Mosin Stock Refinishing-By Mosin Shooter

[Mosin Shooter]

OK, for all of you that want to post refinishing processes here feel free, but I ask processes only, I want to put this as a Sticky.

Heres what I did, its easy to do and not too expensive.

First you get all you need, heres what I got:
Dawn Power Dissolver (DPD in the article)
MinWax Red Mahogany Stain
Bulls Eye Shellac
180, 220, 440 and 1200 grit sandpaper
0000 Steel Wool
Several 3/4" Brushes for Various uses

First you completely dissassemble your Mosin so that no metal parts remain on the gun (Endcaps are an exception, as they are damn near impossible to remove and get back on).

Then, what I did, I took the Mosin outside and strung it up by the sling cutouts, it work great if you find a horizontal branch. Cover the endcaps with tape so they dont get hit with the DPD

Spray the stock with the DPD, rub the DPD into the stock with the brush so you get an even coat, allow 15-20 minutes for the alkaline dissolvers in the DPD. Use rubber gloves, I didnt and my hands didnt look to nice after.

After the alloted time, spray off the stock with a high powered hose, but make SURE the water is warm, otherwise it isnt too effective.

Repeat as needed, usually 3-4 times, more if needed, especially if the stock is drowned in cosmoline. Allow the stock to dry for at the absolute minimum 36 hours, otherwise it will critically affect the outcome of the stock, ie:air bubbles and water seeping under the finish.

After the 36 hour minimum you can sand off whats left of the finish, if any and any divets in the stock, be careful during this step if you like you cartouches, the square Ukrainian refurb mark will usually survive, but others, only burned into the finish will not.

Begin applying the stain, my recommendations; take an old sock knot up one end and use that to apply the stain, it allows for the most even finish you can get.

As a general rule with MinWax Stains 1 coat will generally give you a dark deep red finish, the more you apply the darker it gets.

Buff the finish with the 0000 steel wool to dull the shine a little if you want.

Allow 24 hours to let the stain fully set in.

After 24 hours, or if you applied multiple stains however long it takes, begin applying your finish. Some people use polyurethane, or TungOil, I used Shellac. Use one of the brushes to completely cover the stock in Shellac. After you are done, rinse off the brush with a full raw blast of DPD, it really works for this too.

Use the steel wool to dull the finish alittle if you want or just let it shine, the good thing about Bullseye Shellac, you only have to separate the coats by one hour as its fast drying. Let the finish, set up overnight and then reassemble the rifle, and there you have it, you have refinished your Mosin.

Please remember,post refinishing processes here but I ask processes only.

[SwedeSteve]

Sounds good! But there are so many, it's gonna get confusing! Maybe we should donate some socks and do a test of the most recommended!

[thaddy1978]

I actually used Formby's tung oil and rubbed it on with a pair of rubber gloves. It's kinda supposed to be rubbed in like waxing a car. Dip my glove-covered finger or two in the stuff and rubbed it in. Worked great!

[BOHICA1962]

Mosin Shooter.......which model MN did you refinish with this method? The wood on my 91/59 is very different from the wood on my M39s. Will the method you use work on both woods? I know it will on the 91/59 but I'm not sure about the outcome on the wild coloration on my M39.


ETA I apply BLO or TO with my bare hand.........goes on smoother for me.

[sc928porsche]

Apply stain with a brush and wipe off with clean rags.
Use 800 or 1200 grit wet/dry sandpaper instead of steel wool (steel wool will leave small particles of metal in the finish)
Use tack cloth after sanding and between coats.

[Anton]

I went for the natural wood look. I used Krud Cutter and sprayed it on the stock and wiped it off. This took off most of the old finish after 4-5 applications.
Next I used 0000 steel wool and sanded off any of the remaining finish.
Next I coated the whole stock with Tung Oil and let it sit over night.
Lastly I put a coat of Minwax Finishing Wax. You rub it on with a rag like car wax, then rub it off with a clean cloth.
This is the result.
If you want a different color wood, you could use Minwax Wood Finish Oil Based Stain prior to the Wax Finish.

[K.H.]

Hey Anton, is it just me, or is your bolt handle covered in rust in that pic?

