I have refinished the butt on a couple Brownings and had to match the original color on the forends. I've used Minwax stains to do this. The entire buttstock must be stripped. The wood will be much lighter colored than it was. Then I used several layers of colors to get the desired result. These colors included, but may not be limited to: Special Walnut, Dark Walnut, Red Mohogany, Dark Oak, and others. The original finish is much redder than you might realize. I simply wiped them on and rubbed off while wet. This limits the effect of the stain and is more controllable in my opinion. I just applied the Special Walnut first and then tweaked the color from there, using various colors after evaluating the previous.
However, if you want a perfect match that you will achieve without frustration, strip the forend as well as the complete buttstock then refinish both together in your choice of stain and finish. I think you'll be happier with something other than the original top finish.
Last edited by Chuck H; 10/21/11 08:03 AM.
