Mossberg 146B Stock touch Up

[Johnm1]

I bought this rifle to go under a Mossberg 4M4 scope I picked up for $5. It is in relatively good shape. A couple of rust spots that came out with little effort. The stock is in about the same shape with wear in the spots that come into contact with the shooter.

Before we start I'd like to confirm the definition of `Varnish`. As I understand it varnish is a generic term for any of a number of clear/semi-clear finishes that usually go on top of a colored/stained finish. Varnishes could be anything from shellac to polyurethane finishes. I thi k there are some products sold/named Varnish but one has to understand what the manufacturer has included in their product. The term varnish has always clouded the issue for me. Maybe @GunnyUSMC can chime in on that point.


I'd like to `even out` the places where the color has been worn. I'd prefer to not do a complete strip/refinish but bring back the color where it is missing and make the sheen in the repaired spots match the existing. For this discussion assume that what look like gouges/scratches are finish imperfections. There actually is one area i may have to address but I'd like to fo us on finish.

FYI - I don't have strong opposition to a refinish I just don't think it is necessary for this project. Here are some close ups of the areas in question









Now if the guys over at Rimfire Central know anything the original finish was a 'toned lacquer`. Toned meeaning the laquer was colored with a stain. Although the model description didn't specifically say itmwas beech stock, almost all of the Mossberg model descriptions from when they were new described the stocks as `Walnut Finish` on a beech stock. Both the lacquer finish and the beech seem correct for this stock.

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/i-want-to-refinish-my-146b-stock-yes-or-no.559108/

The standard finish for Mossbergs or any other wooden stocked consumer rifles is a toner lacquer which is dyed, not stained and used to impart an even color and cover minor blemishes. Many RFC folks call it "mud". Maybe 1 in a 100 will have a toner poly instead of the lacquer.

I don't mind getting some lacquer and even an appropriate stain if that is what's necessary. I've used the `refinishers` like Formby`s and even made some at home. But I'm not sure I want to spread the existing finish into the damaged areas unless we as a group think that is the appropriate course ofmaction.

So, not a total strip/refinish if at all possible. I'd be ok with using lacquer thinner to spread the existing finish if that's the right way to go.

I'm not in a hurry on this one.

 

[Scooter22]

Thats a lot of touching up to do. I've matched up smaller areas on old Mossbergs just like yours with rub on TruOil and it blended nicely. i,d wet some of the areas with spit on your finger and see if they darken up and match. If they do I,d get a spray can of TO, lightly sand the finish with very fine sandpaper and do the whole stock. If it,s too shiny you can knock it down. I,ve also used the Formbys refinisher to even things out. Then applied a new top coat. TO has a amber color similar to the one on the stock. Laq is clear and wont match up. 146B are nice full size rifles and hold 26 shorts if you have any. Good luck. OH and that stock is walnut. I have 3 146B and all are walnut. Those early top line Mossbergs were all walnut. You got beech in some of the store brands. Later into the 6s0,70s and after you saw beech in some of the Mossbergs.

 

[Johnm1]

I've matched up smaller areas on old Mossbergs just like yours with rub on TruOil

Ive had success with True oil but on an entire stock. The New Haven 740 410 shotgun was stripped when i bought it and i used True oil on it and was really happy with the results. I've just never tried to use it to match things.

If they do I,d get a spray can of TO,

I'm assuming TO is tung oil. If I were to do a strip/refinish I'd stay with the original materials.

Laq is clear and wont match up.

I'd use stain in the lacquer like the original materials.

OH and that stock is walnut. I have 3 146B and all are walnut

That is good to know. Walnut is a bit easier to work with color wise. Beech can be stubborn.

My first thought is to use straight lacquer thinner in the affected areas and see if it doesn't carry some of the color with it. It might work on the smaller areas. But I wanted to discuss it first with this group.

