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Posted: 6/17/2026 10:23:02 AM EDT
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I hate to be "that guy" but I need some opinions, back when I started my 1965 XM16E1 build I had Braceman reprofile the upper, after that I obviously needed to get the upper re anodized so like logical people would do I sent my upper and lower in at the same time to get redone. When I first got it back it looked great, but after it sat and I started reassembling everything with original colt parts I started to notice the anodizing had more of a blue tint to it then gray what do you guys think? Worth redoing? or just suck it up and shoot the dam thing? Before  After  I was also thinking maybe soaking it in seafoam deep creep or a CLP might make it darker but I havent tried it yet. |
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Originally Posted By 18B30: 1. It looks great as is. 2. Braceman isn’t taking any new work. I don’t think OP was insinuating he would be sending to JB for ano work OP, I’d shoot it dude. Kind of one of those “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” scenarios. I remember advising on this build and think it is very nice and very high-quality. Combine this with the fact that a lot of ‘65 and ‘66 XMs turned purple, I don’t think you’re too far off. (See below for a prime example from an old thread about 2017 or 2018) Also like seeing all of the activity on the forum. Stuff’s been DEAD for the last 18 months it seems like Attached File |
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid"
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
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Originally Posted By ArmaLite_Aficionado: I don’t think OP was insinuating he would be sending to JB for ano work OP, I’d shoot it dude. Kind of one of those “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” scenarios. I remember advising on this build and think it is very nice and very high-quality. Combine this with the fact that a lot of ‘65 and ‘66 XMs turned purple, Yes, I think mine is a bluish/purple now that you mentioned it. Attached File |
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Factory colt 6520 duty rifle; I bought it specifically because it was purple. If the factory produced them this way, it's legit. The fact that some guy failed to add more black dye to the ano tank after lunch on Friday like he was supposed to is what makes old stuff cooler than new; the variation, imperfections and unique nature of individual examples trumps the perfect of CNC, laser engraving, etc all day every day 
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| Yeah, it's just fine how it is... Also, I wouldn't want to have something re-anodized more than once. Even just having it done once, the pin holes open up a bit and the fit between the receivers gets looser. I had to get JP oversized takedown pins to take out some of the slop on the one lower I had re-anodized. |
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Anodizing something new has the amount it adds and takes away from a dimension. Anodizing a second time does the same with the original anodizing removed so that thickness is lost although it may be made up by adjusting the anodizing thickness the next time. But when that happens there is a base metal dimensional loss that can never be recovered only hidden by the thickness of the anodization build up. Nothing wrong with any of it until maybe after you go beyond what the original documents allowed in their dimensional tolerances after finish or maybe their rejection dimensions for a worn-out part. Never had a Colt that did not match color between the upper and lower on an as sold gun. Despite the color match debate I have never seen a mismatched commercial upper and lower that I held as a factory pair. Even when Eagle Arms offered uppers and lower with a Colt similar color their anodized parts matched each other upper to lower. I have to just say no when some manufacturer blames a color difference on anodizing of different parts supposedly made of the same type metals. |
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Originally Posted By j3_: I have to just say no when some manufacturer blames a color difference on anodizing of different parts supposedly made of the same type metals. You can say "no" all you want but it absolutely does happen. Maybe @mike_nds can share the pic of several identical H&R parts out of the same gray ano tank that came out no two alike. |
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Originally Posted By PGT_0673: You can say "no" all you want but it absolutely does happen. Maybe @mike_nds can share the pic of several identical H&R parts out of the same gray ano tank that came out no two alike. And still would say no as I did when I sent back a product pre PSA for machining tolerances. Pictures of failure don't impress only those of success. Have bought Colt and old Eagle Arms when they offered a Colt color. They matched between their parts. Because an ability dies with time or can not be reproduced by others does not mean it did or does not exist. Have owned multiple Colt and an Eagle Arms or two. The finishes matched. As did those of friends guns I held over time. If some cannot achieve something that may be the best they can do within their abilities and limitations but that that does not make it the all that can be done. Have seen post about nonmatching parts during military service. That can be expected simply by the wording of the TDP's color requirement and the variation of contractors and the component combinations. They did not have to match anything but the TDP's variation of color. |
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Originally Posted By j3_: And still would say no as I did when I sent back a product pre PSA for machining tolerances. Pictures of failure don't impress only those of success. Have bought Colt and old Eagle Arms when they offered a Colt color. They matched between their parts. Because an ability dies with time or can not be reproduced by others does not mean it did or does not exist. Have owned multiple Colt and an Eagle Arms or two. The finishes matched. As did those of friends guns I held over time. If some cannot achieve something that may be the best they can do within their abilities and limitations but that that does not make it the all that can be done. Have seen post about nonmatching parts during military service. That can be expected simply by the wording of the TDP's color requirement and the variation of contractors and the component combinations. They did not have to match anything but the TDP's variation of color.     
