Shotgun Refinishing

6707 Views 197 Replies 16 Participants Last post by TrueGrit, 1 mo ago

WoodsMaster

Discussion Starter · 6 mo ago

2

Happy Monday all,
I was recently given this Stevens 311a in .410 as a project gun. It needs a new buttplate, the blueing is rough and the stock could definitely use a good sanding/stain.

I’ve never done something like this before so I thought I’d ask you all for some tips/tricks to refinishing. Recommended products? Preferred procedures? I’d like to do this right so any advice is greatly appreciated!

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KEVIN

· #101 · 4 mo ago

Thunderstick said:
Yes I keep the vaccum close by and vaccum the stock and myself after each sanding. Nice job. Harder to do a stock with the checkering. To much playing around will end up taking the checkering away. One has to be careful.

I don't touch the checkering at all when I'm doing the multiple coats on any of the stocks that has it. I'll mask it off if I have to before I start.
Carefully, I'll use a soft kids tooth brush for the checkering with the final coat...gets into the pattern real nice and no excess runnin around. A few double pointed tooth picks to clean around the master lines of the checkering when the T Oil is still wet is the finishing touch...unless the stock requires a dull / satin look...then that's the finale !

3macs1

· #102 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

KEVIN said:
The spray does a real great job. Nice and glossy too...BUTT...there's always a butt....the tip clogs very easily after the first use. Turing the can upside down and spraying again to unclog does NOT seem to make any diff like rattle can paint. Needle and acetone usually does it for me....annnd, It will run veeerrry easily when applying. NO excess or second coats right away at all !

Come on now you are talking to the spray can junkie doing old cars antiques etc

I have like a few 100 tips I save off every can on the top of my tool box before I toss the can and find most cans use a standard size and if a tip that does as you say take the tip off every coat and soak it and they normally don't clog just remember to give a quick squirt in the air to prevent any thinner from hitting the wood I do pretty much the same on the checkering masking it off unless it is just a quick job and I am not fussy if it gets full like that superx1 field I did
It is those dam spray foam cans I have the issues with have I would say at least 10 in a milk crate that are new and no way will anything come out of them and don't say return them since I found out they have a best before date

Yep more stupid hoarding. Buy a case when on sale for the next project and don't use for over a year and now useless most of them. One works I have to keep going until it is empty since there is no restarting

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3macs1

· #103 · 4 mo ago

TonyM said:
Wow looks great now! Nice work!
Are the before pictures taken with stripper on the old finish? If not, what the heck happened to the rifle for it to look like that?

I am glad Kevin clarified since being an old lever I thought it may just be some form of rare fungus

growing sometimes they catch it from being too close to old FORDS

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TonyM

· #104 · 4 mo ago

3macs1 said:
Come on now you are talking to the spray can junkie doing old cars antiques etc I have like a few 100 tips I save off every can on the top of my tool box before I toss the can and find most cans use a standard size and if a tip that does as you say take the tip off every coat and soak it and they normally don't clog just remember to give a quick squirt in the air to prevent any thinner from hitting the wood I do pretty much the same on the checkering masking it off unless it is just a quick job and I am not fussy if it gets full like that superx1 field I did
It is those dam spray foam cans I have the issues with have I would say at least 10 in a milk crate that are new and no way will anything come out of them and don't say return them since I found out they have a best before date Yep more stupid hoarding. Buy a case when on sale for the next project and don't use for over a year and now useless most of them. One works I have to keep going until it is empty since there is no restarting

Try acetone to clear the tip. I looked online and that was the suggestion. Another was to put a toothpick into the noozle when still wet so you can pull it and the dried foam out later in. Haven't tried either yet. But, I have a can here I'm going to try to bring back from the dead. A tiny bit was used and then the can was let sit.

Reactions: 1

Thunderstick

· #105 · 4 mo ago

KEVIN said:
The spray does a real great job. Nice and glossy too...BUTT...there's always a butt....the tip clogs very easily after the first use. Turing the can upside down and spraying again to unclog does NOT seem to make any diff like rattle can paint. Needle and acetone usually does it for me....annnd, It will run veeerrry easily when applying. NO excess or second coats right away at all !

