honkytonk 30 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 I recently purchased a Chinese SKS from Classic Firearms and the stock has seen better days. I went out and got everything I need to refinish the stock but now I'm getting cold feet thinking that I may mess up something of collectible value. I believe that it is a Tula manufactured rifle but as this is my first SKS I'm not positive. Also, on the stock there is a triangle with the number 21 in it. Anyone have any ideas what I have here? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Arik 565 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Why do you need to refinish it? Is it going to be a wall hanger? A rare specimen? Or are you going to shoot the thing? Use it? Why not just use it and enjoy? Why refinish? There's nothing like a well worn rifle for a great shooter If you refinish it it will be worth less than if you would have used it as a EDC 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
honkytonk 30 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 I was planning on refinishing it and having it as a shooter unless there is something special about it. The stock is pretty beat up but usable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VR762Shooter 838 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) If that is dated 1951 it isn't a Chinese or even a Sino-Soviet. That'd be a Russian. Have heard of a few of those being mixed in with the lot they have been selling. I'd leave it as is and enjoy the fact you got a Russian at a Chinese price Edited January 12, 2014 by VR6Shooter 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Arik 565 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 The top cover is Tula. So what if it's beat up? Are you going to refinish it and beat it up by using it....what the point.....just use it! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
honkytonk 30 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Wow! Thanks for the input, I will be leaving it as is now. Edited January 12, 2014 by honkytonk 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Arik 565 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Put up some more pics in better quality. It might be a mix master or all Russian. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VR762Shooter 838 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Put up some more pics in better quality. It might be a mix master or all Russian. Yes, they were known to have a few full Russians and some mixed lot re-manufactured together to be a full gun. Post more pics so we can get a verdict Quote Link to post Share on other sites
honkytonk 30 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Do these help any? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VR762Shooter 838 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Yeah, looks like a mish-mash gun. Not a Russian. are there 3 more digits under your thumb? Looks like it is a 1960 produced Chinese with a Russian 1951 dated cover Edited January 12, 2014 by VR6Shooter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
honkytonk 30 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 No, just one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VR762Shooter 838 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) OK. That's good then you a 5 digit serial. Does the same serial show on the bolt carrier? Edited January 12, 2014 by VR6Shooter 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
honkytonk 30 Posted January 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Yes, and on the bottom of the magazine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Arik 565 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Are there any Chinese characters or a triangle with an arrow, but not izhmash. Or a a triangle with numbers? Looks to me like all Russian Quote Link to post Share on other sites
VR762Shooter 838 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 It looks like it could be with the 5 digit serial. Only thing that gets me is it doesn't have any Cryrillic lettering and I thought all Russians had a Cyrillic marking. If it has a star marked receiver then we know for sure Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sim_Player 1,939 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 (edited) Shoot it and enjoy. Refinishing is not a good idea. Just keep the wood lightly oiled. The wood shows it's history. Edited January 12, 2014 by Sim_Player Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shandlanos 1,470 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 It looks like it could be with the 5 digit serial. Only thing that gets me is it doesn't have any Cryrillic lettering and I thought all Russians had a Cyrillic marking. If it has a star marked receiver then we know for sure Not necessarily - There is some overlap between the Latin and Cyrillic alphabet, even on Mosins I've seen alphanumeric serials without any strictly Cyrillic letters. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Deadeye 325 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 refinish it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vulcan16 971 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 Refinish it. That's not a Chinese bayonet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
misterT 174 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 I refinished mine, steamed the dents out as best I could sanded most of the marks out but left the deeper ones. I used an oil finish that left it looking like a very good old battle rifle. I reblued the barrel and receiver and polished the bolt and I am very happy with how it turned out. Mine however was not rare or especially valuable, just an old Norinco surplus I bought for $69! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sobrenegade 795 Posted January 12, 2014 Report Share Posted January 12, 2014 I vote to refinish. By breaking it down, you will learn more about your weapon and if some part needs replaced you will already be knowledgeable in that respect. On the plus side, stripping the wood or at least cleaning it up will let you see if some of the cracks go all the way through. It's not a Winchester and replacement stocks are cheap. To some it's "earrings on a pig". My war toys get cleaned up, except the Mauser that split at the tang and bit the web of my hand, that took a dunk in the nearby creek, then got cleaned up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mancat 2,368 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 Personally I like the way your stock looks, but if you were to refinish it, I would second the recommendations on an oil finish - either BLO, Tru-Oil, or real tung oil - not the Formby's crap you find in most small hardware stores. Don't stain the wood, just clean out the grain and let it take on its natural color. Again, I think that looks real nice the way it is. The stock matches the metal patina nicely. From the look of it, your stock is maybe Russian or perhaps a take-off from another European SKS. It's probably not a Chinese stock - even on the earliest "pure" Type-56 SKS, the front palm swell on the stock is a lot smaller and has a more angular cut to it. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Arik 565 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) I think refinishing the wood is a waste of time and money, they rifle will not be worth more and possibly less and if you use it it will get the dents and scratches and wear soon anyway. What's the point? For it too look slightly better for a few months? Why? Just shoot! Do you re upholster and reaping every new to you car that you buy? No ...it's a pointless waste of money. Regardless, if you refinish it automatically becomes worth less (not worthless). Just like all those avg Mausers and Enfields that were chped, refinished and sporterized. Today they are worth more in their old milsurps condition than any type of sporterized, no matter how clean. Edited January 13, 2014 by Arik 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Salmonking 149 Posted January 13, 2014 Report Share Posted January 13, 2014 If you don't like how your stock looks, refinish it. If you're content with how it looks, leave it stock. If you want a safe queen, leave it be.You could also buy a Timbersmith and keep all your original parts stock. Ultimately, do what makes you happy if you intend on keeping it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pyzik 597 Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 I would leave this one. If the bluing was intact and just the stock was janky I might refinish, but I think this one matches well and I would leave it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whitetrashrn 74 Posted January 14, 2014 Report Share Posted January 14, 2014 Id leave it alone. Looking at the pics the bayonet looks like my 50 tula. So its a mixmaster. take it apart give it a little TLC and a good bath and put it together. Learn a whole bunch by taking apart. Be careful with the pin on the back of the top hand guard. Its a PIA if IIRC. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
storm6490 2,768 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Refinishing an SKS is a great way to learn. If you already know how to, don't bother. If you just want it to look better, go for it! If it were mine, I would take it down and refinish the metal, put a new stock on and let it live in the truck for a rainy day! Thanks for the photos! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gunman1 1,753 Posted January 15, 2014 Report Share Posted January 15, 2014 Hang pfuzzy dice off of it and call it done......... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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