refinishing my B2

[triggerhappy]

ugh! i can't stand the finish on this rifle!

i want to get rid of the finish and make the rifle look nicer altogether. i was thinking of using a medium grit to sand the existing varnish off, and then applying teak oil to it. does this sound good? other suggestions?

[jordan]

Burn It

[pete evans]

i have sanded down old webley bsa etc guns when i was a kid. i tried various different finishes and stains. problem with oiling a stock is that unles you start with a decent bit of wood you are likely to be dissapointed with the results. i would suggest you enjoy your b2 for what it is and graduate to a better rifle with a better stock if and when the funds allow.

incidently i felt the best finish i got was with birchwood casey tru oil over a stain. apply oil steel wool down, apply oil steel wool down etc etc etc.

 

regards

 

pete

[BIG BILL]

My son has a B2 and I sanded it down and used Matt Black sray paint and it looks pretty good. I also cut 5 inches off the barrel and added a silencer aswell as cutting 3 inches off the stock. He was 7 at the time and it has served him well, He is now 11 and has my old Jackal and just loves the sport. my yougest son now uses the B2 and also loves the sport .... So please don't nock any make of gun it's the fun factor that counts that's why we do it......

 

BIG BILL

[hill billy]

Ive done three of my guns a armi bettinsoli over and under an old webly and scott .410 and my BSA super sport .22 lr, I am happy with the end result but i do feel i want them to get a bit darker however i have the darkest stain i can find and it just ain't gettin any darker

[Axe]

Heres something I found that I have found extremely helpful.

 

Restoring Your Rifles To Respectability

 

Do your rifles look decidedly unloved? Have they sat lonely and forgotten for years, their only companions Mr Rust and Mr Mildew? Are you ashamed to be seen on the range in their company? Do I sound like a second-rate advertisement for U-Bodgit Gun Repairs? You betcha!

 

Your chances of repairing your rifle to near-new condition depend on exactly how far its condition has deteriorated. Over many years of fooling around with guns, some of them professionally, I have found the best way to refurbish neglected equipment is not always the expensive way. While I would not recommend these methods for that high grade Purdy or Weatherby, the majority of firearms out there are low to mid-priced models that will not be the worse for any of these measures.

 

Rusty Exterior

 

Many people assume by the appearance of rust on the barrel or receiver that it is in need of a re-blue. This is often not the case at all. You may be surprised to learn that the dark finish found on most guns is not really a protective coating as such, it is a chemically induced controlled corrosion that stabilises the surface of the metal while turning it a deep blue or black colour. It prevents minor blemishes but needs a light coating of oil to prevent rust.

 

The first step in attacking a rusty area is to rub it lightly with a very fine grade of steel wool wet with gun oil. Light machine oil, 3-in-1 or sewing machine oil is also okay. In most cases this will remove surface rust without damaging the blueing, as long as you approach it with patience and care. If the blue rubs off or has already worn away there are a number of cold blue touch up solutions available from a gun shop. More serious rust pitting requires buffing on a wire wheel and giving consideration to a professional re-blue. Since this would probably be costly you must decide whether the value of your gun warrants it.

 

How well your gun will respond to touch up blue depends a lot on the type of steel used by the manufacturer. A general rule is that older firearms have fewer additives in the steel. Modern industrial methods may have made it possible to make actions lighter and cut costs for the manufacturer, but this is of little comfort when you try to re-finish a receiver of high alloy composition. Mostly they look better rusty than the sad mottled light grey that comes out of a bottle.

 

Touch Up Blue

 

Should you decide to attempt a partial or full re-blue with touch up blue there are several key points that are critical. Preparation is very important. Never resort to taking the old finish off with abrasives like sandpaper. Even the finest wet and dry grades will leave scratch marks that will be as obvious as carving "rough as guts" in the butt. If fine steel wool will not remove the finish, use a buffing wheel.

 

In order to remove all foreign substances from the surface it is necessary to use a good degreaser. Shellite, acetone or white spirits are fine; in fact, any solvent used as preparation for painting metal surfaces would probably work. Be careful not to leave fingerprints as these will in turn leave traces of oil and other impurities.

 

There are several brands of blue available; G96 make liquid, creme or paste, while Birchwood Casey and Outers have only liquid. My own preference is G96 creme, but I believe that any of the above will work well as long as you do not follow the instructions on the labels. This may well sound like heresy, but if you do as the makers suggest your gun will look as pallidly attractive as Michael Jackson caught in the rain (complete with running mascara).

 

Now that you have completely degreased the parts of your firearm to be blued, apply the blueing solution with some lint-free cloth. Keep rubbing in until the colour changes to a deep blue or black. Should this not work well try applying with a clean piece of fine steel wool. Try not to cover too great an area at once.

