Anybody selling gray buffertube looking to finish my 601 build thanks!

This place but not in stock now

https://ar15sport.com/product/reproduction-xm-grey-rifle-buffer-tube/

Check the Equipment Exchange, they show up from time to time.

A few years ago J&G had them in their retail store, at $5 per and they were the real deal. I probably should have picked up a few.

Before anyone pounces, I’m not insulting anyone, but I am curious. The buffer tube on a rifle can’t be seen unless the rifle is opened up, so why not use a standard black rifle buffer tube?  Is it a level of building, like having all of the correct markings on a barrel or somewhere else that they’re not normally seen?

Again, I’m curious and learning when it comes to retro builds, not trying to insult anyone.

I use my buffer tube as a handle when I coat my receivers. Therefore the very front of it, the small ring, the only place that shows, gets painted the same color.

I guess it is the same reason why some of us use only original parts on our builds, right down to the expensive Edgewater buffers.  The Edgewater will never be seen, but WE will know it is there.  I, for one, WANT the challenge of tracking down all of the original parts that would have been on the rifle.  If I was just building a “retro looking” shooter, I would have no problem using modern parts in the build.  However, most of my builds are done for historical accuracy, and I enjoy the hunt of finding the correct parts.

That makes sense. I can definitely see it being a challenge.

The real challenge on a buffer tube is that little section right up front that is between the receiver and the stock. The stark black ones just don't look right. It's fine....it's just not fine enough.

I only want a Grey one for my proto build and project agile build. Because the stocks are brown and green the black ring on a normal tube would clash color wise.

Don't think I have ever ordered from them so I don't know about the company but Apex gun parts list some used Colt tubes the text says is from the 70's in the lower parts section.

Apex is great I’ve ordered from them a few times and never had any issues

I got a new Colt from Brownells last year and it is dark gray

Apex is GTG.  Spendy, sometimes, but GTG.

https://www.apexgunparts.com

OP, I sent you an IM

Per Victor US Ano, and my experience with many many take offs, the originals are coated in the same paint the mags are per spec. Victor said spec calls for coating due to moisture getting trapped in stock.

They are almost black when paint comes off.

Early ones look bronze/dark, 70’s bronze with grey paint.

So the ones that you order that are grey from parts shops most likely are coated (not originals) are coated in moly.

Of course the real 60’s/70’s tubes are the best if you ask me.  If your ok with new one, buy black and paint it

This is backed up by the TDP with a drawing dated 27 APR 1970.  Only, it's not paint, but Dry Film Lube, that's applied "TO BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR".  (see Note 6)  And, it's always some shade of gray in color.  I don't know if this applies to any extension prior to 1970, but every real mil-spec tube after 1970 should be this.

Sorry for not posting earlier been work 16hr shifts lately this is awesome you can post and get awesome response I will PM those who pm me this week thanks guys!  Oh for that question on my 601 it's all gray parts so when you see that sliver of black it stands out really bad maybe it's me but it irritates me it just sticks out.  I even made sure all pins dimpled gray even the trigger guard is aluminum gray color.

I get the need for a grey tube. I think buying a airbrush and some moly resin is everyones trip to Colt Grey land when you cant get nice factory parts... I was just putting it out there...  if you don't buy a colt tube that is coated with dry film lube, then you're buying a tube that is most likely moly resin coated. Totally fine... There are plenty of grey tubes from the M16a1 Malaysian kits that came in out there... I have now had roughly 50-60 of those kits pass through my hands and every one of them were glossy anodizing i would call "not black" anodized coated with grey lube. I sent a really nice one to a member and they told me it was an off brand aftermarket tube because I cleaned the jacked up grey lube off of the edge to make it more uniform.

This is no science experiment but I have had six 64-66 604 kits pass through my hands with original everything - there isn't one grey anodized part on the guns. Every one of them had the original early gas tube, original grip attached to the stubs, original everything... The rear stubs, slip rings, trigger guards and uppers were "not black". "Colt Grey" lowers on the most minty uppers in the batch do not match... The 60's colt tubes on them all were untouched and are basically a very dark bronze/brown, some are more red. They are the same color as the lugs of the more mint "xm grey" upper receivers I have from the mid 60's.

Does anyone know how the tubes were coated? Were they dipped?

Not that this solves anything I am just putting what I have seen recently out there. I am soured on the idea of Colt grey. The buffer tubes and the magazines are both coated to a grey color... The lugs of all the minty grey upper are black/bronze. It is noted in the parts guide that the lugs are all black... as they wear they get more bronze.