Garand Gas Cylinder Refinishing

[ShaveTail]

I've started cleaning up the H&R M1 I picked up at the North Store last week and I've gotten to the gas cylinder and the age old question of what to do about it. Since the gun is an H&R that didn't see the hands of a US soldier and happens to have a mix of Springfield parts I figure it isn't going to be much of a collectible, so I want to refinish the mostly white gas cylinder.

I've read about people who have used Gun Kote (which is pretty darn expensive IMHO), black header paint (which...well...makes me nervous to do myself), and was even kicking around the idea on the Restoration board about having it powder coated (which most of the boys over there think is a pretty bad idea regarding wear/heat) So what to do? Anyone had any luck here? I'm really not that crazy about doing it myself at all because I'm worried about getting the finish into the inside of the cylinder--what could you use to plug it up?

Does anyone do this as a service out there for a reasonable price?

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[BobK]

Get youself some flat black sray paint. Degrease the cylinder and spray on the new finish. It's good to bake the finish on in the oven, about 250 or so for an hour or so. You need to rig some sort of fixture to hold the thing while your doing this. I've done a fwe this way and they looked good.

[Sunray]

Had my rifle re-parkerized, long ago, by a metal finishing shop. Despite all the reports to the contrary, it took the parkerizing just fine. Came out a light shade of grey. No wear in 30 some years.
"...powder coated..." That's baked on paint. Look into Duracoat.

[muskydope]

I did one that looks and lasts pretty good; Brownells " Aluma Kote" in Park grey, and instead of the "second coat" within 30 minutes, I shot some high heat black paint ( you know, the header/grill paint) on it and let it sit a week, per instructions. Looks good, with some handling ( and some of the natual oils from your hands) it has that kind of dull, but lightly shiny appearance of the originals.

[Charlie59]

I've started cleaning up the H&R M1 I picked up at the North Store last week and I've gotten to the gas cylinder and the age old question of what to do about it. Since the gun is an H&R that didn't see the hands of a US soldier and happens to have a mix of Springfield parts I figure it isn't going to be much of a collectible, so I want to refinish the mostly white gas cylinder.

I've read about people who have used Gun Kote (which is pretty darn expensive IMHO), black header paint (which...well...makes me nervous to do myself), and was even kicking around the idea on the Restoration board about having it powder coated (which most of the boys over there think is a pretty bad idea regarding wear/heat) So what to do? Anyone had any luck here? I'm really not that crazy about doing it myself at all because I'm worried about getting the finish into the inside of the cylinder--what could you use to plug it up?

Does anyone do this as a service out there for a reasonable price?

How do you know your rifle was never touched by a US soldier? I'm not sure what you mean.

[Milsurp Collector]

This gas cylinder had no finish on it when I got it. I used Caswell Stainless Steel Blackener on it. It will not chip, flake, or peel. Instead of dipping it per the instructions, wipe it on.

[The Wizard]

ShaveTail,
Don't were you got the idea that H&R M1 never were handle by U.S. soldiers but it ain't so. As an Army ROTC cadet in the early 1970's I learn the manual of arms with a H&R M1. OK, I wasn't a "real" soldier yet but the supply sergeant was he he handled it when I went to the arms room to take it out.

[Charlie59]

CMP gets their Garands from the army according to the Director there. They're all handled by soldiers, I believe.

[ShaveTail]

Sorry guys, I've been buried in work since I posted the topic and haven't been able to make it back. And thanks for the replies!

What I meant originally by 'never touched by a US soldier' was that, from what I've read, the H&R's weren't ready to ship until after the ceasefire in Korea, so they probably didn't see any direct action by US soldiers during war time. I didn't consider US training, however. In all likelihood mine was used by the Greeks. Not that there's anything wrong with that! I just figured that made it less of a collectible next to the millions of WWII SA's.

And those are all solid ideas...and show that there isn't really a best way to do it. That's kind of refreshing. Haven't decided what to do to it yet.

Speaking of imports though, I have a couple of odd stamps on the stock (which, as the hardware has been re-parked grey, but the rest of the gun has it's original black parkerized finished, I suspect was re-stocked by the CMP?) Just above the rear sling swivel on one side is a two inch stamp reading "K1.301.E.B." Directly opposite on the other side of the stock is a stamp reading "8081." The only other stamp is an X under the grip, where the P would be an a Carbine.

I had to re-finish the stock due to very, very over zealous power washing by some intrepid arsenal or another. The wood was so dry some of the grain had collapsed and the stock was nearing kindling-quality!

[mack]

Shavetail, keep in mind that the rifles you have received from CMP represent later production and, as such, the various parts were made by different suppliers and have varying degrees of finish parkerizing.

It seems to me that handguard metal is very "thin" on the later rifles unless the metal has been reparked or is of later production. I recently acquired some handguard sets from Dupage that have beautiful, rich parkerizing. So, much depends on the source of the metal and the time of manufacture.