What's the best way to refinish my stock???

[NYH1]

I have a late 1980's Remington model 700 BDL 223 Rem.   My parents bought it for me for my 14th birthday.   It has the really shinny gloss finish.   I want to make it look like Remington's 700 CDL and Mountain Rifle with the satin finish.   What's the best way to refinish it?

Thanks! 

[JW307]

I've refinished two, an old FN Mauser and a Savage 110, with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil (linseed oil based).  You can buy it on its own in a bottle or you can pick up a kit that has all the stuff you will need including sand paper, steel wool, stain, finish, and conditioner.  If you go this route you probably will not end up using the stain, it's meant to stain birch or other hard wood to look like walnut.  The finish gives you the hand rubbed satin look you are talking about.  I've done both of those stocks with one kit and there's probably enough left to get about half way through another.  The biggest thing is to make sure and take your time with stripping the original finish and sanding both the bare wood and in between coats.

Jake

[Swampman]

I would suggest taking it to a professional furniture stripper.  I would avoid sand paper as much as possible.  Minwax Tung Oil Finish looks awesome.

[Graybeard]

The best way and perhaps the cheapest would be to buy a CDL stock for it. Getting that tough as nails Remington finish off to begin refinishing is quite the chore. Sanding might do it but will take whatever checkering is there as well.

[Swampman]

Graybeard is right you can find them for around $100.00 on ebay or Gunbroker.  You could probably get most of your money back by selling your BDL stock.  I've done just that many times.

[Doug B.]

Before you put too much effort into the stock, try rubbing it with a 0000 steel wool. Many times this will "dull" the finish a bit and you may very well not have to refinish the entire stock with just a few minutes work. That is if you don't have too many dings to get rid of. I have used this method removing the shine and turning it into a sheen instead on a number of stocks, one with 15 coats of polyurethane I applied and they look great! Might save yourself a lot of "elbow grease". 

[NYH1]

Thanks guys.

[Mckie Hollow]

Like what Doug B said, only use a scotch brite pad and some boiled linseed oil for lubrication. Wipe off as you go along. This should dull the finish. If the original epoxy finish is still good, without any chips, You will want to keep this. It is a very good protection. There is no sense in taking off a good protective finish. Just dull it up if it is too shiny. Rottenstone and oil should do the same thing for dulling.

[bubba.50]

that remington finish is so thick that if you strip it off it will actually change the dimensions of the stock. as others have said, dull the existing finish or replace the stock. for what it's worth, bubba.

[bubbinator]

I just refinished a stock on a really beat-up 700 BLD .300 Weatherby.  Brownell's sell some stuff called CERTISTRIP Paint Remover.  It took 95% of that Remington High Gloss finish off with 1 coat!  I put a 2nd coat on to get the nooks and crannies with a pick and stiff brush. WEAR GOOD RUBBER GLOVES!!! It only took light sanding/steel wool to smooth up the bare wood to accept a new stain( I used a moss green stain) and it turned out to be a very unique looking rifle.  The stock had a camo look to it, wood grain showed very well, and a final finish with Birchwood Casey Tru Oil and Stock Sheen gave me the satin look we wanted with the protected finish TruOil gives.  Certistrip will save you DAYs of sanding! Go to your local paint store and check out all the colors of wood stains. You can really get a unique stock using a color other  than walnut with all the protection a good stain provides.

[charles p]

I had a Browning stock repaired by a furniture maker.  It had a hairline crack near the tang safety.  When he finished he apologized that the gloss was gone in the area he worked on.  I told him I wished the entire rifle looked like the finish he provided.  He told me what to do.

Soak 0000 steel wool in Olde English Scratch Remover and buff the stock.  Keep the steel wool saturated with the Olde English.  I am very pleased with the results.

If you have stock dents, cover the area of the dent with a damp wash cloth and apply your wife's iron to the damaged area to steam the stock.  You can raise the dent sometimes.