Browning high gloss finish to oil

[kimwcook]

I've only owned two Brownings in my life. A high grade 1886 and the 53 I just bought. The high grade was just too pretty in my opinion at that time, about 15 years ago, to take out and shoot, so I sold it. The 53 has the same high gloss stock finish and though it's really a beautiful finish, I just don't care for it. I'd rather have an oil finish. I'm looking to refinish the stock and put a Tru oil type finish on it. I'm looking for the pros, cons and pitfalls of doing that. Oh, the buttstock and forearm are checkered. I'm concerned that the checkering is going to looking out of place with an oil finish on the rest of it. I don't cut checkering. Anybody have any experience with this. I have done stocks before so I'm not exactly a novice. Just haven't tackled this situation before.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Several people here have battled the Browning epoxy finish. I think the most recent may have been MikeD. There's only a certain chemical that will strip it effectively. Unfortunately, I don't remember what it is. That 53 would look great with a traditional finish on it.

[claybob86]

I used Jasco remover on a Browning once. Worked good. I've never messed with checkering though.

[JerryB]

I don't know what to strip it with but I do know that a good hand rubbed oil finish will look a whole lot more gooder.

[retmech]

I used Brownells Certistrip remover on my Browning T bolt and it was the Browning epoxy finish. The warmer it is the better it works, I did mine in the sun on a warm summer day. You can strip the checkered area using an old tooth brush and in the more stubborn areas one of those brass bristle tooth brush types. I used Gunsavr pro custom oil finish from Brownells to finish it with.
http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll80 ... cn0865.jpg

I'm guessing you don't want the "filled" finish which is what I did on my T Bolt but even if you don't the checkering shouldn't scare you. Determine how many lines per inch your checkering is and get a single line cutter(of the correct size) and handle from Brownells. After you've stripped the stock and checkering start applying your finish and thin the finish for the checkering at least 50%. Just do a couple coats in the checkering, mask it off and then fill the stock as much as you desire.
Some of the finish will get under the masking but not to worry, that's what the single line cutter is for. After you remove the masking simply follow the checkering border carefully with the cutter and clean out the excess finish. You can then touch up that edge with a small artists brush and thinned finish. I've used Tru Oil but I like the Gunsavr pro custom finish way better. I apply it simply dabbing it on with a clean acid brush for each coat and rub it in by hand(I use a clean nitrile glove for each coat on my hand). It beats cleaning brushes and keeps tiny pieces of stuff out of the finish. Good luck

[gak]

I've wondered the same thing. I hope this isn't hijacking, but I've got a blemish on the buttstock of my '86 SRC, about the size of a small child's palm--a darkened area that almost looks like it had been burnt or heat applied (but no wrinkling or tactile sense that it's different--it's "in" not on the finish) I'm not complaining as it made others pass up an otherwise 99% '86 at the gun show a few years back and reduced the price for me! My question: I wonder if 1) others have seen such a blemish and 2) whether the strippers mentioned (and a refinish with Tru Oil or Brownell's as has been discussed) will take care of this...or, speculating, is this "stain" somehow deep into the wood? I know the logical answer is "you'll never know until you gat into it..." but I'm wondering what the educated guesses are out there? Never seen anything like it. As mentioned, no tactile evidence of a burn.

[salvo]

kimwcook, before you go through all the trouble of stripping and refinishing, try giving that finish a good rub down with 0000 steel wool, it will make it appear more like a hand rubbed finish. Go light on any sharp corners, you don't want to cut clean through the finish on any edges.

[cshold]

I refinished this B92 not long ago.

To get the Browning high-gloss polyurethane off I had to use a can
of that smelly old school paint & varnish remover.

Took 3 heavy applications to get it all off. (use heavy duty rubber gloves)
Put it on thick and let it soak, then I used a plastic Pampered Chief pot & pan scrapper
to scrape the urethane off. Two times like that to get most of it off.
Then dipped 4 ot steel wool in the stripper and really worked the wood over to get
all the residual urethane off.

Let dry for a few days.

Then hand rubbed about 5 or 6 thin coats of boiled linseed oil into the wood
over about a month. Then about once a week for a month or two hand rubbed a
Real good quality cabinetmakers wax into the stocks.

This is how my stocks came out.

[m.wun]

Maybe try to put some different wood on it and keep the orig. aside?

[kimwcook]

Nice job, Mr. Stahle.

I'm not concerned about using the stocks that came with the rifle. In fact, it's got some beautiful wood. I just don't like the extremely high gloss hard finish. You can't hardly bump the finish without causing a highly visible nick. Nope, it's going away. I appreciate everyone's input. I'll get some pics up when I get done.

