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View Full Version : Plum Color on K98 Bolt extractor Rust?


0351USMC
09-16-2013, 12:16 PM
I just picked up my 1st K98 RC this wkend.:D

But Color of bolt extractor is Plum/copper color, is it rust?


http://picturearchive.gunauction.com/8469214207/8900017/d39b43da5dbd18043e2dc90f0086aa5f.jpg
example/not my rifle

bigbossman
09-16-2013, 12:19 PM
No. Most of them are like that.

mosinnagantm9130
09-16-2013, 12:43 PM
No, it's normal on RC K98s.

TRAP55
09-16-2013, 2:16 PM
Parts that were hardened, or parts Ivan left in the bluing tank too long, will turn that plum color.

Toxic Shock
09-16-2013, 10:25 PM
The story that I've heard is that when the Russians captured a K98 from the Germans, they arsenal rebuilt them, with electro-pencil serial numbers on the parts, and dyed the extractor "red". If that's true, you have a German rifle that was captured in battle by the Russians.

TRAP55
09-16-2013, 10:41 PM
OP stated it was a Russian Capture. It's not a dye, it's caused from the hot bluing process. Several things can contribute to this.The result is from being left in the bluing salts too long, the part was a casting, or the part was previously color case hardened. You'll see the same plum color on re-furbed SVT-40 bolts.
0351USMC, technically speaking, it is rust, the same as bluing is rust. It's normal on a RC 98K, so don't scrub it off!:)

Milsurp Collector
09-17-2013, 12:05 AM
The plum color is found on other German or German-refinished firearm parts.

http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/classifieds/images/2012_03_03/5321/1330814850_1.JPG
http://i462.photobucket.com/albums/qq342/martensj/The%20toys/WaltherP-38ac44hblock.jpg
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/tt337/milsurp_collector/M1%20Carbines/Inland%20Bavaria%20Forestry%20Police/a75faea6.jpg

Sailormilan2
09-17-2013, 5:04 AM
The plum color is often caused by the heat treating of the part. I've seen the plum colors on extractors, on the bolt shrouds on the Mauser, and on an ejector spring on a Santa Barbara made Mauser. They were making them so fast, they didn't care.
Some Santa Barbara made commercial Mausers will often show a plum color on the back of the front receiver ring due to the way they used flame hardening to heat threat that part of the receiver.
It is not rust and nothing to worry about.