Stock finish change

[bronko220002]

I was looking at my two .58 cal Renegades and I decided to finish one of the stocks to see what it would look like. I prefer the darker duller finished stocks over the glossy factory ones.
Both stocks were identical at the start. Now the bottom one is the factory finish and the top is my newly finished one.
It was simply a complete removal of the factory finish, a dark walnut Minwax stain and sealer and couple coats of Johnson's paste wax. I also reblued some of the hardware that was getting shabby.

 

[wiscoaster]

I think you need something to bring out the grain more. I can see it's got lovely grain but doesn't really stand out. I'd suggest steel-wooling, then an application of a mix of boiled lineseed oil with a dark walnut stain. After it's briefly soaked, a good rub to remove excess, then wait overnight. Followed by another light steel-wooling to see if the grain was accented. Then follow with a finish of your choice. I like Minwax Tung Oil finish. You can color it to some degree with penetrating stain or with dye stain, though that does slow the dry and cure time.

PS: they're both beautiful rifles, either way.

 

[bronko220002]

The factory one (bottom) is the one with the nice grain. I'd really like to get it much darker like the kind on the Lyman GPR.

 

[ETipp]

The factory one (bottom) is the one with the nice grain. I'd really like to get it much darker like the kind on the Lyman GPR.

Yes sir, the color of the GPR is fantastic IMO. I think that if you can get that bottom ML stock to accept a darker color it would greatly enhance the appearance. Have refinished many firearms stocks over the years and the darker ones always satisfied me best.

 

[bronko220002]

I sent an email to Lyman CS to see if they will tell me how they stained their stocks now that they quit making muzzleloaders.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I did a patchbox repair job on this GPR and stained the bare wood to match the other untouched side of the stock with walnut husk stain I made years ago and still use. I initially boiled the husks in water and bottled it, grainy slurry and all. The bottle became moldy so I dumped off the moldy stuff and filled the bottle with denatured alcohol, now when the slurry gets a little thick, I add more alcohol. I have been using the same bottle of stain for the last 20 years.

I stained the stock by putting on dilute coats of my stain until I had a color match. I darkened the stain around the patchbox to hide all the wood patches I put in to cover up my nephew's poor inletting job.

Stained, I rubbed the color back with a scotchbright pad after I stained the stock to finalize the color match from the sanded side and the factory finish side.

 

[skwerleater]

Nice color. Nice job!

 

[Old-Duckman]

I also prefer a flat finish, no problem with a semi gloss finish but gunstocks and grips that look like they have a mirror, plastic-like finish are an assault to my eyes. But as my mother always said, “to each his own.“

 

[bronko220002]

I did a patchbox repair job on this GPR and stained the bare wood to match the other untouched side of the stock with walnut husk stain I made years ago and still use. I initially boiled the husks in water and bottled it, grainy slurry and all. The bottle became moldy so I dumped off the moldy stuff and filled the bottle with denatured alcohol, now when the slurry gets a little thick, I add more alcohol. I have been using the same bottle of stain for the last 20 years.

I stained the stock by putting on dilute coats of my stain until I had a color match. I darkened the stain around the patchbox to hide all the wood patches I put in to cover up my nephew's poor inletting job.

Stained, I rubbed the color back with a scotchbright pad after I stained the stock to finalize the color match from the sanded side and the factory finish side.

That's a nice color and more what I'm looking for.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I matched the degree of factory gloss finish as well with Tru-oil applied with a scotch bright pad to make it simi gloss.