Cleaned up my SVT40

[fenceline]

Thought I'd post up my SVT40. I bought this in April as part of a package deal and haven't paid much attention to it. The shelac was peeling and the stock felt rough and so I just let it sit in the back of the safe. Lately though with the "white bolt" threads and some of the other stock refinishing threads I thought I'd try my hand at it. First time doing either. Not perfect, but it is much better than what it was for feel and I learned a bit in the process.

Before... 1941 Tula with pretty much every part mismatched and a stock with a ton of arsenal repair work.

During...

After...

Maybe I should strip and stain the deck next...

 

[CannonFodder41]

It looks beautiful. That's the way the stock should look, instead of that ugly shellac. Great job!

 

[fenceline]

It looks beautiful. That's the way the stock should look, instead of that ugly shellac. Great job!

I'll admit that the final product involved a little bit of luck. The stain is one coat of Minwax Dark Walnut.

 

[CannonFodder41]

I'll admit that the final product involved a little bit of luck. The stain is one coat of Minwax Dark Walnut.

It's funny that you mention that, I recently refinished one of my rifles using the exact same stain, one coat mixed with boiled linseed oil turned out fantastic.

 

[fenceline]

It's funny that you mention that, I recently refinished one of my rifles using the exact same stain, one coat mixed with boiled linseed oil turned out fantastic.

After the stain I sprayed it down with a coat of Tru Oil and rubbed that coat into the wood. I'm letting it sit overnight like it is now as I let it dry enough to get everything back together. I may give it a couple more coats of Tru Oil and then wax it. Not sure yet.

As it is right now I think it looks to have more character than it did with the shellac. The shellac made the blemishes look like flaws. With this color the flaws look like stories.

 

[Travis Bickle]

Nice!

Looks great!

 

[dgradinaru]

i really like that finish, good job.

 

[collector67]

I like it, looks like a Finn capture! Don't post that on Gunboards.com, they will flame the hell out of you for destroying a " rare, collectible piece of history"

 

[fenceline]

Haha oh I know. I'm very selective of where I post pics of it. It is far from collector grade and I don't think I've bubba'd it in the least. Its a shooter and I like it now way more than I did before.

 

[collector67]

I was forced to refinish my 1940 Tula, as I mistakenly had some Wipeout bore cleanser leave a big purple stain on the stock. However, as mine was light colored to begin with, a few coats of Minwax natural stain and Truoil (for the varnished look) makes it hard to tell that it has been refinished IMO. Note too, the "in the white" bolt assembly, amazing what you can do with a bit of white vinegar!!!

 

[fenceline]

Looks good! Never did like the purple bolt. That change alone makes a world of difference appearance wise.

 

[Ioncannon]

I am not sure on the stock. It looks.... burnt to me. Is that what an original SVT40 is suppose to look like?

 

[fenceline]

Google "finn captured svt40". The originals were never shellac'd or purple. Finn rifles being captured weren't refurbished and are original. I wasn't trying to clone a Finn capture but it does bare a resemblence.

 

[fenceline]

Found this pic... Couple of Finn captures.