That Treeline hardware looks well made and allot more functional than the original. Good move. (Sarco E2 hardware=🤬) It’s almost like shooting a completely different rifle. Everybody’s different but I get a decent cheek/jaw weld using the SAI gen1 mount that might be a little higher than the low Bassett.