Parkerizing your 1919

[Guinny_Ire]

The majority of the parts on this kit are beautiful when it comes to parkerizing. However, I do have some parts that need to be parkerized again. Here's my questions:

a) if you reparkerize one external part, do you need to do the whole gun then for continuity of color?

b) When do you "parkerize"? Before you put it together or after? I've seen posts where guys put it together then talk about parkerizing it

c) internal parts? parkerize?

Thanks

[SalBO]

you would park it after the sideplate is riveted and welded on. Internals can be if they need it. I would imagine it is difficult to match parkerizing that age. I have worried over that one myself because I dont want to but after the welding it will need it......unfortunately.......

[Guinny_Ire]

What's involved with parkerizing? Do you drop the whole kitten caboodle in a tank and it's parkerized both internally and externally?

[SalBO]

take it down all the way to pins and springs, bead blast everything, degrease and dip in a park solution around 180 degrees for roughly 20 minutes, remove and either oil or finish with a gun kote.......

[Guinny_Ire]

I take it gun kote is a clear hard finish? Kind of like polyeurathain (pardon the spelling) for wood?

[Pa.Patriot]

Build first then tear down and parkerize - as Salbo mentioned.

Yes you can parkerize just the parts needing it but they will not match exactly. Most millitary arms were built using parts that were pre-parkerized so they didnt match anyway.
Some folks - myself included like the consistency and custom look of a gun that was finished (or re-finished) after assembly. Your choice.
Parkerizing is not terribly hard but it's not as simple as some lead on to get a quality and consistent job. If you don't plan on making a hobby or trade of it your best to just send it out, it will be cheaper in the long run :)

GunKote is a resin finish. Properly applied it is extremly durable and self lubricationg (contains moly and teflon)
It is also quite attractive.
I need to update this page very badly :D But here you can see several samples of park and GunKote:
http://www.millenicom.com/~patriot/Gunsmithing.html

Man you guys are killing me - I was saving my pennies for a 1919 but need a bigger compressor :(

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Pa. Patriot
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