Refinishing a Ruger riflestock

[db22]

I just found a used M77 Mk II lefty for a reasonable price, and put a deposit on it. The rifle is in pretty good shape, but it has seen enough outdoor use to tempt me to refinish the stock. It's a plain piece of black walnut, nice checkering, lots of grain showing (the finish has settled and the pores are quite apparent).

What is the best remover for Ruger's finishes? The only Ruger I ever refinished was a very old 10-22, and I imagine they have gone to more modern materials since that stock was made. I have bad memories of trying to strip Remington's epoxy varnish from an 870 stock years ago. Finally got it all off, and the Tru-Oil I replaced it with looked OK, but it took days of work to blast and melt that darn epoxy off the wood. And that gun had cheap pressed checkering, not good cut checkering like this Ruger. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

 

[Chawbaccer]

I think any stripper that has methelene chloride in it will do the job. Check the label because so many of them are not using this chemical any more. I prefer a paste type as it won't run off the wood.

 

[CRITGIT]

Chemical stripper as per Chawbraccer
Sand 220
Spit coat = 3: (thinner) 1 tung oil
sand lightly again 220
Mask off checkering after 3 coats Tung Oil
3 coats = satin
5 coats= semi
more = gloss
Do the entire gun with spit coat to seal everything.
Those older 77 MKII's have nice walnut! It'll look great!
Good luck!

CRITGIT

 

[fineredmist]

+1 for gritcit but I will add that you do not sand the checkering or it will lose it's sharpness. When you strip the finish from the checkered areas use a brush (toothbrush will do just fine) and let the stripper do the work. The brush is just to get the crud out.
Do the entire stock including the barrel chanel and the receiver cutout, you don't need to be fussy with these areas but the color will match.
The wood must be throughly dry before you kiss sand and use a tack cloth to remove any dust before applying Tung oil.
It is a slow process but well worth the time and effort if you do it right.

 

[CRITGIT]

+1 for gritcit but I will add that you do not sand the checkering or it will lose it's sharpness. When you strip the finish from the checkered areas use a brush (toothbrush will do just fine) and let the stripper do the work. The brush is just to get the crud out.
Do the entire stock including the barrel chanel and the receiver cutout, you don't need to be fussy with these areas but the color will match.
The wood must be throughly dry before you kiss sand and use a tack cloth to remove any dust before applying Tung oil.
It is a slow process but well worth the time and effort if you do it right.

fineredmist,You are correct, sir! In my haste I omitted those important steps. A tack rag is a must as is the tooth brush for checkering!
Actually the air compressor is a handy tool as well.

CRITGIT

 

[db22]

Gentlemen: Many thanks for your detailed advice. I will copy the posts and save them in my gunsmithing notes; the rifle will be home with me by the end of the year, in time for the long, cold winter. I usually spend those months sorting and reloading the shooting season's empties, but this year, the restoration of the Ruger's finish, and the development of initial loads to try on sunny days (if the range is plowed out) will make those hours at the workbench a lot more fun.

The rifle is a .30-'06, the fourth rifle in that chambering that I have owned. I keep meaning to get away to something different, say a .280 Rem or a .257 Roberts. But -- those chamberings are custom-only propositions for a southpaw. Money is tight, the dies and bullet moulds are long ago bought and paid for, and it occurs to me that Uncle Sam's old thirty-bore has been doing a fine job for more than a century, so why should I get fussy this late in the game?