I have a Winchester Model 100 .243 that was handed down to me by my dad. I love the gun and still use it exclusively. The stock is....... well.... beat up. It never bothered me before because i didn't need to care if i leaned it against a post or barbed wire fence. but, I was thinking of refinishing it. Anyone with any experience? is there anything i need to look for so i don't get half way through and have an "oh chit" moment?

I'll see if I can dig up log's write up, it was pretty good

Log's write up was for military type finishes, which are decidedly crude compared to a good hunting rifle finish.

Does your current stock have some sort of urethene type clear coat on it now, or was it more of a satin finish job that is pretty common?

The easiest thing to do is sand, steam, sand and refinish - it's really not complicated, just not something you want to haul ass through.

Pretty sure that there is a urethene finish. I was given the rifle in about 1980 and it was my dads before that. when i got it, it was already beaten up pretty good. They started using the basket weave design in 1964 so its probably a from the 60's. Did they do urethene finishes back then?

OK, with minimal detective work, it has the original lacquer finish.

1. Strip the laquer with some thinner or other removing agent, using care not to overdo any areas or otherwise damage the wood.

2. Steam out as many dents as you can.

3. Lightly sand to smooth out the grain raised by the steam. Take precaution not to sand too much, especially around corners, rounded edges, comb of the stock, etc. You just want to smooth it back out from the steaming.

4. Stain with color of your choice, if so desired.

5. Recoat with some urethene to whatever gloss you desire.

What do you use as a steamer?

Iron with a burst setting works great.

Get a washcloth, soak it in water, wring it out, place over dents, use burst setting on iron to steam out dents. It may take a couple of passes on some of them, especially if they are pretty deep.

You won't get them all, but you can really see a difference on the lighter/shallower dents after you make a few passes with some steam.

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FTW.

Can you get dents out without stripping and refinishing?

I refinished an old Savage that was in the family since '47. Like mentioned above, sand, sand again and keep sanding until no old stain is remaining. Then I used the Birchwood Casey gunstock refinish kit. I did two coats over 24 hours of the walnut stain and then 9 coats of the tongue oil over 10 days to build up a beautiful deep laquer. I found that using my fingers to rub in the tongue oil was the key to getting a silky smooth finish.

[This message has been edited by Fido 96 (edited 3/21/2012 8:38p).]

Maturin - it depends on what the finish is. If it's a sealer (laquer, urethane, tounge oil/urethane combo), you'll ahve to remove the sealer so that the grain is exposed and water can penetrate into it.

If it's a military finish (BLO, tounge oil), you don't necessarily need to strip because the grain is already exposed. It will depend on how much of the oil is in the wood - in this case, Log or PP's methods are the ones to adhere to.

Never refinished a rifle, but I've built several guitars and finished them with Tru-Oil. I get it at BPS. It's very easy to use, and gets very smooth and solid when it's cured.

EDIT: Tru-Oil is part of the Birchwood-Casey finishing kit FIDO mentioned. So consider my post a +1.

[This message has been edited by jkn09 (edited 3/21/2012 10:36p).]

I don't think it matters what type of finish is on it, it's going to come off (or at least be ruined) if you steam it.

quote:

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but I've built several guitars

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jkn09 - I would love to do this some day, and have many questions. Would you please send me an email. It's in my profile.

Email sent. Fire away!

Here's a long answer to a short question. I've refinished several stocks and I use a stripper containing Methylene Chloride. I like Jasco Premium Paint & Epoxy Remover. I get it at Ace Hardware. First I place a 1/2" dowel rod in the barrel channel and screw it in place with wood screws through the action screw holes. Make this rod extend 6-8" beyond the stock. This gives you a handle when stripping and finishing. Wear rubber gloves and use only outdoors. After brushing on a thick coat of stripper I let it sit for about 20 minutes and then scrub it with course steel wool. I use MEK to wipe the whole stock when I'm satisfied all the original finish has been ren removed. There is no need to strip the finish off the inside of the stock including the barrel channel.

Steaming, as described above, will raise most dents but not all. Hand sand only and always with the grain. Mechanical sanders can leave swirls or circles that are dificult to remove. Start with 100 grit and after you get the smoothness you want then "whisker" it. To whisker, lightly wet the surface and use a blow dryer on the hottest setting heat the surface until all the moisture is gone. Feel the surface and you will feel tiny splinters sticking out that feel like whiskers. I whisker 3-4 times or until I no longer feel them. Using 180-220 grit sand the stock and whisker again.

To stain or not is your choice. I like to use Minwax but that is my choice. For finishing I have used Tru Oil, GB Linspeed Oil, BLO and several other type products. Years ago an old furniture refinisher put me on Deft Wood Finish. After the staining is complete I spray on the first coat to set the stain. After that is thoroughly dry I brush on 3-4 coats and let them thoroughly dry then smooth the surface with 0000 steel wool. I repeat this process until the grain is filled to my satisfaction. This usually takes 8-10 days. If you like the finish at this point do nothing further. If you want a high gloss finish spray on 2 or 3 coats of gloss Deft.