I bought a rifle one time that someone in an auto motive paint shop did the stocks. It was a thick clear sprayed coating. To this day never seen anything like it. It almost looked like a glass coating.

Thunderstick

· #106 · 4 mo ago

KEVIN said:
I don't touch the checkering at all when I'm doing the multiple coats on any of the stocks that has it. I'll mask it off if I have to before I start.
Carefully, I'll use a soft kids tooth brush for the checkering with the final coat...gets into the pattern real nice and no excess runnin around. A few double pointed tooth picks to clean around the master lines of the checkering when the T Oil is still wet is the finishing touch...unless the stock requires a dull / satin look...then that's the finale !

Its not easy. I used a little pack of automotive brushes on mine, the plastic and brass one to lightly clean with out damaging the points. Worked ok, simular as the tooth brush. A lot of people don't strip and clean that area and then it looks darker when finished and one can easily tell.

3macs1

· #107 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

Thunderstick said:
I bought a rifle one time that someone in an auto motive paint shop did the stocks. It was a thick clear sprayed coating. To this day never seen anything like it. It almost looked like a glass coating.

Best I have even had done was by a guy that restored antique furniture in a small shop He had never done a gun stock before but man he sure knew how to finish wood

greybeard

· #108 · 4 mo ago

Excellent thread, I have only refinished one gun, a Remington 870 a number of year ago and I used an iron over a wet cloth to take out the dents in the wood and then finished the wood with many coats of Tru-Oil and steel wool in between.
It turned out really good I thought.
This thread makes me want to get another project gun and do it over.

Reactions: 2

WoodsMaster

Discussion Starter · #109 · 4 mo ago

No Hijack at all Kev, like I said to ya, it's turning out beautifully!

I'll be starting the Tru Oil on mine this weekend.

KEVIN

· #110 · 3 mo ago

10

Sooo after doin my buds 308 BLR stocks, I thought it's high time to take my Browning 425 apart and give her a face lift for 2023.
Stock stripped and sanded off to 400 grit...wet sanded 4 or five more times with 600 grit. Soaked the receiver butts of the stock in alcohol and degreased it.
Added some stain..resanded...then Tru Oil time. Few sanded pics then 10 coats of Tru Oil pics.

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KEVIN

· #111 · 3 mo ago

12 coats of Tru Oil so far. 8 more to go

TonyM

· #112 · 3 mo ago

KEVIN said:
Sooo after doin my buds 308 BLR stocks, I thought it's high time to take my Browning 425 apart and give her a face lift for 2023.
Stock stripped and sanded off to 400 grit...wet sanded 4 or five more times with 600 grit. Soaked the receiver butts of the stock in alcohol and degreased it.
Added some stain..resanded...then Tru Oil time. Few sanded pics then 10 coats of Tru Oil pics.

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That is an absolutely beautiful stock! Damm nice work there too !!

KEVIN

· #113 · 3 mo ago

thanks T !!

TrueGrit

· #114 · 3 mo ago

Beautiful work !!

Tyson10gauge

· #115 · 3 mo ago

Very nice work indeed

Buckmark

· #116 · 3 mo ago

Some nice lumber there. Great work !!

KEVIN

· #117 · 3 mo ago

I thought so too BM. Too nice to leave behind that old marred up finish ! I had to break it free. Lol

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louisbear

· #118 · 3 mo ago

Kevin, if you look close at the last pic near the butt stock you can the the Cat’s Eyes and nose. Beautiful swirls and kinda like tiger wood grain you brought to life. Very Nice!

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gary

· #119 · 3 mo ago

definitely got something going with that grain popping out like that - great work.

3macs1

· #120 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

Nice job Kevin Just shows the difference in finish from a run of the mill grade wood to quality wood with the old tiger in it since this to me is not even comparable to your last one for the finish quality even so far and done the same way I assume ??
Me being me I do see a problem with it however
It will be too nice to shoot when done and you will have to buy another gun

Also takes big balls to even think about redoing a browning 425 IMHO but you are doing a great job

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