Poor Little SKS

[louthepou]

I recently acquired two SKS'es from two different stores. One from a small business, as I always try to support small businesses. This is where real service and knowledge can be found. Throughout the wait (for the rifles to enter Canada), I had good comunication and updates, and the rifle got to me as described; I am very happy with that rifle.

The second one I got from a larger store. The experience was the total opposite. Communication wasn't the best. But more importantly, the person I talked to last, when I was contacted to arrange payment and shippment, didn't have the knowledge I expected and could have been selling fresh fruits or framing nails or garden equipment it would have been the same for this person. Needless to say I was not happy when I received that SKS.

Oh, did I mention the rifle was really badly packaged and dents and scratches resulted?

So, what do I do when an ugly duckling gets in the house? I get to work.

There are no miracles with this one, simply a good cleaning, some paint removal, and refinishing the stock.

This rifle is a refurbed Russian SKS from 1952 (Tula Arsenal). During the refurb (overseas), it received some new and used parts; numbers are therefore force-matched. Paint was applied (poorly) everywhere. I won't strip the barrel, receiver etc., but I did strip the bolt (for obvious reasons - see pictures below). I then cleaned the stock with Methy Hydrate - not down to the wood, but enough shellac was removed to see some of the wood grain, and remove rough areas in the finish (chips in the shellac, some really uneven sections, etc).

I then applied a few coats of new shellac. The result isn't super-even, but then again should shellac coats on a Russian SKS be perfect.

Here are some before and after pics. Sorry I forgot to take a before picture of the stock. Imagine it much darker, with some spots where shellac flaked off, and lots more surface scratches.

Before, close ups:

Here, note the paint flaking off the firing pin.


Here, note the sand everywhere...



Two after pics:



Cheers,

Lou

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