I'm thinking about buying my second SKS and would like know what was the original finish on the metal ? The first one that I bought was a very nice blued or black, hard to tell, I think black finish. I hear about a nice satin type finish and the infamous bbq finish. Are there specific years for these finishes or the result of different factories refurbishing and how good are they ? I suspect the blued is best, followed by the matt finish.
SKS metal finishes
- Thread starter got to go
- Start date
Do you know what the Matt finish is ? Paint, epoxy, or ? How durable is it and as far as value goes I'm guessing Blued, Matt and bbq being the lowest
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
The matte black finish is similar in looks to a parkerized finish but my feeling is it's a baked on paint or coating of some sort, its durable and very hard. Solvents and thinners do nothing to change or remove it, I have one and it's a tough smooth finish. The bolt body was painted, cleanings with Hoppes9 removed the paint on the bolt body but not on the reciever or barrel.
As pb2626 said the original finish was blued steel, the nicest in my eyes.
As pb2626 said the original finish was blued steel, the nicest in my eyes.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
I’ve always wondered about the bbq finishes ..... I’ve seen obvious ones that look like some kind of rough, matt, spray paint, but I’ve also seen a really, nice shiny finish on some rifles?
I’ve also seen a greyish finish as well .... parkerized maybe?
I’ve also seen a greyish finish as well .... parkerized maybe?
yep, I have a few like that, my theory is that they used the refurb sks to try out different parkerizing systems, except for the rough spray paint ones, they look like most new ar or hunting/shotty finishes!
This is parkerizing.
I've never seen a parkerized SKS, either new or refurb. Blue looks different depending on the surface prep, you can have polished blue, wire brushed blue, blasted and blued which also varies depending on media used.
Paint during refurb was common, and chrome was done for ceremonial purposes.
This is blasted and blued BTW.
Well then I have a few blue blasted sks along with a bunch of blued ones but the blasted ones to me look like the finish on some of my new rifles/shotguns. The ugly spray painted ones are not that common down here, less than 10% for sure of the copies I have seen! They would still be good shooters, just not as nice looking! Let's hope things open up again and we get some better examples coming this way,, and ammo too!This is parkerizing.
I've never seen a parkerized SKS, either new or refurb. Blue looks different depending on the surface prep, you can have polished blue, wire brushed blue, blasted and blued which also varies depending on media used.
Paint during refurb was common, and chrome was done for ceremonial purposes.
This is blasted and blued BTW.
