AR Sponsor
Posted: 2/16/2016 7:26:05 PM EDT
|
Assuming that this upper receiver was in fact refinished at an arsenal, would it have been paired up with a refinished lower?
Or just thrown together mx/master fashion? And what time frame would the thinner, dipped black finish have been used? Anyone remember Colt M16 and M16A1 rifles being reissued sporting black finish? 
|
|
Quoted:
Assuming that this upper receiver was in fact refinished at an arsenal, would it have been paired up with a refinished lower? Or just thrown together mx/master fashion? And what time frame would the thinner, dipped black finish have been used? Anyone remember Colt M16 and M16A1 rifles being reissued sporting black finish? <a href="http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/jeepdan/media/DSCN3080_zpszz27axmx.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1012.photobucket.com/albums/af248/jeepdan/DSCN3080_zpszz27axmx.jpg</a> Mixed |
|
Mixed as well. Only thing close to black but not Type IiI looked suspiciously like some sort of spray on finish....often stuff out of Crane depot IIRC. Most Anniston stuff had the good bunny hugger hated Gray DFL as per the TM/TO (so maybe the Navy was following the old 'if it moves salute it, if it doesn't paint it' RoT?) |
|
Quoted: Most Anniston stuff had the good bunny hugger hated Gray DFL as per the TM/TO (so maybe the Navy was following the old 'if it moves salute it, if it doesn't paint it' RoT?) Anniston didn't refinish with SFL (Solid Film Lubricant) It was authorized as a touch up on the lower or complete upper/barrel in the TM. I've inspected a bunch of Anniston rebuilds in my time and anything they refinished had the thick, black, almost crinkle like finish on it. I've encountered rebuilt M16A1's with dates from the mid to late 70's through the 80's and even into the early 90's. They all had the same finish if they refinished. Some of the A1's that went through the A2 upgrade have a smoother finish (if they avoided a previous rebuild) but it was still black and not SFL. Occasionally a mixed upper and lower combo would come through if one or the other had acceptable finish before it was stripped of all parts and thrown into the usable bin. Usually if the upper has original finish it is because it probably started out as a new replacement during the process. Or, was replaced by Field/Direct Support after the rifle left Anniston. From the other pictures jeepdan has posted of this upper, I believe someone sprayed it with something after it left service. Probably to get it to match a modern black lower. The finish looks to smooth to be from Anniston. It also looks like someone just sprayed it on with minimal prep work without stripping it down. Take some lacquer thinner, acetone, citistrip, etc to it and there is probably some level of the original anodizing left. YMMV, Wpns Man |
|
Quoted:
Anniston didn't refinish with SFL (Solid Film Lubricant) It was authorized as a touch up on the lower or complete upper/barrel in the TM. I've inspected a bunch of Anniston rebuilds in my time and anything they refinished had the thick, black, almost crinkle like finish on it. I've encountered rebuilt M16A1's with dates from the mid to late 70's through the 80's and even into the early 90's. They all had the same finish if they refinished. Some of the A1's that went through the A2 upgrade have a smoother finish (if they avoided a previous rebuild) but it was still black and not SFL. Occasionally a mixed upper and lower combo would come through if one or the other had acceptable finish before it was stripped of all parts and thrown into the usable bin. Usually if the upper has original finish it is because it probably started out as a new replacement during the process. Or, was replaced by Field/Direct Support after the rifle left Anniston. From the other pictures jeepdan has posted of this upper, I believe someone sprayed it with something after it left service. Probably to get it to match a modern black lower. The finish looks to smooth to be from Anniston. It also looks like someone just sprayed it on with minimal prep work without stripping it down. Take some lacquer thinner, acetone, citistrip, etc to it and there is probably some level of the original anodizing left. YMMV, Wpns Man Quoted:
Quoted: Most Anniston stuff had the good bunny hugger hated Gray DFL as per the TM/TO (so maybe the Navy was following the old 'if it moves salute it, if it doesn't paint it' RoT?) Anniston didn't refinish with SFL (Solid Film Lubricant) It was authorized as a touch up on the lower or complete upper/barrel in the TM. I've inspected a bunch of Anniston rebuilds in my time and anything they refinished had the thick, black, almost crinkle like finish on it. I've encountered rebuilt M16A1's with dates from the mid to late 70's through the 80's and even into the early 90's. They all had the same finish if they refinished. Some of the A1's that went through the A2 upgrade have a smoother finish (if they avoided a previous rebuild) but it was still black and not SFL. Occasionally a mixed upper and lower combo would come through if one or the other had acceptable finish before it was stripped of all parts and thrown into the usable bin. Usually if the upper has original finish it is because it probably started out as a new replacement during the process. Or, was replaced by Field/Direct Support after the rifle left Anniston. From the other pictures jeepdan has posted of this upper, I believe someone sprayed it with something after it left service. Probably to get it to match a modern black lower. The finish looks to smooth to be from Anniston. It also looks like someone just sprayed it on with minimal prep work without stripping it down. Take some lacquer thinner, acetone, citistrip, etc to it and there is probably some level of the original anodizing left. YMMV, Wpns Man Thanks for your input as always. My 601 upper came with that crinkle finish. Its some tough stuff. |
|
Quoted: Thanks for your input as always. My 601 upper came with that crinkle finish. Its some tough stuff. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Most Anniston stuff had the good bunny hugger hated Gray DFL as per the TM/TO (so maybe the Navy was following the old 'if it moves salute it, if it doesn't paint it' RoT?) Anniston didn't refinish with SFL (Solid Film Lubricant) It was authorized as a touch up on the lower or complete upper/barrel in the TM. I've inspected a bunch of Anniston rebuilds in my time and anything they refinished had the thick, black, almost crinkle like finish on it. I've encountered rebuilt M16A1's with dates from the mid to late 70's through the 80's and even into the early 90's. They all had the same finish if they refinished. Some of the A1's that went through the A2 upgrade have a smoother finish (if they avoided a previous rebuild) but it was still black and not SFL. Occasionally a mixed upper and lower combo would come through if one or the other had acceptable finish before it was stripped of all parts and thrown into the usable bin. Usually if the upper has original finish it is because it probably started out as a new replacement during the process. Or, was replaced by Field/Direct Support after the rifle left Anniston. From the other pictures jeepdan has posted of this upper, I believe someone sprayed it with something after it left service. Probably to get it to match a modern black lower. The finish looks to smooth to be from Anniston. It also looks like someone just sprayed it on with minimal prep work without stripping it down. Take some lacquer thinner, acetone, citistrip, etc to it and there is probably some level of the original anodizing left. YMMV, Wpns Man Thanks for your input as always. My 601 upper came with that crinkle finish. Its some tough stuff. |
|
This kills me. You guys have often heard me mention my Buddy Nicky. Well, Nick was good friends with a guy named Anthony L. We all went to high school together, they were both a year behind me. Nick and Anthony were close friends. I knew them both back then, but was not really close with them at the time. Anthony went on to the USMC and became an armorer sometime in the early to mid 80s. He had told Nick on several occasions of having used that heavy black stuff to refinish receivers. Nicky unfortunately lost touch with Anthony and does not know what the stuff was...
Anthony L. RHS class of 1979,, are you around?? We NEED your insight. |
| I want to know what it's so I can find some and buy it. I would paint everything with that stuff. I found an ammo can once that was painted with some similar stuff. I wonder if it was in the sandstorm family? Maybe a dual use coating? It almost reminds me of the green paint they used on some of the aluminum housings of comm equipment. |
AR Sponsor