Rear sight spring

[Bigbirdmqt]

For the carbine experts here.....I have a WIN carbine, a bring back, 1072364, that has never been messed with, to my knowledge. I acquired it from the nephew of the vet who carried it. My question is should the rear leaf spring on the sight be blued? Mine appears to be a dark black, a different shade than the parkerizing on the receiver. I can’t imagine someone changing such an inconsequential part. Everything else on the rifle is correct. Thanks in advance.

Information

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[Bruce McAskill]

The spring should be a dark Blue. In poor light or if dirty with accumulated oil and dirt then it may look black.

[Sunray]

"...a bring back..." Don't believe stories like that. The troopies were not allowed to keep their issue firearms. A "bring back" is stolen if the story is true. Nobody will be looking for it though.
Dark blue can appear black with or without poor light or if dirty.

[Bigbirdmqt]

Thanks, guys

[painter777]

BigBirdmgt,
Would love to see some pictures of it.

Pretty much like Bruce said..........
I've always found that the original finish on a leaf spring in good condition (not rusted) has a similar color to a GI Magazine. Deep blue enough to almost appear black.
Sometimes you see them with the original finish pretty much gone.... these can look like they have had no type of finish ever being applied.

I have a WRA serial 1,030,621 that has a hard to find Complete rear sight that is completely Blued with a Serif S on the flip sight base.
A couple before being cleaned pictures and a link:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=38393




Cheers

[jimb16]

And just so you know; springs did occasionally break and were replaced. Usually it was with a dark blue spring, but not always. You can normally tell if a spring was replaced because the staking on one side has a pushed out look.

[painter777]

I had a flipper leaf that would just flop back and forth. The leaf spring had lost tension. Going against the Warnings from Marcus I was able to push the pin out......... to find the center of the spring nearly full of tiny rusted pin holes. It was also almost worn in half from the flipper wearing on it. Was amazed at how much dirt and grime was under it, which collects and holds moisture. Anyway after wire brushing the inside of the base I found this marking... pictured below. I suggest to all, if you can try a pipe cleaner or anything that will fit.... fish the grime out. Keep some oil UNDER you flip sight leaf spring.

I still have a few USGI springs left and recall buying them from a seller in Alabama.

After cleaning:

[tenOC]

That U being stamped where it is, it makes me wonder if it was a part made for transfer, a transfer of just bases? There's one U coded leaf round S sight here I took apart that didn't have the U stamped in it.

[painter777]

Ten,
I forget the page in War Baby,
But it shows Underwood shipping loose sight bases and loose sight leafs to Inland...... Roughly late 43 and early 44.
I have a Inland 5 mil with U marked leaf and round S base sent during this time frame. I believe it to be original and came across a couple other owners of the transitional Inlands with U rear sights. Learned later that in this range some other makers flips showed up on them at this same range.

I often wonder if mine is just the U flip leaf, Or is it also a U base ??
Loose leafs, Loose Bases and complete assemblies were sent out by UEF.

This link shows the particulars:
https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=22278

[Bigbirdmqt]

BigBirdmgt,
Would love to see some pictures of it.

Pretty much like Bruce said..........
I've always found that the original finish on a leaf spring in good condition (not rusted) has a similar color to a GI Magazine. Deep blue enough to almost appear black.
Sometimes you see them with the original finish pretty much gone.... these can look like they have had no type of finish ever being applied.

I have a WRA serial 1,030,621 that has a hard to find Complete rear sight that is completely Blued with a Serif S on the flip sight base.
A couple before being cleaned pictures and a link:

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=38393

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC08112-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSC08077-1.jpg

Cheers

Don’t have a clue how to post pics in the forum, if you will pm me I will email some to you