 

[Scooter22]

Sorry. TO is TruOil. They have it in the bottle to rub and the spray. I have been really lucky using the bottle on my finger to match many different old factory finishes. The amber color works. But you have a lot more spread out over the whole stock. I wouldn't mess with tinting laq. Thats over my head. I've used the Formby's refinisher to even things out. Then rubbed the whole stock with TO by hand. Came out nice. I have a lot of pics on RFC under same user name if you want to look. Those old Mossbergs had some beautiful walnut on them. Heres a link to WWF 47C that I did the Formbys and about 5 or so coats of TO buffed with 4/0 steel wool. The quality of the pics are down graded by F'bucket since they stole all I had on there when I didn't agree to pay years after they stopped being free.
https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/wwf-no-47c-after-tlc.431854/#post-3842910

 

[GunnyUSMC]

@Johnm1 , @Scooter22 , pretty much covered it.
You are correct that many people use varnish as a generic term to cover a wide variety of finishes.
But there’s really a finish that is Varnish, but that’s another story.
I have found that trying to touch up a stock with a scratched and worn finish can be more work the just refinishing.
Like @Scooter22 said, Tru-Oil would be the finish to touch up the stock. You would first need to clean the stock to remove any dirt. Then use a fine sandpaper, on a block, to feather all the edges of the old finish where the damage is. I would apply Tru-Oil, by hand (finger tip), to the damaged areas and allow it to dry. Then buff the stock with 0000 steel wool. Then apply a coat or two of Tru-Oil to the stock.
You can get away with just apply a few coats of Tru-Oil just to the damaged areas, but each coat would have to be blended.
I’ve used Tru-Oil to repair the finish on several stocks, but only when the damage wasn’t so much, or when a total refinish would hurt the value.
In this case, I would use a stripper to remove the old finish, which should come off very easily. If the wood is pretty smooth and doesn’t appear to need sanding, I would bone the stock with a hard dowel to make it very smooth and harden the surface. This will also save the patina o the surface of the wood. If you sand, do it very lightly with 300 or higher paper.
I love an oil finish and would go with that, but Tru-Oil will be very close to the original finish.

 

[Scooter22]

Thanks Gunny! One of the things with those Mossbergs of that era is they have a reddish orange color that is hard to duplicate. Thats why I thought maybe try the Formbys to blend the original color over the nicks and bare spots. Then do a overcoat of TruOil to even it out. Those old Mossbergs had a unique look.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Thanks Gunny! One of the things with those Mossbergs of that era is they have a reddish orange color that is hard to duplicate. Thats why I thought maybe try the Formbys to blend the original color over the nicks and bare spots. Then do a overcoat of TruOil to even it out. Those old Mossbergs had a unique look.

What a lot of people don’t realize it that the surface of the wood will age, even with a finish on it. The wood takes on a patina, but it is only on the surface. If sanded, the patina is removed and you basically have fresh wood.
The type of finish on the wood will also have an effect on the patina. The finish that Mossberg used back in the day was a varnish. It did not block UV rays and it allowed the Walnut stocks to take on a golden reddish color.
Now days they use cheaper hardwoods for stocks to keep the cost down. They also use a poly base finish that has color added to it and it’s cured with UV light to make it very hard. The new finishes are much harder to repair.
I sold a couple of my old Mossberg project rifles to another forum members last year. Both had nice Walnut stocks on them, but needed to be cleaned up.

 

[Johnm1]

I've matched up smaller areas on old Mossbergs just like yours with rub on TruOil and it blended nicely. i,d wet some of the areas with spit on your finger and see if they darken up and match. If they do I,d get a spray can of TO

In this case, I would use a stripper to remove the old finish, which should come off very easily. If the wood is pretty smooth and doesn’t appear to need sanding, I would bone the stock with a hard dowel to make it very smooth and harden the surface. This will also save the patina o the surface of the wood. If you sand, do it very lightly with 300 or higher paper.
I love an oil finish and would go with that, but Tru-Oil will be very close to the original finish.

