New project, 1976 Benelli 121

[lerch641]

So I snagged a deal on this last week before Black Friday, it's a Benelli 121 (pre-SL80) from 1976 with a Skeet barrel.
She's a little rough around the edges, especially on the upper receiver. Definitely needs some TLC, but the metal is gonna go to a friend of a friend out west for cerakote (I'm humming and hawing over charcoal or burnt bronze) and I'll refinish the wood myself. After that it's just needing a new sight and a nice Limbsaver buttpad.

I'll keep this thread updated as she goes along.

 

[dilly]

Please do. I love resto threads. Burnt bronze would look bad-ass

 

[brybenn]

I dont know what you call it but the beretta xplor bronze color is very nice

 

[Grouse Man]

Awesome idea. Get us some more 'before' pictures. And I had no idea they were making those guns for that long.

 

[Monster Mike]

...

 

[lerch641]

Progress pictures!

The shop that was doing the cerakote for me sent me pictures of the finished work, so it's in the mail back to me and I got going on the wood while I wait. Lots of stripper to get the previous finish off and scraped, and then hit with some 220 grit to clean it up and I'll be hitting it with some finer grit this week before using RLO to protect it.

The metal should arrive this week so I'm hoping to have it all back together by next weekend.

*edit* got the sanding finished with some 600 and then 1550 grit by hand. Nice and smooth now, and after the oil the grain really popped

 

[lerch641]

The good stuff arrived in the mail this morning. After some discussion I'd decided on the worn finish with the cerakote shop. They did everything with the exception of the guts. Reassembled after work (helluva time remembering how the trigger group went back) and popped in a new front sight.

I'll be checking out of Canada for a few months but a buttpad is still on the to-do list.

 

[the spank]

Checkering needs recutting....it has that refinished and unfinished look to the wood.

 

[lerch641]

Checkering needs recutting....it has that refinished and unfinished look to the wood.

For now I can atleast feel the texture. When I get back to Canada I'm going to be sending the furniture out for some fine work. Also feel like it could benefit from a nice follower like the Vang Comp in my Mossberg.

 

[FLHTCUI]

Looks good lerch641.
Thanks for sharing and safe return home.
Rob

 

[lerch641]

Last picture for now. I ordered a leather sling to fit the factory sling loops (skinny Euro style) a few months back and it finally arrived from Poland.

Cleaned it up and hung it up for storage.