Brass Butt Plate - Polish or not?

[jbrid]

I realize this may be a matter of personal preferance, but should the brass butt plate on a No 4 Mk I/2 rifle be kept bright and shinny or be left in the "tarnished" state (i.e a dull brassy color) ? I guess what I would really like to know is what was the expected condition for the brass butt plate on a service rifle in the British military -- polished or not?

Thanks,

Jim

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[harry mac]

Obviously, in the field they would be left dull. But in camp a Sergeant Major wouldn't be earning his pay if he didn't insist on bulled up butt plates. Polish it with brasso. It's not like it's a permanent mod.

[jbrid]

Thanks for the information.

Jim

[Peter Laidler]

Basic training, highly polished with brasso, same as the rifle woodwork. Highly polished with brown beeswax/boot polish.

After basic training, just left natural but absolutely clean

[jbrid]

Thanks for the information.

Jim

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

If you were standing guard at Buckingham Palace it had damm well better be polished.