M14 Forum

ppcshooter1

I took my M1 apart to remove the cosmoline and had something odd happen. I removed the trigger group and the receiver fell out of the stock. Is this normal? I ask because when I remove the trigger group from my M-14S I still have to slap the butt when I separate it from the receiver.

Marty

bd111

What happens to those CMP rifles over long storage in preservative is all the moisture evaporates from the wood. When you get the cosmo out try giving the stock a steam bath with a steam iron over wet towels, let it dry in a normal temp room. Then hit it with successive coats of BLO or Gunny's mix or whatever you like.

PhillipM

Obviously that sounds loose but all hope is not lost. First put a business card on top of the floor plate and then snap it in. Can you pull the card our or is it pinched? Next grasp the stock at the wrist firmly and with the opposite hand grasp the action and see if there is any fore aft movement.

DSM1A

Don't throw up the red flag yet. One of my more accurate M1's does the same but locks up tight. Try as others mentioned. Clean the stock with steel wool and your cleaner of choice, I like mineral spirits. Try putting a few coats of BLO or Tung oil and see what happens. If the stock is aged it will soak it up quick. You may even want to cut the first coat with mineral spirits 1:1, and do 2 coats oil. The thing to pay close attention to is lock up and watch for the receiver to rock back and forth in the stock. You don't want it to rock. Another thing to look for is front ferrule interference, you want a little clearance on the face of the stock ferrule and the lower band. Having this will keep the recoil off the receiver and receiver legs.
Good luck and enjoy that M1.