Re finishing an o/u shotgun and stock repair ???

[Red Beard Forge]

I have a valmet o/u 20 ga that needs some serious love and attention the original finish is 95% gone and there is rust pitting on the outside of the barrels there isn't much actual rust just the rust pattern etched in the metal. The actual mechanical parts seem to be OK and #### and click as they should and lock up seems solid so I think this could be made into a shooter. The wood is actually decent with almost all the original finish intact the stock has a couple cracks inside where the bolt holes for the tang are, and one big crack to the outside of the wrist on one side. The forearm is also a bit loose but not terrible. My questions are what is the best way to repair the cracks in the stock(hopefully without needing to totally refinish the stock) ? How do I go about tightening up the forearm? And what should I do with the metal bits? I have rust blued smaller projects before but an entire gun seems daunting mostly due to the extensive prep and polishing needed. Can an acceptable bluing job be done on a sandblasted surface? The other option would be something like armacoat or similar but it just doesn't feel right to "paint" an over under. Am I just being silly about it? I don't think the gun is worth enough to have it done professionally and I welcome the learning experience but would like some guidance from those in the know!

 

[Candocad]

The value of a good condition Valmet o/u is around the $1,000 mark, so the decision is probably more based upon the sentimental value to you. If not, then you could have a go at it yourself if you are that way inclined. If not again, then well you have a tricky choice on what to do.

The gun can be refinished / re-blued / cerakoted etc. etc. All down to you and your pocket.

If you do it yourself, I would let the professionals do the re-blueing of the metalwork personally. Its about equipment / knowledge and skill + experience. Cerakoteing is not the easiest of things to do yourself, but some do and they do a great job too.

The wood work I would read up / YouTube the hell out of the subject and make your own call on the matter. There are lots of past examples on the gun smithing forum. Personally, I would do this this bit myself as it is fun and I have done several in the past. Whatever you do, it will be better than you have now?

Strip the gun down, and decide how far to go and go for it. Have it ready for the fall and hunt with it?

Candocad.

 

[Red Beard Forge]

Pictures

 

[Red Beard Forge]

I am still hoping to hear from someone who knows what the best way to refinish this shotgun would be, would sandblasting leave a suitable surface for a utility grade bluing job or can it be machine buffed? I have heard that buffing wheels are a bad idea but I'm not sure why if applied carefully? The idea of polishing by hand with wet dry paper seems like a huge job so I am wondering what the professionals do?

 

[marshall]

glass beads rather than sand leaves a nice smooth finish than you can smooth out with fine steel wool, than you could try your hand at cold blue.
If you want a matt finish that will work, high gloss blue , than you have a big job, real hard on a double gun.
The crack in the stock can be glued , is it loss?, has to be clean, no oil, you could cross pin it is nothing in the way, but that always looks like crap,
but that finish looks like crap from your pictures, but could be just way the color turned out.
A cooey 22 would be a better gun to practice on, but anything you do will improve it, trouble refinishing that stock is that checkering would be a pain in the butt to fix.
It is a pressed in , not cut checkering, if there was enough wood, I would get rid of it, or recut it.
Good luck.

 

[Red Beard Forge]

My plan for bluing if i end up doing it would be rust bluing I have done it before on other projects with a mix of vinegar, peroxide, and salt heated and sprayed onto metal finished to around 320-600 grit with good results basicly flash rust , card off the loose rust and repeat till its an even brown then boil it in water to get a dark blue black oxide. I have no experience with cold bluing but I have been told its hard to do a good job on a whole firearm with it ... More of a touch up product. The other option would be to arma coat it .... Time will tell what happens to it. I know a guy who says he might want to buy it as is but if not I will likely try to refinish it just for the experience. It probably still won't be worth anything but could still be a decent bush gun

 

[marshall]

Yes , I have done rust blue, good if you take the time.
a lot of these shotgun frames are alloy, better check that.
If you want to do the work, I would recut the checkering, but that is a big job , if you have the cutters , a few hrs, plus if you fix the brk, need to be done, or sanded out.
The gun looks to be 250-300 now it it is good inside, 400-450 fixed.
Good if you like the work.
I have done a whole gun, usally 22's if prep is 100%, different brands work different, I have found., never got into hot blue.

 

[Red Beard Forge]

Good to know. I won't be working on this one as my old landlord really wanted it so I sold it to him but I do have an old cooey .22 and a winchester pump shotgun I'm playing with.