To strip or not!!

[gwpercle]

That's very interesting....converted to 30-30. Nice find.

Try this, get some low-odor mineral spirits and 0000 steel wool and give it a nice scrubbing/washing/cleaning just enough to remove all the grease grime and layers of oil.
You may have to do this twice but go gently. no stripping , no sanding..just clean .

If the color isn't even after it dries for a few days, get some stain and even things out, then a coat or two of tung oil rubbed in for a finish.
I did this to my K-11 and a Enfield stock and brought them back . You clean and refinish without totally stripping the old patina off the original finish.
I stripped ,sanded and refinished a 1903-A3 stock and regret taking the patina of that old war horse off. And leave the dings and dents as best you can...these are character and should be left.
Don't strip.....clean and tung oil ( I like Min-wax Tung oil finish or Behr Tung oil finish )
Gary

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[browningautorifle]

Don't strip.....clean and tung oil Gary

I think you're a beat or two behind him on this...read the rest of what he wrote...

I just removed the coat of varnish that had been applied. That's where the majority of scratches/scuffs were. All I did was apply a couple of coats of BLO. I think I achieved the look I set out to do