Zastava? Any good?

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Thanks for the product endorsements. I found Lin-speed oil on Amazon but I don't see availability of the Gilley's product in the USA.

Does anyone have experience with this product, Renaissance? Being petroleum based has its own allure for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Renaissance-Micro-Crystalline-Wax-Polish-65/dp/B001DSZWEM

I oiled it with linseed oil several coats an lightly smothed it out with fine steel wool an then a piece of harness leather. I havn't decided on Varnish yet.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thanks for the product endorsements. I found Lin-speed oil on Amazon but I don't see availability of the Gilley's product in the USA.

Does anyone have experience with this product, Renaissance? Being petroleum based has its own allure for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Renaissance-Micro-Crystalline-Wax-Polish-65/dp/B001DSZWEM

Mr Zorg
Gilleys gun polish wax should be available on the internet. I live in Australia and had to get my Linspeed sent over from the US.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I oiled it with linseed oil several coats an lightly smothed it out with fine steel wool an then a piece of harness leather. I havn't decided on Varnish yet.

Skinnersblade
Linspeed doesn't need to be garnished just put more oil on and build up coatsto about six. You WILL RUIN,the oil finish with varnish. Use Gilleys gun polish wax, you should be able to get it on line.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[leslie hetrick]

my 98 zastava foul weather-loaner syn stocked 200 dollar 3006 eats 165 gr nosler BT,s with 60 grs imr 4831 like .22 shorts(it does kick a little tho). yet it,s still a 1-1.5 moa rifle from a good rest. not much more you could ask from a 200.00 rifle.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Mr Zorg
Gilleys gun polish wax should be available on the internet. I live in Australia and had to get my Linspeed sent over from the US.
Cheers mate Bob

Standard shipping to my doorstep are $21 Aus for Standard service, $36 Express service, $17.80 Aus for a 100 gram tin. Not on Amazon at least in the USA, and I doubt if it would be offered with free shipping with Prime! if it was. So I'm going to try something else at least to start with.

I did notice a testimonial review from some Bob Nelson character. "better than any (other?) crap I have used in the past"

I'm going to read up a bit more on Lin-speed oil vs Tru Oil. I've never really done any woodworking where looks count anyway since 8th grade shop class. Something new for me to try out.

 

[Milan]

Mine is an Interarms Mark X Whitworth that looks like new, hardly shot (even I put only couple boxes worth thru it so far) and yet the action is very slick, the rifle's wood, bluing and finish is one of the nicest I have and the stock does fit me so well that it is one of the easiest shooting .375 H&H I have shot/owned (3x ZKK 602, 1x Sako AV, 1x Sako 85 Kodiak, 1x Browning?). I know it is not like today's Zastava M70 but it does show they can easily be made very slick and pretty enough. If stock splitting is a known issue, glass bed it first, enjoy a cheap, simple, reliable and accurate rifle later. If stock looks like crap, sand it down, apply Hope's stock filler and finish, tung oil or some of the other suggested finishes and again enjoy.

 

[sestoppelman]

I would not and never have compared a Whitworth or any Zas rifle to a $10,000 Rigby, only a fool would. But for the money I have found them to be a very good value and the proof is in the pudding so to speak. Mine and similar vintage Whitworth's come bedded with real epoxy, not Theromoplastic, ( hot glue) like a model 70, in two place for the magnums. The recoil lug and a second lug under the barrel forward.. Most I have seen have very nice walnut stocks and yes bereft of much if any finish.
When I got mine in 1984 I applied a few coats of tung oil and it looks acceptable to this day, that after 3 safaris totaling about 33 days. It now carries scars that wont be removed.
Nothing has ever gone amiss with mine that could be blamed on the rifle, it has always performed perfectly in its operations. If I do my part it is as accurate as almost any rifle I have owned and every one of the Mark X's I have owned also shot very well, good barrels.
I have heard many tales of how the recoil pads disintegrated over time but mine is still original and still on the rifle, a little hard but still serviceable. The rifles whose pads seem to fare the worst that I have seen are Parker Hale rifles.
So for the naysayer legion I would say OK, fine, whatever. If you have never had one and only go by what other netxperts say, well that's fine too, but if the best you can do is say its no Rigby, well no duh, few things are!

Mine is the best $485 rifle I ever bought! And one of the best looking too. Here is a pic of my ugly worthless rifle.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Standard shipping to my doorstep are $21 Aus for Standard service, $36 Express service, $17.80 Aus for a 100 gram tin. Not on Amazon at least in the USA, and I doubt if it would be offered with free shipping with Prime! if it was. So I'm going to try something else at least to start with.

I did notice a testimonial review from some Bob Nelson character. "better than any (other?) crap I have used in the past"

I'm going to read up a bit more on Lin-speed oil vs Tru Oil. I've never really done any woodworking where looks count anyway since 8th grade shop class. Something new for me to try out.

