Finnish M39 Stock Finish?

[Sooter76]

I took possession today of a 1945 Sako M39’s. It’s a beautiful rifle with almost 100% bluing. The only problem is that stock is completely dry. It appears to be sanded, but dry with no finish on the wood. Anyone know what the original finish used was? Or barring that, what a good similar option would be? Any suggestions?

 

[Hetzer]

Seems like I recall a lot of discussion about pine tar. Mine are/were well enough so I never looked into it.

 

[Sooter76]

So here's a couple pictures... As I said before it's a 1945 Sako manufacture and appears to be very lightly used. It's near 100% bluing with only some light frosting at the muzzle. The stock isn't really dry it just lacks the light sheen of the finish on my other M39, or most that I've seen. It does have a slight 'tacky' feel to it. One thing that is interesting is the stock appears to be a war time issue with the rounded joints, but it lacks any of the dings or scratches you would associate with a rifle of that period.

 

[Huskydriver]

So here's a couple pictures... As I said before it's a 1945 Sako manufacture and appears to be very lightly used. It's near 100% bluing with only some light frosting at the muzzle. The stock isn't really dry it just lacks the light sheen of the finish on my other M39, or most that I've seen. It does have a slight 'tacky' feel to it. One thing that is interesting is the stock appears to be a war time issue with the rounded joints, but it lacks any of the dings or scratches you would associate with a rifle of that period.

No pics came through

 

[Sooter76]

No pics came through

Might be you, I can see them fine...

Anyone else not seeing them?

 

[awpk03s]

No pictures for me either.
I have a Sako M39 with a beautiful tiger stripe birch stock. They are fantastic rifles.

 

[Flint62a1]

My M39 has the look of a linseed oil type finish. No shine at all just a flat dull surface.

 

[crackerbrown]

I took possession today of a 1945 Sako M39’s. It’s a beautiful rifle with almost 100% bluing. The only problem is that stock is completely dry. It appears to be sanded, but dry with no finish on the wood. Anyone know what the original finish used was? Or barring that, what a good similar option would be? Any suggestions?

I took possession today of a 1945 Sako M39’s. It’s a beautiful rifle with almost 100% bluing. The only problem is that stock is completely dry. It appears to be sanded, but dry with no finish on the wood. Anyone know what the original finish used was? Or barring that, what a good similar option would be? Any suggestions?

 

[crackerbrown]

1/3 each linseed oil, turpentine, and beeswax.

 

[tet493]

Just refinished a stock with boiled linseed oil, looks fantastic and is time proven. You may want to cut it with a thinner so it will dry faster.

 

[tomcatmv]

Don't know about the M-39 but I do have a Tikka 91-30 and several other Russians. All of them I sanded down to bare wood once I got the cosmoline off and then used tung oil with a little red stain mixed in just to give it a little color. Do about 4-5 coats with a light buffing of bronze wool in between coats.

 

[perttime]

Original m/39 stocks can be made out of various woods, or there might be a glue joint to make the fore-end long. People don't seem to be too specific about what oils they use when the wood is getting dry. Linseed oil derivatives seem to be a somewhat traditional solution. Just don't make all bright and shiny.

 

[USMCsean]

The stock may be dry, there is a finish on it. Leave it as is if you don't want to ruin the collector value of it. As for Tom's 1/3rd mix, it has been debunked years ago, but it will not die.

 

[pmclaine]

Thing about wax mixes is after you apply it the first time it prevents later oil applications from nourishing the wood.

Pure linseed or pure tung for my wood.

No "finish" or "boiled".

 

[acudaowner]

I tried the boiled linseed without chemical dryers on a Spanish mauser it was nice but left only a yellowish tint , ended up adding a cognac stain then sand and restain did that like 6x times gave it a nice hint of reddish tint finished up with true oil helped it pop a bit more , though it turned out pretty sweet for a gun that ended up with bad head space issues , But the wood work was fun had a blast experimenting for the first time on a 150 dollar gun . There are tons of Larry Potterfield from midway video's that were pretty easy to follow for idea's . and a hand held steamer to help with some of the indents and gashes . got a few pieces of split cherry logs that have been kiln dried to try and make my own stock next . Even thought about trying to make my own heated bluing set up maybe after the action is repaired .

