Here are a couple of suggestions, for a finish that is really easy to work with and looks correct for pre'64 Winchesters go to Timberluxe's website and check out their finish and stain. I am working on a M/52 Sporter stock that had been refinished and lacked the proper pre'64 Winchester red brown color. An application of Timberluxe stain and two applications of their finish and the stock is looking like it never had been refinished. One of the beauties of Timberluxe is that it is not necessary to strip the old finish, it will penetrate right thru the original. Their websited has a nice video explaining the process and downloadable instructions. Suggestion number two deals with glass bedding, as long as you use release agent per instructions only the edges of the barrel channel are the only area that I tape. For a nice smooth job sith the bedding, I attach a vibratory engraving tool to the barrel for the first 30 minutes or so after I place the metal into the stock. If you don't have an engraver and electric shaver will do. If the metal is hard to remove from the stock, STOP I cannot overemphacise this. Forcing things will nearly always result in a damaged stock. Find a chest freezer big enough to accomodate your rifle and freeze it for 8 hours or so. this will shrink the metal just enough that it should come out of the stock without damage to the stock. Another trick that sometimes "encourages" the metal to be freed from the bedding is to have a helper tap on the metal with a soft mallet while you apply pressure. What you are looking for is a woodpecker like tapping, not anything heavy handed.
