To restore or not to restore?

[TheShaman]

Recently picked up my very first SKS,and first rifle in general for that matter.  I gotta admit, I was sorta drawn to the 'beat up' look of it...  I did strip  it and clean it,though it appears it's been pretty well taken care of in that respect.. Bore is in great condition as far as I can tell, and while there was a bit of grease in the gas tube, nothing like i was expecting- in other words, i don't think cosmoline removal will be an issue with this particular rifle. The firing pin rattles nicely. Function check with snap caps shows it feeds and ejects right nice..  So, my question is this, and i will be attempting to post some pics to help: While i kind of like how 'battered' it is..  i can't deny a new stock and some bluing wouldn't pretty it up a little bit.  Would you leave it as is,or a full restoration? Will the metal, unblued, last,and is the beat up stock 'functionable'?  I really appreciate any advice as i already feel a growing 'need' for a few more of these beauties!

[Loose}{Cannon]

Welcome to the files!

I would generally leave it as is, or get a dif stock all together rather then mess too much with the original.

[TheShaman]

here are the pics,hopefully they will help! Sorry, again, fairly new to this.

[TheShaman]

Thanks Loose Cannon! I too would prefer to keep it exactly as is, i guess my real question is will the metal, with the obvious lack of bluing in areas be good to go out in the elements? Will that battered old stock 'hold up' to further use if i choose to leave it on? I definitely PREFER it as is, but am wondering about functionality..

[Loose}{Cannon]

If there is no cracks through the center of the tang, wrist, or crossbolt areas, I wouldn't worry about it.  Looks like its held its weight agaist use to me.  These are tough guns!  I wouldn't touch the metal either... Just oil it with Mobile 1.

[running-man]

+1 to the oil & leave it alone dept.  If the stock just won't stop oozing grease when you use it, maybe pick up a replacement blade bayo/long lug stock and 'temporarily' dress the gun up in it for everyday use?  I would not refinish that stock, especially if it's matching to the rest of the gun.

Nice looking SKS you have there!  Welcome to the boards, hope you enjoy it here!

P.S.  That gun isn't all that bad in the bluing dept.  This Sino-Banian of mine, now there's some thin bluing! (click to enlarge)

[armedhippie]

  RM I was gonna mention a "Silver Ghost" for comparison. 

Shaman... You got a beauty there, +1 on oiling her up and leaving it be. Yours is in great shape honestly and will hold up for many, many years to come. That "growing need" will turn into a full blown addiction in no time so...Congrats  You picked well on your first rifle my friend. Thanks for sharing with us.

[Phosphorus32]

One more vote for oil the metal, leave the stock. That's a nice looking early Chinese via Albania that's simply seen some use and abuse in it's 60 or so years. Let me try an analogy...

Currently I see this...


When people try to pretty them up I just see this...

[armedhippie]

 

[TheShaman]

Wow, great to see everyone's vote pretty much echoed my own thoughts. thanks alot to all.
  On my last visit to the shop/range where i picked this one up I did notice they had gotten a couple more in since my purchase,i didn't examine Too closely this time around simply because the price tags were all about 100-150 higher than what had been asked for mine, and they both had after market magazines, what I Did notice was that the 'wood' furniture on both was so glossy, i wondered if it was even real wood..  I'll admit they didn't seem quite as attractive,even though these looked 'New'.. Also noticed a Mosin and couple old Mausers not any more beat up than my find on the rack with all the old used 30-30s and .22s...  I need to stay outta that place..

[CARBINE]

One more vote for oil the metal, leave the stock. That's a nice looking early Chinese via Albania that's simply seen some use and abuse in it's 60 or so years. Let me try an analogy...

Currently I see this...


When people try to pretty them up I just see this...

Thats funny, but in all reality a very good analogy...... Mrs. Pfeiffer is still smoking in my opinion

[Phosphorus32]

Wow, great to see everyone's vote pretty much echoed my own thoughts. thanks alot to all.
  On my last visit to the shop/range where i picked this one up I did notice they had gotten a couple more in since my purchase,i didn't examine Too closely this time around simply because the price tags were all about 100-150 higher than what had been asked for mine, and they both had after market magazines, what I Did notice was that the 'wood' furniture on both was so glossy, i wondered if it was even real wood..  I'll admit they didn't seem quite as attractive,even though these looked 'New'.. Also noticed a Mosin and couple old Mausers not any more beat up than my find on the rack with all the old used 30-30s and .22s...  I need to stay outta that place..

There are many SKSs that came into the country from China before importation was stopped that are in good to excellent condition. It's important to look at the SNs and dating and know the fittings, features and finish expected for different sources of importation and era of production. Part of what makes collecting the SKS so interesting.  There is a lot of info available on these pages to help in identification and assessment of the SKSs that you run across out in the wild. After market duckbill mags are definitely a sign of non-original. Sometimes those come in with the original mags, furniture, bayonets and the owner might have them in the back, so it's always worth checking.

All of these early Type 56s (and also Type 53 Mosins) that came out of Albania in the last few years were somewhat to very rough, so you're very unlikely to see one with perfect shellac and lacking dings, etc.

[Dannyboy53]

That stock has "character"...leave it as is! 

[carls sks]

like cars and other collectibles, there only  this way (original) once. 

[Justin Hell]

You have a couple of options....leave it alone and deal with the ol' war horse...

You could also consider getting a non matching but similar stock that doesn't look so splintery for using it and retain the original for display purposes...

You could also go Tapco and retain the bayonet.  In any case I would suggest never removing that handguard from its gas tube, and keeping it with the original stock...those two look like peas in a pod.

Your best bet is to leave it alone, you have been bitten by the SKS vampire and there is no turning back....another will be along soon that may have already been messed with that you can either play around with or restore. I do both...full on bubba, yet able to revert back to original in minutes. In many cases you won't be able to do a full restore, but unserialed parts are out there....and you can come close.

If you like to keep your belongings to a minimum...I suggest never going into a pawn shop or gun show again. I am dirt poor and for three days I have been trying to come up with a way to pick up the first paratrooper I have ever seen for sale in Montana. I don't have enough beer cans in the savings account to pony up $495 for a neutered lug 1965 para....I am going to go outside and kick some rocks....

Welcome to the files...and your new addiction.

[TheShaman]

Just thought i'd post a quick 'update'.  I have definitely decided to leave the rifle as is. I got her out to the range along with an old 30-30 and my Ruger 9mm this morning for some overdue 'function' checks..and while all three cycled and functioned flawlessly- the old 'war horse' not only held it's own, it was hands down the smoothest,easiest ta shoot and though the range only goes out to 25 yards, the iron sites put 'em where i wanted 'em, Every time..  definitely no complaints! I only ran about 15-20 rounds through her,but the firing pin was still as loose as could be when i broke it down for cleaning back home..  I love this thing. Wouldn't Dream of altering it.  That said, she Definitely needs a friend... 

[CARBINE]

That said, she Definitely needs a friend... 

O no the sickness is spreading!!!

[montigre]

Asking this primarily for personal education.  Would rubbing in a touch of lemon oil to remove some of the surface crud and protect the exposed areas of the wood be an undesirable thing to do in the OP's situation?  That shouldn't detract from the old war horse character of the stock...right?