CAUTION: How do I tell if I have a rebuilt RC (Russian Capture) and not an original
In this link, see 1/2 way down in section 6, I'm gonna copy and paste part of it. Seems if Russian captured/rebuilt that they applied a coat of Shellac as a preservative.
LINK (See section 6):
https://www.milsurps.com/content.php...-Oberndorf-a-N)
Partly Copied/Pasted-
The Russians took all their K98k's, and totally disassembled them except for the barrel. Bores were inspected and those found to be acceptable (ie, some pitting OK - so long as it's still safely shootable, much like with their refurbed Mosins) were set aside. Those that were deemed too far gone were recycled into steel for tractor parts or Order of Lennin medals, or whatever.
The small parts were all hot-dip reblued. Rusty parts were wire brushed or sandblasted first. These were placed indiscriminately in bins. The stocks were also inspected for serviceability. Those deemed acceptable were retained, those unacceptable were burned.
When the rifles were re-assembled no effort was made to match parts. A new (used) bolt was assembled and fitted to the receiver and the whole affair was assembled into a rifle from the binned parts. When done, most parts were electropencilled with the rifle's serial number and a flat was sanded on the left side of the wood stock (think big belt sander and half-drunk worker). The rifle's serial number was stamped there running parallel to the rifle's bore line. (Yugos are stamped perpendicular, for comparison)
Once complete, the whole rifle was generally painted in cheap shellac as a preservative agent - these are often not cosmolened for some reason - crated up and sent to war reserve, especially in the frontier states like Ukraine (which stored them in underground "nuclear proof" depleted salt mines).
Anyone know if this would have been a Amber Colored Shellac? (nearly clear)
Or Tinted Black Shellac?
Asking because of being curious.. and don't know squat about them.
Stripping paint or Shellac I can help with.
Thx
