Hello, I just purchased a Winchester Model 70 Featherweight Deluxe (the 2008 limited model, FN built). It's really a beautiful rifle, but I've always loved glossy wood stocks, like on my dad and grandpa's old deer rifles. I was wondering if there was a way to take my M70 from matte stock to glossy. This isn't something that I want to tackle if I'm going to have to do some refinishing and sanding and have the potential to screw it up easily. Is there some kind of clearcoat that I can apply to the stock as-is to make it glossy, help protect it better, and bring out more of the wood grain? Thanks for any and all input!
Taking a Winchester Model 70 stock from matte to gloss?
- Thread starter SheepNutz
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You can polish the existing finish using a silicone cloth and then buffing with a rag. Do this a couple of minutes a day for a week and the finish will be quite glossy. Not like a Weatherby gloss but it'll be glossy.
Any matte or satin finish is a gloss with flattening agents. You can polish the surface and shine them up quite a bit. Works with paints too.
Any matte or satin finish is a gloss with flattening agents. You can polish the surface and shine them up quite a bit. Works with paints too.
Coltdriver
Member
If you want to do this why not get yourself another stock and work it up? Trying to modify the finish on a factory stock presents a lot of problems, if you don't want to sand it off and start over then it would probably come out looking like you, well, like you sprayed a factory stock.
But your action is very common and a replacement stock can be had for not much. In fact you can get a second for well under $100. I have seen em at gun shows in reasonable condition of $50. Get one and sand it down and start working up a finish!
That classic Browning type of high gloss clear coat can be had a few ways. I have built up a stock with about 15 coats of tung oil and then once it is sealed start putting on the tung oil without wiping it off. You can get a very glossy look that is easy to maintain. I don't think the polymer sprays are worth a hoot. If you are really good they can come out looking ok but you will not get that high quality gloss you are looking for.
Do a little homework here by searching stock finishing and see if its something you want to tackle.
But your action is very common and a replacement stock can be had for not much. In fact you can get a second for well under $100. I have seen em at gun shows in reasonable condition of $50. Get one and sand it down and start working up a finish!
That classic Browning type of high gloss clear coat can be had a few ways. I have built up a stock with about 15 coats of tung oil and then once it is sealed start putting on the tung oil without wiping it off. You can get a very glossy look that is easy to maintain. I don't think the polymer sprays are worth a hoot. If you are really good they can come out looking ok but you will not get that high quality gloss you are looking for.
Do a little homework here by searching stock finishing and see if its something you want to tackle.
supercalvin56
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How about getting some floor wax or wood polish and polishing it?
Sooner1911
Member
IIRC, matte or satin finishes have flattening agents (plastic?) in the coatings that will remain even if you buff it. The buffing will polish it some, but I doubt that you will be satisfied.
You might talk to a local shop specializing in woodworking and check to see if they have any chemical strippers that will work. Ask them if they have something that will work on intricately carved furniture (think checkering) without damaging the wood. You may need to do a little sanding and restain. Then ask them for a gloss finish that will be suitable for wood that will be exposed to the elements. I really think someone with minimal woodworking skills could do this. It is just a matter of getting the right information about the look that you want.
However, I can understand if you don't want to experiment on an expensive rifle. There are a number of aftermarket manufactures that sell 98%-100 prefit stocks in a variety of woods and grades. I have used Wenig in the past on a couple of shotguns and have been extremely pleased with teh quality of their products. (I am a lefty and ordered a left hand palm swell for the buttstock of my Beretta in standard grade walnut and they sent me a buttstock with 75% figure. It turned out beautiful.)
You might talk to a local shop specializing in woodworking and check to see if they have any chemical strippers that will work. Ask them if they have something that will work on intricately carved furniture (think checkering) without damaging the wood. You may need to do a little sanding and restain. Then ask them for a gloss finish that will be suitable for wood that will be exposed to the elements. I really think someone with minimal woodworking skills could do this. It is just a matter of getting the right information about the look that you want.
However, I can understand if you don't want to experiment on an expensive rifle. There are a number of aftermarket manufactures that sell 98%-100 prefit stocks in a variety of woods and grades. I have used Wenig in the past on a couple of shotguns and have been extremely pleased with teh quality of their products. (I am a lefty and ordered a left hand palm swell for the buttstock of my Beretta in standard grade walnut and they sent me a buttstock with 75% figure. It turned out beautiful.)
Thanks for all of the input guys. I think I'll end up just leaving it as it is, or maybe try some light buffing with silicone like Horsemany suggested. I definitely don't want to change the stock style itself, as it's one of the main reasons I bought the featherweight. I love the Schnabel fore-end, checkering and balance of the stock, and the wood grain on this particular example is really nice.
Could I use something like Tru-oil and just apply it over the factory stock?
ColtPythonElite
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Tru-Oil would get my vote. It works great on older stocks or freshly stripped stocks. However, I don't know what it would do on whatever new fangled sealer that may be on a late model stock....Buy a bottle and test on a small spot.
Not my taste, but if you want that "Shinier than a brass bed in a sportin' house" look, Five "F" from Brownells will do it.
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1131/Product/FIVE__F__trade__COMPOUND
http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1131/Product/FIVE__F__trade__COMPOUND
Frogomatik
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I've seen this tried a few times and without exception it turns out looking like rotten goat a$$
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Seems like a bad idea to me!!
People pay big bucks to get that hand-rubbed matt finish look on high dollar custom rifles.
Hi-gloss relates to epoxy finished Remington 700's, or California Weatherby's in many peoples book.
Future Winchester collectors will curse your memory long after you are gone for ruining the factory stock finish!
rc
People pay big bucks to get that hand-rubbed matt finish look on high dollar custom rifles.
Hi-gloss relates to epoxy finished Remington 700's, or California Weatherby's in many peoples book.
Future Winchester collectors will curse your memory long after you are gone for ruining the factory stock finish!
rc
Tru oil is a great finish. I have done several. Tung oil is another good one. You need to strip the old finish off then sand smooth with 400 or less sand paper until it is very smooth. Then apply the finish and let dry. Wet sand lightly with 400 or less sand paper. You are just taking off the high spots in the finish. Repeat until you have the gloss you are looking for....chris3
why should he care what other people think of what he did to HIS gun?
I certainly wouldn't give a rip what some "collector" down the line thinks about what I did to a gun that I owned.
I love the high gloss look of the 700 BDL and the Weatherbys
I certainly wouldn't give a rip what some "collector" down the line thinks about what I did to a gun that I owned.
I love the high gloss look of the 700 BDL and the Weatherbys
supercalvin56
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I agree and wouldn't put anything that isn't easily removed on the top of some other finish.
jimmyraythomason
Member
Clean the existing finish with lemon oil and apply a good automotive wax(NOT polish!). Buff with a soft cotton cloth such as an old tee shirt. This is going to )likely) be as shiny as the original finish is going to get. Applying a new finish over an old one(especially if you don't know what type the old one is) can by counter productive. It is unlikely that the new finish will adhere to the old very well.
Thanks to everyone else for the additional ideas/input. I think I'll keep it factory, just so that I don't end up ruining anything. When I really get that glossy itch, I'll just look for an old used rifle in glossy. I remember when I was little, shooting an old .243 bull barrel rifle that was glossy, and I'd like to get one of those maybe. I took my first deer with it, before my dad had to give the rifle back to the state fish and wildlife department when he retired (he was a deer biologist who used the rifle to tranquilize deer). Now I just need to find out if it was a Model 70 or a Remington 700.
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