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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?

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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

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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 by VR6Shooter
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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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 by Arik
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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.

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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.

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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!

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