I've had this gun for several years now and the wood stock of the gun is pretty beat up in a few areas. The barrel and action are in great shape with zero rust.

I would love to kill a deer with it at some point and eventually hand it down to my unborn kids. My question is, would you have the stock repaired or leave it like it is? It has the old silver butt plate so I'm sure it kicks like a mule. Would you put a new recoil pad on it?

Sorry for no pictures. I'll try and upload a few later. It's a cool piece of family history that my hero killed many deer with and I want to preserve it as long as possible and maybe use it a couple of times.

With an heirloom like that I'd say if its only cosmetic leave as is. The scratches and marks on it give it character. The model 70's pre 1964 are sought after. You have an excellent rifle to pass down.

I would leave it like it is.

You can buy recoil pads that slip over the stock and you can buy shirts that have them built in.

I'd leave it as is.

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure it still shoots fine.

What would you put on the stock to shine it up a bit? It's got an old vintage redfield scope on it that I plan to replace. It hasn't been fired in over 30 years. Would you take it somewhere to be cleaned professionally or just do it yourself?

I inherited my grandfather's Remington 700 in 7mmag 10 years ago or so.

It was in great condition, but had been sitting in the safe for like 30 years unfired, and all the oil, etc had really gummed it up. Trigger pull was like 30 lbs. Seriously, had to squeeze really hard and the firing pin would actually release about a second after the trigger pull. Scary.

Anyhow, I took it in thinking it needed new everything, and they just ran it into their cleaner that uses vibration in some fashion, and the next day it was like a new firearm. Works flawlessly. So I'd recommend that.

Perfect. Thanks Cameron00. I'll do that.

If I was going to put anything on the stock I would use Old West Snake Oil #2.

I wouldn't alter it. Put a slip on recoil pad.

If the old redfield was still serviceable I would leave it on there too. If you do take it off I would make sure to keep it.

Unfortunately I didn't get my grandfathers deer rifle. The family member who did had it refinished, reblued and put a new scope on it... not grandpas gun anymore still makes me mad so I'm gonna quit thinking about it.

Ditto. If you want it to look pretty, you can always buy an aftermarket stock, with all the bells and whistles, and keep the original one for posterity. But never "fix" or alter an original old gun.

For example I had a Winchester 1873, made in 1882, custom ordered with an extra long barrel. It was all original and sold for $3,500. If someone had sanded/repaired scratches or re finished the wood, the value would have dropped to about $950-1000, Even less if it had been re-blued. Take that for whatever it's worth.

Purchase a good synthetic stock for it. Use it when hunting.

What Redchevy said. I wouldn't even consider altering it unless there is a safety issue. Enjoy that rifle.

RC, that sux about your grandfather's rifle. I don't understand the thought process that goes into altering a family heirloom into another run-of-the-mill rifle.

Thanks for all of the input gentlemen. I think I'll just have it cleaned and bore-sighted and throw a few rounds through it and see how it shoots.

The removable recoil pad is going to happen though. Again, thanks for the advice.

Treat the wood with finish feeder or linseed oil to keep it nice as it can be.
A slip on recoil pad will work but if you leave it on for a long time there will be a line on the stock where it was (kind of like if you take pictures off a wall that hasn't been painted in years).
If the Redfield still gets the job done why replace it.

I don't know if he does Rifle stocks, but he is considered a master with Colt, Luger, and Smith stocks.

Hugh Clark
PO Box 598
Devers, Tx 77538

I believe this to be his email: hhclark@academicplanet.com

I don't think I would do anything to it; other than letting your kids see you shot a deer with it. It will mean more when you pass it down.

I would clean it up but not alter it. I would also consider getting a new stock for it and keep the original in original but cleaned up condition. You can always then put the old stock back on when you want and have a spare for making your own character marks on hunting with his gun and without fear of further damage to the stock if it is indeed in bad shape

I bought my 70/30-06 used. Fired it three times and replaced the stock adding a decelertator pad. It shoots very well nowwith little recoil. I have the old stock.

I have a 1950-something Paul Jaeger Mauser on an FN action. It's worth over $2k, except that some idiot had it bedded, added checkering, and shortened the stock. I bought it for under $500.

Don't get me wrong, it's worth more than I paid for it, but it's not worth what it should be. Don't "fix" a classic if it ain't broke.

I'm kind of of two minds on this. I have my grandfather's guns and use them a couple times a year because they remind me of him, but I cringe every time that i'm going to ding the stock or something. I've been looking around for a replacement stock just to use when I want to take it hunting, it will still wear the old stock the majority of the time and that's the stock it will have on it when its handed down to my son.

As to refinishing, I think the argument against refinishing is that it will destroy collector value but I don't ever plan on selling mine so don't really care about that (and if my kids/grandkids ever do sell it they deserve a hell of a lot worse than a lower sale price) but there are certain blemishes that add character and bring up stories. my grandfather's has a mark on the foreend where he tried to club a dead deer that turned out to not be so dead when he got right up on him. Have always thought that when I get the money it would go to Turnbull or someone to get completly restored before passing it on to my kids, but thinking that mark will be left on and the worn checking won't be recut.

Part of the reason for the refinishing is how he always liked and commented on that gold browning trigger which unfortunately isn't so gold anymore.

I'd leave the original stock alone, other than cleaning it up a bit. I happen to have a spare pre-64 stock that has been altered and has a recoil pad on it. If it was yours, you could put away the original stock and preserve it, and use this stock for hunting and not feel a bit bad if it got dinged---or even mangled. I am not expecting much at all out of it. PM me if you are interested, because I don't need it in here collecting dust.

Keep it as close as you can get to the condition it was in when your grandfather last fired and cleaned it.

From my perspective.....this is the only approach.

If you want a new hunting rifle, buy another rifle and use this when the mood strikes.

Y'all are awesome. I appreciate all of the experienced advice.

Where are you?