Originally Posted by
GPMD
Hey everyone,
First time going to be refinishing any firearm and looking for advice. My dad has a TC Renagade from the early to mid 80s I believe. I was going to by a build your own kit but inquired about his Renagade since I know he doesn't hunt with it anymore and he gladly dug it out and gave it to me. He always takes fantastic care of his firearms but to his horror the outside of the barrel had a huge rust spot on the outside of the barrel. Its been in his case for years and thinks something obviously wasn't completely dry in it. Inside of the barrel is spotless though.
I want to take everything apart, refinish the stock and most likely blue the barrel, especially with this rust damage. I have the feeling that getting it off is going to really scuff the barrel.
Thanks to internet and youtube, I kinda think i know how to sand down the stock for new stain. One question is, do I need stripper for this to get started or just start with straight sandpaper right off the bat?
Suggestions on how to tackle rust on barrel? Im reading WD-40 and a brass brush?
What can i do with the other metal parts like trigger guards, hammer etc? Just reblue? Ive read about cold blue but do i just put that over whats on the metal and barrel now or do I have to remove what is currently on it somehow?
Product recommendations would be helpful as far as type of brush to remove finish, stain type, best barrel blue etc. Thanks and as soon as i get started i'll keep a thread going to hopefully help other beginners such as myself. Thanks!
I wouldn't strip it and refinish it if it were mine. Every nick and scratch would be like testament to my family. I'd go over the wood finish with something like furniture scratch and dent cover if I did any thing and then work the wood like I'd protect any other gun wood.
On the blued metal you can make it pretty nice yourself. I've built kits and redone a couple BP guns over and over after hunting with them for 30 or 40 years. Rub the part that's not hurt too bad with Scotch Bright. A little steel wool or even work it little with sane paper just like you would a kit gun finishing with the finest grit. Kit guns come with bare metal.
The brown it or blue it. I blue every thing with the perma blue bluing kits. I'll heat the full length of the barrel with a hair drier. Heating and rubbing with scotch bright until it all feels evenly hot.
Have your alcohol and perma blue sitting there ready to go before you start warming it up. Cotton balls near buy or I use these cotton face cleaning pads my wife buys now. I wear the brown cloth garden gloves. It's hot and you don't want more prints on it as fast as you are taking them off.
First time you warm it up then right away wipe it down with the alcohol pads to remove any oils, grease, what ever down to bare metal. Then rub it down a little with scotch brite.
Heat it up again. Stop and run the scotch brite over it again, heat it up and imediately rub it down from end to end with a pad soaked in perma blue.
LIGHTLY scotch brite the whole thing and heat it up again then hit it again with a fresh pad of perma blue starting from the opposite end this time. When it has ALL BEEN WET THEN KEEP RUBBING kind of polishing it with the perma blue pad
You can repeat these as much as you want getting it blacker and blacker and blacker as you want. Ending with a gun oil wipe down. I think you'll like it, I do.
I like the Navy way. If it don't move, paint it. If it does move, blue it.