Blonde M91?

[rsc]

I saw a Finned M91 online. Remington barrel with Finn spliced stock and Finn bits like hangars and sights. But...it is counterbored and in a blonde/yellow stock. It looks like it was stripped, can't tell from the pics. Did the Finns put out any M91's in a stock like that?

[BuckeyeSgt]

Sounds like a bubba. Pics would help though.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I have seen lighter color stocks on many Finn rifles, remember they didn't go in for the commie red like the Soviets did. I have also had pictures come out like that, the stock looks piss yellow in the pics but darker in person. I have even seen red commie stocks look more yellow in pics under certain lighting conditions.

[Lee-online]

Counterbored is no problem at all.

As for the stock, like JYD states it may be a picture problem. If the pic was taken inside with incandescent lights and the camera settings are not set correct then it will make yellow things more yellow.

Stock condition is one of the hardest things to determine from a photo, even harder with a poor photo.

That said, there are too many bubbas out there that ruined these old rifles. If I am in doubt, I pass.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Unissued B Barrel M39, it is actually lighter colored in person


Soviet M44 unissued carbine

[Homer2]

I have a 1926 Tikka M91 that came in a very light stock. The surface color matched the internal and under the sling slots. It seems to be strictly Finnish made and not a Russian stock. Possible. I'll see if I can find the pics.

[qz2026]

I kind of agree with Jim on this one. I have seen a few of those and really questioned them. We would have to see the rifle. But, think of the work Bubba would have to do to get a Finn or any other M-91 down to that color from their typical brownish color. I can't imagine anything other than sanding so deep that it would destroy the stock. If it were Russian I'd walk the other way.

[rsc]

I don't think the finish is that hard to remove if shellac'd, but being Finn there is no telling what type of finish it had. But, I bet oven cleaner would take off a pine tar finish. Thats what it looks like to me, you can still see color in the finger grooves and end grain. The rifle is a couple hours away so I don't want drive out there for a fruitless look at it. I have some Finns with stocks that look like those pictures above and this one doesn't look like those. I think that I'm passing on it, it looks suspect to me.

[zeebill]

Wood looks very clean and much too featureless I am afraid that wood may have been worked on far too much. It could just be usage and wear but those finger grooves look very smoothed out and some of the Finn plates look much too proud from the wood around them. With a long ride unless that price is very cheap I would think about passing on that one. Tell the seller how you feel about it and see if he will adjust the price accordingly. It is again your money and your call but my gut feeling on most every Blond Mosin is 9 out of 10 times somebody has gotten to the wood and finish. Most all Blond stocks are post war builds or replacements stocks from that time period. This will look good on a rifle redone by an armory in that time period when we would except or expect to see something like that but not on an older M91 and especially a Finnish one. Bill

[Bugelson]

I don't think the finish is that hard to remove if shellac'd, but being Finn there is no telling what type of finish it had. But, I bet oven cleaner would take off a pine tar finish. [/img]

There is no such thing in existence as "pine tar finish". Finnish rifles were never finished with pine tar.

On pre-war rifles different lacquer finishes were used. Later with all m/39s and all rifles re-build or refurbished by the Finnish armories and depots the stocks were treated with rifle stock oil and BLO varnish. Some post war rifles received only BLO varnish like can be seen on JYD's m/39.

[rsc]

I don't think the finish is that hard to remove if shellac'd, but being Finn there is no telling what type of finish it had. But, I bet oven cleaner would take off a pine tar finish. [/img]

There is no such thing in existence as "pine tar finish". Finnish rifles were never finished with pine tar.

On pre-war rifles different lacquer finishes were used. Later with all m/39s and all rifles re-build or refurbished by the Finnish armories and depots the stocks were treated with rifle stock oil and BLO varnish. Some post war rifles received only BLO varnish like can be seen on JYD's m/39.

Oops, you got me! Yes, I should have known better than to post Pine Tar. I hope no-one revives the search for the magical formula to re-create it in the garage. lol, I remember some of the concoctions people had come up with in the past.

[sapishka]

I also have a blonde stock m91 Remington 1917 in immaculate condition ,its an Austrian capture ,has same markings as ,95 Austrian rifles ,Serrif A on stock edge etc same color of the wood on the carbine stutsens a light blonde gold color .I could bet money it was a finn ,but nothing finn about it and has german wire sling swivels ,nicely made with tapered head slotted cross crews to retain the swivels and they have tapered loops for the head of the machine screws ,definatly not finn and certainly not Spanish ,german ,confirmed thru much research research . anyhow never heard of anyone having an Austrian m91 especially a Remington .


sapishka

[zeebill]

I have three all in dark wood too, one is AZF marked too. Rifles are subject to many things rightly and wrongly during there lifetimes. all the results are not right or wrong but just results of what they have been subjected too. Bill