I picked up an early 50s Super Grade 30.06 that I am hoping to make into a shooter. I am presently soaking the bore with Sweets as it seems there is no end to the fouling in that barrel. My question relates to the stock. It has a lot of dings and scratches and places where the varnish has worn through. I like the character and do not want to do a complete refinish. No sanding or anything like that but want to add some varnish, etc. to seal up the outside and a few coats on the inside to seal up the barrel channel. I have a few products and can give this a whirl myself but before doing that, wanted to check and see if anyone here has done this before and if you have any recommendations on type of product to use as well as the overall process. Thanks.

I was just screwing around with and old Winchester stock a week or so ago. Your limiting yourself if you just want to touch this up.

If I were you I would get out some sandpaper ( 600-800 grit) and your steam iron. Lightly hit the bad areas that need sanding, make sure you mask around your checkering panels.

One done with that spend a couple of days steaming your rifle. It will take about 45 min to an hour on both days. Steam your dents, the lightly sand after your staock has dryed a bit from the steam. Repeat on the next day. You might not get every little bump or ding, there will probably be a spot or two that it just won't come up, do your best.

After all of the above is done, and the whole stock is lightly sanded, use wood filler and coat the rifle twice, follow directions on the bottle, with drying and light sanding, and a second coat.

After the above is all done coat it with true oil, and let it dry. Then use some 00 steel wool and rub the whole stock down. A single coat should do it but I have seen stocks that require a second coat. Anyway after your final coat, get some gun wax and heavy wax the stock after the last steel wool coat. Let it dry and hand rub.

Another area to look is inside the stock. If is isn't coated and the wood is raw, use that varnish mixed down at lest 50% with thinner and seal up the inner surface.

The above can be done start to finish in around 4-5 hours, not counting drying and set aside time, so its a project you can do over a few evenings.

Is not a complete refinish and it isn't going to take all the charactor out of your rifle, but it will clean it up and you will be much happier than throwing a coat of varnish over it. The rifle I just did really came out looking like I had spent a chunk of change on the stock, I didn't I had about $3.00 in the project and some sweat labor.

Pre-War: Get ready to scrub some more! Pre-64s are notorious foulers. Even after you scrub it down to bare metal, go out and fire say three rounds and clean again. i bet you it'll be a chore again. All my pre-64s are that way, So I just clean them down initially then from then on, I just do a cursory cleaning until accuracy degrades. It usally takes at least 50 rounds or so.

I've seen numerous Model 70s that just had some finish added over the original, damaged factory finish, and without exception, those rifles looked WORSE than if the stock would have been left original.

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those rifles looked WORSE than if the stock would have been left original.

Agree 100%, the one I was just working on looked like crap, it wasn't worth the effort to do. It isn't about cost, just a little time and these can be cleaned up nicely, definately worth the effort IMO.