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| Nice pics but only the last one coveys some difference to me. There is no context in the when and time of any of the pictures manufacture or combination of them. together. Just a simple oiling or angle can make a difference on how a photo looks. There was an anodizing company that did a match both new and old Colt many loved for their ability. Shame if they disappear. |
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Victor at US Anodizing was the best, and probably who you are talking about. But in the 20 years I have been involved with gray ano, the “failures “ as you put it, are very common. Material can be the same, done at the same time, and you still get this.  And Colt wasn’t perfect either.    |
We are living in a Tom Clancy novel
Over 50 and reputed to be a formidable brigand
https://hr1871.com/
Over 50 and reputed to be a formidable brigand
https://hr1871.com/
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Originally Posted By mike_nds: Victor at US Anodizing was the best, and probably who you are talking about. But in the 20 years I have been involved with gray ano, the “failures “ as you put it, are very common. Material can be the same, done at the same time, and you still get this. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/Latch_Ano_JPG-492396.jpg And Colt wasn’t perfect either. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/IMG_1592-3781030.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/IMG_1591-3781031.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/IMG_1589-3781032.jpg Hey im glad you commented lol what do you think I should do? Would you put the H&R Name on that color ano I have? |
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Originally Posted By mike_nds: Victor at US Anodizing was the best, and probably who you are talking about. But in the 20 years I have been involved with gray ano, the “failures “ as you put it, are very common. Material can be the same, done at the same time, and you still get this. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/Latch_Ano_JPG-492396.jpg And Colt wasn’t perfect either. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/IMG_1592-3781030.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/IMG_1591-3781031.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/91277/IMG_1589-3781032.jpg NOPE. NOT POSSIBLE. Source: Trust me bro  Here’s my early 1965 that shows a bit of difference to my eye Attached File |
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid"
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
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Originally Posted By j3_: Nice pics but only the last one coveys some difference to me. There is no context in the when and time of any of the pictures manufacture or combination of them. together. Just a simple oiling or angle can make a difference on how a photo looks. There was an anodizing company that did a match both new and old Colt many loved for their ability. Shame if they disappear. 
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Originally Posted By 17Liberty76: I think it looks great! But if you’re up in the air about it throw some CLP on it and call it done! Also FWIW none of my XM16E1 rewelds look the same, my full fence E1 has a blueish tint to it as well I was waiting for you to come around lol I havent seen or heard from you In awhile and yeah I talked to Chris from int mil co a few years ago and he said seafoam deep creep works great as well. I had an 80% i did like that and we have a torpedo heater at work so I soaked it for 2 weeks then put a fresh coat on and dried it infront of the heater and it turned out nice so I might do that but seeing the blue tint in these pictures im still on the fence lol |
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Originally Posted By Retroenthusiast67: I was waiting for you to come around lol I havent seen or heard from you In awhile and yeah I talked to Chris from int mil co a few years ago and he said seafoam deep creep works great as well. I had an 80% i did like that and we have a torpedo heater at work so I soaked it for 2 weeks then put a fresh coat on and dried it infront of the heater and it turned out nice so I might do that but seeing the blue tint in these pictures im still on the fence lol I’ve been around lurking every now and then, I got a promotion at work so I’ve been crazy busy with that |
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Originally Posted By j3_: Anodizing something new has the amount it adds and takes away from a dimension. Anodizing a second time does the same with the original anodizing removed so that thickness is lost although it may be made up by adjusting the anodizing thickness the next time. But when that happens there is a base metal dimensional loss that can never be recovered only hidden by the thickness of the anodization build up. Nothing wrong with any of it until maybe after you go beyond what the original documents allowed in their dimensional tolerances after finish or maybe their rejection dimensions for a worn-out part. Never had a Colt that did not match color between the upper and lower on an as sold gun. Despite the color match debate I have never seen a mismatched commercial upper and lower that I held as a factory pair. Even when Eagle Arms offered uppers and lower with a Colt similar color their anodized parts matched each other upper to lower. I have to just say no when some manufacturer blames a color difference on anodizing of different parts supposedly made of the same type metals. Among the roughly dozen factory gray anodized Colt ARs and M16s I’ve had in my hands, not a single one was an exact match and most were pretty significantly mismatched. |
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Figured I’d drop this in here. Will be going in my 601 thread as well Attached File Attached File Attached File Attached File |
"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid"
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both"
“So Freedom Will Reign” / “SEEK! STRIKE! DESTROY!” / “Led By Love Of Country!”
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Anything 601 is sexy lol I got around to taking a picture of my XM next to my GAU which is black.Attached File |
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Originally Posted By Retroenthusiast67: I hate to be "that guy" but I need some opinions, back when I started my 1965 XM16E1 build I had Braceman reprofile the upper, after that I obviously needed to get the upper re anodized so like logical people would do I sent my upper and lower in at the same time to get redone. When I first got it back it looked great, but after it sat and I started reassembling everything with original colt parts I started to notice the anodizing had more of a blue tint to it then gray what do you guys think? Worth redoing? or just suck it up and shoot the dam thing? Before https://i.postimg.cc/pVmDY5fY/20230404-195420.jpg After https://i.postimg.cc/WbRJGWpK/20250127-204419.jpg I was also thinking maybe soaking it in seafoam deep creep or a CLP might make it darker but I havent tried it yet. I had some anodized stuff that didn’t turn like I wanted it. It just had the wrong hue like you’re saying. I threw it in a container of dirty motor oil and let it soak. It seemed to do the trick. Maybe not perfect still but definitely helped. |
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