finish on AK-100 series?

[gunnerd]

Anyone know for sure what the newest russian ak's are finished in? some seem to be blued.

GN

[Ekie]

The AK-100 series was introduced to the West by SOF in the August 1995 issue (there may have been earlier reports, but they would have been obscure). Peter Kokalis described the finish as follows; “Russian AKMs, AK74s and RPKs were traditionally finished with a glossy black enamel over phosphate. All rifles in the AK100 series carry a black phosphate finish.”

As a side note I would date the series as reaching a pre-production type status in 1994. The AK-74M obviously dates back farther, but is more of a forerunner to the series then a equal member.

Tantal please add/expand/correct.

[Tantal]

I think this all sounds good, although I think they 'black phosphate then and then thye spray on some kind of flat black over this, as some Saigas show haphazard spraying where you can see the shiney black under the flat. The top covers receive no flat, just the barrelled receivers, and this is the same with very late AKS-74 and AK-74M. I have to say the AK-100 is actually the AK-74M. It is not a memeber since it is not concidered export only as most of the AK-100 series is. Actually, AK-74M is the military designation while AK-100 is a factory name. As in AR-15 and M16.