Bar 1918a2 Metalparts

[hatu]

What might be a reason, that some BAR 1918A2 rifles metal parts are dark red or brown. I have heard that metal compound include lot of nickel metal and that causes this red color when metal is blued. Am i totally wrong ?

[Junkyardslug]

I have seen three different US Government prints for BAR receivers, they all called for 1050 steel which dosen't have any nickel in it as far as I know. The later prints also allow for optional Pearlitic Malleable Iron Casting as the receiver material, but if the BAR in question is blued it wouldn't be casting.

 

This is a USGI BAR, right? Has it been refinished? If it is USGI has it spent time in grease/cosmolean (either in the US or overseas?)

 

George

[hatu]

BAR 1918A2 is mady by NESA from year 1950 or something like that. Maybe this color things could come from diffenent reblued method. I have saw many different WW2 time weapons, where receiver part is dark brown or red. For example, see this gunbroker link, where is one "red" BAR

 

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem....p?Item=49202840

 

If you like i can send you photo from my BAR to your email box, where receiver part is very dark brown

 

-Tuomas

 

 

 

 

[Junkyardslug]

This one was built April of 1944 (New England only made BARs from January 1943 to August 1945). I have a 2 inch demilled receiver front that is the aprox same vintage (June 44) that is dark grey.

 

I did have a trigger housing at one time that did have that exact same color though. After WWII the US gave BARs to 'friendly' countries (like the Greek, Israli, South Korean and South Vietnamese). US Cosmolean is reputed to turn pakerizing Green, perhaps this BAR spent time in another country coated in a different type of Cosmolean?

 

I would love to see your photos, please send them to Junkyardslug@hotmail.com

 

[LSU Tiger]

My first military rifle was an old M1903A3 with a "National Ordnance" receiver that was the same red color. I think it's a type of anodizing like "S" marked trench gun bayonet lugs were. It should take a parked finish fine.

[amafrank]

The red or brownish color is frequently caused by overheated or depleted bluing salts. It can also be caused by hardened parts which tend toward the purple or reddish side of the spectrum. If its that real red orange color you can pretty much figure it was a depleted and overheated bluing bath.

Hope that helps some.

Frank