I've got an AK-47 I ordered from Atlantic a couple years ago and its got this furniture on it...

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/component/virtuemart/shipping-accessories/ak47-74-russian-red-classic-stock-set-free-shipping-detail.html?Itemid=0

What do you guys think of that furniture?  Like or not like?  I've had it a couple years now and I can't seem to decide whether I like it or not.  The wood pattern is very nice but its almost a shade of "crimson".  Its very red.  When I first ordered the rifle that it came on from Atlantic, the picture on their website was a more natural, more "Shellac" like orange finish.  After I ordered it they changed the picture on their website to the red furniture I posted above.  It may have been lighting in the picture, they may have had to change the furniture set on those rifles, who knows.

My current stock has just a little bit of wiggle in it as well.  Lately I'd been playing with the thought of maybe ordering this one instead...

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/component/virtuemart/shipping-accessories/ak47-74-iron-wood-stock-set-detail.html?Itemid=0

What do you guys think?

I think a better option is to buy a set of wood from Ironwood Designs, and have him apply the Russian Red finish.
He uses shellac, like the Russians did.
The wood shown by Atlantic is actually made by Ironwood anyway, but I don't know if he finishes it for Atlantic or they have it done by someone else.  

Note too, the Atlantic wood is NOT AK-74 wood.
It doesn't have the AK-74 lightening grooves in the butt stock.
Just go direct to the source, and you can get exact replicas of AK-74 wood.

His wood is the best.  Look down the page for the finished wood color, which is very close to Soviet wood in color:

http://www.ironwooddesigns.com/IWDHome.html

Find some legit Russian Laminate furniture

Thanks!

Its ok that its not AK-74 wood as its an AK-47 that I'm referring to.

So what does a "correct" Russian Wood finish look like?  Is the example I posted above (The really crimson red one) too red?  Or is that really the "correct" finish?  Aesthetically I seem to like the less "crimson" more "Shellac" appearance better.

Do you think that if I order that set from Ironwood Designs it will be the finish I'm looking for and referring to?  I don't really care as much that its "correct" as I care that I want that beautiful wood-grain shellac look.  I just don't have the time, knowledge, or wherewithal to buy unfinished furniture and finish it myself.  Just looking for a drop-in replacement that achieves that look.

On a side note...

How difficult is it to change out the stock on an AK-47?  Guys on YouTube videos always make things look easy (People never usually film when they are having a hard time getting something to work right or it doesn't turn out well).

The "shellac" appearance is correct.

The whole "russian red" thing got out of hand a few years back, with most examples bearing little resemblance to the original texture and hue.

Not to hijack, but I have an under folder in "russian red" and the color is ridiculous, but I like the rifle.  Still have the hand guards on it, though.









 

YES to Russia Red !

Real Soviet "Russian Red" wood ranged in color from a light orange to a darker red-orange depending on when it was made and other factors.

The Ironwood Designs is about as close as you can get to true Soviet era Russian Red, because he's using laminated wood from Russia and Finland, and finishing it with shellac, just like the Soviets did.

Unfortunately, the Tantal site took down the section that showed a lot of Soviet AK wood.  It showed just how widely the color ranged.
The current site has some pictures that will give you and idea.
Remember too, that pictures usually make the wood look a lot redder then  it really is.

http://www.avtomats-in-action.com/

Changing out the AK wood is really fairly simple.  
Some people have trouble getting the stock off because it sometimes gets "glued in" by finish not dried when it was assembled.
Bumping the stock, alternating from side to side and top to bottom, using your hand, a rubber mallet, or by just bumping it on a carpeted floor will move it out.
The upper hand guard is removed by twisting it on the gas tube.  You can wear gloves or use a rubber jar opener pad, or use a wrench on the rear "square" of the gas tube.
The lower is removed by flipping the locking lever forward, sliding the ferrule forward, then wiggling and pulling the wood forward.

Get some legit military laminate and strip it, apply amber shellac. Nothing looks better on laminate.

Thank you sir!  Sounds like the Ironwood Designs is the ticket then.  I think I'll give it a shot.  I think I see those instructions you were referring to down in the bottom right corner of the web page that refer to using Part # RUSS-RED.  Doesn't look like they have a shopping cart system, web orders, or accept credit cards so I'll probably shoot them an e-mail just to make sure I'm ordering the right thing.

Thanks again for the help.

This is the only answer, after owning a few sets of real russian laminate everything else just looks......cheezy.

The really crimson one is too red. Almost no one in the US has been able to match the color. I can think of two or three people that have done a really good job, most everyone else is way way to red or purple. Not necessarily bad but not correct Russian laminate. It always has a distinctive look

NachtJager did this set a number of years ago, I was impressed with it


Here's an actual 74 factory finish





Z

Here is real Russian AK74 style stock set.



