Plastic coating for stock?

boxjeff · October 15, 2010, 03:06 PM

I'm about to resurface and stain my shotgun stock and have seen some very glossy guns in the store...they look as if they have a plastic coating on them. Is there something out there that is a plastic finishing coating?

alloy · October 15, 2010, 03:26 PM

Woulnd't any polyurethane be considered as plastic?

I have gotten that look with Permalyn sealer and finish, if you are talking about a high build with a rich gloss. Sorta looks like an old Beretta o/u shotgun I have.
Very slick.

Scorch · October 15, 2010, 03:39 PM

It all depends on how you want to do it:
* TruOil builds up, but it is just an oil finish, and it scratches fairly easily once it is set up.
* Yes, you can use Permalyn. Permalyn is a polyurethane oil that will build up very fast and gives a clear high-gloss finish. Scratches pretty easily, but not as easily as TruOil.
* You can also go to any one of the polyurethane finishes available, like Varathane or MinWax floor finish or poly spar varnish. Fairly tough, good wear resistance.
* If you want something harder than a poly finish, you can get AcraWood from Brownells. It is a spray-on solvent-based epoxy wood finish. Very hard finish, and it comes in gloss or satin.
* If all else seems too mundane, you can have DuPont Imron sprayed onto your wood by a knowledgeable painter. That is the same finish as the original Remington 700 BDL rifles of the 1960s and 1970s. It is as tough as nails.
* If you feel adventurous, you can find someone who sprays celluloid. That is the finish used on Fender Stratocaster guitars from the 1950s until the 1980s. Definitely high gloss, clear and hard. High VOC, so most people have abandoned it, but there are still a few people spraying it.

James K · October 15, 2010, 08:59 PM

I have had good success with Helmsman Spar Urethane spray. The clear gloss comes very close to the look of the old varnish finish, and the semi-gloss does well on more modern guns. Quick and easy and durable. It also duplicates the finish used on S&W walnut grips.

The proper stain is more of a problem. For a reddish color like some of the old Winchesters, I like the No. 35 put out by Tapaderas (www.tapaderaswinchesters.com). As it comes, it is too red, so I mix a few drops with Minwax Gunstock 231 stain until I get the color I want.

Jim

boxjeff · October 16, 2010, 05:17 PM

Whats the best way of removing the old stain and laminate without sanding all the detail off the stock?

James K · October 16, 2010, 08:02 PM

The old varnish or whatever should come off with a regular stripping compound like Strypeze, available at any paint or hardware store. If that doesn't work, try acetone or gasoline, but make sure to use them in a well ventilated place. The stain might or might not be removable with acetone or gasoline but might have to be sanded. It is a touchy call just how much to remove by sanding. Always use a sanding block to avoid rounding the edges of the wood where it meets the metal. At the factories, they often installed the wood, sanded the metal and the wood down together, then removed the wood and gave both metal and wood their final finishes.

Jim

October 15, 2010, 03:06 PM	#1
boxjeff Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2008 Location: New Hope, PA Posts: 290	Plastic coating for stock? I'm about to resurface and stain my shotgun stock and have seen some very glossy guns in the store...they look as if they have a plastic coating on them. Is there something out there that is a plastic finishing coating?

October 15, 2010, 03:39 PM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	It all depends on how you want to do it: * TruOil builds up, but it is just an oil finish, and it scratches fairly easily once it is set up. * Yes, you can use Permalyn. Permalyn is a polyurethane oil that will build up very fast and gives a clear high-gloss finish. Scratches pretty easily, but not as easily as TruOil. * You can also go to any one of the polyurethane finishes available, like Varathane or MinWax floor finish or poly spar varnish. Fairly tough, good wear resistance. * If you want something harder than a poly finish, you can get AcraWood from Brownells. It is a spray-on solvent-based epoxy wood finish. Very hard finish, and it comes in gloss or satin. * If all else seems too mundane, you can have DuPont Imron sprayed onto your wood by a knowledgeable painter. That is the same finish as the original Remington 700 BDL rifles of the 1960s and 1970s. It is as tough as nails. * If you feel adventurous, you can find someone who sprays celluloid. That is the finish used on Fender Stratocaster guitars from the 1950s until the 1980s. Definitely high gloss, clear and hard. High VOC, so most people have abandoned it, but there are still a few people spraying it. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

October 15, 2010, 08:59 PM	#4
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	I have had good success with Helmsman Spar Urethane spray. The clear gloss comes very close to the look of the old varnish finish, and the semi-gloss does well on more modern guns. Quick and easy and durable. It also duplicates the finish used on S&W walnut grips. The proper stain is more of a problem. For a reddish color like some of the old Winchesters, I like the No. 35 put out by Tapaderas (www.tapaderaswinchesters.com). As it comes, it is too red, so I mix a few drops with Minwax Gunstock 231 stain until I get the color I want. Jim

October 16, 2010, 05:17 PM	#5
boxjeff Senior Member Join Date: July 23, 2008 Location: New Hope, PA Posts: 290	Whats the best way of removing the old stain and laminate without sanding all the detail off the stock?

October 16, 2010, 08:02 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The old varnish or whatever should come off with a regular stripping compound like Strypeze, available at any paint or hardware store. If that doesn't work, try acetone or gasoline, but make sure to use them in a well ventilated place. The stain might or might not be removable with acetone or gasoline but might have to be sanded. It is a touchy call just how much to remove by sanding. Always use a sanding block to avoid rounding the edges of the wood where it meets the metal. At the factories, they often installed the wood, sanded the metal and the wood down together, then removed the wood and gave both metal and wood their final finishes. Jim