JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
245
Reactions
168
I have an old Rem 788, shoots well, but the stock is ugly. so so ugly. My father bought this rifle back in the 70's I think. Ive been tossing around the idea of refinishing it myself. Well because I want to, and pulling it out of the closet brings back memories of the old man, I remember when he had my grandfathers stock refinished, and it from truck beater to prod to have it hanging on the wall piece. I don't see any value for me in keeping the stock "original" although the gun is oldish... about my age... i don't see it ever becoming any type of item where the originality would matter.

I don't really have a "well ventilated" space to work in... (stupid apartment city living)... is there a poly/stain remover that won't kill me indoors with only a window fan running?

Is that what I'm looking for a Poly/Epoxy/Stain remover?.. (I've been to several hardware stores to investigate products they sell) so far Bi-Mart had the one i think i would need , Jasco something varnish/stain remover... but I've read that gels work better than liquids because they stay in place better.

first i want to get the old coating off, then see what i have underneath... Im leaning towards sanding, then hand rubbing in a boiled linseed oil, and calling it done, but it its ugly under the glossy finish also... i just settle for some sort of paint job. and try my hand at some camp type stenciling.

ideas / suggestions / especially regarding the remover, or possibly other avenues i haven't considered yet ---

Please and thank you.
 
I would go to a bona fide paint store and ask for a low-odor remover.
Go light with the sanding unless you want to change the shape of the stock.
Tru-Oil is a popular gunstock finish.

Good luck with the project and be sure to post up some pics !
 
If you like the smell of oranges, then this stuff will work great.
Goop it all over the stock and place in a plastic bag.
Let it sit overnight and just wipe off the old finish using 4/0 steel wool.
Clean the bare wood with some low odor paint thinner and then stain to whatever color you want then I recommend using Tru-Oil by Birchwood Casey.


751664738012.jpg
 
Last Edited:
On singularly coated items I have had fair success with this:
upload_2017-3-28_18-10-44.png Nontoxic formulas tent increase drying time and grain raising which may be good if you have a lot of dents to raise but add to the sanding,(steaming a dent will be more localized.) Generally I have found that it is worth a try before you move on to something more aggressive. If you have an existing crack you should repair it before you strip it.
 
No chemicals for me. One bout of Cancer was plenty.
400 grit sand paper. Be careful of the edges and checkering.


I just sand. And put on about 5-10 coats of BLO. [Till it glowed]


A modern gun was way easier than the old WWII and Winchester rifles I'm use to.
I didn't have to stain it. And get the color just right.
 
Last Edited:
No chemicals for me. One bout of Cancer was plenty.
400 grit sand paper. Be careful of the edges and checkering.

This rifle had a thick coat of shellac or some awful stuff.
I just sanded. And put on about 5-10 coats of BLO. [Till it glowed]
The burned wood areas were a pain to avoid..

This modern gun was way easier than the old WWII and Winchester rifles I'm use to.
I didn't have to stain it. And get the color just right.

Damn every time you post a picture of that thing I drool!!! You did a beautiful job!!
 
I'll "4th" the Citri-Strip, worked well for me, you might need to use a few applications, but it's perfectly safe to use indoors, on skin etc.
 
I don't know what wood you have, but on a 788 I wouldn't be surprised if it's birch. I bought a pretty ragged Savage a while back and refinished it for my nephew. Being the packrat that I am, I still had the cans I used.
strip n stain.jpg
If you have checkering to deal with, I went lightly and didn't really scrub the checkering because I was afraid to damage the points. Because I did it that way the checkering panels are a bit darker.
Here's how it turned out.
Evans 30-06.jpg
The teak oil gave the stock a reddish/brown color that I really like. I suppose a good clear oil finish on it would give the finish some gloss.
 
I don't know what wood you have, but on a 788 I wouldn't be surprised if it's birch. I bought a pretty ragged Savage a while back and refinished it for my nephew. Being the packrat that I am, I still had the cans I used.
View attachment 352867
If you have checkering to deal with, I went lightly and didn't really scrub the checkering because I was afraid to damage the points. Because I did it that way the checkering panels are a bit darker.
Here's how it turned out.
View attachment 352868
The teak oil gave the stock a reddish/brown color that I really like. I suppose a good clear oil finish on it would give the finish some gloss.

Nice job.

One thing I like about BLO is that you can put it on over almost anything after the fact.
Wipe it on. Wait an hour, Wipe it off. Let it dry for a day or two depending on temp.
Repeat until it gets the soft satiny glow. Maybe 10 coats?

Hey, I never said it was the fastest proses. :s0108:
 
Pre photos.... I went and bought some of that citrisstrip stuff, put it on tonight well see how it is in the morning. i don't know if its worth it but I'm thinking about hollowing out the barrel cavity in the stock some more attempting to free float it. (you could see areas on the barrel that appeared to be rubbing and the barrel cavity was not smooth at all. but i think in turn that would mean trying to do some kind of glass bedding (maybe just the lug because I've never done glass before)

i know I'm getting ahead of myself here, but if i were to just glass bed the lug space, then wanted later to try the whole action. can you put one layer of glass onto of another, (will it bond to itself?) or would i have to extract it all to bare wood again and try the whole thing)?

anyway thank you for your input, ill try not to be shy and post photos of my mistakes too..

when i get it all stripped ill try to take some good photos and maybe you can tell me what kinda wood it is... i can't tell by the grain pattern (not that i could see it anyway)

788 2.jpg 788 1.jpg
 

Upcoming Events

Oregon Arms Collectors March Gun Show
Portland, OR
Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top