Factory wood repairs with wood putty

[DeWayne Hayes]

I have acquired an interesting SA Garand in the 5.4 M serial range that I believe is likely a Greek return (not the Garand I posted about in another thread, but one about 17,000 later 5.460 range). This one has really beautiful wood that is wholly ding free save for one small area with some wood filler in it, pictured below under magnification.

After studying this quite a bit, I'm convinced this was a wood repair done at Springfield when new, as the there is no sign of sanding or anything AFTER the stock was oiled, and the stock is perfect in every way short of this one spot. It appears to me from the dark colors of the wood bordering the spot where there is filler applied that this was a bark inclusion or void in the stock that probably only became visible when it was sanded to final profile.

I've seen brown putty repairs on original M14 stocks, and I've seen a Springfield manual that mentions brown "plastic" being applied as early as the 1903 Springfields, but I'm just wondering if any of you have original, unrefinished Garand stocks with this kind of factory (not arsenal overhaul) repair? This stock is so pretty, it's really like a pimple on an otherwise perfect face, but as I'm convinced it was done at the factory, it makes it a little more palatable!

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[dryheat]

That isn't your regular stock wood. That's award looking. Someone dinged it and did a poor job of trying to fix it.

[DeWayne Hayes]

I've examined it very closely in all sorts of light and I believe it's a bark inclusion/void in the walnut, not a rear sight ding or the like. If you look at the magnified image, only the last third of it is filler - the rest of it, which is dark color, is actual wood grain, which tells me it's the beginning of a bark inclusion/void, the deep part of which they filled. And the sanding on the stock all looks factory, including where that repair is (in other words, no sanding post-filler), so I'm convinced it was filled at SA before tung oil soak.

It is indeed very pretty wood, but I'm pretty certain this was a Greek return judging from some of the grease and little evidence of firing. Correct DAS and P cartouches. In every respect the same stock set as on my other Greek return, just lighter, prettier wood.

[Allen]

This isn't answering your question but what I'm seeing does look more like a void instead of a repair since you can see some grain under the dark stain. Regardless, I would not refinish it if that is your entensions. Any repairs would also be seen. I would consider the void as part of the trees character like a knot hole and just enjoy it like it is.

[dryheat]

You guys are probably right.

[DeWayne Hayes]

Allen, definitely not refinishing it! I wish it wasn't there, but 99.9% of the stock is the nicest original wood I've ever had on a military rifle, so I'm just going to learn to live with the imperfection. If it was good enough for SA inspectors, I'm not going to Bubba it.

I was just sharing the curiosity and wondering if anyone else had examples of these putty repairs on knotholes, voids, etc. As I say, I've seen them on M14 stocks, just never had a Garand with one before. And was shocked to learn they were using "brown plastic" as far back as the '03s.

D

[Allen]

Allen, definitely not refinishing it! I wish it wasn't there, but 99.9% of the stock is the nicest original wood I've ever had on a military rifle, so I'm just going to learn to live with the imperfection. If it was good enough for SA inspectors, I'm not going to Bubba it.

I was just sharing the curiosity and wondering if anyone else had examples of these putty repairs on knotholes, voids, etc. As I say, I've seen them on M14 stocks, just never had a Garand with one before. And was shocked to learn they were using "brown plastic" as far back as the '03s.

D

Obviously inspections were more concerned about strength and usefulness vs beauty and perfection. I've heard that walnut stocks that had the burl grain were often rejected due to the wood being more apt to crack so I imagine few were even produced, though I've seen some burl walnut M14 and M14 E2 stocks. Tiger stripes like yours on walnut and birch wood were OK.

[DeWayne Hayes]

For sure, cosmetics weren't paramount.

It's funny but just the other day I was looking at this picture of John Garand's 1,000,000 presentation rifle, and if you look at the very bottom of the pistol grip, it almost appears there's a filled fissure or knot. In figured wood, especially, with all the grain disruption, it's almost expected to find some defects of some sort.

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[Allen]

Well, in this case I definitely would have chosen a different/better stock but in war time production you going to toss a much needed stock simply because it has a small hole?

[DeWayne Hayes]

This pic of my stock in half-light shows clearly just how little of that long mark is filler putty - the majority of it is dark colored grain that you don't see at this angle. ... Which is what tells me it's an abnormality in the wood itself, like an inclusion or void. Slap a little filler in the deep part and move it on down the line.

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[DeWayne Hayes]

Interesting ... I was doing a little research on bark inclusions in gunstocks. I found these two pictures of inclusions on a maple gunstocks, including the way the makers filled the voids. Looks remarkably similar to what's going on with my Garand stock, including the long worm-like nature.

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[DeWayne Hayes]

Then there's this repair from a WWII British Lend-Lease Garand.

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