Orange Extractor inconsistencies

Hello,

A few of my rifles have this orange finish that I am sure everyone is familiar with on the extractor and bolt release lever. From my understanding it is a sort of heat treatment process that acts as a bluing. I believe it start edfor the orbendorf plant in 1942 and began somewhere in the K and L block rifles. I recently purchased a rifle and was worried after I saw a K block byf 42 in the sticky all matching rifles that had an orange extractor while my supposed L block was non orange. I was assured by the original owner of the K block in the sticky that he thought my rifle was correct, but didnt give an explanation. Some of the other members here have also said the same. Is there a reason in the German production they would produce a few of the updated finished rifles then revert back for a couple thousand only to switch back again to the final variant? Doesnt seem to make a a lot of sense to me so I would appreciate it if someone who knows more could fill me in.

Here is an example

K block: http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?8581-byf-42-quot-k-quot-block

Yes the coloring is from the blueing process. It is from the different heat and steel stock used. I have a few extractors that are plum color. You can also find plum coloring on P38s and Lugers.

daltrey99 said:

Yes the coloring is from the blueing process. It is from the different heat and steel stock used. I have a few extractors that are plum color. You can also find plum coloring on P38s and Lugers.

Click to expand...

And S84/98 bayonets ......

Slash said:

And S84/98 bayonets ......

Click to expand...

True. I took this photo a couple years ago of a bayonet I have. It's not the best photograph and a lot of the bluing is gone from the blade, but it shows some of the plum color.

My byf 42 k block #7506 doesn’t have it.

The biggest reason some have it and some don’t is production was no linear. There is no guarantee that the K block was finished before the L block. Typically it’s believed they had several blocks on the go at once. It’s normal to see small fluctuation in parts such as these. I also don’t believe plum was the desired effect, and I doubt it appeared plum in WW2. Likely occurred years later. It’s been seen more recently in a batch of high end pistols made in the 80s. All were beautiful blue back then. Now have have gone plum.

I'd add parts were made in batches and even very small differences in the treatment can have a noticable effect both immediately and later. Heat treatment temp and time. Follow on bath chemical makeup, etc. Easy to see how this can happen, especially as the war dragged on.

Wow!!! that's the responses I was looking for thanks learned a lot. Very interesting stuff