Is a refurbish the same as "Unaltered"?

[stoobie]

Okay, I've read this site a few times and learned a whole lot. Hopefully I won't be run off on my frist post. I bought this from AIM Surplus a while ago. The first picture has the stock in it's original condition, on the left. I found a replacement stock online and threw it in there. However, I got the itch and refurbished the original stock. From what I read here, I take it that this is a 1960 Arsenal /26\. Here are a few pictures of the rifle.

[running-man]

Welcome to the site stoobie!  You'll meet all sorts of interesting people & I hope you enjoy it here!

Your letter gun likely dates to 1959, though it could easily be a '60 as well.  We honestly don't know what the Chinese were doing as they scrambled to maintain production when the Russians pulled out technical aid & advisors during the Sino-Soviet split. 

In short, no refurbishment is not the same as unaltered.  Nobody on this site is going to run you off for refinishing your own rifle (or even tell you off), but I think there are a good many here that will tell you that you refinished the wrong stock.  To maintain the collectors value, you should have worked on the second replacement stock and left the original as it was (and I know some of the recent imports were in pretty sad shape, but still original is always best when you're talking to a collector).  It's not like you ruined a $3000 rifle though.  These Sino-banians are really only worth around $300 right now, but I suspect in the next year or so the prices will gradually creep up on all matching, original specimens in decent shape and they will quickly find their niche.

I actually like the deep red you chose, almost reminds me of a fiberglass stock.  You did a good job with it, it definitely didn't turn out to be a disaster like some you see.

[John Galt]

Stoobie,

It looks like you did a nice job on the stock. 

Most, if not all, here would say the stock to refinish would have been the non-original.  That way you preserve the original for all that it is and make the non-original what you desire. 

Did you get a good deal on the replacement stock?  I have been trying to find a stock but lately, they have been going for around $50

Oh, to answer your question:  refinished stock =  altered sks.

John Galt

[Blicero]

I'm going to go chug a beer, play with my black lab, maybe fondle a Mauser.

Happy thoughts. Diplomacy. Deflection.

[stoobie]

I've read that you should leave original stocks alone. It was just hard to believe that a stock in that poor of surface condition could be more worthy. However, I'll make note of it in the future not to touch. It was bathed, showered and scrubbed in cosmoline, but I was lucky to have an industrial parts washer nearby to help dissolve the worst of it.

As for the other stock, I've got no use for it now. Perhaps I can send it your way John.

[Loose}{Cannon]

Nice gun...   lots if guys simply wanna make their rifle presentable etc.  Nothing wrong with that.   

How does she shoot?   Many have found these early chicoms to be their most accurate sks.

[Worm]

I'm going to go chug a beer, play with my black lab, maybe fondle a Mosin.

Happy thoughts. Diplomacy. Deflection.

Fixed it for you

[Worm]

Nice gun...   lots if guys simply wanna make their rifle presentable etc.  Nothing wrong with that.   

+1 Looks nice OP 

[Dannyboy53]

Still a nice looking carbine stoobie, let us know how it shoots.

[John Galt]

Stoobie,

The more I look at your red stock, the more I want to know about it!  Did you custom mix the stain?  What is the top coat?  Do tell!

John Galt

[Loose}{Cannon]

Looks like red sedona.   

[stoobie]

I used a Birchwood Casey's kit and added a little red dye to get that color. I initially thought it was way too red, but once I saw it in the light, it grew on me.

[fenceline]

Almost the same color as a jungle stock.  Looks pretty good.

[Carl in CT]

Welcome stoobie. You did an excellent job on that stock, it looks great. I do agree with others that it would have been better to refinish the replacement stock and leave the original alone. Some guys have done minor refinishing to the original stocks on some of these old Chicoms which I think is ok. Basically they clean them up, get rid of any flaking finish, maybe a very light sanding and then a light stain or oil finish. That gets them looking and handling better but retains 99% of the character of the original stock and it's trench art, nicks and dings, etc. I like the way those look but technically they aren't quite 100% original either.

[Greasemonkey]

Is refurbished the same as unaltered:

Just my .02 worth.... . From a purest point of view.

Refurbished, refurb'ed, rebuild is something an arsenal or factory did at some point, and usually the way it left the countries storage facility.

Now, it is possible to have an unaltered refurb, it doesn't become altered until one refinishes or reblues it, what have you. Once refinished, it becomes just that, refinished, because techincally, it is "altered" from it's refurb status.

Again, just my opinion...