Commonwealth Inch, Commonwealth Finish?

[AmEngRifles]

I have a question about rifle finishes from each Commonwealth Nation for their various SLRs. What did each of the Canadian, English, Australian, New Zealand and Indian SLRs designate for rifle finish? My simple observation is that all except the UK just applied parkerizing. The UK appears to me to be a paint over parkerizing and I believe I have heard that term before. Is this correct?

What form of paint (color and curing) did the UK use?

Did the other countries actually specify a "color" to the final parkerizing process? Sorry, "colour" to my Commonwealth collector friends.

Did these finishes also exactly apply to the magazines?

Surprised I did not find this as a thread already.

Thanks guys!

Information

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[John Sukey (Deceased)]

I believe the paint you are referring to is "suncorite" Very tough, but also NASTY to apply , requiring a respirator.
You cannot buy it here. Though there is one dealer who has the facilities to apply it. You have to send the rifle to him.

[AmEngRifles]

Would you mind passing that dealer's name and contact info on to me, either in a PM or a public reply? Want to also get some mag bodies finished as well. I suspect Duracoat might be as tough, but unless it is unreasonably expensive, I prefer the original finish.

Thanks!

[Peter Laidler]

It's a difficult question Ameng because while the UK used paint over the phosphate from new, where Ordnance stockpiles were pooled, such as with the Canadians in Germany or Aust and NZ in Malaya, then all the rifles, regardless (including the light green/kakhi Owens etc etc) were all finished in the painted black finish. So you'll find Australian, NZ and Can L1A1's in Grey (oops, sorry, gray!) or black

[browningautorifle]

Can't say I have seen or even heard of Canadian FNC1A1s ever being painted black. We used black parkerizing(blacker than it was grey) and I'm sure I would have at least heard about black paint from one of the gun guys. Not to mention the armourers that had posting to Canadian Forces Europe. Also when I went there in summer 1980 I would have seen it. You would have to show me that one.

[Peter Laidler]

It's a fact BAR! The main Base Workshop workshop was the pooled one at Wetter with mixed Brit and Canadian armourers. The standard finish there was the UK spec for all, including the many 7.62mm ex .30" M1919 Brownings. I can't show you any because, very unfortunately, I didn't keep any! As a result of this pooled system in Germany and Malaya, you could until they were finished occasionally see a Canadian or Australian made L1A1 in British service too

[tankhunter]

The Suncorite paint finnish refered to here, was manufactured by Henkle Chemmicals in the UK. It is used in the radiator repair industry as it has a HIGH heat resistance.
I discovered this by chance when i took a Ferret Scout car fuel tank I owned once. In for a clean out to a rad repair facility few years back. (You NEVER forget the smell of Suncorite!)
When I was stationed at 27 Command Workshops in Warminster myself. They had a superb 'Rustproofing' plant there. Everything was stripped down to componant parts, cleaned in hot Tricoethelene. Water & sandblasted, Parkerised & finally SPRAY painted with suncorite. Baked in a HOT oven for 30 miniutes & then oil dipped. Result: The Magnificent 'Enfield Finnish' that we all know & love! I had a LOT of my own private weapons done there as well as Motor Cycle parts! They looked supurlative!

[Peter Laidler]

Don't forget Tankie that we had three similar finishes! The black, kakhi for 3" mortar barrels, Vickers barrel jackets and Bren magazine boxes etc etc and the bright heat resisting (?) yellow for BFA's. I had my first mountain bike done in the yellow. It certainly stood out on the mountains! All the black bumper irons etc etc from my beloved MGB GT V8 were done too

[AmEngRifles]

This has been very informative. Not only because I like the very black finish of the UK L1A1s (and my "re-assembled" finish on most of the parts except the DSA receiver), but I also have a Sterling manufactured AR-180 from a very early serial range. It is early enough that I had the thought they were Howa produced stampings, forwarded on to the newly contracted Sterling. That suspicion was based on the parkering of ALL receiver components and internals that looked very much like the finish on my Howa made 180. But the Sterling 180 is completely black on the exterior. My particular one doesn't looked to have fired very many rounds at all, if any. It is about void of any marring. I think Sterling started production in the mid to later 70s? I know in the later years, the Sterling 180s had a very poor blued finish. I believe history records UK labor issues in the 80s?? Not sure that had an effect on this commercial product though as Sterling was a government provider, although a private company. THAT is a whole other story!

Thank you for the inputs.Attachment 14001Attachment 14002Attachment 14001Attachment 14002

[nzl1a1collector]

Australian
Early (pre 1971) rifles and parts are only phosphated with a dark grey finish. After 1971 parts and rifles were then given a coat of black satin ‘stove paint’ to lengthen the durability of the finish. Stove paint was applied to exterior surfaces only. Magazines were always phosphated and coated with black stoving paint.

British
From the factory they were finished with stoving Paint over phospating. Magazines were always phosphated and coated with black stoving paint.

Canadian
The Canadians just phosphated their rifles right through production including their magazines.


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Australian Lithgow L1A1 (1964)
British BSA L1A1 (1961)
Canadian CAL C1A1 (1968)