For all their virtues as classic symbols of hunting heritage, wooden gun stocks simply don’t hold up to abuse like their modern, composite counterparts.
Thankfully, with a little attention to detail, refinishing a wooden stock is easier than you might think.
This is how the pros do it, and the result is a durable, waterproof, and wonderfully natural-looking stock.
The first step to refinishing any wooden stock is to disassemble your firearm. Be careful not to strip screws while doing this.
To remove the old finish, I recommend the use of a chemical stripper unless there is very little of the original finish left. In a well-ventilated area, apply the stripper and let it sit, typically for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on product specifications.
Next, using a metal scraper, gently scrape along the stock in small sections, brushing away the residual finish as you go.
On checkering, apply a very thin coat of stripper and work on this using a toothbrush, and/or use a fine scraping tool.
Once all the finish has been removed, dampen a lint-free rag with mineral spirits and give the stock a good wipedown. Not only will this remove oils and dirt, it will also help to highlight any old finish you might have missed. Let the stock dry.
Tip: Be careful with your gun parts. Make notes or take photos on where things go. You'll thank yourself later.
Begin sanding using a sanding block and 150-grit sandpaper, smoothing out the entire gun except any checkering or detailing.
Repeat sanding with 200-220 grit, then 320 grit sandpaper, making sure to remove all sanding marks from the previous grit. Once finished, wipe down the stock, first with a dry cloth to remove excess dust, then with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits.
Hang your wooden gun parts. You can use a length of twine or wire.
If you’d like to a apply a stain, now’s the time. Simply wipe it on, let sit for five to 15 minutes, wipe it off, and let to stock dry as per your product’s instructions. I prefer an unstained, natural look.
Once stained (or not), create a mixture of 50% mineral spirts (or turpentine) and 50% pure tung oil. Gently mix and, using a brush or a clean cloth, spread an even coat across the entire stock, including the checkering. Allow to sit. After 15 to 20 minutes, wipe off any excess oil using a clean, lint-free cloth. For the checkering, use a clean toothbrush.
Wait for this first coat to dry. This can vary depending on your climate, but with tung oil, I recommend at least 48 hours between coats.
Once the first coat is dry, lightly smooth out the stock using a super fine scouring pad, 600-800 grit sandpaper, or 0000 steel wool. Wipe with a clean cloth before applying a second coat of finish and repeat.
After the first two coats, switch to undiluted tung oil. While some products (like Tru-oil) may need no more than two, pure tung oil will likely take a full 8-10 coats to get a proper, durable finish.
Patience is key in this final stage. Once the last coat has been applied, give the stock a final buffing with a soft cloth and allow it to sit and cure for a full week before reassembling.
Now, all that’s left to do is sit back and admire your work. The result of a well-executed refinishing is beautiful. However the gun is on your shelf, it will look even better in the woods, so get out and make use of your labours.
You can choose from a wide range of finishes. Modern polymers and oil mixes like Tru-Oil have made stock finishing much simpler than it once was, but I prefer the classic look of pure tung oil.
Tip: To avoid risk of spontaneous combustion (yes, you read that right), allow clothes wet with mineral spirits to dry outdoors by spreading them out in a single layer.
Originally published in the Jan.-Feb. 2026 issue of Ontario Out of Doors
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