Refinish Old Gun

[rd2thbn]

I have my dad's old Winchester Model 1300 shotgun and it's in pretty poor condition. I have broken it down and cleaned all the internal parts, which cleaned up pretty good. Now I'm trying to decide what to do with the stock and the barrel.

My questions:

1) Is stripping and rebluing the barrel a do-it-yourself project or should I turn it over to a gunsmith? If it's a do-it-yourself, any suggestions?

2) I plan to refinish the stock and forearm myself. Do I use standard wood refinishing products that I would use on furniture or is there special stains, etc... for firearms? Any suggestions?

3) Are there any books or websites devoted to refinishing/restoring firearms?

Thanks.

[rd2thbn]

Sorry - it's a Model 1400.

[Sure-Shot]

rd2thbn I used a stripper to make sure I got everything off, then used minwax dark walnut stain, put it on let it set 15 min and wipe off, do that till it is as dark as you want it (Old wood is usually darker and I wanted mine to look like it should.) I then sand with 400 grit, followed by 600 grit, followed by 1200 or 1600 wet dry. This helps fill in any minor spots.
I then did numberous coats of tung oil, hand rubbing it in let it dry overnight and rub down with 0000 steel wool. After about 10 coats it starts to look great and then you decide what you want, the more coats the deeper the finish. about 20-24 coats and it looks like a mirror.
As for the reblue it depends if this is what you want or if you are going to sell it. Reblue can actually reduce value of an older gun as it looses the antique status unless you have it professionally done as in a museum refinish. If you want to keep it do what you want there are a couple of cold blues you can use. Otherwise take it to a smith for the reblue as I think you will end up with a better job.

[marlinman93]

Keep in mind, that not only might it reduce the value, but beyond sentimental value, the 1400 is not a high priced gun. The cost of rebluing would probably run you almost what the gun is worth. In addition, the 1400 is an aluminum receiver, and is anodized, not blued, so that is going to be a bit higher.
I have owned my 1400, (with Winchoke) since the late 1970's, and I believe it's worth about what I paid for it back then, $220.
If it were my Dad's old gun, I'd want to keep it just the way it was when I got it from him.

[rd2thbn]

Thanks for the information. I think I'll refinish the wood and have a gunsmith refinish the barrel. I'm not worried about the value, I just want it to look respectable. My dad's a farmer and kept it in the truck most of the time. I actually found it where he left it on a shelf under a shed. It has quite a bit of rust on the barrel and the finish on the wood is cracked and pealing. Plus the inside was caked with powder residue. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned since I left home 20 years ago.

[Bigdog]

Rd2thbn, I too have received a couple of Dad's old guns. He's still with us, but he doesn't hunt or even shoot anymore. He still has a few shotguns (one is the old 20 gauge Noble he ordered for me many years back from the Sears&Roebuck catalog!), and I clean and oil them every year or so. The way I look at it, I'm protecting my inheritance! One of them is a Winny 1400 from the mid-seventies. In the late seventies, I had a Poly-Choke installed - so I have some equity in it too.
I did refinish the stock on the old Remmy 550-1 he handed down to me (I learned to hunt squirrels with it), but the metal is still well worn.
These guns will never leave the family - at least while I'm alive - but I'll only refinish if the gun get's really crusty. He had left one .22 rifle in his boathouse for anti-cat and sparrow duty - it was nearly ruined. It sat under a partially opened window during my Navy years. Dang! I did do a complete refinish on it.

[marlinman93]

Bigdog,
Your 1400 is probably from the early 1970's, as after 1974 they came standard with Winchokes. Mine is a 1973, and was ordered with optional Winchokes at that time.