1917

[Grendl]

I used gel paint stripper and it worked really well. Careful with the heat gun, the wood was REALLY dry on mine.

Irrelevant, I took your advice and used the bell stripper, but now the wood has that white staining I was worried about. How did you get rid of it without sanding?

[TRAP55]

Grendl, use lacquer thinner and steel wool. Any paint down in the bottom of a ding, can be worked out with thinner and a stiff bristle brush. The thinner has a bad habit of dissolving most toothbrush plastic/rubber handles. I use a wood handle brass bristle brush that's the size and shape of a toothbrush.
The AR/M-16 nylon cleaning brushes hold up well, and I've found copper bristle versions at the gun shows I really like, great for detail cleaning.

[Irrelavant]

Irrelevant, I took your advice and used the bell stripper, but now the wood has that white staining I was worried about. How did you get rid of it without sanding?

I had the same problem. I used acetone and a stiff bristle toothbrush, and time, lots and lots of time. I also used paint thinner and 0000 steel wool. There were still a couple of places that had some paint deep down. For these I used a dental pick and very carefully dug it out. I also used light coats of BLO to condition the wood In between steps. I will try to get some picks up later, but it was worth the elbow grease.

[Enfield47]

As Trap said, lacquer thinner works great. I just stripped a stock using lacquer thinner #1, 0, and 000 steel wool and it worked great. It doesn't raise the grain so you be sanding away the wood. Over the stock cartouches I dipped the 000 steel wool into some lacquer thinner and just very lightly rubbed over them using no downward pressure. It removed the varnish or paint from the top of them but didn't harm them at all. Just be sure to use it outside, the fumes are really strong.

[Irrelavant]

http://i923.photobucket.com/albums/ad80/jrandallcook/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsa9e7f192.jpg

Here is M1917 after removing the paint.

On a side note, let the pain stripper sit for a while (30-45 mins) before removing. This seemed to really help the process.

[G-Man WC]

How hard are original replacement stocks to find for the P17?
I'm thinking that with all of the sporterizing done back in the day they
would be few stock sets available considering their age.
-g

[kellyhachihachi]

Interesting, but why are they chromed and painted white?

[Irrelavant]

How hard are original replacement stocks to find for the P17?
I'm thinking that with all of the sporterizing done back in the day they
would be few stock sets available considering their age.
-g

You can still find them here and there, but they run ~$175+.

[Grendl]

Interesting, but why are they chromed and painted white?

For use as parade rifles. I'm guessing "parade" means working rifle as opposed to "drill" which means chunk of welded metal.

Thanks for the advice guys, she cleaned up nice. If you look close, you can make out two different eagle head acceptance stamps, the serif proof P, and some WWII rebuild stamps.

[1bulletBarney]

Well done, you guys scored with these relics from a bygone era...Grendl, the chrome really looks good. Get that buttplate chromed and smooth out that stock then mabey repaint to origional configuration, that rifle would turn heads either in a museum or at the range for sure...Very well done to all...

[big103]

How hard are original replacement stocks to find for the P17?
I'm thinking that with all of the sporterizing done back in the day they
would be few stock sets available considering their age.
-g

Kinda Hard to find that are not beat to crap. I see them on ebay for 100 or more.

[w55]

Finally got mine over to Trapp, will be redoing stocks and taking off flat black that was sprayed over the chrome

Will take some before and afters. Mine were not painted white but have some glossy type finish right now.

[TRAP55]

Heavy coat of varnish, and flat black spray paint over the chrome on both of these.
Has anybody got a stock refinish done yet?

[Bainter1212]

I'm just going to lightly clean and oil the stock on mine, after I repair the crack. No paint on mine just the very dark original finish.

[Grendl]

Heavy coat of varnish, and flat black spray paint over the chrome on both of these.
Has anybody got a stock refinish done yet?

Yeah, see the pictures above :-)