Quote Originally Posted by TheSovietSamurai View Post
The only way to keep it as close to the original finish as possible is to leave it alone, if you want to refinish it, sell it to somebody that doesn't. Why turn a unique rifle into something worthless and run of the mill just like the rest?
Because the finish put on them for long term storage is not the original finish. The original finish is the finish applied when the rifle was made, that according to all sources I've seen is OIL. The shellac is a post war add on, is not durable and generally looks like crap from simply being jostled around in the storage cases. A finish which comes off from breathing on it or bumping it with your fingernail is not a good finish.