Well, the happy FedEx package arrived Friday.  Inside was a 1903A3, all wrapped up in grease paper.  And a healthy layer of grease and cosmoline.  

Upon dissasembly, the thing looks brand new.  The metal parts are flawless, except that the skinny front sight post is slightly bent to the right.  The barrel is marked "9-43", so it may be the original barrel, and the last four numbers of the SN are stamped into the stock, so it may be the original stock (unless this is something that they do upon rebuilding).  I haven't gotten all the grease out of the bore yet to check it out.  

I took the wood off and proceeded to scrub it (gently) with real hot water and Simple Green for a degreaser.  When it dried, it looked like it was down to the bare wood.  I put it out in the sun yesterday, and when it heated up, parts of the stock got all shiney with the grease/cosmoline coming to the surface.  I kept wiping it, but could only get the surface stuff off.  

So my question is, how do I get the rest of that stuff out?  I've seen posts on using gasoline - is that really a good idea?  Could I let it sit in the sun and wipe periodically with mineral spirits or turpentine?  I want to try to get it clean so the tung or linseed oil that I refinish it with will look right.

Thanks for any advice.

I like to use 1-1-1 trichloroethane or MEK, dries quickly with no residual stink. Be sure to stay upwind when using it. It can be found by the quart or gallon at Homo Depot. BLO works best for restoration.

Quoted: I like to use 1-1-1 trichloroethane or MEK, dries quickly with no residual stink. Be sure to stay upwind when using it. It can be found by the quart or gallon at Homo Depot. BLO works best for restoration.

Ummm...will I still be fertile if I inhale any?  

Quoted: I like to use 1-1-1 trichloroethane or MEK, dries quickly with no residual stink. Be sure to stay upwind when using it. It can be found by the quart or gallon at Homo Depot. BLO works best for restoration.

Is there a brand, or name of the product, or anything like that?

-Gloftoe

I assumed that "BLO" was the product brand, but I might be wrong.  

When I cleaned and re-oiled my CMP Garand stock, I used TSP (tri-sodium phosphate) and warm water to clean the goop out of the wood.  When I was done cleaning, I had no oil or grease leeching to the surface of the wood.  You might want to give it a try.

Also, Brownells sells a product call Stock Whiting (or something like that) that is supposed to draw the oil and grease out of the wood.  I've never used it, so I can't comment on its effectiveness.

Good luck.

Quoted: I assumed that "BLO" was the product brand, but I might be wrong.

BLO = Boiled Linseed Oil

I think you will find more information than you would want to know at this link.

Link to C&R Stock Cleaning Discussion Board

Thanks to everyone who's chimed in so far.  I'll try to post some pics of the rifle when I'm done with it.  

Does anyone have any info on the fact that the last 4 digits in the SN are stamped on the stock?  Was this done during a rebuild or is it original to the rifle?  

Go to jouster.com for the 03 discussion forum.  Lots of good info over there.  The numbers on the stock appears to be a practice of the last owner of theses rifles, generally credited as Greece.  It does not appear to be a standard US practice.  

There are a least a dozen different ways to clean the stocks on these things. I started with MEK as a solvent then went to Murhphy's Oil Soap and a toothbrush. I still get stuff oozing out, expecially from the handguards.  

Overall the A3's seem to be in better shape than the 03's, tho its still luck of the draw.I ended up with a Remington 03.  Excellent metal, adequate (and that's being generous) wood.  Almost all have been mixmasters to some extent.