I have a browning BSS that is about 20 years old, the gun is in almost new condition. The forearm is as the day it was finished however the butt has a haze that is developing in the finish in one area near the receiver and the other are around the bottom of the pistol grip. Has anyone ever seen this and is there any easy way to remove this milky type haze short of a refinish job.

Any body know how they get a deep glossy finish like that in the first place. Any suggestions would greatly be appreciated.

Depends on how deep the milky finish is, but sometimes with those finishes a little rottenstone rub out could finish it out to the point you couldn't see any problem.

Sometimes with those glossy finishes (epoxy resin or varathan equivalent) you have to completely strip the entire stock in order for it to look right when you get done. This depends on how deep the discolorization in the stock goes. Something else that will determine what the best course of action is, was what caused the milky finish in the first place. If you handled anything that might have had acetone, gasoline,or some other type of corrosive liquid, then handled your gun, this could be the problem. One can only speculate of course but if you posted some pics on this site, myself and several others could probaly give you some good insight into fixing your problem.

Here is my first attempt at posting a picture. Here is one of the pictures but this one represents the problems in the other areas

http://www.hunting-pictures.com/members/raamw/BSS.jpg

I can't tell if the fog is *on* the finish or *in* the finish. It might take an inspection by microscope to tell.

If it's on the finish you can take it out with a very fine rubbing compound, available at auto parts stores or Caseys stock rubbing compound.

If the fog is in the finish, Browning will re-finish or replace it.

There are many, many ways to get a glossy *on the wood* finish. You can bet the factories use the fastest cheap one. Browning used a UV cured lacquer that would weather craze if too hard and wrinkle if too soft. They've had a terrible time with stock finishes through the years. Nothing was sealed that was out of sight.

If I were going to do a gloss finish (I'm gagging a little but I can get past it), I'd fill with a heavy soaking in a thin mixture of Spar varnish, Watco marine sealer, and mineral spirits and let it sit a month. Then I'd wet sand in successive coats of the same mixture with less mineral spirits.....one coat a week or so. I'd wet sand to a 800 finish and until all the pores are filled... (then I'd stop.....but you want gloss)

Then spray with light coats of a clear, exterior, poly-urethane....two light coats, let dry, wet sand with a backing not *quite* down to the wood. Do that until you can sand to a 1200 finish without breaking through and then rub with fine polishing compound and then wax it.......

Then lock it in a closet so it doesn't get scratched. LOL

There _ARE_ faster and easier ways of doing it.....and it shows.

Rub it out with automitive rubbing compound and water. Carefull it will mess up the blue. Best to remove the stock from the metal.

Think twice before you strip a Browning. Some of them have very plain hardwood stocks that have faux grain painted on them. Few can reproduce it. You end up with a terrible looking stock.

To reproduce the thick glossy stuff you need a catalized urea formalehyde or epoxy. High build and catalized. Fullerplast is this kind of stuff. Not available in California, maybe other states, I don't know. Got my last batch in Nevada. Anything from the hardware store is going to take much longer. Spar varnish will work but give it several days between coates.

Anyway, you need to shoot it on. Fill the grain before. Cut the finish back every other coat by wet sanding. When filled rub it out with automotive rubbing compound. I use conversion varnish these days. It is a little easiar to work with.

[ 09-24-2002, 20:11: Message edited by: scot ]

I had the same problem with a Browning BT-99 of that same era. The "clouding" was in the finish. With the frequent use this gun was given, it also acquired a few unattractive scratches that showed up rather nicely on that glass finish.

I took Formby's stripper to it and refinished it in the manner that Jack described. I used Pilkington's stock finish, diluted with mineral spirits for soaking and then sanded in. I also stopped at 600 grit.

I much prefer this finish to the original, and would definitely do it again on a field gun.

GV