Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Repair walnut staining from slip-on butt pad

My buddy has a Rugerr 77 from the early 80's and a Model 70 from 1963. Both rifles had the red rubber slip-on pad in place for many years. Now removed, they have left a permanent discoloration in the walnut and have degraded the finish. While they will never be original or pristine, they are fully operational. The larger issue I believe will be to remove the dark stained walnut so it can be re-stained to match the rest of the walnut.
I am looking for any tricks from the experts that will help minimize the discoloration. The actual refinishing of the surface may be done with a Birchwood Casey product. I am curious to see what the "experts" can advise. Thanks.

Maybe try some acetone first. If that doesn't work you might try some wood bleach.

Removing and restraining will create a lot of extra work. Usually! A bit of Formby's Furniture Refinisher used lightly will allow you to drag some of the darker finish onto the lighter side. Done carefully you can avoid the total stripping. If it does not soften with the Formby's you can work your way up to stronger solvents.

Ok thanks for the tips so far.