stock refinisher - Winchester Model 70 pre-64 30-06

[royta]

I have a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 30-06 that was given to me by my grandfather about 24 years ago when I was 11. It belonged to a good friend of his, and I'm sure it has seen many miles of hiking and chasing after deer.

The stock has seen better days, and I'd like to have it refinished. I started the refinishing process in 2002, but have since packed it away in the gun case. I used Tal-Strip to remove the finish, put heavy masking tape over the checkering, and began to sand with fine sandpaper. In 2006, I started back up again, and regretfully used a more course sandpaper in a few areas. I also ran a few Kroil soaked patches down the barrel. We moved in 2007 and to aid in moving my rifles, I installed the action in the stock. It appears the oil has soaked in to the wood at the rear of the action.

I feel this stock is truly a beautiful piece of wood and it appears to be loaded with fiddleback. Some of the pictures are of the wood wiped down with water to help show the detail of the wood. There are some dents and dings which should easily be lifted, but their are some gouges which might not be able to be repaired. Sure, it would be nice to have them repaired, but price and whether it looks like a repair will determine whether they should be. I'd rather live with some gouges than to have obvious repairs or lots of wood removed.

I don't have the time to dedicate to the refinishing of this stock. Having been raised on a 120 acre ranch just south of the Oregon border in a place just SE of Yreka, CA, I'm a very mechanically inclined and handy individual. I have a big problem though. I get VERY frustrated when I spend a ton of time on something, trying so hard to have something turn out perfect, only to be disappointed. Therefore, I've realized I should leave this job to an expert, one with the correct tools to turn back time and have this stock resemble what it was the day the action was first placed in it.


Does anybody know somebody who can refinish this stock?

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[JStor]

I can't help you with a refinisher, but you do know that is not the original pre-64 stock don't you? Type stock refinishing into Google and see what comes up.

The stock appears to be maple to my eyes. If you are interested in returning it to its original specifications, there are usually a bunch of pre-64 stocks on the auction sites. Good luck. I love those old rifles!

[royta]

Yeah, I realize it isn't a Winchester stock. My dad thinks his father's buddy probably ordered the stock around the same time as buying the rifle (1954-ish). I see no reason to put a factory stock on the rifle. I'm guessing this stock is much nicer, and gives the rifle some character.

Although, if I happened to come across a factory original, unmodified stock, I certainly wouldn't object.

[theJanitor]

I've been in this situation as well. my grandfather gave me a model70 in 30-06 quite a few years ago. when his friend (our state's first skeet champion after statehood) got ill, my grandfather received his rifle as a gift. that particular rifle was a great shooter, lightweight, and really accurate. but the stock had seen better days and carried a very heavy shellacked finish.

i undertook the refinishing project just as you did. i declined to fix the nicks and dents as they were part of the rifle and it's previous owner's history. instead, i stripped it, sanded it, and rubbed in coat after coat of boiled linseed oil. it looks great now.

the great part of the oil finish is that i can go back to my grandfather's house, dig out the old rifle and a rag of oil and rub a new coat in while imagining the hunts and great times the rifle had seen.

[Gramps]

Royta, PM sent.