Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers Refinish a Mod. 71

I've had a Mod 71 for a long time and really like this classic rifle. My Grandson killed his first deer with it a few years ago and told me he'd like to have the gun someday. A few days ago a friend of mine told me that his ageing uncle was selling his deer rifles, A mod. 99 .300sav and a Deluxe Mod. 71. I'm getting both guns from him. The 71 is in good shape but has some light scratches on the stock, the forestock is fine.

My question is, what is the best finish to use and how should I take out the scratches?

I think value wise you should just leave it alone. It will shoot just fine with those scratches and once altered it's value to collectors drops., so little to be gained by cosmetic touch ups. My $0.02 worth.

I wasn't thinking about a total strip down job, maybe just a buffing with 0000 steel wool and some Tru-Oil. I got a bottle of Old West Snake Oil awhile back and put it on one of my 99's that had gotten scratched, it seemed to work ok, anyone else ever use this stuff?

That's nothing. Leave it alone.

If it was yours and you wanted to leave it alone that would be fine, but it's mine and I'm gonna make it look better. I take good care of my rifles and don't let em ever get this way in the first place.

RWL99, you got the right attitude Bud cause it's the same as mine.

Well, lucky for you, the finish is varnish, so it is easy to strip off and refinish with some of the modern chemicals.

Rather than post it all here, go look up Stephen Dodd Hughes 3-part article on how to do it. It was online somewhere, but you may have to buy the magazines, which are great, anyway, just full of eye candy. I will try to look them up in the meantime.

boy that rifle is too far gone. its terrible, But being the nice guy that I am, I will take it off your hands.

Seriously, Its a great looking gun. If you are going to use it, go ahead and touch it up.

Haven't found the online Hughes article.
Here is another which has the basics on stripping and sanding.
He dismisses synthetic finishes, and sounds like he really hasn't any experience with them. If you are considering one of the oil finishes, keep reading. He is an oil man.

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/gunsmithing/RSgunsmith6/

Ifn your good with that sorta thing I'd refinish it..the value is in the buyer..I will buy a refinished rifle if the work is professionaly done...sometimes it looks better then the origional factory fodder...

Robert...