Mystery finish on Fazakerly No. 4 Mk 2

[Bigwagon]

Recently picked up this clean Fazakerly No. 4 Mk 2 at a cheap price. It came with the S&K mount, no scope, but appears otherwise unmolested and is a good shooter. There is no marking or serial number on the receiver or socket, but the serials on the rear of the bolt and forearm match. I don't recognize the finishes on the rifle and can't tell if they are original or aftermarket. The receiver and barrel finished in a semi-gloss black with a slight eggshell texture. There is a very faint importer mark on the the the receiver that appears finished over, which makes me suspect the finish was applied after. The other parts are finished in a light gray parkerizing. Any idea if these finishes are military applied or aftermarket? Should there be a serial number on the receiver wall?

Here are the photos (click on IMGUR link):

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Information

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[Bindi2]

The engraving is lightly done on the side wall. The coating will have covered it.

[mrclark303]

Looks aftermarket to me and relatively recently applied I would say.

[Bigwagon]

The engraving is lightly done on the side wall. The coating will have covered it.

This must be the case. There is no sign of anything under the surface, even magnified under bright light. Whatever engraving was there must have been significantly shallower even than the import mark.

[Roger Payne]

I'm sure that's the case. All but the earliest ROF Faz rifles are notorious for being only very lightly engraved.

Forgot to mention before, but I'd also agree on the finish being after market. It looks like someone bought a can of spray paint from a car parts/restoration supplier (like Halfords, over here). They've made a nice job of it though, but it ain't suncorite!

[browningautorifle]

It looks like someone bought a can of spray paint

Looks like some of that new bake on paint finish the world has gone over to instead of parkerizing.

[jonh172]

Looks like some of that new bake on paint finish the world has gone over to instead of parkerizing.

Judging by the light scrape on the left side socket I'd say its a plain rattle can job.

The rest of your parts are parkerized so might as well paint them too for a uniformly finished rifle.

Nice rifle btw!

[ArtioZen]

So what are the current "authentic" restoration finishes then (over park or course)? Last I heard of suncorite it was dated for a 2010 expiry and was becoming unobtainium.

[Brian Dick]

I don't know the answer to that. The latest expiry date I've ever seen on a liter tin is 2006.

[Roger Payne]

I was told some time ago that the expiry date is mainly relevant to the chemical constituents that reduce the heat signature given off by the weapon, rather than due to deterioration of the paint itself. I've no idea if that's true or not. My current tin that I bought off fleabay a couple of years ago 'expired' in 2003 but is still fine. In fact I sprayed two No32 Mk1 scope tubes with it last night.