Refinish an SKS with what product?

[HoosierQ]

I have a couple of ComBloc milsurp rifles: A Mosin 91/30 and an SKS.

The Mosin is a Russian (Izhvek) and is a nice light birch.
The SKS is, I think, Romanian (just got it). It has been stained a deep mahogany color and slathered with some crummy varnish but the wood underneath is real nice...maybe a little dry.

What is a good product with which to refinish these guys? Tung oil? Boiled Linseed? Some sort of "modern" varnish?

Any thoughts?

 

[Oro]

HoosierQ,

If you read all the way through this thread, you will find most all conventional wisdom on stock refinishing, commercial or milsurp. A good thread:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=240961

 

[HoosierQ]

Thanks Oro.

 

[rcmodel]

The main thing to remember is, a Mossy or an SKS isn't supposed to look like a Weatherby MkV stock when you get done refinishing it.

IMO: Nothing looks worse then a high-gloss finish on a mil-sup rifle.

rc

 

[MichaelK]

I refinished my first gunstock with Tru-oil. It came out looking very nice.
I refinished my second gunstock with Tung-oil. It came out looking very nice.

Either choice will work for you.

I don't like a glossy finish either. After the final coat of finish was applied to both, I ran over the whole stock with ultra-fine steel wool. Gave both a beautiful matte finish.

 

[Oro]

IMO: Nothing looks worse then a high-gloss finish on a mil-sup rifle.

I disagree with you.

I think duracoat on a S&W revolver looks worse. But just by a little.

 

[HoosierQ]

I won't be going for the high gloss Weatherby look on my SKS for sure. I was greatly impressed by that technique. I suspect I may use the product but not go to the great lengths described. I want to remove the crummy "Russian" varnish and replace it with a nice simple, mil-spec looking oil finish or a nicer varnish like finish. Funny story, I traded an extremely high-gloss shotgun for this SKS...the finish on that gun looked an inch thick.

 

[MCgunner]

I just replaced that crappy stock with a camo plastic Choate. Mine are Norincos and the length of pull reminded me of my Daisy Red Rider. I put a folding stock on the paratrooper carbine, tacticooled it a little. I don't care for pistol grips on long guns, but it's just a fun gun. I actually use the rifle, have shot a deer with it. It's a neat truck gun. I like it for casual trips to work on my place or just bummin' in the woods better than my little .357 lever carbine because I can unload it a lot easier, don't have to jack each round out, just drop the magazine and dump. Ain't as light or quite as handy, but light and handy enough.

As to stock finishing, I've only done it two ways, using that Birchwood Casey stuff which gives a high gloss polymer finish (I agree, out of place on a milsurp) or rubbing linseed oil which is a traditional way. You don't see many oiled stocks anymore. My little 92 Rossi carbine is an oil finished stock. I love an oil finish, has an old school elegance about it.

 

[HoosierQ]

Getting much good information. Back to step one?

What should I strip the varnish with? Any old hardware store stripper? I have some experience stripping paint but not varnish.