 

At this point you must disregard standard instructions. All brands recommend washing the parts in water to neutralise the chemical reaction. This will result in a streaky finish that will never look quite right no matter how many times you go over it. Once all parts have been blued, and there is a milky white residue all over, take a very oily rag and saturate all parts. Make sure the entire surface gets soaked in gun oil and then leave it until the next day.

 

This is the most important part. After approximately 24 hours you must go over all the parts with your oily rag again. The first coat of oil only 90% neutralised the chemical action of the blueing formula. This allowed the blue to continue working overnight. The second saturation halts it completely. Should you forget to do this, your gun will be a rust bucket within days.

 

My best results have occurred when there has been a light brown powder forming on the surface of the metal the next day. The previous oil had soaked into the pores of the metal or evaporated, I am never sure which. But under that fine pre-rust dust is a far deeper and more durable blue than can be achieved from following the maker's instructions.

 

Tarting Up Your Stock

 

When tidying up a rifle's stock you must first decide if you wish to effect a quick-fix or a full refinish. Lacquered or varnished stocks may look glossy when new, but they become a real headache when they begin to show their age and become frayed around the edges. Often the only option for a well-worn finish like this is to strip back to bare wood and refinish from scratch. Oil coated stocks are generally more repairable without too much fuss. I will first deal with the five minute spruce up; being naturally lazy this is most often my personal choice.

 

The Instant Gratification Method

 

Once again I recommend using very fine steel wool. Brillo-type pads are ideal, the same ones used for the washing up (although not the soapy ones), as they are already a convenient size. I use Cabot's Danish Oil (or Colron) as both a stock finish and reviver. It is available from any large hardware store or DIY shed, and a small tin goes a long way. Small scuff marks and scratches in the wood's finish will either come off or blend in if you gently rub the Danish Oil into the stock with your steel wool. Wipe off the excess before it dries and you will be amazed at how much better it will look.

 

Refinishing (aka The Full Monty)

 

Avoid this if you can. Taking a stock back to bare wood always takes twice as long as my patience lasts.

 

A lacquer finish may be removed in part by varnish or paint stripper. Be sure the stripper you use does not leave a sticky mess, as this can be worse than the original finish to remove. If you sand it back, always use a finer grade than you would like to. A cheap detail sander saves a lot of elbow grease, but take care not to blur sharp edges and remove features. Revert to very fine wet and dry as soon as you are through the old finish. Carefully cover any chequering with masking tape. There is little to be gained by sanding all the square edges off your chequering. In my experience it is far better to leave it as it is.

 

In fact, the most you could ever do to chequering in the preparation stage (unless you intend having it professionally re-cut) is use a toothbrush with stripper to remove the lacquer, then again use a toothbrush to clean it out afterwards.

 

Placing a dampened rag over the affected area and rubbing a hot iron over it can often remove dents in the woodwork. Do not expect miracles, but it can beat sanding back to below the level of the dent and leaving a ripple effect along the stock.

 

For the sake of wood-to-metal fit, as well as the butt pad (especially a solid one), you should remove as little wood as possible in preparing it. The final sanding should be done with 800 grit wet and dry, followed by a buff with steel wool.

 

If its colour is still too pallid for your liking, Birchwood Casey make excellent timber stains. Best of all is they are water-based. Take a small amount of stain and dilute in water before applying. This will ensure you do not go too dark too soon and have to sand it back yet again.

 

I always seal the stock before starting any staining or oiling. This stops the pores of the grain soaking it up like a sponge. A Walnut Wood Grain Filler is as good as any, and again is available from any good hardware store. You will need to mix in a small amount of mineral turps until it becomes a runny paste. Rub the paste along the grain, wait five minutes, then rub it off with a clean cloth across the grain. There is a slight tint to this filler to add a little colour, so you may not be inclined to stain it further. If this material is not available, it is possible to first coat the stock with oil, allow it to dry and then apply thin coats of French Polish until the pores in the grain are filled. A rub-down is then required with wet and dry paper to remove surplus French Polish.

 

For the final oil finish I recommend sticking with Cabot's (or Colron) Danish Oil, but Birchwood Casey Tru Oil and Trade Secrets Oil will also give good results.

 

With a clean lint-free cloth, apply a coat of Danish Oil over the complete stock. Wait 60-90 seconds. Wipe off with a clean, dry cloth before the oil has got too sticky. Allow it to dry for 8 hours or so. Buff lightly with a fine steel wool pad and repeat the above steps a minimum of 8-10 times. This is a slow process, but well worth it in the long run.

 

After a few coats you will notice that the finish is matt, but its apparent depth increases with each coat. Remember, in this case more is better, your finish will improve and your woodwork will have more protection with the greater the number of layers you apply.

 

Should you wish for a glossy finish, don't wipe the last couple of coats off but just let them dry. You will still need to lightly buff when fully dry.

 

Keep your oil handy for the future, if the stock starts to deteriorate, simply touch up using the "Instant Gratification Method" above.

 

From an original article by Potter's Guns, Australia

March 2002

 

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers n Beers,

 

Axe