BRNO ZKM 468 “Garden Rifles"

[GunnyUSMC]

I bought a few of these little single shot 22 rifles from my friend Eric over at ENM Sports, last Spring.
These were made in Czechoslovakia and were marketed along the lines of pest control plinkers.

This is one that was a little on the rough side and needed to be refinished.
I put a simi matt Aluma Hyde II finish on the barreled action, matt Aluma Hyde II finish on the sights and a Tru-Oil finish with a wax buff on the stock.




And after all that work, I gave it away.

I have a friend that had been looking for a 22 rifle for his grandson. He asked me if I could find him one at a good price.
In May I told him that I found him one, but it needed to be cleaned up.
When I finished it he met me to pick up the rifle and he really loved it. When he asked me how much he owed me, I said nothing.
He tried to pay me, but I told him that his money was no good.
Back in the day when I was living from paycheck to paycheck, he was always there to help me and my family.
He gave me a firm hand shake and a big thank you.

I ran into hin at work the other day and asked how did his grandson like the rifle. He told me that he loves the rifle and gets him to take him shooting every chance he gets.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

Nice rifle. Nicer story

 

[SGW42]

How do you do a "wax buff?" I just recently put a wax finish on a Mosin stock I refinished and it came out a little tacky.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

A wax buff is dome with 0000 steel wool and paste wax. You pretty much just buff the finish with the steel wool after applying wax. I apply the wax to the steel wool and then buff.

What type of finish did you do on the stock before applying the wax?

 

[SGW42]

Just a Minwax stain, then three coats of paste wax buffed by hand.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Most of Stains are oil based. The regular Minwax in the yellow can is oil base.
You have to be sure to give it time to cure (dry) before applying a wax. This curing time can be effected by a few things lke weather and the type of wood you are applying it on. Also if you use a cleaner or striper on the stock, if it is not all removed, it can effect the finish.
Then there is the wax. The harder the wax the more shine you will get from buffing it. But if you apply the wax before the stain has cured, it will cloud up or not dry.

If your problem is that the wax will not dry or buff to a shine, wipe the stock down with denatured alcohol to remove the wax and dry the stock. MAke sure that you have the correct wax for the finish you wont and re wax the stock with thin coats, allowing 20 to 30 min between coats. Lightly buff each coat. 2 to 3 coats will do most jobs. Applying too many coats can give you a cloudy look.

 

[SGW42]

Cool, thanks for the tips. Hopefully I can get my stock close to looking like yours.

 

[Sam Cade]

That is a neat little fella.