 

[MK20]

Whatever you do, for goodness sake don’t shellac it or sand it as was suggested above.

Both suggestions are made by people who are busy turning collectibles into non collectible rifles at a rapid pace.

 

[acudaowner]

It was not meant to be what the other guy should do just that It's what I did with mine and as far as I remember nowhere on any form did I see that I had to sign did it say before doing anything to this gun you had to get mk20's writen permission to do anything to the gun anywhere so not sorry still my collectable still the same gun it was before just not looking like it it was used to hit somehting with with and slashed tons of long cuts now no missing chunks or in a block of cosmiline it was just a little cleaner .
I am sure i am no professional this is the first time i have ever tried anything like this but still both turned out cleaner not changed drastically still have a lot to do to finish them .

and the 39 finish mosin

 

[TonyTheTiger]

and the 39 finish mosinView attachment 7165908View attachment 7165909

Are you sure thats an M39?

 

[MK20]

Its not. It is a rather unusual Finn 91/30 that has been restocked.

 

[acudaowner]

1939 finish mosin yes at least I am positive the date stamped in the metal says 1939 with the sa and two other markings and paper work but i have no idea could be if it is or not and a reciept that says Finnish mosin nagaunt just like these only non matching numbers were on the butt plate
https://simpsonltd.com/mosin-nagant-91-30-finnish-capture

but like this one it and the others they sell It could be fake trash I do not know or mislabled but the pics I find on the internet says its .

Finnish Mosin Nagant Rifles, A Brief Introduction

The Finnish Mosin Nagant improved the Russian Mosin design in many ways and made it shoot much better Article & Video by Marc Commack

www.ammoland.com

 

[MK20]

Yeah. He was referring to the Finnish Model 39, which is different from just having one dated 1939. Yours is the typical Russian pattern. The M39 is the Cadillac of Mosins.

 

[LoCal247]

1939 finish mosin yes at least I am positive the date stamped in the metal says 1939 with the sa and two other markings and paper work but i have no idea could be if it is or not and a reciept that says Finnish mosin nagaunt just like these only non matching numbers were on the butt plate
https://simpsonltd.com/mosin-nagant-91-30-finnish-capture

but like this one it and the others they sell It could be fake trash I do not know or mislabled but the pics I find on the internet says its .

Finnish Mosin Nagant Rifles, A Brief Introduction

The Finnish Mosin Nagant improved the Russian Mosin design in many ways and made it shoot much better Article & Video by Marc Commack

www.ammoland.com

I know this is an old thread but I’m new to “the hide”
That Mosin is the Finnish M24 variant. Good rifle reworked by Finnish armorers, but not a M39.

 

[LoCal247]

I took possession today of a 1945 Sako M39’s. It’s a beautiful rifle with almost 100% bluing. The only problem is that stock is completely dry. It appears to be sanded, but dry with no finish on the wood. Anyone know what the original finish used was? Or barring that, what a good similar option would be? Any suggestions?

There are so many opinions on how to care for the stock on M39’s if you want to try and keep it original. If you care at the history of the rifle I wouldn’t try to refinish it. I am by no means an expert in this but what I did to my two wartime M39 stocks was to leave them out in the sun for half a day to see if any oil would push out of the stock . Clean that off then to simply use “old English “ to condition the wood. Then once again leave it out in the direct sun light and wipe off all excess . This leaves a nice sheen on the stock and helps the “Tiger stripe” stain and grain pattern come out.

 

[Squidder_K]

I have tired using a mix of 1/3 each Pine Tar oil, Linseed oil (not BLO), and a thinner (at the moment I am forgetting which one) , apply heat and let it sit 24 hours before adding the next coat. The color richness is dictated by how many coats applied. I have found over time the color gets richer. So what looks light now may darken with time.

 

[Squider_K]

This has been a topic of discussion on other forums. Here is a link to a thread on Gunboards Forums pertaining to "Finnish rifle stock oil "Kiväärintukkiöljy" https://www.gunboards.com/threads/observations-on-finnish-rifle-stock-oil-kiväärintukkiöljy.226756/ I hope it useful to you folks!