Screwed up a collectible rifle...

It doesn't look THAT bad, and honestly most of the issue is probably just that you're observing it with a keen eye. I'd be willing to bet if you put it back in the safe for a year, then pull it back out, it won't look nearly as bad to fresh eyes.

I wanna say almost all the boat paddle stocks I've seen looked oxidized and white.

Regardless, I used to use 303 Aerospace for my Jeep plastic. Probably the same as the stuff you're using.

Trey Veston said:

But a short little tactical .308 just seems fun...

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Make a short little tactical .30-06!

Cut your barrel to 20" or even 18", thread it, install that bottom metal kit and get the ball rolling on a can!

.30-06 doesn't really suffer any more than .308 in shorter barrels unless you start trying to push heavier bullets that the .308 wouldn't typically be loaded with anyway.

Ask @Gtscotty. I think I cut his '06 at 19".

And you'd have something a little different. Everybody and their brother has a DM fed stubby .308, including me with a Savage 10LE sporting a 10 rounder.

Boring.

Trey Veston said:

That's cool as heck, but not really applicable to my .30-06 rifle...

I really want a short, light, handy .308 bolt gun with detachable 10-round mags. Why? No idea. My M-70 in .30-06 AI will serve as an appropriate rifle for hunting deer, elk, bear, and antelope. But a short little tactical .308 just seems fun...

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https://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/rethinking-scout-rifle/

Waters Rifleman makes quality 10 round mags for the Tikkas. My next centerfire rifle will be a close build to Chris's practical rifle shown in this article.

Very lightweight, super handy, extremely smooth Tikka action. Tactical style LPVO with illuminated reticle, shooting sling (Wilderness Rhodesian nylon) and with 10 round Waters Rifleman mags would make a superb general purpose rifle. Basically Cooper's scout concept but without rigid specs and utilizing more modern options.

The rifle isn't collectible, the stock is. And anyone wanting the stock won't care about the paint. Those turned white from normal use anyway.

Those stocks are either "love em" or "hate em". Probably 80% of the shooters out there hate em and wouldn't buy one at any price for all the reasons you hate it. There are a handful of guys who like them and will pay a premium for it. Personally I'm in the hate em camp. Worst stock design ever. I have had a couple over the years and eventually sold the rifles, before some people decided they liked them.

Ruger replaced that stock with a much better design for a few years before discontinuing the rifle. I ordered one of the stocks from Ruger for $85. Sold the boat paddle stock for $150. The deal made both of us happy.

I wouldn't have that rifle as a gift. But you might be surprised what it will sell for. I'd have started it at $1000.

And another plug for Tikka. I have 3 of the Ruger Predators. They are good rifles and were well worth the $300- $325 I paid for mine. But they aren't worth what they are asking now. A Tikka in blue is $600, and a much better rifle. Particularly the magazines. The weak link to the Rugers are their poorly designed mags.

Probably too late now but I have had my best luck bringing plastic back with 303 Protectant. It's been returning my plastic jeep fenders, running boards, and bumpers back from grey to factory new looking for 13 years now plus several other things. I just did the restore on the jeep again last week. It takes two coats.

Stuff like Back To Black is temporary. You should look into automotive interior dye as a more permanent solution

white on oxidized plastic usually comes off with some WD40 or Seafoam or any product with some light oil and cleaner. I make old white stained snowmobile tanks look like new in 5 minutes with Seafoarm or Marvel Mystery Oil. Have to do a treatment every year though. Never did it on one of those stocks though - have had decent luck with some of the plastic restore products like you're using, but can take multiple applications and you have to leave it on a while. Maybe something like Armor All might work.

JeeperCreeper said:

wanna say almost all the boat paddle stocks I've seen looked oxidized and white.

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Maybe that's why some are collectibles...only the mint condition factory black ones are sought after? Kinda like the tennite (spelling) on Savage and Stevens of yesteryear...

I used to have an unhealthy obsession with M77's, but not those. Sorry, but they're as goofy looking now as they were 20 years ago.

I like all the different takes everyone has here. You had good times with that rifle and used it as intended. Best of luck on the sale. Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised. I think if more of us could see the future life would be a lot less fun.

Bidding is over $1,000 now. Congrats!

Trey Veston said:

I bought a Ruger M77 .30-06 in 2000...Figured the Ruger was'nt worth selling and forgot about it...I wish I had known that it was going to be a collector's item some day...

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Trey, if we’d all known what would & would not become collectible, less of us would be spending time on the forum; we’d all be jetting off to some exotic locale, looking for the next collectible.

Sam

Trey Veston said:

Still showing at $500 for me. Weird.

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sorry, I looked at the example you posted earlier thinking that was your rifle. My bad

Trey Veston said:

Listed it cheap at $500...

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/898024977

That's enough to cover a new Ruger American Predator.

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That is a very fair price. My first thought was “Man, if that were a .308 I would jump on it...”
Then I realized “Man, if that was a .308 he probably wouldn’t be selling it!” Duhhhh....

Good luck. I hope you can get the rifle your looking for.

At least you were very honest in your description of the rifle. I'm glad to see a poster above finally mentioned Armor All. The only problem with Armor All is that it leaves everything really slick. In other words NEVER Armor All your brake pedal or motorcycle seat.

I am one of the guys that likes the looks of the boat paddle stock. If I were in the market for one I would be bidding on your gun. I like 30-06 better than a 308 anyway.

Great that the sale went well. Stripping chemicals can sometimes act odd in practical applications. We've had old finishes and glues on the job that the meanest chemicals or acids wouldn't touch, and just when you think you got it figured out, your stripper is eating your workpiece in front of your eyes.