1903A1 Strange color

Giant · August 22, 2002, 07:59 PM

Just took delivery from CMP of a Remington 1903A1, it has a very strange color cast on the receiver and on the sight base. In indirect light it shows as a dark blue black parkerized like finish. However, in very bright direct light the color changes to a red purple, more red than purple. At first I thought it was a light coating of surface rust, but it is not. Any ideas on what I am observing?

This Remington 1903A1 is in very good mechanical condition, a Remington 1/42 barrel appears to be unfired. new bolt and receiver shows little if any wear. Stock is in good condition with some small dings and dents. Butt plate is new, front sight and rear sight are new, trigger guard and magazine cover are stamped and new. lower band and sling loop are stamped. The only parts with the red purple color cast are the receiver and bottom sight base. This rifle is a fine historic example of a Remington transition piece from A1 to A3, as the few stamped parts are pre A3. Me thinks the reason it is in good condition is because no GI would want a purple rifle! 'Geez Sarge, can I have another one! Give this one to the new guy!'.

Giant

Ledbetter · August 22, 2002, 08:17 PM

got a pic?

Hemicuda · August 22, 2002, 08:20 PM

sounds like the "plum" color you get when a case hardened part is blued...

Case hardening impregnates the surface of the metal with oils... and when you blue it, it will turn a rich red-purple plum color...

Giant · August 22, 2002, 08:30 PM

Thanks for the answers! No photos yet... It sounds like the blued case hardened plum color is what has happened to this fine rifle. It looks odd, but if it shoots good who would care, unless they were a GI that did not get off on a plum odd rifle!

Giant

Hemicuda · August 22, 2002, 08:35 PM

one word of warning... that color won't hurt anything... but it is not quite as rust resistant as bluing... keep it rubbed down with oil...

My Great-Grandpappy's old single shot 12 Ga. is like that... it now has a small rust blossom or 2... but now I know to oil it a little more often then I otherwise might...

Kernel · August 22, 2002, 11:45 PM

A purple tinge in not uncommon for Parkerized military rifles. Especially WWII wartime rifles. No one is exactly sure how it was achieved. The speculation is it came from contamination of the Park bath with machine oil, cosmoline, and God knows what. -- Kernel

Harley Nolden · August 23, 2002, 05:05 AM

Kernel is correct, "Been there, Done that"

HJN

August 22, 2002, 07:59 PM	#1
Giant Member Join Date: August 1, 2002 Location: PRK, Bay Area Posts: 69	1903A1 Strange color Just took delivery from CMP of a Remington 1903A1, it has a very strange color cast on the receiver and on the sight base. In indirect light it shows as a dark blue black parkerized like finish. However, in very bright direct light the color changes to a red purple, more red than purple. At first I thought it was a light coating of surface rust, but it is not. Any ideas on what I am observing? This Remington 1903A1 is in very good mechanical condition, a Remington 1/42 barrel appears to be unfired. new bolt and receiver shows little if any wear. Stock is in good condition with some small dings and dents. Butt plate is new, front sight and rear sight are new, trigger guard and magazine cover are stamped and new. lower band and sling loop are stamped. The only parts with the red purple color cast are the receiver and bottom sight base. This rifle is a fine historic example of a Remington transition piece from A1 to A3, as the few stamped parts are pre A3. Me thinks the reason it is in good condition is because no GI would want a purple rifle! 'Geez Sarge, can I have another one! Give this one to the new guy!'. Giant

August 22, 2002, 08:17 PM	#2
Ledbetter Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2000 Location: California USA Posts: 4,533	hello up there got a pic?

August 22, 2002, 08:20 PM	#3
Hemicuda Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,757	sounds like the "plum" color you get when a case hardened part is blued... Case hardening impregnates the surface of the metal with oils... and when you blue it, it will turn a rich red-purple plum color... __________________ Hemi. gun and car collector. Rare cars, and rarer guns.

August 22, 2002, 08:35 PM	#5
Hemicuda Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,757	one word of warning... that color won't hurt anything... but it is not quite as rust resistant as bluing... keep it rubbed down with oil... My Great-Grandpappy's old single shot 12 Ga. is like that... it now has a small rust blossom or 2... but now I know to oil it a little more often then I otherwise might... __________________ Hemi. gun and car collector. Rare cars, and rarer guns.

August 22, 2002, 11:45 PM	#6
Kernel Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 1999 Location: Madison, WI.... "78 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality" Posts: 923	A purple tinge in not uncommon for Parkerized military rifles. Especially WWII wartime rifles. No one is exactly sure how it was achieved. The speculation is it came from contamination of the Park bath with machine oil, cosmoline, and God knows what. -- Kernel __________________ "You can shoot down every MiG the Soviets employ, but if you return to base and the lead Soviet tank commander is eating breakfast in your snack bar, Jack, you've lost the war." — Anonymous A-10 Pilot, USAF

August 22, 2002, 08:30 PM	#4
Giant Member Join Date: August 1, 2002 Location: PRK, Bay Area Posts: 69	Thanks for the answers! No photos yet... It sounds like the blued case hardened plum color is what has happened to this fine rifle. It looks odd, but if it shoots good who would care, unless they were a GI that did not get off on a plum odd rifle! Giant

August 23, 2002, 05:05 AM	#7
Harley Nolden Staff In Memoriam Join Date: January 8, 1999 Location: Brunswick,GA USA Posts: 1,884	Kernel is correct, "Been there, Done that" HJN

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