Old mossberg 500 refinishing

[HoLeChit]

So I’m refinishing an old Mossberg 500a that’s in rough shape. Watched some Mike Novak videos on it, but I still have questions, hoping the brain trust can lend me some advice. I’ve stripped the old finish off the stock, don’t have and raised grain from what I can tell. I’m gonna refinish with Tru-oil. Any pointers? I would like to get a nice satin or semi gloss finish, rather than a high gloss. Can I just hit it with some steel wool before coating with wax?

I want to return the metal to its nice black finish, to include the aluminum receiver. Should I just blast the receiver with soda and refinish ceramacoat or similar? I’m concerned about the barrels being reblued and not matching, should I just ceramacoat the entire gun? Wheeler Cerama-Coat 4oz Aerosol Flat Dark Earth

I need to remove the finish from the forend, but I have these grooves in here. Suggestions on getting the grooves cleaned up without solvents or damaging the grooves?

 

[turkeyrun]

The BEST way would be stripper. Get something citrus (orange), instead of harsh chemical, and a stiff, nylon toothbrush.

Otherwise, use nylon cord (1/8" or what fits the groove) and thin strip of sandpaper and lightly "saw" the finish off.

Why the aversion to chem?

 

[Catt57]

So I’m refinishing an old Mossberg 500a that’s in rough shape. Watched some Mike Novak videos on it, but I still have questions, hoping the brain trust can lend me some advice. I’ve stripped the old finish off the stock, don’t have and raised grain from what I can tell. I’m gonna refinish with Tru-oil. Any pointers? I would like to get a nice satin or semi gloss finish, rather than a high gloss. Can I just hit it with some steel wool before coating with wax?

I want to return the metal to its nice black finish, to include the aluminum receiver. Should I just blast the receiver with soda and refinish ceramacoat or similar? I’m concerned about the barrels being reblued and not matching, should I just ceramacoat the entire gun? Wheeler Cerama-Coat 4oz Aerosol Flat Dark Earth

I need to remove the finish from the forend, but I have these grooves in here. Suggestions on getting the grooves cleaned up without solvents or damaging the grooves?

View attachment 328181

The other option is to leave the groves as-is and use it as a contrast on the finished product.

Kind of like I did with the finger groves on this Mosin Stock I did a few years ago.

 

[dlbleak]

Citrus based stripper and a plastic bristled brush

 

[HoLeChit]

The BEST way would be stripper. Get something citrus (orange), instead of harsh chemical, and a stiff, nylon toothbrush.

Otherwise, use nylon cord (1/8" or what fits the groove) and thin strip of sandpaper and lightly "saw" the finish off.

Why the aversion to chem?

Just because I didn't use any on the stock, and don't want to raise the grain or modify the appearance of the wood any. I think the string method would work nice, didnt think of that!

 

[TeamTomlyn]

I was going to recommend an old give card and some sandpaper but I like Turkeyruns idea with the string better!

 

[Shadowrider]

I did this to an old High Standard K120 Riot Gun. It was my now deceased step dad's. He had used JB weld to glue on a scope mount and had put on an old Bushnell Holosight which he ruined by letting the batteries leak. And since that giant sight was on it he had to fabricate a monster tall cheek rest out of ripstop fabric and also add a butt cuff which were attached to the stock with about 14 friggin nails. It was an absolute abomination and completely not needed to be all tactical timmyed out for a house gun which is what he had it for. I tried to fix the Holosight to use on something else but it was a lost cause. Too bad because those are pretty robust sights, they are the predecessor to the EoTech.

After I got the rail off I used a brass wheel in a dremel to remove the JB weld and of course it took the bluing off too. I just touched it up with Oxpho Blue. It doesn't match but this is worth maybe $225 at best and didn't want to sink any real time or money into it. I filled all the nail holes and rattle canned it. It'll do for a shop gun.

 

[okietool]

Power wash if you’re careful.

 

[SPDguns]

Just because I didn't use any on the stock, and don't want to raise the grain or modify the appearance of the wood any. I think the string method would work nice, didnt think of that!

I'm pretty sure Woodcraft in Tulsa sells abrasive cord which is "sandpaper" string.

 

[HoLeChit]

I'm pretty sure Woodcraft in Tulsa sells abrasive cord which is "sandpaper" string.

That sounds like the ticket, I have a woodcraft 8-10 miles from my house. I’ll have to go check it out.