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Stock replacement or refinish?

Weeks Man
I have a Ruger M77 .270 caliber hunting rifle that my father purchased for me when I was young. I absolutely love hunting with this rifle! The stock is pretty banged up, and was considering either having the stock refinished or perhaps purchasing a new stock. Any suggestions on either? If replacement, any suggestions as to where I could purchase a new stock, and would I need to have a gunsmith install the new stock or is it something that almost anyone can do?

Thanks!
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3 comments

Date Votes
  • ern98
    You are embarking on a slippery slope. If you are relatively handy with tools and finishes then there is no reason that you can't redo the original stock yourself. The barreled action seems to like the stock it is in as you say it shoots well. If you go for a new stock, this is also something that you can do yourself, but stocks are often a major source of acccuracy problems and can be a pain to debug. This is where experience is a big help. Still it all comes back to you and if you like projects and see them thru. I recomend that as your first such project that you should refinish the original because if you bugger it up you can always go for the new stock. If you elect to go for the new stock try Boyds Gunstocks at www.boydboys.com their stock can be had 90% finished and nearly a drop in. I made the mistake of starting down this slope 15 years ago and am still learning. Have fun
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  • Snellstrom
    Ern has a good point.. Try re-finishing it yourself and see how it goes, if all does not go well maybe look around for a Ruger factory stock some one has taken off to go synthetic or something. Boyd's and the like make a good stock but it may not "feel" like your old gun when it's done. A stocks fit is critical for accuracy so be careful or have some one knowledgeable do this. Take a good hard look at your stock and think about what you want to do with it. If it's a simple re-finish of the wood mask off the checkering and strip all the hard ware off and start sanding the thing until you like it. You may even try a different finish than what it came with like an oiled finish rather than a varnished finish, ( birchwood casey's tru oil ) or try something radical like sanding the checkering off too and re contouring the stock to something slimmer?
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  • mrmike08075
    we have a long action 77 stock kicking around the shop. it has some moderate field and handling wear, but its presentable. if you want to install it on your gun, or try your refinishing skills out on it let me know at waltsgun@aol.com its cheap, and we do not have a need for it.

    buying a drop in fully finished replacement stock may set you back a few dollars, but most of us do not posses the skill or experiance to "do-it-yourself", and cannot afford a "custom" stock from a pro. i have several refinishing experiments going right now. i took home several badly beat up mil surplus stocks includind a set for an M-1 GARAND to test out various stripping and refinishing methods.

    best regards, mike.

    What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
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