PARKERIZED FOX

[George Lander]

I recently bought an early "A" Grade Fox with Krupp barrels that appear to have been parkerized. Have any of you encountered this before? I'm curious as to the reason for doing this. Were Fox guns ever issued to the military?

Best Regards, George Lander

[Silvers]

Good morning George, a nice 8-degree morning up north today.

Here's my take on your barrels. Without documentation they were done in a military arsenal, I'd conjecture they were done by someone who had access to a parkerizing setup... of course the barrels couldn't be hot caustic blued and parkerizing is much easier to do than rust bluing. As you probably know the original "Parkerizing" is a proprietary process developed and marketed by the Parker Chemical Co. Today the term is generically used to connote zinc or manganese phosphate coating. The chemicals are sold by several gunsmith supply houses and all that's really needed is a SS tank and a bluing thermometer. The barrels are prepared with light sand or bead blasting and that's much easier and faster than draw filing and polishing as with bluing. Generally a so-called "satin finish" is done and that is very effective at hiding light pitting, etc.

I had a phosphating setup myself and did some carbon steel barrels and actions for Alaskan hunting, so I'm familar with the process and how good that finish can be in harsh conditions such as waterfowling and wilderness trips. Frank

[Researcher]

Right towards the end of WW-II there are ads in sporting magazines by Hunter Arms Co. offer to do a rust-proof finish on all manner of firearms, except the barrels of double barrel shotguns, called Hunterizing.

[George Lander]

Thanks Silvers and Researcher. That is information that I didn't know. I thought that it might have been done for someone who hunted in a wet environment. You're never too old to learn something new.

Best Regards, George Lander