Eventually I sent the stock to a fellow in MS to have the checkering re-cut to the original pattern. I remember seeing on the news a tornado had touched down in his town while he had it - glad it didn't end up in the Land of OZ. While the stock was being worked on I carefully stoned out the barrel pits, hand polished the barrel and cold blued it along with sights, trigger guard and bottom metal. When the stock returned I refinished it with a few coats of Tru-oil cut 50/50 with paint thinner over the BLO with no further surface prep and it came out looking close to a rubbed oil finish while retaining the character marks. 

I was quite happy how this project turned out - just wish this rifle could talk. 

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