Striping the Red off Uberti 1873 Winchester ?

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

I know there is more then one way to skin a Coon !

I'm looking for advice on what type of chemical striper works the best , 

I have been reading about Citra strip.

I would like to strip the red off the wood on one of my 1873 Uberti Winchester's .

I prefer this look much better to the Uberti red .

Thank you .

God bless. 

Rooster 

Edited March 3 by Rooster Ron Wayne

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Yep, CitriStrip is one of the most common, and least dangerous to lungs and skin, strippers.  I've used several, and now just use CitriStrip.  It will USUALLY cut through the sprayed polyurethane finish that the factory puts over the red stain in one or two applications.  Get a few plastic bondo spreaders or other medium soft plastic scrapers to pull off the stripper and softened finish.  Don't use metal tools or steel wool.   Use the woven plastic scrubber pads if you need to have something SLIGHTLY aggressive.

 

Once stripped, do the least amount of sanding or dewhiskering that gives you a smooth surface.  It's very easy to take enough wood off to have metal standing proud of your refinish job, which, to an experienced eye, says "clumsy refinish job."

 

Needless to say, make sure you separate the wood stocks from all metal parts before you start.  good luck, GJ

 

.

[John Kloehr]

Getting ahead of where you are, have you considered an oil finish for refinishing? The Uberti has some sort of poly or other hard-shell finish and inevitable completion dings will leave marks. The only fix if so sand and refinish.

But once stripped to bare wood, oil is a fine finish. And the fix for a damaged oil finish is simply more oil. It must be applied very thin, and filling pores takes many (many) coats. But a regular wipe and buff will eventually build a durable maintainable finish.

[J-BAR #18287]

Citrustrip, and patience.

 

Longshot Logan showed the way years ago:

 

http://www.wolffsrowdyrangers.com/StockRefinishing.pdf

 

 

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

1 hour ago, J-BAR #18287 said:

Citrustrip, and patience.

 

Longshot Logan showed the way years ago:

 

http://www.wolffsrowdyrangers.com/StockRefinishing.pdf

 

 

Link don't seem to work ?

[J-BAR #18287]

14 minutes ago, Rooster Ron Wayne said:

Link don't seem to work ?

works fine for me.

 

Search Longshot Logan and see what turns up.

 

 I refinished at least 6 stocks following his instructions, and they were beautiful.

[Cemetery]

@Rooster Ron Wayne try this, just a pdf upload from the link

StockRefinishing.pdf

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

Link works for me, on my laptop anyway.  I've always used Citristrip.  You can expect the stock to be very light colored so expect to use dark stain.  I've used Formbys and True Oil with good results for the finish but lately have been using Ballistol.  

[JackSlade]

I think I might do this for a grip on my Richard's Mason.

[J-BAR #18287]

4 hours ago, Cemetery said:

@Rooster Ron Wayne try this, just a pdf upload from the link

StockRefinishing.pdf 213.94 kB · 1 download

Thanks for the assist. That works also.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

4 hours ago, Cemetery said:

@Rooster Ron Wayne try this, just a pdf upload from the link

StockRefinishing.pdf 213.94 kB · 2 downloads

This one works great .

Thank you .

 

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

4 hours ago, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said:

Link works for me, on my laptop anyway.  I've always used Citristrip.  You can expect the stock to be very light colored so expect to use dark stain.  I've used Formbys and True Oil with good results for the finish but lately have been using Ballistol.  

This is just Ballistal  ?

I love the colors here .

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

4 hours ago, Rooster Ron Wayne said:

This is just Ballistal  ?

I love the colors here .

Minwax special dark walnut stain, then Ballistol.

[Eyesa Horg]

When I refinished my Stoeger, I used Citristrip and TruOil. I found an article about refinishing on the Rimfire forum using Armour All when applying the oil. Basically you spay on some ArmourAll and wipe it all over, then apply the TruOil with your fingers wiping more or less vigorously. You can just keep applying one coat after the other. I'd do about 10 coats at time. Took a lot to fill the walnut pores. Total of about 30 coats! Came out excellent!! I sanded the lame Stoeger checkering off before the refinish.

Edited March 3 by Eyesa Horg
Otto

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

This is my 24" Uberti 1873 44 Winchester. 

This is my favorite 73 of the three I have .

This is the one I would like to redo the wood on.

I think it would look beautiful with some natural looking wood instead of the red Uberti stain .

 

[Ya Big Tree]

Citristrip spray it down, wrap it in plastic and let it sit overnight.

 

I tried the harshest chemical stripper I could find and it didn't touch it. Then tried the Citristrip.

[Rooster Ron Wayne]

On 3/3/2025 at 2:51 PM, Ya Big Tree said:

Citristrip spray it down, wrap it in plastic and let it sit overnight.

 

I tried the harshest chemical stripper I could find and it didn't touch it. Then tried the Citristrip.

I just ordered some yesterday or the day before. 

Don't remember lol 

It's coming though .

 

How have you been Ya Big Tree .

I have not been down to shoot with you guys in a couple years .

Maybe I can make it down with 

Lou de Chris this summer .

 

It would be good to see everyone again.

 

Rooster 

[Ya Big Tree]

6 hours ago, Rooster Ron Wayne said:

 

How have you been Ya Big Tree .

I have not been down to shoot with you guys in a couple years .

Maybe I can make it down with 

Lou de Chris this summer .

 

It would be good to see everyone again.

 

Rooster 

 

I've been good.

Absolutely come on down to the Valley and bring Lou de Chris along with ya. It'd be good to see you two.