Wood Stain Blotchyness

[KosherD]

Just got a CZ over under that came with a lot of dings from the factory. Ive tried twice to sand with 220 and apply Birchwood Casey Walnut Stain and cannot figure out why one side is perfect and the other side is so blotchy. Ive also tried steaming the areas with an iron but still no luck. Do I need to use another product before staining?

[Donnovin]

Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner applied to raw (all finish/oils removed) wood before staining will help to prevent uneven color. Also, make sure to degrease/remove any oils prior to applying pre-stain. Your coloring may not be quite as dark or rich, but it won’t be blotchy.

[Squatch]

Could be the wood.

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[rplaw]

Strip the stock completely.

Apply some thinned Shellac (denatured alcohol is the thinner) to the bare surface and let dry. Scuff with steel wool until smooth. Wipe with a tack rag and apply stain. After letting stain dry, apply finish.

If that doesn't work, add oil based stain to oil based top coat and spray as a color coat.