Refinishing a Browning A-bolt Hunter stock?

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shortaction

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Manitoulin Island, Ontario
Anyone ever strip a Browning A-bolt Hunter stock?

I have done some stocks before and have always had great results with Circa 1850 paint and varnish remover. Results are poor at best on this stock. Will hardly touch the finish!!! Just barely makes it brittle enough to slightly scrape it with a hardwood block!! X-fine steel wool won't touch it!!

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
I did a BLR a while back using "Surf-Pro Paint and Varnish Buster". I applied the stuff and wrapped the stock in aluminum foil for 20 min and then removed a layer. It took several applications but it came off without resorting to manual scraping. I bought it at Home Depot. The finish is tough and whatever you use will require several applications and some patience.
 
I've done 2 ABolts and 2 BLRs with Circa 1850. Not fun.
All I can suggest is to slather it on and leave it till gummy. I do this in a piece of eavestrough so I can keep bathing it. A bent bladed (ie 90 degree) paint scraper will help remove that plastic fantastic too without gouges. I also used a brass brush on the checkering.
Major pain in the a** but they look much better with an oil finish imho.
 
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OP, or other pro's, please keep us posted as to how it goes and what you use that works. I guess the Hunter model is not quite as glossy as the Medallion. I wanted to take the glaze off one of my Micro Medallion's and make her into a real hunting machine, and go nicely with the matte Leupold scope, but my oldest son became quite P.O.'d about that plan! He's an avid Browning high luster gloss finish fan! I figure it's my gun, my call, so I'll just do it when he is not at home, to prevent a possible fist fight, he'll get over it eventually! I believe he wants to inherit my collection when I ceise to exist!
 
Thanks for the replies, the experiences are helpful.

The stock was marked up when I bought the gun and I love oil finished stocks, so I thought it would be an easy fix! Maybe I should have just left it alone! Too late now, so I guess I will have to make the best of it.

Burnsy, which oil treatment did you use? I normally use tung oil but I picked up some tru-oil and thought maybe I would give it a try.
 
shortaction. I used TruOil, 1st 2 applications diluted with mineral spirits. Apply as many thin coats as needed for the look you want. You can rub with ultrafine steel wool if too glossy. I finish with Boyds stock wax or any household wax. Coupla tips: get a bottle of compressed air like that to clean keyboards and use it to blow the excess oil out of the checkering. Also, put a ballbearing in the TruOil bottle to stop it from layering.

Pressure's on you now-please post a picture of your finished rifle:p
 
I would do an oil finish THe ones I have done look great. Here is one I have done

P1010552.jpg


P1010553.jpg
 
two-dogs said:
OP, or other pro's, please keep us posted as to how it goes and what you use that works. I guess the Hunter model is not quite as glossy as the Medallion. I wanted to take the glaze off one of my Micro Medallion's and make her into a real hunting machine, and go nicely with the matte Leupold scope, but my oldest son became quite P.O.'d about that plan! He's an avid Browning high luster gloss finish fan! I figure it's my gun, my call, so I'll just do it when he is not at home, to prevent a possible fist fight, he'll get over it eventually! I believe he wants to inherit my collection when I ceise to exist!
Click to expand...

Your treading on thin ice.He is bigger than you,and Iam with him on the Browning finish.However sometimes there is no substitute for experience.It usually wins out!
 
burnsy56 said:
shortaction. I used TruOil, 1st 2 applications diluted with mineral spirits. Apply as many thin coats as needed for the look you want. You can rub with ultrafine steel wool if too glossy. I finish with Boyds stock wax or any household wax. Coupla tips: get a bottle of compressed air like that to clean keyboards and use it to blow the excess oil out of the checkering. Also, put a ballbearing in the TruOil bottle to stop it from layering.

Pressure's on you now-please post a picture of your finished rifle:p
Click to expand...


I think I will try thr Tru-oil this time, if I ever get the finish off!!! Really busy with work right now so going to be tough to find the time, but needs to be done.
 
two-dogs said:
OP, or other pro's, please keep us posted as to how it goes and what you use that works. I guess the Hunter model is not quite as glossy as the Medallion. I wanted to take the glaze off one of my Micro Medallion's and make her into a real hunting machine, and go nicely with the matte Leupold scope, but my oldest son became quite P.O.'d about that plan! He's an avid Browning high luster gloss finish fan! I figure it's my gun, my call, so I'll just do it when he is not at home, to prevent a possible fist fight, he'll get over it eventually! I believe he wants to inherit my collection when I ceise to exist!
Click to expand...

You might look into a product called Rottenstone. Would save stripping the stock.
 
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