Here is a Russian AKM stock set.

Get some real OEM furniture and examine it closely and you'll never want that poorly-copied aftermarket shit again.

i bought and sold several sets of wood before finding that the bulgarian 74 wood was just the right shade of brown with a tad a red. also had a certain tiger stripping look to it naturally.

i think one can go "TOO RED" with their furniture when trying to acheive a "russian red" look

And as above, photos almost always make the finish look redder then it really is.
"Russian Red" is really a light Orange running to a darker Red-Orange on some later rifles.

People hear "Red" and they often wind up with something on the order of Fire Engine Red.

Here's my take on a later, darker Red-Orange.



Ironwood laminated stock:



Also as above Ironwood's Russian Red is very close to the real thing because he's using laminated wood he imports from Russia and Finland, and the finish is coats of shellac, just like the Soviets did it.

Wow.  Thanks for the pictures guys.  Those are absolutely gorgeous rifles.  Thats exactly how I'd like mine to look and still remain within 922r.

I noticed that it sounds like I can get a finished set from Ironwood Designs, or on their website, they link to a place called www.combloccustoms.com that seems to refinish Ironwood Designs furniture as well?

Does anyone have any experience on combloccustomers?  If so, I'm guessing the Iodine Orange or Combloc Red is the closest to what you guys have posted above?  Looks like combloccustoms takes Visa which Ironwood does not, which is an advantage to me over having to deal with money orders or personal checks.

I see that Ironwood Designs doesn't sell the stock complete with furniture (No sling mount or butt plate) so I'd need to pick those up from somewhere and, based on the website, it sounds I would need to know exactly what kind of buttplate I'm using before I order the stock from either of the places above.  I'm not exactly sure what kind of buttplate or sling mount I should get.  Should I get the one with the trapdoor?  Do you have any good recommendations on where I could purchase a trapdoor buttplate with the trapdoor (or whatever buttplate you would recommend)?  I checked over at K-var and they are sold out of the only one that has the trapdoor.

The set I linked to in the original post from Atlantic says its a Ironwood Designs stock and already appears to have all the hardware on it.  Happen to have any idea whether it was finished by Ironwood themselves or whether the finish looks good to you or not?

http://www.atlanticfirearms.com/component/virtuemart/shipping-accessories/ak47-74-iron-wood-stock-set-detail.html?Itemid=0

Thanks!

Here's a couple of mine I did by staining the stock then Rit Dye mixed with acetone. I didn't want to much of a shine but that could be done by couple coats of huge gloss. I used semi.
http://http://i969.photobucket.com/albums/ae173/Righteous2u/Mobile%20Uploads/image-4.jpg" />

I always refer my customers to Desert Fox Sales for their hardware needs.  The owner Bashir is really nice.  They have a good selection of hardware and good prices.

The whole "russian red" thing got out of hand.


This^

Doug posted this pic on the AKforum, and in my opinion, is the best illustration of the actual color spectrum. He likes to use the word "rootbeer" in describing the color, and I think it's much more accurate than "red."


One of my mutt builds has a bit of every tone on it, although to be fair, I don't know if the pistol grip has the original finish or not. It was part of the recent wave of Russian/Soviet nos pieces that may have been refinished by a third party. It's almost purple. The upper handguard and buttstock have the original finish.


I got this set from Tantal, and it's definitely "rootbeer."

None of the actual finishes above are "Russian Red." Although they are correct finishes, the term "Russian Red," to me is a totally made up finish in and of itself, created by Vendors and sellers to make uninformed buyers think they are getting something close to the real deal when they are not. I collected the below pic from the internet and it's a good example of "Russian Red." They should seriously market the stain and call it such so guys can stop concocting all of these Rit Dye recipes. If one likes the really Red look on their stock set, then go for it, but it's nowhere close.

This x1000

I've said this before and was ganged up on for it. I can't stand it when I see "Russian Red" in an advertisement.

Here is an orginial Russian AKM buttstock (Tula, I believe).  The coloration is a mix of red and brown.  I dig it!








Here is my homage to this factory finish.

Here's a pic of a set that's quite red.  I don't recall the source of the pic.

Thanks.  I love the history behind it all.

Thanks for all those absolutely incredible pictures and especially the information.  I should be cursing you guys because you all have me so hooked on this stuff.  Its every bit as bad as BRD ;)  I truly enjoy the history of it all and I'm only just starting to learn.

Its not really "Russian Red" I'm trying to reproduce, or any other name.  I just want the thing to really have a gorgeous finish as depicted in the photos you guys posted and be as "correct" (I use the term loosely) as is reasonable for a Russian Saiga AK.  I'm not looking to try my hand at refinishing, just looking to purchase a set.

Sinatra, e-mail inbound.  I'll be contacting you via the e-mail address referenced on your website.