The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

I havn't seen any P-64's with a plum colored slide besides mine.
I am due to pick up gun 11/17.
will post pics then.

Yep, seen a few of them at gun shows. Something about the blueing they used. Search this site and there are some links about it.

Double yep, I've seen 5 or 6 on Gunbroker and Auction Arms recently.

Vaguely recall that it had more to do with a steel hardening process that was slightly inferior. All the FACTS are here on this site, but will take some searching. Info came from some of the excellent Polish contributors we had for a while.

I do think they're very attractive, and all the ones I've seen are the complete slide. Never heard of a failure or problem because of it.

Enjoy,
Stan

OK guys, I can fill you in on the Plum Color on firearms parts. I am a mech. engineer and at one time was manufacturing engineer for a large machine shop the made parts for everything from gun parts for FN to space shuttle parts so I do have some background in this field.

Mostly, you only notice the Plum Color on military weapons. Sometime you will see it on a commercial firearm, but usually on the lower cost pieces. The military weapons are made with a lower expectation for final finish as long as it will protect the firearm.

When a part is machined, there is a specific feed rate and cutter speed required to get a good finish. If you speed up this process, the cutter will produce high heat to the steel being machined. When the steel gets hot from the cutter, there is a coolant (usually water based today) that quenches, or rapidly cools the "hot spot/s". When this rapid cooling happens, the steel is actually hardened on the surface only. There is usually nothing noticeable until the finish is applied. If the parts are Parkerized, it is not as noticeable, but if it is blued, there needs to be adjustments to the time/temperature/solution to compensate for the slight hardness of the surface. Since most of the parts are machined at the normal feed/speed rates, they blue normally. Some of these surface hard parts are mixed with the good ones, the color shows up as Plum Color in varying degree. There is no problem with the part, it is just a cosmetic change.

Parts like the Hammer, Sear, and other parts which are hardened on purpose, the bluing is not changed to accomodate these parts and most all will have the Plum Color. The time and cost to change the solution chemistry to have the parts a true blue is not worth the cost.

I actaully like the Plum Color as it gives it a little "character". This is a real brief explanation of the Plum Color and I hope it helps you to know why it happens.

abwehr


Thanks for the information

That wouldn't be another variation of the P-64 that I'd have to buy would it because I've not seen any of these like to see some pix. to compare.



NORM

Norm,

I have not seen any P-64s with the Plum Color, but the Makarov Hammer and Safety Lever tend to have the "reddish" color. Another pistol is the wartime Walther P.38. The P.38 Reveiver above the trigger guard temd to have a "reddish tint. If you look at the P.38 in this area, you can see where the machining took place and the finish is on the rough side from a fast cutter feed rate. The coolant coold the metal and made is slightly harder that the rest of the frame.

This surface hardening os only in the .0002 -.0003 depth range, so it really does not help or hinder that part. The bluing is the only thing noticeable.

ats34keith, can you post a pic of yours?

Abwehr,

Thanks for a great explanation.

Will send pics asap