black painted enfield parts
- Thread starter JTF#
- Start date
Suncorite doesn't flake, it just wears down.
I suspect your rifle has seen Indian or Pakistani service. The Indian and some Pakistani rifles were coated in black paint that peeled and flaked. I'm not sure what the purpose of this paint was as it comes off very easily. IMHO, it is a long term storage preservative coating.
Does your fore end have a reinforcing screw just in front of the mag well????
I suspect your rifle has seen Indian or Pakistani service. The Indian and some Pakistani rifles were coated in black paint that peeled and flaked. I'm not sure what the purpose of this paint was as it comes off very easily. IMHO, it is a long term storage preservative coating.
Does your fore end have a reinforcing screw just in front of the mag well????
If you have never seen a painted Lee Enfield, keep looking. They are very common.
Why paint? Simple answer is, for anti-corrosion. It rains a lot in England.
Many Brit rifles (and sometimes pistols) are painted with a paint called Suncorite at the factory during their manufacture. Not sure as to when they started doing it, but with my observations, I figure it to be a post war thing.
Suncorite is a two pack paint that when cured sticks like poo to a blanket. Nasty stuff to apply, breathing apparatus is required or you could get sick n die (cyanide).
The metal is phosphated first for a good key, then painted. Solvents or paint stripped won't touch it. Bead blasting is usually the way to get the stuff off.
India refurbs also can display black paint, but sometimes looking like it was applied with a tar brush. Not Suncorite though, more like Tremclad or a household enamel..
I have a bush beater gun that gets used outdoors a lot. I painted it with BBQ paint. Now it doesn't rust when left wet overnight.
Duraguard or Brownell's Alumahide are close looking substitutes, but don't come close to Suncorite's durability.
Why paint? Simple answer is, for anti-corrosion. It rains a lot in England.
Many Brit rifles (and sometimes pistols) are painted with a paint called Suncorite at the factory during their manufacture. Not sure as to when they started doing it, but with my observations, I figure it to be a post war thing.
Suncorite is a two pack paint that when cured sticks like poo to a blanket. Nasty stuff to apply, breathing apparatus is required or you could get sick n die (cyanide).
The metal is phosphated first for a good key, then painted. Solvents or paint stripped won't touch it. Bead blasting is usually the way to get the stuff off.
India refurbs also can display black paint, but sometimes looking like it was applied with a tar brush. Not Suncorite though, more like Tremclad or a household enamel..
I have a bush beater gun that gets used outdoors a lot. I painted it with BBQ paint. Now it doesn't rust when left wet overnight.
Duraguard or Brownell's Alumahide are close looking substitutes, but don't come close to Suncorite's durability.
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Suncorite paint was a less expensive finish than anything else. After W.W. II, the Brits were in far worse financial condition than they were after W.W. I. And then they were bankrupt.
Brownell's had Suncorite a few years back. Don't know if they still do. Not likely though. Krylon or Tremclad, both being steel paints, will be a decent substitute.
BBQ paint is for Al.
Brownell's had Suncorite a few years back. Don't know if they still do. Not likely though. Krylon or Tremclad, both being steel paints, will be a decent substitute.
BBQ paint is for Al.
Before Dunkirk the Enfield rifles were completely torn down once per year and inspected and below the wood line everything was thickly coated with jellied petroleum. (Vaseline)
After Dunkirk all rifles at home and abroad had the Vaseline removed and were painted below the wood line with a primer. And thereafter these painted rifles were only torn down for repairs as needed. After the war and seeing how well the painting of the rifles prevented corrosion many of the Enfields were painted with black enamel until Suncorite paint became the official paint of the British. "BUT" I have seen South African Enfield rifles still being painted with enamel paint up to the early 1960s. The difference is the South Africans spray painted their rifles with enamel and the Indians applied the paint with a mop.
If you wish you can strip the enamel and repaint the rifles with BBQ black paint that holds up better than standard enamel.
