Restoring Mini 14 stock

[41MAGMAN]

What do I need to do to get the original finish on my Mini 14 stock? I don't want to have a shiny finish when I am done, I want to refinish it just like the factory finish. Any tips will be helpful.

It is funny, for I have refinished and restored high end cars all my life, but refinishing wood is a whole different ball game.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[rugerguy]

pretty tough to "replicate" the ORIGINAL finish of some of the gun companies stock, ala Ruger and Marlin with their "hardwood" ?? ( birch) stocks as it is a painted on finish, color tint, grain, all in one shot...walnut you can do ,redo and make really pretty,,,,, birch?? I for one do NOT like it...its cheap wood.most of them, we end up painting if they do not want a streaked "faux" finish...oh yes, there are some stains,finishes out there, same thing "all in one", BUT again, will it "replicate" the original????/try....................
and oh course, there wre "true" woodworking, refinishers who can do this ,BUT at what price??
favorite flavor of the 'day'?? black or camo, do that and they SELL!!! :wink:

 

[GasGuzzler]

I disagree on some points. My 2011 10/22 might have been the victim of the worst of all Rugers in wood type (birch? saved from the wood pile) and style of finish (painted on goop) as determined by the masses yet when refinished (although new) by ME with a certain vision in mind, now looks better than an DE they offer IMO.

I did not try to replicate the painted on look so my advice might not work.

Instead of a color change, you could consider doing the same refinish I did but with a color match in mind.

Anyone know what the average take-off 10/22 stock (wood) sells for on eBay? How about the average price for a refinished wood stock (no checkering, no Mannlichers, no walnut, no metal butt plates)? Look at recent (completed items) sales and see how nice a refinish can be.

Here's one of the strip the goop off stocks I've done. The grain shown is natural on a very modern 10/22 carbine stock that was off the cheapest one you can get. This was a four stage process on the color and about four more on the sheen. No, I am not a pro nor make a living doing this. Change the colors used and the sheen of the poly and YOURS could look like the OEM color and sheen but better.