1920s vintage 1903 finishes

[GJB1903]

Regarding the asphaltum finish. My reference books all say that after parkerising, the rifles were dipped in a black oil. Is this the asphaltum or was that something different? Also i understand that this finish will come off if you wipe the gun down with gun cleaning solvent. If this is true, why would the Armory put such a fragile finish on a service rifle?

[John Beard]

I am unable to read the minds of those who wrote your reference books. So one can only speculate what they meant by "black oil." Asphaltum is black paint. And it will indeed come off if cleaned with petroleum-based solvents. Until such time as archive documentation is found, one can only speculate why asphaltum was used. But one can be reasonably assured there was good reasoning behind it.

J.B.

[GJB1903]

Thanks for the information, John. Most everything I know about Springfields, I’ve learned from writers such as Flayderman, Brophy, Campbell, Canfield, Poyer and forums such as this. There is so much to learn about these fascinating rifles.

[lyman]

I am unable to read the minds of those who wrote your reference books. So one can only speculate what they meant by "black oil." Asphaltum is black paint. And it will indeed come off if cleaned with petroleum-based solvents. Until such time as archive documentation is found, one can only speculate why asphaltum was used. But one can be reasonably assured there was good reasoning behind it.

J.B.

Commonwealth countries used green paint (admittedly for tropic conditions mostly) and Suncorite

wonder how far in advance Asphaltum was,, as in was it improved upon later and replaced (by suncorite etc)