Hey!
I've got a Yugo M48A Mauser that cost all of about $139. When I got it the stock was almost black and oil soaked. Figuring that I had very little to lose with a gentle, minimum-impact refinish job, I steamed the stock and scrubbed and scrubbed, and even eventually sanded just a little, before applying many coats of a penetrating oil.
When I was done I found that the stock had been worked on, and that long ago. After a lot of thinking about it, I've come to believe that these fixes were completed by the original builders and that is just amazing to me.
In two places there are exquisitely crafted dovetailed (and tapered!) patches (what woodworkers refer to as "Dutchman" repairs). I do (or have done, I should say) this kind of work professionally, and I am VERY impressed with this level of craftsmanship. It appears from the figure of the wood that the rouged-out stock had some defects -- probably pinhole knots -- but the builders decided to use it anyway. They (or whomever) hand cut these repairs, one into the butt and one in the thinnest part of the forearm beside the barrel, and fit just plain airtight dutchmen, and then pinned them with wooden pins! You really, REALLY have to look to see these things. In fact, the one on the forearm is no bigger than 3/4"x 1/2" x 1/8" at its wide point.
I can't fathom what set of circumstances would have made wood stock blanks -- for a common, run of the mill military rifle -- so valuable in Yugoslavia as to necessitate several hours of careful hand work by a very skilled artisan to save one from the burn pile. Obviously labor was MUCH cheaper than material at that point!
Only slightly less unbelievable is that this rifle would have survived whatever circumstances brought it to its former dilapidated state, been sold for surplus, imported here, and just about accidentally be passed on to someone who would make the effort to spruce it up, and who would recognize and appreciate the tiny details that show the efforts of the craftsman who put his hands to it.
I am proud to own this rifle -- far out of proportion to its actual value. Ironically because it isn't perfect, and wasn't ever perfect, and I guess that makes it unique!
I also own a K-31 that does indeed still carry a hand-written card with the contact information of the soldier to whom it was issued. That isn't very rare, but it does make me feel good when I'm keeping it active!
-Sam