I ended up following the above recommendations and stripped off the lacquer finish, boned the wood and applying Tru-Oil finish. After 1 coat









For all but 1 spot I was able to blend in some colored lacquer and make the damage disappear to the eye. But those areas were small and mostly in the lacquer finish.
Before


After


Blending like this doesn't make the damage go away. It pretty much masks it, leaving the dents in place. I'm sure I could have done the same with Formby's.

But this spot was too large/too deep to blend with just colored lacquer as Scooter and Gunny suggested. Formby"s might have worked.

I love an oil finish and would go with that, but Tru-Oil will be very close to the original finish.

I do too but the Tru-Oil Finish does closely mimic the original finish. And it seems to be durable. And I generally like the appearance of the Tru-Oil finish. I've never had to repair a Tru-Oil finish so I don't have an opinion on that.

Does anyone know what the Tru-Oil finish is?

Again, thanks to those that replied. It is all helpful.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Tru-Oil is basically blend BLO that has a high amount of drier added to it. This allows it to seep into the wood and allows it to dry on the surface. Then additional coats and be applied to build up a thicker finish.
I have an old Gunsmithing book that’s just about finishes. It has more information in it than I can remember.

 

[Scooter22]

Looks good. Rub some more coats on It will start to fill the grain and you can knock the gloss back between coats. I really like TO. You can go from a finish mainly in the wood like a traditional rubbed oil or build it up glossy like some of the Remington of Marlin finishes from the 60-70s.

 

[Johnm1]

Although it turned out darker than I hoped for, I still like the look. I had expected it to come out lighter as some of the color came off with the lacquer. Second coat is on and drying.

 

[Johnm1]

One nice thing about living in Arizona in the summer is the outside acts like a low heat oven. The stock is hanging in the shade in 100 degree heat. I could, though wouldn't, up that to close to 200 degrees if I put it on the hood of my truck in the direct sunlight. Even though the humidity is rising this time of year it is still rather low at 17%. That is about what most inside humidity is in an A/C cooled home. It will rise into the 40% range here in the next month.

It really is true that it is a 'Dry Heat'. At least most of the year.

 

[Johnm1]

Man I can take some really bad pictures. Update after 2 coats. I'll need at least one more coat, possibly two.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Lookin great!

 

[Johnm1]

The third coat is on and I'm really happy with the results. In order to fill the last of the grain and achieve a smooth finish/surface I'd need at least one more coat. But I like what I see right now. What are others thought on not filling the grain completely? I suspect that with each coat of Tru-Oil the color gets a little darker and it is already a little darker than I'd like.

I realize it is a personal choice but I'm interested in what others think.

This is really a very nice walnut stock. My pictures just don't do it justice. Here is what I have right now.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Id be happy if my 46B looked that good, lol.
I really need to slap a few more coats on it. I did two coats of Tru-oil and two of Tung. It is pretty darn dark now, which is fine, but the wood was VERY dry and soaked it up like a sponge. It was pretty smooth after the fourth coat, but once the tung fully dried, much of the grain had reemerged.
It doesn't look bad, but Id like it a little smoother. If it looked like yours, Id call it a day.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

 

[Scooter22]

Thats coming out great. It,s up to you. I have them semi filled and completely. Some of them came from the factory not fully filled and I added a top coat and left it. I don,t think one more coat is going to make it much darker. Just rub it on thin to fill the grain. Those old Mossbergs had some beautiful wood. Even the house brand Western Fields.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

The easiest way to fill the grain is to sand the finish down with very fine sandpaper. Do not sand down to the wood. This will flatten the surface of your finish and leave smaller voids to fill.

 

[Johnm1]

The easiest way to fill the grain is to sand the finish down with very fine sandpaper. Do not sand down to the wood. This will flatten the surface of your finish and leave smaller voids to fill.

That's awesome. I assume one must then use a tack cloth to remove the sandings. Is that correct?

If one uses a tack cloth does one need to clean off the sticky residue from the tack cloth?