[HEAD0001]

When I bought my Winchester 1886 Extra Light it had the high gloss finish. It is the High Grade rifle, but the wood was fantastic so I bought it. But I bought it to be a shooter. Not a collector. I took the rifle to a gunsmith and had him remove the high gloss finish and put an oil finish on the wood. I really like the rifle, but I really dislike the high gloss finish.

IMO it depends on whether you collect rifles, or hunt with them. I probably destroyed the value of my rifle. But I really do not care. It is exactly the way I want it to be. Tom.

[kimwcook]

But I really do not care. It is exactly the way I want it to be.

Yup, that says it all. I'll be keeping the rifle till I'm going to the happy hunting grounds. Then someone else can fret over my altering the rifle from factory.

[76/444]

I have worked wood professionally for many decades. Chemically removing gun stock finishes is asking for more bother than it is worth,... and when I tried it, it sent me blubbering through the pucker brush pulling what little hair I had left!

Now I just use a orbital high speed block sander and sand it all off. Trick is being familiar with it enough to have the right touch were the metal meets the wood. As for the checkering, that is the catch!!! I have done all my stocks for years where I just sand lightly over them and hope for the best. No a really good system on heavy coated checkering , so I usually just destroy them or dull them with 4 ought (0000) steel wool.

I agree with your taste in oil finishes. Over many decades I have learned that TUNG OIL will create a very good finish. It has natural polymers that create a very good surface for wear, BUT, a minimum of 10 to 20 coats (according to the density of the wood) is needed to bring out its best! And finding pure REAL 100% Tung OIL is not an easy task in itself. If you do go down this road, I would also pick up some 100% pure Lemon Grass Oil. I use that to cut the heavy Tung Oil for the first half dozen to a dozen application. Nothing ,.... NOTHING,... helps ALL oils penetrate wood like Lemon Grass Oil.


Good luck.

[kimwcook]

Lemon grass oil? Never even heard of it, but then my profession isn't wood working. Thanks. I'll see if I can find some.

[dr walker]

Birchwood Casey sells a product called stock and sheen conditioner. It will take some gloss finishes and give them a hand rubbed oil look. I dont know if it would work on the Browning finish. I used it on an older Remington bolt action with a gloss finish and it worked great. At $5.00 per bottle that is what I would try first.

[kimwcook]

Dr Walker, I've used the condiitoner you're talking about on a Beretta Silver Pigeon to remove the sheen of a Tru Oil finish I'd put on it. The issue with this Browning finish is it's depth. It isn't just the high gloss that's a problem. Even if I lower it's sheen it's the highly visible nicks that come from normal handling that I don't like. I could probably live with the high gloss finish if it wasn't like .030 thick. And, just lowering the sheen isn't going to stop that, but thanks for the suggestion.

[HEAD0001]

I do not know what the gunsmith used that stripped my Winchester 1886. But I am sure the finish on the Winchester and the Browning are the same. Or at least I assume they are the same. I do know that he told me there was a specific "stripper" he was going to use that worked very well. The finish is a lot like the Finish the Remington 700 used to have on the BDL models. If I were you I would contact a couple of the different gun mfrs. and ask them what they use. After all it is their finish. I am sure some one in the Remington Custom Shop would know exactly what to use?? Tom.

[oltimber]

OK GUYS, LOL HEAR IS MY HARD LUCK STOCK STORY!!!!
3 Weeks ago I finally got my browning 1886, been looking for one for 5 years. This gun was used a little but in good condition other than a few oweeys on the stock an forearm.
Went up Elk huntin 4 days after I got it just tickled to death. 3rd day the horse rolls on me in the snow and breaks my high gloss stock in two. Wife spent 2 days glueing stock an done a very good job on it. Will find out soon enough how long it will hold when I go back up. While I am down I took 3 days and sanded every thing off the stock an the oweeys. I then true oiled the stock and now really happy with it. The minute I get my camera fixed,,,, lol broke it to, I will post picks of my pride an joy. Forgot to mention, this gun shoots very very well.
Hard luck Ron

[76/444]

OK GUYS, LOL HEAR IS MY HARD LUCK STOCK STORY!!!!
3 Weeks ago I finally got my browning 1886, been looking for one for 5 years. This gun was used a little but in good condition other than a few oweeys on the stock an forearm.
Went up Elk huntin 4 days after I got it just tickled to death. 3rd day the horse rolls on me in the snow and breaks my high gloss stock in two. Wife spent 2 days glueing stock an done a very good job on it. Will find out soon enough how long it will hold when I go back up. While I am down I took 3 days and sanded every thing off the stock an the oweeys. I then true oiled the stock and now really happy with it. The minute I get my camera fixed,,,, lol broke it to, I will post picks of my pride an joy. Forgot to mention, this gun shoots very very well.
Hard luck Ron

" oweeys",.... " oweeys",.... geee, you wouldn't be from Minn, would you?