Mr Zorg
The Gilleys gun polish wax last a long long time. I've had my tin 2 years and I only used just over half.
A small bottle of Linspeed is enough for 5 to 6 rifles
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Even with the exchange rate the shipping costs are a bit on the high side. Current exchange rate is $24.36 US with standard shipping, $35.16 US with expressshipping. So for now I plan to use Tru Oil and the petroleum derived wax product and see how it works out on one example.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Even with the exchange rate the shipping costs are a bit on the high side. Current exchange rate is $24.36 US with standard shipping, $35.16 US with expressshipping. So for now I plan to use Tru Oil and the petroleum derived wax product and see how it works out on one example.

Mr Zorg
Linspeed is America in Mas. You WILL understand that state abbreviation better than me. What did you think of their write up about thier product. Caruba wax is also good but a bitch to use.
Cheers mate Bob

 

[Bowandarrowman]

They are awesome, I don't have one but a friend does.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Mr Zorg
Linspeed is America in Mas. You WILL understand that state abbreviation better than me. What did you think of their write up about thier product. Caruba wax is also good but a bitch to use.
Cheers mate Bob

Yep, the prices I listed are for the Gilley's wax to my doorstep. A quick internet search showed current exchange rate of $1.54 Aus = $1 US.

Lin-speed oil is available through Amazon here. It's $13.99 for two ounces, is not eligible for free shipping with Prime, and has $8 shipping costs.

https://www.amazon.com/Lin-Speed-Gunstock-Finish-Care-Oil/dp/B004WN5ILW

I noted the manufacturer's instructions require plain boiled linseed oil to lubricate the steel wool used the process. That's an additional $8.97.

https://www.lin-speed.com/linspeed-instructions/

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klean-Strip-1-qt-Boiled-Linseed-Oil-QLO45/202249497

Tru oil is available through Walmart on a nearby brick & mortar store shelf, costs $7.03 for 3 ounces.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/BIRCHWOOD-CASEY-TRU-OIL-GUN-STOCK-FINISH-3-OZ/23238087

The instructions don't mention reqiring linseed oil for lubricating the sandpaper and / or steel wool.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1hcPIV7XwOuvSLCL_6rpsB

So I'm going to try Tru Oil and the petroleum derived wax, and see how that works out.

Cheers to you too.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Some interesting info on the Renaissance wax.

"Earlier wax polishes based on beeswax and carnauba wax either contained acids or became acidic over time. Renaissance Wax is based on more stable microcrystalline waxes refined from crude oil.

Renaissance Wax contains polyethylene waxes. Some other microcrystalline waxes intended for conservation use do not contain these."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Wax

It's likely most of this wax is derived from lubricant production using a traditional dewaxing process to improve the cold flow properties. Newer catalytic dewaxing processes rearrange these molecules to ones with better cold flow properties which increases lubricant volume yield.

Renaissance Wax contains polyethylene waxes. Some other microcrystalline waxes intended for conservation use do not contain these.

 

[sestoppelman]

Tru Oil is a good product, though somewhat labor intensive. It builds to a high gloss which some like, others don't. If you don't like the gloss you have to buff it out with 0000 steel wool and it takes lots of elbow grease. Depends on the finish one wants.
My dad was a big fan of LinSpeed, though pretty sure he didn't do anything other than paint it on, he wasn't one for particulars if you know what I mean.

 

[Quaticman]

Here is my Zastava M70 chambered in .458 Winchester Magnum. It's a solid, dependable Mauser actioned hunting rifle that quite simply "gets the job done".

 

[sestoppelman]

Surprised they would sell a .458 without sights.

 

[Quaticman]

Yeah some have iron sights, some don't, some have a 22" barrel, mine is 24".

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

Mine is 24" with iron sights

 

[Forrest Halley]

Here is my Zastava M70 chambered in .458 Winchester Magnum. It's a solid, dependable Mauser actioned hunting rifle that quite simply "gets the job done".

Yes it is getting the job done alright. No sights and no mounts: Paperweight. Haha

 

[ZANA BOTES SAFARI]

When I was about 11 or 12 years old. I begged my dad for a bit bigger gun. The 22 just wasn’t enough anymore. The local gun dealer in Namibia had a sale on Zastava 223 and i convinced my dad to get me one.
We put a silencer on it and boy that is still one of my favorite rifles. I bagged my first kudu bull with it. (Perfect neck shot with a 55gr bullet) I have taken many oryx and hartebeest with it. With well placed shots. And it has taken heaps of jackals.
Was just enough gun to keep my out of trouble.
But still today the Zastava works perfect and is one of my favorites. A working gun that can take a beating.