Opinions on Panzermantel MG34

[Alan Smith]

Photo 5

[Alan Smith]

Photo 6

[Alan Smith]

Photo 7

[Alan Smith]

Photo 8.

Again, I just don't think the blueing adhears very well to the really hard steel used for the armored portion of the barrel jacket assembly (so Chris' panzermantel looks 100% ok to me).

[Alan Smith]

Here is the final photo.

[me6_130]

Alan,

perhaps the jacket of panzer MGs was not blued at all as blueing or phosphate finish would be to protect the weapon when out in the field, but panzer MGs would not be out but 'in' and protected (new theory). Your's shows two clearly different zones, the front 'panzerlauf' in white and the back 'chamber' area blued. For sure the back part of your MG is blued but Chris' looks phosphated IMO.

Carles

[mudsharkangler]

I think the late war ('45 dated dot marked) did get a phosphate finish. A very light grey to almost non-existant colorl. The result of very weak solutions and short time in the "bath". This is very much like some late war MP44 mags.

The actual panzer shrouds were definitely of a hardened materail, and I bet they had a high nickle content, therefore, tough for a finish to take properly. Ever notice how many of the panzer shrouds are "plum" in color? The plum color is caused by the bluing and the type of material/hardness it has...note this color is on many K98K extractors, which are hardened like spring steel.