Polishing a Savage Target Action...

[Samdweezel05]

Bench grinder with a polishing wheel.  The results are great if you take your time.





Phil

[louthedog]

I've always wanted to high polish a gun. It's been proven (somewhere) that a shiny gun will always outshoot a dull gun. Ever notice how much better the car runs after a fresh wash and wax job? Same thing. Here's a link to one Fred did for a fellow. http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek040.html

[savageboy]

Beautiful rig that Fred did there! Love the Candy Colors and the Polished action

[pd721el]

Samdweezel05 sweet rig, what stock is that?  Also what are the specs. I'm looking for something similiar. I've got some left over metalic midnight
 blue from my Camaro. So once I find a stock its on. Is the check piece tall enough for use with a +20 MOA base?

[pd721el]

Savageboy, is the barrel smooth and dull or a rough bead blaster finish. If its smooth just start polishing. If it rough you will have to start with a coarse wet dry paper and work finer or a lathe or barrel spinner. I think it would be difficult my hand or with hand tools. 

[savageboy]

Wet- wet / dry paper or sand dry?

[pd721el]

yes the wet wet dry auto body type paper it will last longer

[Samdweezel05]

Samdweezel05 sweet rig, what stock is that?  Also what are the specs. I'm looking for something similiar. I've got some left over metalic midnight
 blue from my Camaro. So once I find a stock its on. Is the check piece tall enough for use with a +20 MOA base?

Stock is a Stockade Long Range Benchrest.  LOP is 14.5" and it had a 1" recoil pad on it for extra length.  My long stupid arms make it hard to find a stock that I can use but Kevin at Stockade came through with something that fit.  I bought it as a money saver and did all the finish work on it.

Phil

[groupshooter]

Hey Phil where did you get that barrel nut wrench? I have to have one of those.

[Samdweezel05]

Hey Phil where did you get that barrel nut wrench? I have to have one of those.

There was a member here a wile back that made some very cool stuff for some of us.  His user name was Stainless.  Not sure if he is doing it any more.  He made a real nice action vice too.  I love mine.

Phil

[Pete K.]

Bench grinder with a polishing wheel.  The results are great if you take your time.





Phil

   Phil,

    Do you think a Dremel with flex shaft and buffers would have enough umph to do the job? I purchased several grades of stainless polishing compounds and a bunch of polishing accessories for the Dremel. It would get inside the fluted areas and the Dremel has the RPMs but does it have enough torque in you opinion? Bought the tool and polishes when I purchased the VLP but never started the job not knowing it it would work well enough. If necessary I would go to Home Depot or other and buy a small diameter hand grinder with accessories. I do have a 90 degree HD car buffer with a lot of power but slower RPMs. Think that would work with the large bonnets on the barrel and the Dremel in tight places?

                                                                  Pete

                                                                 

[pdog06]

Pete,
  I did use a Dremel in the tight spaces(inside and tight turns on trigger guard, safety area,port opening, etc). It did work pretty goos in those hard to reach places, but dont know if I'd wanna use it on the whole action or not.

[dolomite_supafly]

If you have the room go to Harbor Freight and get one of the bench grinders. You can get a decent one for about $40 and will have enough umph to polish an action. I bought the polishing wheels for mine, they were less than $5 each and the rouge was like $3. I have done LARGE polishing jobs with mine.

If you don't have the room then mount it on a peice of wood with an overhang then clamp it to something while you use it.

Here is the one I got on sale for $29:
6" Bench Grinder

Dolomite

[Samdweezel05]

   Phil,

    Do you think a Dremel with flex shaft and buffers would have enough umph to do the job? I purchased several grades of stainless polishing compounds and a bunch of polishing accessories for the Dremel. It would get inside the fluted areas and the Dremel has the RPMs but does it have enough torque in you opinion? Bought the tool and polishes when I purchased the VLP but never started the job not knowing it it would work well enough. If necessary I would go to Home Depot or other and buy a small diameter hand grinder with accessories. I do have a 90 degree HD car buffer with a lot of power but slower RPMs. Think that would work with the large bonnets on the barrel and the Dremel in tight places?

                                                                  Pete

                                                                 

Would it work, sure.  Would it take weeks, yup.  If you don't do it correctly, even with a bench grinder and a wheel it will leave thousands of little flat spot all over that you will see.  They will look like streaks that you will never get out.  When I do it, I turn the action or barrel as I move it along the length.  If you just move it back and fourth along the length of the action and barrel you get lines.  Polishing is removing material.  The dremmel will leave lots of lines and other imperfections that will really show in the light.  I hope you understand what I am trying to say.

Phil