Correct WW2 MG42 stock:Wood finish or black painted wood?

[Sturmgewehr83]

I just got my Yugo M-53 and I noticed the wood stock has a black paint on it, did the original german MG42s have this finish too or where they only made with a plain wood stock?

[Blanksguy]

Plain wood stocks....or Bakelite type plastic w/small-headed base-screw.

Regards, RichardS in MI
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[Sturmgewehr83]

Thank you very much

[Sturmgewehr83]

I`m having trouble seperating the wood from the metal cup inside the stock, does anyone know how to get it off? There is a square nut that seems to hold a bolt that goes trough the stock but access to this square nut is restricted by a vertical bolt in the middle with a sping, a small hex nut and a washer. I have tried to put a flat screwdriver on the end of the vertical bolt where you push it down to release the stock but it will not turn. I have also tried to unscrew the little nut but it does not help

[Blanksguy]

That verticle button/"catch" is in reality a small screw.....you must first:

1: Un-bend the lock-washer on the center-catch......then (holding the nut from turning) remove the button/screw......then remove the spring, lock-washer, and nut........

2: Then you can access (get at) the center square nut holding the cup to the wooden-stock and remove the long through-bolt.

Note:......if you can't get either of these parts out due to the shafts "turning" (such as if the screw-slot on the verticle-bolt being chipped/screwed-up........you may have to hold them still with needle-nose-plyers".
Same on the long through-bolt.....if it turns while you are trying to remove the square-nut......you may have to drill the center of the bolt at the nut for use of a "easy-out" or left-hand drill-bit through center.............."and"...."yep, you're gonna' hafta' look up the wording by doing a search on the web on how to use those tools.......

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[Sturmgewehr83]

Thanks a lot Blanksguy! I just got the stock of and sanded it down and then stained the stock with "valnut stain". After it had dried I applied some clear lacquer to finish it of, it now looks beautiful I can post some pictures of it if you want

[Blanksguy]

Yes....post a couple of photos and let us know exactly what you did to remove the old paint....prep-work.....and what you used to finish that MG42 Butt-Stock.
Several builders would want to see this and the results.

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[Sturmgewehr83]

Sure, I`ll post the pictures tomorrow

To remove the thick black paint I used a sanding machine with the coarsest sandpaper I could find, it took a little while and some places the paint had soaked a little bit in to the wood but I sanded it off pretty easy. I then used my hands and worked on the hole for the release button and the hole where the bolt goes in. Made a roll of a peace of sanding paper to get in the inner part of the holes. The trickiest part was the serrated back of the stock, there I had to use a flat screwdriver and just scrape the paint out between the serration, then I just used a soft steel brush to remove the paint and dirt. The next job is some fine grain sandpaper, went all over the stock again like with the coarse sandpaper. After this was all done, I used some valnut wood stain and then clear laquer to finish it off

[Sturmgewehr83]

Here is finally the pictures of the finished stock, it took forever to dry so that is why I took so long to post the pictures









I personally love it now