No4 Rifle WW2 metal finish?

[Flying10uk]

I would described it as black but others may call off grey; it is surprising how many shades of black there are.

[Sentryduty]

of course, like this?

[Flying10uk]

Yes that's it.

[Schnitzelmahn]

ok - interesting information on suncorite. Somebody has told me that Canadian units did not apply suncorite to the rifles they were issued, while the brits did. can anybody testify to the validity of this?

As such perhaps I should consider getting my receiver re-blued, perhaps touch the marks up with cold blue? Again, the rifle is a 1943 savage, I believe it is blued. What route do you folks suggest?

[Flying10uk]

My 1943 No4 Long-branch is blued rather than painted if that is any help.

[browningautorifle]

blued rather than painted

That wasn't a refinish was it? By chance?

[Brian Dick]

Bluing on a 1943 Long Branch is correct. CAL Long Branch refinished weapons with a lovely manganese phosphate/Parkerizing during their FTR programs after 1950. One of my favorites is a nicely Parkerized 1942 LB with Canadian ownership marks. The Canadians didn't paint/bake their weapons with Suncorite 259.

[browningautorifle]

We refinished lots with bead blast and blue, and it always came out perfect. Just wondering...

[Peter Laidler]

That crackle black finish on Sterling guns was a special paint made by TRIMITE. It went on cold and cracked in the oven as two of the chemicals reacted to the heat. To be honest, it was only any good over a phosphate finish - as Sterling did it. Exactly the same paint was used as a finish on MGB and GT dashboards if you MG owners recognise it. Alas, the cheapo MG finish went straight on top of as-pressed mild steel and would/could chip as soon as you looked at it. Or as soon as you pulled an instrument out of the dashboard.

The Sterling guns went through the spray booths on wood formers because the trimite crackle paint built up a thick layer once it had reacted/set/crackled and could impede the fit of the reciprocating breech block.

Just thought I'd mention this useless bit of info being a lazy Sunday morning here in Oxfordshire!

[Vincent]

The most durable DYI finish I have found so far is powder coat over phosphate.



Above is wrinkle powder coat over phosphate. It’s the same stuff they use on Harley-Davidson motorcycles.