As of recent I have stared collecting c@r rifles and was curios as to how will fixing up a old stock on a rifle will ruin its collectability especialy if detail is given in protacting markings and not sporterizing the stock just ironing out dings, sanding ruff areas and applieng oil or appropriate stain. Just new to this game and not wanting to screw up some nice rifles. EXAMPLE just got a K31 great deal shoots great and planning on buying another as soon as the c@R comes in. The stock is a little ruff and with a little work would come out great, but not sure if I should just let it be
thanks!

I stripped and sanded my beech K31, not TOO much, just enought to get out 60% of the dings. Then steamed the rest and refinished with BLO.

"Too far" IMHO is sanding it totally smooth and making it look like a brand new hunting rifle.

That said I just cleaned my walnut K31 and left all the dings. It still looks good, because the walnut is a harder wood, and just doesnt show the dings like beech.

I'm certainly no expert, but unless it is a very valuble rifle (K31's aren't....YET) then a little sanding wont hurt as long as you do it carefully/lightly and use no sandpaper lower than 220. Finish up with 400/600 grit, then steel wool so no sanding scratches show.

NEVER touch a teak or similar stock with sandpaper.

There are about a million threads about this, and surplusrifle.com has some of the best in their forums, way down at the bottom under Gunsmithing, Restoration, Cleaning, & Sporterizing.

As a general rule, I buy two of the same model type of a rifle.  One remains untouched and is my collectors item, I wont shoot it, modify it, or refinish it.  All I will do is clean the cosmeline and any dirt of.

Then I have a second, which I actually fire and wll modify if need be.  I refinish it and make it look effectively Like New.  However, even then I will not touch the markings.  The only time messing with the markings would be acceptable IMO, is if you had an engravist type of person retouch them so they wont fade into nothing.

Be extemely careful with the swiss stock stamp and the finger grooves.  These are the two areas a LOT of people complain about on less than expertly refinished stocks.

Dennis Jenkins

Quoted: As of recent I have stared collecting c@r rifles and was curios as to how will fixing up a old stock on a rifle will ruin its collectability especialy if detail is given in protacting markings and not sporterizing the stock just ironing out dings, sanding ruff areas and applieng oil or appropriate stain. Just new to this game and not wanting to screw up some nice rifles. EXAMPLE just got a K31 great deal shoots great and planning on buying another as soon as the c@R comes in. The stock is a little ruff and with a little work would come out great, but not sure if I should just let it be thanks!