Refinishing stock on Beretta SP1 Sporting

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I have a Beretta SP1 Sporting gun that has an oil finish on it, not shiny. I really do not like the way the wood is finished and I want to spruce it up.

1st off, it caught a slight mist of rain and there are a couple of water spots that I can't seem to remove. 2nd, the grain in the wood is not filled and that annoys me.

I really like the look that Tru-Oil gives and I was thinking about using it on the SP1. There are no dings or scratches in the wood which is a good thing. My plan was to wipe it all down with acetone, sand in the Tru-Oil with some 600 grit to create a slurry to fill the grain, and then finish with multiple coats of Tru-Oil. I like the shiny finish it has when it's all done. I have refinished a stock with Tru-Oil before so I know how to apply it and get great results, I just don't know if it is compatible with the oil that is already on the stock. I really don't want to do a full multiple-grit sanding project to get down to bare wood if I don't have to.

Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated.
 
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The very 1st thing I'd do would be to removed the buttplate & the buttstock from the receiver, and closely inspect the unfinished wood - Some Beretta's (and a few other brands, mostly Japanese-made) used a very plain/white wood that had the exposed surfaces embellished with Walnut woodgrain & color contrasts via artistry.

If the wood was treated with the Beretta Extra Wood finish, I would be very hesitant about sanding it off.

IMO you ought to test a small area, maybe on the forend, with a TruOil application.


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Beretta and Browning both talk about how durable their "oil finishes" are ...and I don't think either one of them hold up very well - especially in rain or snow.

Both companies call them "oil" finishes ..but in my experience they are usually "varnishes" ....light, wiping varnishes....like Watco's Danish Oil ( which is also a varnish )....but Browning would never tell what they actually use / so removing their finishes was always a trial and error process.

In your case - it will depend on how deep the original finish has penetrated into the wood of the stock / and ultimately what it really is.../ but I've done exactly what you are suggesting on some Browning Citori stocks../and used Tru Oil with very good results / although I did some light sanding starting with 220 grit / but getting those water spots / or the "muddiness" in the finish took some time and patience.

You'll be able to tell pretty quickly if the Acetone is working to take off the original finish .. ( once you get the stock and forend off the gun ) ...its pretty easy to test a number of chemicals ( Acetone, Turpentine, or whatever...) and see what works the best in your case ( and make sure you're in a well ventilated area..and all that stuff )..
 
A good light sanding or 0000 steel wool is a good idea to liberate any surface flaws and debris that may be adhered to the stock. Try a small patch of Tru Oil and make sure the finish is compatible. If it cures then you're good.

I have done a number of rifles using Tru Oil and with care you can get incredible results. You simply have to be patient. If you are looking for a high gloss finish you will want to have enough material to allow for wet sanding and polishing. There's a product called "Plastix" that is used for polishing headlights that is fantastic for the purpose.

If you have access to an airbrush you can reduce the Tru Oil with paint thinner and it blows on really well. Often you can develop a higher build of finish using this technique. I wouldn't waste my time on the aerosol can as it tends to fisheye. I bought my Tru Oil by the 16 oz. bottle and it lasts for years. Got a 700 BDL I recut the checkering on and finished that looks better than factory.
 
Thanks for the replies. I think I am going to wipe it down with acetone, fine sand with tru oil to fill the grain, and the start to apply like I did the last stock I refinished and see how that works. Here is an example of an old 1100 stock that I refinished



 
Another technique one can use instead of sanding-in finish, which can muddy the look of any figured wood, is to apply cyanacrylate (superglue) to the bare wood. This is applied via a soft cloth and immediately wiped off. A good accelerator applied will speed the process (I would not use water of baking soda-aromatic amines retains the finish clarity). This is a great technique when trying for a "sheet of glass" finish on ring-porous hardwoods like oak or bubinga. Walnut is fairly soft with regular pore structure and takes a finish fairly well. Sometimes though, superglue can be used to stabilize a localized problem area on a gun stock. Once the cyano has been applied, sand and finish with Tru Oil like you would normally do.

Personally I would favor applying the finish by hand for the first few coats, omitting the sanding-in and then spraying for high-build then WAIT for a few weeks for the finish to shrink and then polish. You can certainly use the gun while this last step is happening. Shrinkage after polish is pretty common if there is any solvent present in the surface film. Patience is the key.
 
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