P.S. The stock I refinished turned out kinda like that, nice work!

[Anton]

Its not rust. It is some kind of krud from years of use I guess.
Maybe I'll use a grinder (brush part) and get it off.

[K.H.]

I had that kind of stuff on one of my bolts, all I did was take some steel wool and rub it off the polished it up with some turtlewax polishing compound.

[Mosin Shooter]

Originally Posted by BOHICA1962

Mosin Shooter.......which model MN did you refinish with this method? The wood on my 91/59 is very different from the wood on my M39s. Will the method you use work on both woods? I know it will on the 91/59 but I'm not sure about the outcome on the wild coloration on my M39.


ETA I apply BLO or TO with my bare hand.........goes on smoother for me.

I refinished a M91/30 walnut stock, not lami, so I dont own any other Mosins so I dont know the difference in the wood

[728shooter]

Something I heard of on another thread for stripping off the old finish but was sceptical until I tried it -- Easy-Off Oven cleaner! It works great; spray it on (after you strip the stock of all metal), wait 15-20 minutes and hose it off with a gentle blast of water. Took everything off, includling any residual cosmoline. Be sure to wash it afterwards with a mild detergent (Palmoline dishwashing soap, just a few drops in a small bucket) and most of all, be sure to wear RUBBER GLOVES when using the Easy-Off! (It burns like H*** if it touches your skin)

Once it dries out, the wood is raw and clean and just needs sanding and finishing of your choice. Amazing and cheap way to strip a stock!

728shooter

[woodhippy]

I am new to the site, and this probably should have been posted elsewhere, but is anyone looking for a 91-30 stock in great original shape with sling included?
I built mine for deer hunting, cut the barrel to 24", put an 11 degree target crown on the muzzle, removed the rear sight and the rear sight base, plugged the holes with short sections of the pins, tack welded them in, did lots of metal work with files and abrasive papers, drilled and tapped the receiver for a scope mount, cut the bolt handle and installed the ATI Bent Bolt, installed a Huber Match Grade Adjutable Trigger, drilled and tapped a hole in the trigger guard and made an adjustable trigger over travel stop, installed a Wolff reduced power bolt spring, applied a Woodland Green Duracoat Finish to the barreled receiver. I used Warne scope rings to mount the Nikon Buckmasters SideFocus Optic, a Limbsaver Barrel Deresonator, Beartooth Products Scope Guard and Slip-On Recoil Pad in Mossy Oak Break Up to accent the ATI Monte Carlo in Mossy Oak Break Up. Finishing touches were a Caldwell Prone Bipod and a camo SlingStix Sling. I did all the work myself at home in my shop, and as soon as I figure how to post photos I'll share some pics of it.
I'd sell the original furniture or swap it for something of equal value.

[marion57]

Originally Posted by woodhippy

I am new to the site, and this probably should have been posted elsewhere, but is anyone looking for a 91-30 stock in great original shape with sling included?
I built mine for deer hunting, cut the barrel to 24", put an 11 degree target crown on the muzzle, removed the rear sight and the rear sight base, plugged the holes with short sections of the pins, tack welded them in, did lots of metal work with files and abrasive papers, drilled and tapped the receiver for a scope mount, cut the bolt handle and installed the ATI Bent Bolt, installed a Huber Match Grade Adjutable Trigger, drilled and tapped a hole in the trigger guard and made an adjustable trigger over travel stop, installed a Wolff reduced power bolt spring, applied a Woodland Green Duracoat Finish to the barreled receiver. I used Warne scope rings to mount the Nikon Buckmasters SideFocus Optic, a Limbsaver Barrel Deresonator, Beartooth Products Scope Guard and Slip-On Recoil Pad in Mossy Oak Break Up to accent the ATI Monte Carlo in Mossy Oak Break Up. Finishing touches were a Caldwell Prone Bipod and a camo SlingStix Sling. I did all the work myself at home in my shop, and as soon as I figure how to post photos I'll share some pics of it.
I'd sell the original furniture or swap it for something of equal value.

Welcome to G&G woodhippy we do have a for sale and trade section but doubt anyone is gonna be upset that you posted it here as we are all pretty friendly guyss LOL..
Look forward to seeing your pics

[TinCan Assasin]

How do you strip a lammy stock I wonder? What'll strip the shellac without destroying the glue in the stock?

