M1 Garand Finish

[George R]

Help please. M1Garand #3,363,0XX. SA mfg Dec 1944 or maybe Jan 1945. Would that have a black oxide (blued) finish or parkerized? I'd appreciate help from a Garand guru. Thanks.

[James K]

It would be Parkerized with a sort of greenish tinge. The reason for the tinge has been the subject of some heated discussion among collectors, but it is definitely there.

Jim

[George R]

Thanks Jim. I appreciate the help. My greenish tinge theory is years of cosmoline, but thats another thread. Thank you again.

[Tom2]

I don't believe it. I have put cosmoline on guns and they never turn green! I think there was something in the finishing process besides just the common manganese or zinc dissolved in the phosporic acid that they don't tell you about? Plenty of guns that did not spend alot of time packed in cosmo or none at all, that have that color.

[mikenbarb]

My gunsmith still offers the military green process for older guns. Or if your into that color he will do a new one that color for you also. I think he gets around $140.00 to do the green blueing on a barrel. If you want his info let me know and I will post it for you.

[SuperTodd]

Check the cmp forum, all kind of info on the subject

[Tom2]

So is it grease or Greece that turns them green? I think some of the folks doing restoration must add something to the mix to make any color other than different shades of gray, as that is what color all the stuff I have had done or done myself has looked like. Either Mang. or Zinc finishes.

[James K]

I have checked near-new M1 rifles from 1940-1941, and the greenish tinge is 1) only on the receiver and certain receiver parts and 2) is in areas such as under the rear sight where no cosmoline could reach. Other parts, like the barrel, op rod and rear sight are black, even though they touch the greenish parts. Any substance applied after assembly would have affected those parts as well, indicating the receiver was dipped separately before assembly.

Plus, M1 rifles were not cosmolined for shipping from the factory; they were oiled and shipped in wooden crates lined with waxed paper.

Jim