How to Refinish a Simple Rifle Stock

Since I first became interested in firearms nearly 40 years ago, restoring firearms has become a hobby. The Gun Digest Books of Firearms Exploded Drawings were invaluable to me as I began this journey. The Stevens Model 66 is a relatively cheap bolt-action.22-caliber rifle. Like most firearms manufactured by Stevens, it was viewed as a simple tool, like a hammer, or a screwdriver. It was manufactured from 1929 until 1945. It is tube fed, can chamber.22 Short and.22 Rifle ammunition and has a walnut stock with a large takedown bolt. It was $50 because it was missing a factory rear sight and the stock was so old-looking. The wood was a dull gray, lacking the warmth and luster of walnut stocks from the past. The finish was also flaking badly, especially on the lower part of the stock. However, the metal was clean and free of rust or pitting. This wasn’t a personal family heirloom, and thoughts of a nice Boyds laminate stock came to mind as a replacement.Unfortunately, Boyds doesn’t make a stock for this model. This is because these rifles were cheap to begin with, and they were viewed as simple tools. You could read this as “disposable,” however, most firearms are designed to last many lifetimes. It’s true that refinishing many firearm stocks will reduce the value. This is true for antique Winchester rifles with lever-actions, hand-made double guns, and pretty much anything with a wood stock that has deluxe checkering and carving. Please avoid such projects unless you are a master woodworker. But, the Stevens was ideal for this project. It was inexpensive, had a one-piece stock without checkering, and its profile was “smooth and round.” Mild sanding would not be noticeable, and the grain of the stock was very simple. CitriStrip is the brand that was used to remove the original finish from this rifle. When working with natural materials like wood, it’s best to use biodegradable products, as they are less likely to stain the wood or contaminate it. I said it. I had to say it. If you don’t know the firearm, you can find some resources, such as Gun Digest, or even a YouTube video, to help you. A forensic scientist would probably be able to figure out why and how the wood was destroyed in this way. The finish was intact, and there were no signs of trauma or cracks. However, something had removed the finish. The Stevens was easy to disassemble due to its takedown screw. Remove the screw that holds the barreled stock to the barreled gun. Set the action and the screw aside. Four slotted screws are used to remove the rest of stock furniture (buttplate and trigger guard). Remove these and set them aside. If you are attempting a similar project and you find that the screws are of different sizes, make sure to remember which screw goes into which hole by placing them in plastic bags with a magic pen. Mineral spirits may be needed if there was a lot or varnish or wax. CitriStrip was the best choice in this case. This is a biodegradable, indoor-safe wood stripper. The finish was removed to reveal a nice piece of wood underneath. The grain pattern on the right side of the stock was a little wild. You want to pour the stripper on the stock and work the wood into it. Once the stock was completely covered, it was hung on a tree for 24 hours using a metal coathanger. The author found that a tree in the backyard worked well. It was obvious the next day that the majority of the old finish had been removed. The stock was placed in the utility sink and rinsing in hot water using Dawn dish soap. In less than a day, we removed over 70 years of dirt and crud. Steel wool removed the last bits of paint from small spots but there was still grease and scale, so it needed to be degreased. Boil water and use your utility basin, or maybe a bathtub, cattle trough, whatever will keep you and your significant other out of trouble. Place the stock into the sink or bathtub for a soak and then lather in degreaser. Let it sit in the sink or tub for 15 minutes, then rinse with boiling hot water. Let it float in the water for five minutes, then flip it for five minutes on the opposite side. This process will fill in small dents in the wood and swell the wood fibers. You may also see hairline cracks, so inspect it carefully before continuing and repair if necessary. At this point, remove the stock from the water and hang up to dry. I apply a thin coat of lemon oil after it has dried to bring back some natural oils to the wood. This is the time to sand your stock. I recommend sanding by hand, as electric sanders can leave marks on the wood grain that will show up when you stain it. Work with the natural grain in the wood, starting with 120-grit. Then, move up to 400-grit. Some woodworkers are true artists who can create incredible patterns in the finish. Maybe you have this kind of talent. I prefer to keep things simple. Birchwood Casey Walnut stain was my choice. It’s a concentrated solution, so try a small amount on the stock and see how it looks. If it seems too dark, you can dilute it with water to get a lighter shade. Use a clean, lint free cloth or brush to apply it. Allow the stock to air dry for at least 12 hours. This stuff tends to clump and dissolve when exposed to air. So, poke a small opening in the foil seal underneath the bottle cap to allow it to come out in drops. Once it is dry, wipe it off and let it air-dry for another 24 hours. Repeat this step, including drying another day, if you see open pores in your wood. If you see any imperfections, sand the wood down again with the 400-grit steel wool and 400-grit paper. You’re almost done. Wipe down the stock with tackcloth and you’re ready for the final finishing. Wait about seven days before polishing the stock with Birchwood Casey Stock Sheen & Conditioner. Double coats will give you a more classic matte finish. If you’d like to go further and add some protection against the elements and time, you can coat your stock with Birchwood Casey Gun Stock Wax. This is a great opportunity to bed the action. It’s not as difficult as you might think and can improve accuracy. The rifle was easy to put back together and performed as expected. You can restore sentimental value to a wood-stocked, working rifle. The result is worth the time spent stripping, sanding, and staining. The investment in materials is less than $50. This Stevens Model 66 was not sentimental to me, but it may be for one of my grandchildren. The target grids and bullseyes are in MOA. 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