TCA

[Espresso]

Originally Posted by Anton

I went for the natural wood look. I used Krud Cutter and sprayed it on the stock and wiped it off. This took off most of the old finish after 4-5 applications.
Next I used 0000 steel wool and sanded off any of the remaining finish.
Next I coated the whole stock with Tung Oil and let it sit over night.
Lastly I put a coat of Minwax Finishing Wax. You rub it on with a rag like car wax, then rub it off with a clean cloth.
This is the result.
If you want a different color wood, you could use Minwax Wood Finish Oil Based Stain prior to the Wax Finish.

a) do you have to use a thinner to apply the tung oil, or can you just rub it in as is?
b) how long does it take the stock to dry after you've gotten it wet?
c) is tung oil expensive, or should i look at BLO as a cheaper alternative (college budget)?

[728shooter]

Espresso -- Here is my input & experiences related to your questions;

a) Do not thin tung oil. Also, do not try to apply it over other finishes unless you know for sure that they are oil-based finishes. Use it right out of the container. Usually, the first coat on raw wood soaks in like a sponge so I apply it with a small brush until the wood is saturated, then wipe the excess (if any) off with a clean rag or paper towel.
b) Not sure what you mean by "gotten it wet". If you mean after you've stripped the old finish off and washed it down good, the wood will usually dry out in a day if you set it out in the warm sun. If you mean how long does the finish need to dry between coats, that depends on the humidity and how thick or thin you apply the finish. Usually a minimum of 12 hours, 24 hours to be sure.
c) A pint of tung oil is less than $10 and I've finished 8-10 rifles with that amount and still have plenty left over. Better yet, try a 3 oz. bottle of Tru-oil by Birchwood-Casey, which is a blend of tung-oil, BLO and other stuff and gives a beautiful finish. It goes on a bit thicker than just tung-oil and seems to dry faster. And you can usually buy a small bottle at Wal-Mart for less than $5 and is enough to do at least 3-4 stocks. A little goes a long way!

--728shooter

[Espresso]

I took off most of the finish on my 91/30 with the back of a knife (thanks R5CYA), but being that it was a 1933 rifle and spent a lot of time in cosmo, the underlying wood was nearly black with ingrained cosmo and dirt. I used two rounds of DPD and it took that crap completely off. I didn't have to wait long for it to dry, just stuck it in front of my apartment's radiator and turned on the heat. What came out was a beautiful bare wood stock.

I applied Boiled Linseed Oil. It's currently drying. I will post pictures soon!

[jmeck]

Something I heard of on another thread for stripping off the old finish but was sceptical until I tried it -- Easy-Off Oven cleaner! It works great; spray it on (after you strip the stock of all metal), wait 15-20 minutes and hose it off with a gentle blast of water. Took everything off, includling any residual cosmoline. By 728shooter

I've used oven cleaner many times with no negative affects,It works great. I also have used bleach after stripping with ovencleaner, this gets
the wood very blond and makes it take stain colors better. I know these
sound like pretty harsh chemicals,but beach wood is pretty tough stuff.

[gokuboy26]

Originally Posted by jmeck

I've used oven cleaner many times with no negative affects,It works great. I also have used bleach after stripping with ovencleaner, this gets
the wood very blond and makes it take stain colors better. I know these
sound like pretty harsh chemicals,but beach wood is pretty tough stuff.

i tried this a few times... most of the time it worked perfectly, but on one stock the wood on either side of the cleaning rod channel dried out so much it started to split in several places.... i had to glue it back together and doctor it up to get it to look nice...
i'm not sure if it was due to the oven cleaner or not... but that is what i was using at the time... and thats the only time it has ever happened to me.
i personally just don't want to go through that hassle again so i stick to dpd now. it works well, and i can do it in the tub.... um... the stock in the tub, not me!

[R5CYA]

when using birchwood casey tru-oil, i prefer the aerosol can rather than applying by hand or a rag. the results are much smoother. i like to use three to four coats and use oooo steel wool between coats to remove any low spots or orange-peel. i finish with oooo steel wool as well. i don't like a whole lot of shine.