Vintage Winchester 131 .22 Restoration

[Just Duke]

This one has been needing some cosmetic work done.
I'm getting ready to sand the stock as we speak.
We have a .22 Scope and Vintage Redfield Tipoff 1 inch rings for this rifle.

[Just Duke]

After a removing the existing finish with Orange Citra-Strip, sanding, a good bleaching and then de-neutralized with White Vinegar she's ready for a final sanding and the oil stain then glaze.

[Just Duke]

We picked up a Sightron 3x9x32 SI RF on a trade awhile back.
Here a pic we found on the web of what they look like mounted.
Not rifle though. The scope should be much lower.

[W.R.Buchanan]

You do real well with wood. The furniture skills translate well. You might try some "sharpie grain enhancement."

I saw a Perrazzi shotgun the other day that had been refinished by a friend, he showed me exactly where the sharpie had been used to enhance the grain, and it still looked natural,,, Even in direct sunlight.

It was not cheap wood to begin with. But it has more "character" after the Sharpie.


The fore-end could use a little help. I think the butt portion will show the contrasting areas as fiddleback?

I guess you never know for sure until you get some finish on it. My Marlin stock was so plain it was an insult to fence posts, but the oil brought out all kinds of character. I didn't know about the Sharpie technique then. I just got lucky.

Randy

[W.R.Buchanan]

Duke: are you just ignoring me? or did I Offend you?

Randy

[Just Duke]

Duke: are you just ignoring me? or did I Offend you?

Randy

Not at all sir. I have always enjoyed your posts. I'm just a little frustrated with the stain and had to strip the stock 3 times. There's only so much you can do with a White Birch stock to make it look halfway decent. I'll eventually replace this with a Browning copy of a Winchester Model 54 with an actual walnut stock.

[Just Duke]

Here it is with the glaze drying.
I guess this is the best she'll be. It's more reddish in person though.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Wood can be frustrating. I have a Marlin 336 which has been apart on my bench for the last 4 years. I can not get the fore end and butt stock to match even remotely to save my butt. I am on plan F so far.

I tend to go darker when the wood is not very interesting. At least it covers up the fact that there isn't any grain to look at.

Also it will look alot better once it is reassembled.

Randy

[Just Duke]

So I made it darker.

[Just Duke]

We lapped the scope rings in just for kicks.
Just waiting on the epoxy finish now.......

[ballistim]

So I made it darker.

I like it darker for sure, and I used the orange stripper on a CMP M1 stock that had a lot of nasty surface stuff to remove, and it did the trick. My dad stained a Mauser stock for me and his eyesight was not so great at the time and it's light on one side and dark on the other with beautiful hand checkering so I'm reluctant to refinish it.. Maybe someday! Nice work Duke, and I like the schnabel fore- end, very nice!

[tward]

Duke, let us know how she shoots, looking good! Tim

[andremajic]

I actually own the same rifle, but it's got JC penney markings on the barrel.

I had to do a little research to figure out who made it for them.
Keep the clip. They are very scarce. My replacement cost 30 bucks, plus shipping on numrichs, but it sure is nice not to have .22 rounds falling thru a hole in the stock.

You'll be happy with the accuracy. I mounted a scope on mine that's ridiculously too big, but it shoots really well. I haven't figured out how the barrel is fit to the action, but I'm pretty sure it's a press fit. I'll probably put a new bull barrel on it eventually when I get the time and parts together.

My stock is stained from water damage, but I got it for a steal. I'll have to try your refinish technique. It looks much better than mine!

I had some plans of building up the stock with glued on wood/epoxy and bondo and sending it out to get duplicated on a pantograph machine in walnut. That would pretty it up! Lots of projects on the back burner right now. Ebay actually has a ton of nice cherry, walnut, and curly maple stock blanks that go for cheap. The nice thing is that you can figure out shipping and total price ahead of time.

Andy.

[Firebricker]

Impressive work Duke your pics might actually get me motivated to restore mine. I like the stock after you made it darker the light stock nd stamped trigger are the only two thing I don't like about mine but still really like it. FB

[Just Duke]

Finish is here.

[Just Duke]

I have her all done. pics will be soon.

[Just Duke]

[Bullshop Junior]

You do real well with wood. The furniture skills translate well. You might try some "sharpie grain enhancement."

I saw a Perrazzi shotgun the other day that had been refinished by a friend, he showed me exactly where the sharpie had been used to enhance the grain, and it still looked natural,,, Even in direct sunlight.

It was not cheap wood to begin with. But it has more "character" after the Sharpie.


The fore-end could use a little help. I think the butt portion will show the contrasting areas as fiddleback?

I guess you never know for sure until you get some finish on it. My Marlin stock was so plain it was an insult to fence posts, but the oil brought out all kinds of character. I didn't know about the Sharpie technique then. I just got lucky.

Randy

I have used a propane torch on a few stock to add a little feathering to the grain.

[nachogrande]

Late to the party, but what bases/rings are those, & do they come in 30mm?

[LAGS]

Very Nice work.
Cant wait to see how it shoots for you.

Maybe I should have posted my Sears Ranger/ Marlin 100 Rebuild in Rimfire Thread, Gunsmithing or like you the Special Projects Thread, rather than in the Single Shot Thread.
Maybe I would have gotten more suggestions on my build.
But I may try some of the things like you did on your rifle.
I have two winchester 67's that i am working on also, and a Springfield /Savage 15