The Cooey Make-Over Thread
- Thread starter NAA
- Start date
labradorshooter
New member
- Location
- labrador city NL
here is my old model 60 , not sure on the exact year but it does not have a serial number so older then 1962 (if my memory is correct). I redid the stock with a dark walnut stain and minwax semi-gloss clear coat. I also tried re-bluing for the first time, I redid everything but the mag tube. I was hoping for it to come out really dark but it would not go any darker then it is so I'm thinking flat black paint now.
here it is before, I machined a bigger bolt knob for the wintertime, stock one is to small and slippery with gloves on.
here it is now.
here it is before, I machined a bigger bolt knob for the wintertime, stock one is to small and slippery with gloves on.
here it is now.
I am helping a friend of mine refinish an old Cooey Model 60.
Currently, it has two major problems:
1. The stock is broken and the butt portion is missing. Something about a frustrated grandfather trying to dispatch an aggressive pig with it, and failing in that, grabbing it by the barrel and cracking the stock over the pig's head...
2. The trigger no longer holds back the bolt reliably. I am not sure if this is due to wear on the bolt, or if the trigger spring is weak.
3. It sat in a woodshed for 30 years. At least. It's was pretty rusty; I've cleaned the rust off, and it appears to be in much better shape now.
4. Rear sight is missing.
So, a few questions for the experts in this thread:
1. How/ where could I pick up a new stock and rear sight?
2. Is there any way to easily remove the magazine tube? Seems tough to properly clean between the magazine tube and the barrel.
Currently, it has two major problems:
1. The stock is broken and the butt portion is missing. Something about a frustrated grandfather trying to dispatch an aggressive pig with it, and failing in that, grabbing it by the barrel and cracking the stock over the pig's head...
2. The trigger no longer holds back the bolt reliably. I am not sure if this is due to wear on the bolt, or if the trigger spring is weak.
3. It sat in a woodshed for 30 years. At least. It's was pretty rusty; I've cleaned the rust off, and it appears to be in much better shape now.
4. Rear sight is missing.
So, a few questions for the experts in this thread:
1. How/ where could I pick up a new stock and rear sight?
2. Is there any way to easily remove the magazine tube? Seems tough to properly clean between the magazine tube and the barrel.
My first restoration project (Cooey Model 60)
OK, here is my contribution.
I wish now that I had taken some before picts, but didn't think of it at the time.
Stock was dinged and scratched, but not too badly, the finish was cloudy, and the wood grain was barely visible under the finish.
The metal was rusty and pitted, but the bore was good.
Once I got into the project, I took a few "in progress" pictures, and of course some "after picts".
Used Circa 1850 to strip the stock, cloth and an iron to bring out the dents/dings in the wood. Sanded with 320 grit paper, and finished with Tru-oil, sanding with 0000 steel wool between coats. Initially, I couldn't decide what I liked better, a gloss or matte finish, but I left it glossy, and am very happy with how it looks.
Finally, everything put together!
I am glad this topic was "stickied"! It gave me the idea to try this!
I learned quite a bit from the other posters here. Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks!
OK, here is my contribution.
I wish now that I had taken some before picts, but didn't think of it at the time.
Stock was dinged and scratched, but not too badly, the finish was cloudy, and the wood grain was barely visible under the finish.
The metal was rusty and pitted, but the bore was good.
Once I got into the project, I took a few "in progress" pictures, and of course some "after picts".
Used Circa 1850 to strip the stock, cloth and an iron to bring out the dents/dings in the wood. Sanded with 320 grit paper, and finished with Tru-oil, sanding with 0000 steel wool between coats. Initially, I couldn't decide what I liked better, a gloss or matte finish, but I left it glossy, and am very happy with how it looks.
Finally, everything put together!
I am glad this topic was "stickied"! It gave me the idea to try this!
I learned quite a bit from the other posters here. Thanks for sharing your tips and tricks!
Last edited:
1300_stainless
Regular
- Location
- Nova Scotia, Canada
james01 that stock is beautiful. How many coats of Tru-Oil did you use?
Thanks!
8 coats in total, with lots of light sanding between coats with 0000 steel wool to knock off any runs or debris that settled on the surface between coats.
