Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Stripping BDL w/ white spacer

Have an older 700 BDL stock that I want to refinish from the high gloss to a dull oil finish.

Question I have is about the white plastic spacer between the forend and the black forend cap; also between the pistol grip and grip cap. Will the chemical stripper do any damage to these pieces?

Also, what about the black forend cap itself? Any risk in applying the chemical stripper to it?

Thanks!

I refinished one of those once (mine) and wanted to do away with the spacer. It's a plastic wafer glued on. was actually pretty hard to get off and IIRC the stripper didn't do anything to it. Removing it took a separate step.

I'd just as soon not have it there too but removing it looks to be more than just a notion so I guess it will stay.

Thanks for the reply. What about the black cap itself? Did the stripper do anything to it, other than remove the shine?

I took the cap off and then put it back on. the spacer came off via chisel.

No need to strip the stock usuially, just knock the gloss off with rottenstone and mineral oil on a felt pad. Nice long strokes and cover the whole surface repeatedly rather than trying to do small areas.

The spacers are a little pain, but not really a big deal...

Did a search here for rottenstone and found much info. Sounds like it might be what I'm looking for.

The stock has a couple of 'dings' that I was hoping to steam out. Any worries about using steam after the rottenstone treatment?

Again, thanks!

Steam first and make any required patches so your rottenstone treatment covers it all...

I used zip strip on my older BDL and really "melted" the black fore end cap and the white spacer. Didn't matter to me as this rifle looks like it has been to hell and back but I did knock off the shine with the stuff. Didn't effect the accuracy one bit, this old 7mm mag is my "go to" rifle.

I used Citrisrip before and it did attack the plastic slightly. Just don't leave it on longer than necessay and I think you'd be OK.

Why take the finish off in the first place???

Quite a few years ago a friends son stripped his BDL down for refinishing. He applied a chemical stripper (make unknown now) and the black plastic tip ended up looking like a walnut it was so wrinkled.

This is a remington 660 (same finish and plastic parts as the 700's) stripped with citristrip and refinished with truoil. The citristrip doesn't hut the plastic at all. I prefer the truoil finish to dulling down factory finish.

Weagle

Weagle, that's a great looking stock - about what I've got in mind for mine.

I got a pretty good deal on this gun and the stock has seen it's share of use and abuse. The high gloss finish shows lots of dings and scratches.

I prefer a duller finish to high gloss and hope to get this one back in shape over the next several months.

Thanks again.

Any worries about using steam after the rottenstone treatment?

I had a stripper give me rotten stones one time - not sure about the steam treatment, but ice and antibiotics were in order.