During the sanding and steel wool process you will need to blow the dust off the wood. If you don't have a compressor use those canned air things like Dust Off. After each rub down with steel wool use a tack cloth to remove the dust.

[This message has been edited by Msgt USAF Ret (edited 3/22/2012 12:29a).]

What Airforce says is the way you want to go if you want it to look professional. The little bit of stock work I've done in gun shops was similar to what he said. I'm far from being an expert at it, but I've learned a lot. When applying the finish, the idea is to get the pores filled. This means applying finish, letting it dry, cutting it back and repeat until the pores of the wood are completely filled.

I've got a couple of really good sets of instructions from the gunsmiths that taught me, but I can't find them now. I'll try to dig them up. I've got a rifle that needs a new piece of walnut so I need some practice anyway.

marcel, I'm not sure what you're asking here. "What Airforce says is the way you want to go if you want it to look professional."

I worked as a gunsmith for 30 years and this is the way I did it. It's not for everyone

I think what he's saying, Airforce, is that your method is the right way to do it.

You're right Schmelba. I just read it wrong.

Sorry about that marcel.

Brownells carries a stain and a filler that match the Winchester stain color ... a red tint...I am currently doing a Winchester 62-A...I like Tru Oil for the final finish ...dead easy. I am also refinishing my Remington 514 .22 that I received as my first weapon (other than my quail killing Daisy Model 25 pump BB gun)on my 12th birthday in 1959...I just steamed out the big dents, lightly sanded and hand rubbed in 2 coats...rich brown color...like I said...dead easy

Oh..yea

Use a tooth brush to strip the checkering and before you sand, put masking or painters tape over the checkering to protect it while sanding...then when you brush on or hand rub on the finish, cleanup the checkering grooves with a toothbrush before it dries.

Final hint...sometimes it takes overnight drying after you steam for the dents to raise....so don't overdo it in one sitting

I'm really happy to see this thread, because I have a 25-06 rem 700 that needs a new finish bad. The past few years the clear outer coat has been kinda chipping off. Not sure what actual substance it is. Its come off pretty easy tho. A small dent in one part of the stock, then it just started peeling off from the dent.
How can I tell what it is? And should I just peel it all off, then just sand a bit and stain it and then gloss it if I want?

trey, does your stock have cut or pressed checkering? The older stocks with cut checkering are finished with a type of laquer that is easily removed. Pressed checkered stocks are finished with a type of urethane or epoxy that is very tough. I worked at a shop that was an Authorized Remington Repair Station. Thinking they would tell me I wrote Remington and asked how was the best way to remove this type of finished and they wouldn't tell me. They said that if I would send them the stock they would refinish it and send it back (for a fee of course). I ended up heating the finished with a torch until it started to bubble and then scraped it off. This process took about 8 hours. This was the only stock like this I ever refinished and wouldn't take in another one.

If yours is peeling as you said you might try paint remover and if that doesn't work you may have to use a scraper on it. Good luck. Let us know how it works out.

Kjodie, Let us know how yours turns out also.

[This message has been edited by Msgt USAF Ret (edited 3/23/2012 12:41a).]

Airforce, is that a Remington exclusive? I have a basket weave pattern (that i believe is pressed in) on the forestock. Is this going to have the same problem?

Kjodie, to the best of my recollection it is Remington exclusive. At least that is my experience. Although I've built stocks recently I've not refinished a stock in a dozen years so I don't know about the more modern weapons. If you are talking about your Winchester then it should be a type of laquer and not a problem.

One thing I forgot to say above: sand the stock with with the butt plate installed. You wont run the risk of rounding the edges of the butt. If it's baklite you can apply the finish to it too. If it's metal, remove it and be very careful when sanding in that area.

Now that I think about it, I believe my stock does have the pressed checkering. I remember thinking about it when I first noticed the peeling and thought about refinishing it. I'm positive I can get the rest of it off with just something to help peel the coating off; knife, screwdriver, probably a credit card or razorblade. I'll try this weekend and see how it goes, then I'll probably get recommendations on stain/finish to use

Trey, WOW that is some dry finish you've got there. A credit card? Get a Red Devil scraper from Lowes or a hardware store. You'll have more control, it has two edges and it can be resharpened. Make long, light strokes and you should be fine.

There may have been a transition period at Remington where they pressed the checkering and still used a traditional laquer but I don't know.

Hah, well I'm not positive cause it's been a couple of years since I've even handled it much, but the section that was coming off was peeling a great deal. Maybe the checkering isn't pressed, I'll take some pictures tomorrow of it and post them and show you what's going on