Restoring beater M1s

[TMB]

I think the bad thing is refinishing restamping original stocks. If you want it to look new get repro.I don't think repro stocks fool anyone. but a refinish original might take an expert to tell ?

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[Joe W]

I think the bad thing is refinishing restamping original stocks. If you want it to look new get repro.I don't think repro stocks fool anyone. but a refinish original might take an expert to tell ?

I guess there are two schools of thought regarding "original" stocks. Some will look at it as embelishing or restoring the "original" stock. We already seem to accept restoring rifles such as gas traps with repro parts. Reason being is that original gas trap parts are either impossible to find or to costly. Not to far in the future the same will be said of some WW2 era stocks, especially GHS. Also when restoring any M1 Garand most tend to make it as close to original looking as possible. We look for not only correct parts but matching wear patterns. The finished product could also be considered as a "fake". Someplace down the road some unsuspecting buyer might think he is buying a "original" rifle as opposed to a "correct" rifle. There are restored rifles that also will fool all but an expert. I don't know what the answer to this problem really is and I tend to think there may not be an answer.