Worth it to refinish?

[HoLeChit]

So I pulled out my beater 1960s mossberg 500 today, as I wanted to clean it up and throw the slug barrel on it, might go try out a shotgun only deer area this year. I noticed, this worn down old gun has some of the nicest wood I’ve ever seen on a mossberg. I love the patina too, but…. Due to previously wearing a shell holder, most of the stock is in poor shape.

Now, I’m torn…

Leave as is, ugliness and blueing missing… so much beauty hidden.

Refinish the stock, replace the buttpad, refinish the fore-end…. But then be stuck with metalwork who’s blueing is 40% gone and down to the white metal. The action is as slippery as an eel, but as sloppy as a fistful of ball bearings in a coffee can. Shoots like a champ, but I bought as many action parts as I could find when I took possession of the shotgun.

Refinish the stock/fore end, replace buttpad, clean up metal and figure out how to reblue the entire thing. Replace most of the parts in the action with stuff I have, in the hope that I tighten up the action a bit.

What would you guys do?

What do y’all think… if I refinish this, I should have nice figure all over, right? How hard is it to get a real nice, deep deep blue on something like this?

 

[DavidMcmillan]

My vote would be to refinish, but that is based mainly on the fact that I enjoy that type of project. If you don't really have any sentimental connect with any of the dent, scratches, etc, from a memorable hunt or such, I'd jump in and enjoy the project.

 

[Catt57]

You do have some pretty lumber hiding under that muck. But then as you said, making it pretty it will make the poor bluing stand out more.
What does the receiver look like? Perhaps do the furniture yourself and have a gunsmith do the bluing?

 

[HiredHand]

I’d clean the stock up to remove some of the layers of dirt and oils before any attempt to refinish it. Then decide if you need to apply some type of stock oil/stain to touch up the worn areas.

I’m a fan of Mark Novak’s work on YT where he just “does the maintenance” rather than completely strip off any old finish on the wood or metal. His videos on rust bluing are interesting, too.

 

[JEVapa]

Whatever you do, DO NOT SAND. As tempting as it will be to put a piece of sandpaper to it, wet or dry, tung oil or watco's or whatever, don't do it. You can clean it really well and use a good refinisher that fills the grain, but as soon as you sand it, all that color and character disappears forever.

There are good refinishers that kind of "blend" the old with the new, like Formby's or Restor-a-Finish

I wouldn't blue it either. I know, tempting...the bubba in us wants to F everything up of beauty in the gun world in the name of "better". Just resist.

 

[OK Corgi Rancher]

It's a 500. You won't hurt the value, and in this case might even enhance it a bit...but doesn't sound like that's important to you either way.

It does have really pretty wood. I'd consider refinishing the stock and fore-end myself, blasting the metal and maybe using some nice color of at-home DuraCoat or other finish on the metal to give it a nice matte finish. Or, there are some pretty nifty bluing kits available now, too, for the DIYer.

As long as it shoots OK I'd just save the parts in case you need them down the road.

 

[JEVapa]

Leave as is, ugliness and blueing missing… so much beauty hidden.

Refinish the stock, replace the buttpad, refinish the fore-end…. But then be stuck with metalwork who’s blueing is 40% gone and down to the white metal. The action is as slippery as an eel, but as sloppy as a fistful of ball bearings in a coffee can. Shoots like a champ, but I bought as many action parts as I could find when I took possession of the shotgun.

Refinish the stock/fore end, replace buttpad, clean up metal and figure out how to reblue the entire thing. Replace most of the parts in the action with stuff I have, in the hope that I tighten up the action a bit.

What would you guys do?

What do y’all think… if I refinish this, I should have nice figure all over, right? How hard is it to get a real nice, deep deep blue on something like this?

This all Bubba talk. Usually doesn't end well for nice antique guns with patina and character and value.

 

[HoLeChit]

My vote would be to refinish, but that is based mainly on the fact that I enjoy that type of project. If you don't really have any sentimental connect with any of the dent, scratches, etc, from a memorable hunt or such, I'd jump in and enjoy the project.

Kinda how I’m feeling. I bought it a few years back from another member, no sentimental value. I take a lot of pride in working on and fixing things, so I feel I would get a lot of satisfaction hunting with it afterwards.

You do have some pretty lumber hiding under that muck. But then as you said, making it pretty it will make the poor bluing stand out more.
What does the receiver look like? Perhaps do the furniture yourself and have a gunsmith do the bluing?

I’ll take some pics in the morning, it’s pretty bad. If it were just fading from wear, I would leave it. But there’s some scratches too, which bugs me.

I’d clean the stock up to remove some of the layers of dirt and oils before any attempt to refinish it. Then decide if you need to apply some type of stock oil/stain to touch up the worn areas.

I’m a fan of Mark Novak’s work on YT where he just “does the maintenance” rather than completely strip off any old finish on the wood or metal. His videos on rust bluing are interesting, too.

I’ll have to give that guy a look!

 

[HoLeChit]

Whatever you do, DO NOT SAND. As tempting as it will be to put a piece of sandpaper to it, wet or dry, tung oil or watco's or whatever, don't do it. You can clean it really well and use a good refinisher that fills the grain, but as soon as you sand it, all that color and character disappears forever.

There are good refinishers that kind of "blend" the old with the new, like Formby's or Restor-a-Finish

I wouldn't blue it either. I know, tempting...the bubba in us wants to F everything up of beauty in the gun world in the name of "better". Just resist.

Noted, thanks. I love the patina of the bluing, to an extent. I dislike the scratches, but love the honest wear. I hate the wear on the wood, definitely wanna clean that up.

It's a 500. You won't hurt the value, and in this case might even enhance it a bit...but doesn't sound like that's important to you either way.

It does have really pretty wood. I'd consider refinishing the stock and fore-end myself, blasting the metal and maybe using some nice color of at-home DuraCoat or other finish on the metal to give it a nice matte finish. Or, there are some pretty nifty bluing kits available now, too, for the DIYer.

As long as it shoots OK I'd just save the parts in case you need them down the road.

Agreed on the value and sentimental value statements.

I don’t know that I would go with duracoat or the like, if I were to refinish I would go with a DLC or blue. Due to its age I’m thinking blue if I do refinish.

 

[dennishoddy]

Beautiful wood stock. I've refinished a couple that had great wood just because I wanted to see if it could be done.
Mossburg 500 isn't going to hurt the value unless you break the stock over a concrete block like a sledge hammer no matter what you do to it.

500's with rattle can paint or pristine are the same value within a few bucks.
Take it on as a project to see what you can do.
Sanding to remove "character marks" can sometimes be accomplished if it's a dent by using a wet cloth and an iron. The moisture will raise dents on occasion. If the wood is broken, that will not work.
Some marks can be left intact, sometimes adding to the look after refinishing.
Birchwood Casey and their video's have some incredible information about refinishing stocks.