After stripping, and before appling any Tru-oil, I lightly steamed the wood with a kettle to raise the "whiskers" of the grain and sanded them off with 0000 steel wool.
The wood was shiny and smooth as glass before I put the first coat on. I think I learned from this project that the prep work is just as important as the finishing product in how it turns out.
James
Marksman_994
Member
- Location
- Quebekistan
Good lord guys.......it makes me wanna put out the old Cooey single shot my dad has in the closet for 25+ years and give it new life.......I bought him a Ruger 10/22 to sweeten the separation of that little Cooey of his....lol
I wanna make the stock glossy.....anyone can tell me what to use since it's gonna be my first restoration?
Thanks guys!
I wanna make the stock glossy.....anyone can tell me what to use since it's gonna be my first restoration?
Thanks guys!
Tru-oil dried to a very nice glossy finish on mine. I did a little research on finishes, and Tung oil is supposed to dry to a matte finish (although I have no experience using tung oil).
The more coats of Tru-oil you put on, the glossier(sp?) it gets, and the depth of the finish really helps to "pop" the grain of the wood.
James
762Russian
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Where the sun shines
Another reborn Cooey;
My rubbish camera doesn't do it justice, though... This rifle was my Grandfathers, then my fathers, then my brothers and now mine - though shortly to return to my brother when his boys get old enough to hold it.
I took off the stock last year and sanded it all down until all the old varnish was off, followed by the ancient dings and dents it had gotten from a life hard-lived in the bush of North Ontario. Rubbed it down about a dozen times with boiled linseed to get a nice dark colour back into the wood, though I may hit it with some tru-oil for a bit more shine.
Just last week though, I had gotten it cleaned and blued by Jim over here in Medicine Hat. He took it apart and cleaned it up; all the pitting and old rust spots, everything, then dunked it in hot blue.
This rifle is PRISTINE; absolutely perfect condition - as if it came out of the factory yesterday. The barrel is buffed to a sheen, every metal piece save for the bolt is a deep, dark blue, and the bolt itself was giving a good run through the buffer to do away with the old wear and rust. The rifling is still strong too, even after 60+ years of teaching kids to shoot.
This Cooey 39 is a rifle that will last another 100 years, easily - and with any luck it'll stay within the family to be passed down generation to generation; it is certainly deserving of it, particularly now with how pretty it is.
My rubbish camera doesn't do it justice, though... This rifle was my Grandfathers, then my fathers, then my brothers and now mine - though shortly to return to my brother when his boys get old enough to hold it.
I took off the stock last year and sanded it all down until all the old varnish was off, followed by the ancient dings and dents it had gotten from a life hard-lived in the bush of North Ontario. Rubbed it down about a dozen times with boiled linseed to get a nice dark colour back into the wood, though I may hit it with some tru-oil for a bit more shine.
Just last week though, I had gotten it cleaned and blued by Jim over here in Medicine Hat. He took it apart and cleaned it up; all the pitting and old rust spots, everything, then dunked it in hot blue.
This rifle is PRISTINE; absolutely perfect condition - as if it came out of the factory yesterday. The barrel is buffed to a sheen, every metal piece save for the bolt is a deep, dark blue, and the bolt itself was giving a good run through the buffer to do away with the old wear and rust. The rifling is still strong too, even after 60+ years of teaching kids to shoot.
This Cooey 39 is a rifle that will last another 100 years, easily - and with any luck it'll stay within the family to be passed down generation to generation; it is certainly deserving of it, particularly now with how pretty it is.
762Russian
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Where the sun shines
$125 for the blueing, clean-up, new screw for the rear sight and grinding down the buttplate to fit since my work on the stock had worn off a good 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch in places.
Worth every penny.
Worth every penny.
Sorry I had a guy at work make it for me as a favour, he is not interested in making anymore.
If take the rifle apart the cocking handle comes right out. if you take it to any machine shop they should be able to run one off in about a hour or less. Mine was made out of bolt stock.
I absoLUTELY love all these guns. My Remington 41 is currently stripped down and the stock is getting a solid tru-oil bath right now. Maybe next week I'll be done polishing the scratches out of the barrel to be re-blued with all the other hardware and re-assebmle and sight it back in. Then I'll be on the search for an almost free piece of junk (to someone) Cooey again. Can't wait.