After Dunkirk all rifles at home and abroad had the Vaseline removed and were painted below the wood line with a primer. And thereafter these painted rifles were only torn down for repairs as needed. After the war and seeing how well the painting of the rifles prevented corrosion many of the Enfields were painted with black enamel until Suncorite paint became the official paint of the British. "BUT" I have seen South African Enfield rifles still being painted with enamel paint up to the early 1960s. The difference is the South Africans spray painted their rifles with enamel and the Indians applied the paint with a mop.
If you wish you can strip the enamel and repaint the rifles with BBQ black paint that holds up better than standard enamel.
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BIGEDP51 - Someone has hacked your account and posted on CGN without any graphics....
Dear Ganderite
Your the type of guy that would complain if they hung you with a brand new rope.
Below a 1950 South African marked No.4 painted with enamel.
I was cleaning the rifle with Kroil a penetrating oil that removes rust and what I thought was Suncorite turned out to be "enamel" and started getting tacky. I grabbed some rubbing alcohol to wipe off the Kroil and the white cleaning patch started turning black.
Below a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol removed the South African paint. The "new" barrel was dated 1964
so the rifle may have been used by one of the native South African paramilitary units.
Below, a little acetone and testing a few cans of paint later and my rifle came through my home FTR program with flying colors.
Now Ganderite don't bother me again, I'm getting my Brenfield ready and I'm going to mount it on the roof and be ready for the protesters and looters.
There is a worthy alternative to these "Paints" it is called "Cerakote" and it is bullet proof. it is a two part ceramic based paint that is baked on a t 250F after application. Good Prep Work is essential to a good result, but the result is second to none.
I did a CZ82 pistol that was painted with some kind of good black paint from the factory as most of the CZ pistols are. It came out very nice satin flat black all major parts were coated and after firing it over 100 times the slide rails still have the Cerakote on them and there is no wear on the coating whatsoever.
This finish would be an excellent finish for a rifle used in the weather, and in fact I am looking at doing my #4Mk1* .35-303 project with it.
The metal must be perfectly clean and preferably bead blasted prior to application, and it will hide minor surface imperfections very well.
The stuff is available in every color known to man, and is sold by Brownell's and others. http://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com/
This product is really That Good!
Randy
I did a CZ82 pistol that was painted with some kind of good black paint from the factory as most of the CZ pistols are. It came out very nice satin flat black all major parts were coated and after firing it over 100 times the slide rails still have the Cerakote on them and there is no wear on the coating whatsoever.
This finish would be an excellent finish for a rifle used in the weather, and in fact I am looking at doing my #4Mk1* .35-303 project with it.
The metal must be perfectly clean and preferably bead blasted prior to application, and it will hide minor surface imperfections very well.
The stuff is available in every color known to man, and is sold by Brownell's and others. http://www.cerakoteguncoatings.com/
This product is really That Good!
Randy
Dear Ganderite
Your the type of guy that would complain if they hung you with a brand new rope.
Below a 1950 South African marked No.4 painted with enamel.
I was cleaning the rifle with Kroil a penetrating oil that removes rust and what I thought was Suncorite turned out to be "enamel" and started getting tacky. I grabbed some rubbing alcohol to wipe off the Kroil and the white cleaning patch started turning black.
Below a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol removed the South African paint. The "new" barrel was dated 1964
Below, a little acetone and testing a few cans of paint later and my rifle came through my home FTR program with flying colors.
Now Ganderite don't bother me again, I'm getting my Brenfield ready and I'm going to mount it on the roof and be ready for the protesters and looters.
Nice to see you back in control of your account...
Brenfield.... Nice. Must be a rare prototype.
I grabbed a can of Brake Cleaner once to clean a really dirty No 4- totally washed off whatever finish was on it! Obviously some cheap enamel or such, but since the underlying metal still had a decent grayish finish, a light rub with oil and steel wool made it like new again.
