Russian SKS finish?

[glockster157]

I traded for a Russian SKS today. It is in the original wood, but it looks like someone spray painted the metal with Krylon black paint or something. I am not sure what the original metal finish was on these, it is marked 1954r on the receiver, was imported by KBI. The paint is flaking off, I got most of it off the barrel and gas tube with a fine ss wire brush, so a soaking in acetone should get the rest. Under the paint it is gray, not sure if it is some kind of bluing as it does not look like parkerizing. It looks like a thin bluing but more grayish.

My question about that is, is that the original finish. I can get pics tomorrow. If not I think I will try Duracoat or have it parkerized. Or I could try one of those bake on finishes from Brownells?

 

[Grassman]

Hope you got a good deal on it?

 

[glockster157]

Yes I did. Traded a shotgun and extra barrel I have had forever and never shoot for it.

Don't get me wrong, the rifle looks great, it is mechanically almost new, there is a scratch on the stock, all the serial numbers match. I have just never saw the finish on a SKS flaking off like that but then again, I have never had a Russian. I have had several Chinese but they were just blu. Did the Russians or KBI Imorters paint them?

 

[Grassman]

They shouldn't be painted. I would strip it down and clean it up.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

I dont own one, but i have looked at several at gun shows. They are typically blued. The ones I have seen, were arsenal refinished and looked really nice.

 

[Anteater1717]

Early ones were blued, later ones were painted.

 

[stubbicatt]

Mine is a 1954 Tula, with the most beautiful deep dark bluing over polished metal. Would rival a commercial finish.

 

[Jim_100]

I have a early 50's Tula with the marking that suggests it went back to the factory to be reworked. It has what looks like black paint but it is not peeling.

 

[Nautilus]

Some of the Russians were painted with a low quality paint that would dissolve using most gun cleaning solutions. I had a '54 Tula that had been refinished at somepoint and was made from a mixed parts as almost none of the numbers matched, it was also imported by KBI. When I cleaned the first time I noticed blue stains on my patches so I took the reciever cover and soaked it in a gun scrubber... what dissolved off it looked similar to blue ink and when I was done it was bare metal. That "Gray" your seeing underneath is bare metal although there may be a litttle of the original finish left under the paint. I would strip and then refinish.

 

[glockster157]

that dissolved off it looked similar to blue ink and when I was done it was bare metal. That "Gray" your seeing underneath is bare metal although there may be a litttle of the original finish left under the paint.

That is what I was thinking, it looks grayish but I bet it is bare metal. Now I have to decide, GunKote, Duracoat, Bluing, Parkerizing.....what to do, what to do????

Of course, there is always Rustoleum just kidding!

 

[briansmithwins]

I know the Sov used paint over zinc parkerizing with AKs later on. Zinc park is a pale grey, could that be what you are seeing?

BSW

 

[glockster157]

I'll try and gets some pics this evening when I can get home.

 

[GTSteve03]

I would go with a semi-gloss black GunKote.

 

[Average Joe]

Mine is a 54 Tula referb, its some sort of coating, not really paint. Mine is hard as nails, doesn't chip.

 

[glockster157]

Pictures
Barrel band

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Receiver

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Rifle

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[3pairs12]

Barrel band is definitely bare metal, the recievr looks to be also. Great looking wood though.

 

[Almond27]

Hey that looks familiar

 

[Navon]

I just got a new Russian SKS too and its an honor to be here.




Its unfortunate in Canada, where I live, the mags have to be modded to limit capacity to 5 rounds....
By the weld marks its pretty obvious how they 'pinned' my mags.




Let's see some more SKS' !

 

[aguyindallas]

Here are some pics of my Russian to compare finish with.

 

[glockster157]

That does look like some kind of paint to me. It has a texture to it. I do think I will use a Gunkote if possible but I have to measure my oven first. Want to bake it.

Anybody have any experience removing Gunkote if you had to, I see where Duracoat looks like a "B" to get off? This is just in case I decided later to remove it. Parkerizing isn't out of the question yet.