Should I refinish my Mosin Stock?

[David Mark 2,452]

I am needing a firearms related project and with a daughter starting college next year another conversion is unfortunately cost prohibiting.

 

My Mosin is a hex receiver Tula with a 1930 stamp and all matching numbers.

 

However, through some research I am pretty sure the rifle predates the stock. The stock is in good shape but has the typical half assed finish.

 

Do you folks think it is a good or bad idea to strip and refinish the stock?

 

Will I be diminishing its future worth or is that even a factor on a Mosin, even a matching one?

 

I have woodworking and finishing experience so I am confident I could do a good job. I'm just not sure its a good idea.

 

Opinions please.

[jimdigriz 580]

However, through some research I am pretty sure the rifle predates the stock. The stock is in good shape but has the typical half assed finish.

 

Not surprising. Many Mosins got new stocks after the war.

 

 

Do you folks think it is a good or bad idea to strip and refinish the stock?

 

Will I be diminishing its future worth or is that even a factor on a Mosin, even a matching one?

 

Yes, you will be diminishing its worth. As far as the tangible part of that, all-matching Mosins, especially with hex receiver, may fetch a decent price in your kids' or grandkids' days. I'm not so worried about the price, though, since I plan to pass mine down as family guns and leave them in the family. Part of the coolness with Mosins is the authenticity and the history of the guns. The "typical half assed finish" is part of that. Don't take that away with modern customizations. You can always buy a modern wood stock to use it with if you want something modern and excellent (retaining the original stock of course). Or, buy a modern gun like a Saiga to customize.

 

My advice is to leave it be.

 

Jim

[MN.9130 44]

...Or, if you're a C&R... grab a $85 (shipped) round receiver (w/ all the accessories, no less!) from AIM and go to town on it, before you do anything to your nice one.

 

I'm seriously considering this myself.

[echoside190 127]

I'd find a complete 91/30 stock with all the hardware that could use a little love and refinish that stock and keep the other one stowed away to preserve. On my old Nagant I just went ahead and refinished it since I didn't care much with it being a 1940 Izhevsk round receiver and it cost me a whopping $100 to get anyways. Yours is a lot harder to come by so it would be better to keep it as original as possible.

[MN.9130 44]

The Echomaker's idea would work fine... if you can find one for cheaper than $85.00USD, shipped to your door! And hey, if you're half-way through the refinish and decide you don't like it, you have a repository of spare parts or a complete barreled action waiting for the bubba treatment!

[David Mark 2,452]

Thank you for your thoughtful response gentleman.

 

I think you reenforced what i was felling in my gut.

 

Leave it the fuck alone and enjoy it. I do love shooting her.

 

That leaves me still looking for an inexpensive project. Perhaps another gun rack.

The Mosin is too tall for the one I built last winter and the wife is thinking about buying me a PSL for Valentine day.

 

Thanks again guys.

Edited December 12, 2010 by DaveM