Stock Refinishing

Gun Stock Refinishing
	I prefer to do hand rubbed oil finishes for my clients. The oil I use is completely waterproof. Gloss is your choice, anything from low luster to high gloss. I fill all my stocks with a filler and 2 to 4 coats of sanded in oil finish to fill the pores of the wood. By the time the checkering is coated my stocks have 8 to 12 coats of finish.

	An important element of the refinishing process is stain (color). 99% of stocks have stain on them, it helps match color from fore end to butt stock, and it is needed to enhance the wood's natural color. I work hard at doing both with my stains in order to match color from one end of your gunstock to the other producing a wood finish that is the color of choice.
The photo above is a Winchester Model 70. Getting the color just right is important on Winchesters. This gun has gone deer hunting every year from 1949 until sometime in the 90's, and it was showing lots of wear.
	The gun to the left is a Wesley Richards that is discussed on our Repair page. The stock was broken in half last year. Once the two halves where epoxied back together, and the checkering was re-cut, only the front half of the stock was refinished. You can do that with oil finishes and never see a difference.

Questions I will have for you when we talk about refinishing your gun are;
Color: What color do you think you want your stock to be when we are done, dark brown, light brown, reddish brown etc. It is best to go with the the natural color of the wood, but sometimes the wood needs a little help.

Gloss: This is a big one. Try to tell me what degree of shine you expect on your stock.

Butt Treatment: Refinish work usually involves doing something to the butt plate, recoil pad or length of pull. Think about it, if it's a recoil pad you are interested in, decide what color, whether its smooth or sticky, white line or plain, etc. I will have a dozen questions on recoil pads.

Nothing but eye candy here, two rifles that were cleaned up with the stripper and refinishing tools. The upper gun required some glass bedding in the post area, the Mannlicher was built like the inside of a watch, nothing to do but add waterproof finish to the untreated wood and refinish the stock.

Pads, we got pads.

I do pads, including Silvers Pads. I also love to do checkered butt stocks. See my Rates page for costs.