No doubt, it's not like it's going to look worse with the finish stripped, wood steamed then oiled and rubbed.....
Easy project, just need basic supplies and the patience to take your time.
Check out youtube, there are lot's of videos out there.
Browning - BL22 Type 1 (what should I do)
- Thread starter KingPin
- Start date
No doubt, it's not like it's going to look worse with the finish stripped, wood steamed then oiled and rubbed.....
Easy project, just need basic supplies and the patience to take your time.
Check out youtube, there are lot's of videos out there.
The actual bluing doesn't look that bad to me. The only parts where the finish is really peeling is the bands. It looks like a painted-on finish, making me think they're aluminum? I've never had one so I'm speculating.
I would re-do the wood for sure, and leave the bluing as is for now and see how it looks.
If you put that rifle on the EE at $300, I'd be willing to bet that it would sell.
I would re-do the wood for sure, and leave the bluing as is for now and see how it looks.
If you put that rifle on the EE at $300, I'd be willing to bet that it would sell.
They are around $600 to $650 new and on EE they seem to get around that $350-$450 range if they are in good to very good shape. I would say you could get $200- $250 without too much problem.
If you can easily get that thick plastic coating that browning uses off the wood, I can almost guarantee that you can make the stocks look really nice with above mentioned methods. I would recommend this route only if you want to keep the gun however otherwise its not going to be a very economically viable venture.
( ps i have refinished lots of stocks and really dislike chemical strippers, just use a razor blade to scrape off old varnish carefully. As long as you are scraping and don't hold the blade at an angle you wont damage the wood at all )
If you can easily get that thick plastic coating that browning uses off the wood, I can almost guarantee that you can make the stocks look really nice with above mentioned methods. I would recommend this route only if you want to keep the gun however otherwise its not going to be a very economically viable venture.
( ps i have refinished lots of stocks and really dislike chemical strippers, just use a razor blade to scrape off old varnish carefully. As long as you are scraping and don't hold the blade at an angle you wont damage the wood at all )
Yeah, ditto. Not just Yes!, but Hells Yes!
It looks worse than it is, I bet.
That high gloss finish they put on those doesn't look good after a bit of time as a truck gun.
The metalwork looks like a wipedown with some oil would be about what you need to put into it to make it shine again.
A coat of paint for the barrel bands, if you don't feel like making and bluing some steel ones.
I would suggest that you stay far far away from 80 grit paper, too coarse.
If you strip the wood first, after it's dried and cleaned up some, and you have had a go at any really bad dents with some paper towel and a steam iron, then start with a hard rubber sanding block and some 180 or 220 grit. Maybe even finer. You will rapidly see if the grit is going to need to be changed up to something finer, if the lines the paper digs into the wood are too coarse.
I can say from experience and with authority, that if someone offered me that gun as-is for $100 I'd have the money in his or her hands so fast that they would think it was a Magic Trick. The metal doesn't look too bad to me. The stock doesn't either, and I think it's well worth putting some time into it, and keeping it. Great little guns, to nice to just send on down the road for chump change.
I'd drop 250 in pretty quick order for that. What are you looking for as trade bait? My wife is still a little PO'd at me for sending an old Marlin Lever down the road instead of fixing it up for her. That was some years ago...This might get me out of that particular doghouse, at least briefly.
Cheers
Trev
Thanks everyone for the feedback. I did a takedown on the rifle and am cleaning the interior bits; if you can imagine it was pretty junked up. I'm certain it was an old truck gun and got beat up in the back of some dudes Ford.
As for tackling the stocks....I'm not really certain. I'm almost scared to try. The gouges seem more like scratches than anything and I don't think hitting them with steam is going to fix them and there are parts where that plasticy finish is really peeled away. It needs re-done but decisions decisions.
Right now I know the stocks need re-done - it shoots really nice. I just don't know if I have the time nor the inclination to tackle the refinishing. Something smiles inside me when I think of redoing it and gifting it to one of my kids but none of them have shown interest in the shooting sports (they are still a little young yet but the oldest still doesn't care).
