Just purchased a new MilSpec 1911, and was wondering about care of the Parkerized finish. I see everything online from baking it in the oven to soaking in ATF. I’d just like to know the best way to care for it. This is my “outdoors” gun, and I want to keep it protected from the elements.Thanks!
Care of parkerized MilSpec 1911
- Thread starter Flyin4awa
- Start date
Old_Me
SAINT
i'd either use simple gun oil, or food grade mineral oil, or silicon wipes made for guns
wipe on, then wipe off.
i ain't never heard of baking it in an oven...
does it taste like chicken afterwards..???
HansGruber
Ronin
Keep it oiled.
I have found RustPrufe cloths & oil to be excellent at preventing rusting on various finishes.
I have found RustPrufe cloths & oil to be excellent at preventing rusting on various finishes.
Annihilator
Emissary
It’s like other finishes, just somewhat a little more durable, just wipe it down with gun oil and all should be fine, never heard of baking it, what would this do, nothing really, just use a quality gun oil
Old_Me
SAINT
unless he adds potatoes with chopped garlic, baking a gun don't do much at dinner time.
HayesGreener
Ronin
Hit it with Remoil spray and wipe off excess and done
The Night Rider
Professional
I live in what's considered a high plains desert. I had a Rock Island Armory 1911 with a parkerized finish. It lived in a safe with a dehumidifier in it and it's still rusted. Oil the hell out of that gun
Old_Me
SAINT
simple oil, buddy.
proper care, rather than neglect, goes a long way
enjoy the new 1911.
Will do sir. Thank you
N
nmedge
Guest
Enjoy your new gun!! Also make sure you read the manual. It should give you suggestions on keeping it clean and well lubricated.
BreakingWind
Master Class
When I was a young man I used to build hot rods and there were are as many, if not more, myths to get more power, performance, rust protection, etc., etc., ad nauseum. ad nauseum for hot rods as guns. I grew up in Upstate NY where they get lots of snow and ice and use lots of sand and salt. Unless you could afford stainless (uber expensive back then), you could go through a set of headers in a year. A popular myth at the time was to take a new set of headers, put them in a big plasitc bag and cover with ATF then when you install them immediately startup and run for about an hour and it would bake a coating on the headers that would protect them from rusting. Take it from me, it wastes ATF, makes your headers look horrible, and makes one hell of a mess. I wish I could say that a friend of mine did this and this is the result. At least with firearms I still use what Grand Dad taught me. Soak a cloth in gun oil, wipe it down, and wipe off excess.
Snake45
Professional
Or even better, Birchwood-Casey Barricade. Great stuff.
The biggest threat to your Mil-Spec is not rust, but scratches. Parkerizing and most other matte/flat finishes are susceptible to scratches. The other enemy of your finish will be holster wear. If you carry it a lot in a holster, expect the finish to wear off on all the sharp edges, and bright metal to show through. If this happens, just make sure to keep the surface oiled and you'll still be fine.
The time will come when you learn to show off your gun's scratches and honest wear with pride. Don't think of it as wear or damage--the technical, classy term for this is patina, and it's proof that it was no "safe queen," it's proof that you loved the gun and carried it and actually shot it from time to time, just as God and John Moses Browning and Jeff Cooper intended, and that is a GOOD thing, a very, very GOOD thing.
Others can keep their fancy, pristine "barbeque guns." I like a gun with a little character, and a story to tell.
HayesGreener
Ronin
And always remember, secure pistol, wallet, car keys, and phone before using porta john
“Preheat oven to 450F. Make sure gun is unloaded. Place in shallow baking dish….”
Slather with mustard, then apply rub
