I am refinishing the stock on my 91/30. I have refinished a few stocks on other non surplus rifles but this is my first Mosin refinish. I would like to know what looks really good on these. I have read other threads but I figure there has to be more out there. I have been using wood stain followed by urethane on my other refinish projects. What do you think?
I don't think anything looks as good as a few dozen coats of linseed oil done over a few months. It takes a considerable amount of time to do properly, but I really enjoy the finished product.
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Formby's Tung Oil Finish (it IS NOT a varnish) works very well, and dries much faster than BLO. The more coats, the glossier the finished product. I apply it with a finger, thinly.
Some Mosin stocks, particularly on Finnish rifles, are made of Arctic Birch, which can be difficult to stain and finish well. But a standard Russian model shouldn't be a problem.
On some Eastern Bloc rifles, I like a more 'orangey' stain. But sometimes, I like the browner Walnut color. Depends on my mood at the time, and what the particular rifle tells me it wants.
I think deep red looks the best on Mosins. But that is only my humble opinion. But only if it is a Soviet. If Finnish do the blonde. Use Oil not Urethane. Forgot to say if you use BLO or TO make sure you get all the cosmoline out of the wood or it turns dark.
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Last edited by Capt'n Mil Coll; 04-16-2008 at 06:03 PM.
I can appreciate going original. After all I haven't made up my mind yet. I would want a mahogany stain and then finish it with what then? Tung oil finish? Urethane? Knowledge is power after all and I want to know all my options before I do something to my rifle I wont like.
I also want to add that using the oven to remove cosmo from the stock works pretty well kind of time consuming though. Also hard to do with a rifle as long as the 91/30.
I can appreciate going original. After all I haven't made up my mind yet. I would want a mahogany stain and then finish it with what then? Tung oil finish? Urethane? Knowledge is power after all and I want to know all my options before I do something to my rifle I wont like.
I also want to add that using the oven to remove cosmo from the stock works pretty well kind of time consuming though. Also hard to do with a rifle as long as the 91/30.
I like Red Mahogony stain with a couple of coats of PolyU, finish with 0000 steel wool.
I have posted the process (and pictures) from using Dawn Power Desolver to strip the stock (and remove 99% of the cosmolene) to the Red Mahogony stain on a 91/30 stock. It looks very close to the original color. Here is one of the posts:
I have made my decision. I am going original. I went and bought some minwax red mahogany stain. I already have poly so I am in good shape. i will post pics when I'm done.
IMO you use what ever stain color you think would look good, BUT, I would NOT use a poly or varnish to top coat it. They can flake or peel with age and use. Using BLO or tung oil or something similar will look real nice and can be touched up to keep looking nice as needed.
I have done some research in the last little while and I really like the way the tung oil looks and how you can easily fix any scratches. On average how much do I need to buy? Cost?