I think I'm just scared of attempting to "fix" the wood and gumming it up worse than it already is - that stupid plasticy coating scares me a little away from trying to strip the finish and then finishing off some of those gouges... *shrug*
Anyway maybe I'll rub the parts down with some oil get 'er cleaned up and put back together and think about the stocks. Worst case scenario y'all might see it on the EE at some point.
As for tackling the stocks....I'm not really certain. I'm almost scared to try. The gouges seem more like scratches than anything and I don't think hitting them with steam is going to fix them and there are parts where that plasticy finish is really peeled away. It needs re-done but decisions decisions.
Right now I know the stocks need re-done - it shoots really nice. I just don't know if I have the time nor the inclination to tackle the refinishing. Something smiles inside me when I think of redoing it and gifting it to one of my kids but none of them have shown interest in the shooting sports (they are still a little young yet but the oldest still doesn't care).
I think I'm just scared of attempting to "fix" the wood and gumming it up worse than it already is - that stupid plasticy coating scares me a little away from trying to strip the finish and then finishing off some of those gouges... *shrug*
Anyway maybe I'll rub the parts down with some oil get 'er cleaned up and put back together and think about the stocks. Worst case scenario y'all might see it on the EE at some point.
its a shame such a nice 22 was treated that way !
i'd do like Kamlooky says and lite steel wool the rust .
if it were me.. i'd strip the varnish from stock (chem furniture stripper) .. litely sand with 800grit with a wide flat sanding block ( this will clearly show all the depressions, dents, and scratches ) .. try to steam raise some of the dents n scratches
-- for scratches : take cyanoacrylate ( crazy glue ) and fill up the scratches carefully not to over flow it ! Let it dry and repeat ( do not worry as crazy glue will bond to its self and you can build it up till its slightly prowd of the stock ) -- now litely sand it flat with high grit paper ( 600 ) till its dead flat with surface of stock ... Now, you can go ahead and varnish the stock with several very lite coats of varnish and very lite sanding inbetween coats ( becareful of air bubbles and especially globbing on too much varnish and getting runs )
in the end ... you'll end up with a decent stock ! and a very nice 22 that you won't ever part with
clean the action abit ... and use just a minor amount of lithium grease on the bolt ( Man, they are great little 22's )
i'd do like Kamlooky says and lite steel wool the rust .
if it were me.. i'd strip the varnish from stock (chem furniture stripper) .. litely sand with 800grit with a wide flat sanding block ( this will clearly show all the depressions, dents, and scratches ) .. try to steam raise some of the dents n scratches
-- for scratches : take cyanoacrylate ( crazy glue ) and fill up the scratches carefully not to over flow it ! Let it dry and repeat ( do not worry as crazy glue will bond to its self and you can build it up till its slightly prowd of the stock ) -- now litely sand it flat with high grit paper ( 600 ) till its dead flat with surface of stock ... Now, you can go ahead and varnish the stock with several very lite coats of varnish and very lite sanding inbetween coats ( becareful of air bubbles and especially globbing on too much varnish and getting runs )
in the end ... you'll end up with a decent stock ! and a very nice 22 that you won't ever part with
clean the action abit ... and use just a minor amount of lithium grease on the bolt ( Man, they are great little 22's )
Payshints Grasshopper.
Some of those plastic finishes can be a handful to get off.
Have some plastic scrapers, firm tooth brushes, potato brushes and such around.
Wear disposable glubs capable of resisting the varnish remover products.
That chit is hard on the body armour.
And some sort of safety eye wear.
Do-er.........you can do it.
I'll bet with some payshints, you'll be glad you did..............................
Some of those plastic finishes can be a handful to get off.
Have some plastic scrapers, firm tooth brushes, potato brushes and such around.
Wear disposable glubs capable of resisting the varnish remover products.
That chit is hard on the body armour.
And some sort of safety eye wear.
Do-er.........you can do it.
I'll bet with some payshints, you'll be glad you did..............................
