Stripping a Browning "Plastic-Coated" Stock?

[mannyrock]

Dear Guys,

    I am considering getting a used Browing Lever Action, but I absolutely hate the look and feel of the high gloss, plastic-like finish, on the Browning stocks. 

    I have lots of experience in stripping and refinishing gun stocks, but I have never done one of the Browning stocks.   (I normally use Marine grade gel stripper to strip a stock. Extremel powerful stuff!  Two quick coats and you are done.)

   Anybody ever stripped one of the Browning stocks?  Anything special I should know?  Is it something I shouldn't tackle?

Thanks, Mannyrock
   
   

[Rangr44]

Just be aware that what you see before you strip one may not be what you get afterward - as Miroku used to "upgrade" otherwise plain wood with faux color/grain, prior to finishing the stocks.

They were especially notorious for doing so on the Ithaca/SKB branded shotguns they used to manufacture during that same period (1970's).

Sometimes a peek under the BP/recoil pad, at the raw buttstock wood, will tell the tale - as the wood wasn't usually "upgraded" there.

.

[Totenkopf]

Very good post Ranger 44. I have done 4 or 5 brownings none were the old belgiums. All but one were severly scratched so the owners were happy with the redo. One was a glossy auto shotgun. The guy wanted it like the European oil finished walnut. Ended up a grainless matte brown stock, looked more like paint. Ordered a boyds for him and did the same thing to it. He was more than satisfied.
 Their grain is applied just under the clear coat. Odds are it's going to be gone when you refinish. You may try steel wool in 0000 to dull the finish slightly instead of removing it. All of them I redid were a cheap light wood, maybe alder, not a lot different then our cypress or pine. It was very similar to the wood used in a chinese sks or ak.

[mannyrock]

  Awwk !  You mean Miroku wasn't using walnut for the stocks on the BLRs?   Hard to believe.   Anybody else have this experience? What about FN? 

  The problem with trying to steel wool down the high gloss plastic finish stocks on Brownings is that they seem to take on a milky look.


Mannyrock

[Walleye Magnet]

I did my BLR a few months ago.  I hated the glossy wood and did like the color very much.  After several coats of Citri-Strip of some brush work in the checkering it looks great.  I put on 5 or 6 coats of tongue oil and the really grain stands out. 

[mannyrock]

But Waley,
   
   Tung Oil is not waterproof.  What can you put over top of the tung oil to weatherproof it?

Mannyrock

[bluebayou]

since when is tung oil not waterproof?  what is "waterproof"?

If you are that concerned about it, then get some Johnson's paste wax and coat the tung oil finish with it.  Johnson's is carnauba wax without any cleaning abrasives in it.  I dig it.

For that matter, the paste wax might make a simpler fix to your current shiny finish.  Before you strip it all down, then try the wax on it.

I was horrified when I stripped my Remington 700 Classic stock.  It was heartwood/sapwood evenly down the forearm.  Remington had used some kind of opaque, brown epoxy on the stock to even the color.  Minwax Red Mahogany evened out the color....but that wasn't what I wanted.

[Steve P]

  Awwk !  You mean Miroku wasn't using walnut for the stocks on the BLRs?   Hard to believe.   Anybody else have this experience? What about FN? 

  The problem with trying to steel wool down the high gloss plastic finish stocks on Brownings is that they seem to take on a milky look.


Mannyrock

The milky look is scratches in a clear coat.  Best way to test this is wet your finger and rub milky area.  If it turns shiney, that is what you have.  Ultra fine garnet paper with oil can be used to buff out these scratches, but can also go all the way thru the finish if you are not careful.  Applying the Johnson's Carnuba paste floor wax can also take out the milky look, but takes a good buffing and you are right back to your shiney stock.  I have heard of some people using a fine scotchbrite pad to roughen their entire stock, wipe stock down to remove all dust, and then spraying a Matte clear spray paint.  A couple of coats of matte, let dry 24 hours, and buff out any drips or runs.  It sounds like a good temporary fix on a hunting rifle or shotgun.  I would not do this on a keeper or family heirloom.

Good luck with your project.

Steve

[gunnut69]

Four 0(0000) will dull the shine but not deeply scratch the plastic finish original to these guns. The wax then fills the minute marks remaining and the result should be a satiny finish. If less shine than that is needed I reccomend a couple of coats of satin polyurethane over a steel wooled finish. This material needs to be shaken or stirred often to prevent the satin finishing material from seperating out..

[torpedoman]

you can always top coat it with a matt finish product.

[LONEWOLF]

A question does anyone know where a person could get a stock and forearm made for a browning BLR

[charles p]

I had a hairline cracked repaired on a Browning BBR and the repair person apologized that the little dime size spot near the bolt recess lost its glossy finish.  I told him I wish the entire rifle looked like the spot he repaired.  He told me to get 0000 steel wool and a bottle of Old English stratch remover to produce a satinlike finish.  Just pour the Old English into the wool and go to it.  It took me several days to complete only because I kept seeing shiney spots I missed.  I like the oil rubbed result.  I recall using the dark tone of Old English.  It comes in two stain colors I believe.