Posted by Jason G. Harrison on April 11, 2008, 9:49 pm, in reply to "Field Grade foreend metal finish ?"
75.121.14.4

View the online auction sites. It is clear on several examples pictured on them. Every field Grade that had ejectors also has a case colored forend iron. Every one with extractors has a blued forend iron. I am speaking of original condition guns and there are several high condition examples from which you can see this. I believe on this site...it is shown how to clearly tell a ejector gun vs. a extractor gun simply by viewing the forend iron side. If you see a little pin on the side...it's an ejector gun.

 Post a Response

Posted by Mike Poindexter on April 9, 2008, 9:20 pm, in reply to "Field Grade foreend metal finish ?"
67.172.131.35

Frank- I have a 1939 FWE where the foreend wear makes it impossible to tell whether it was cased or blued originally. However, I have two 1947 FWS's that are unfired with 99% original finish and both have blued forends matching the trigger guard. My experience is that Elsies and Ithacas had blued foreends and Parkers had cased. FWIW.

 Post a Response

Posted by Allen Earle on April 1, 2008, 2:48 pm, in reply to "Field Grade foreend metal finish ?"
161.184.203.100

Hi Frank I have not seen a whole lot of specimens but mine is definitly case hardened. There is not much color left but there is still enough to be sure. Hope this helps. Cheers Allen

 Post a Response

Posted by David W on March 31, 2008, 9:16 pm, in reply to "Field Grade foreend metal finish ?"
68.39.186.119

Frank there seems to be some controversy as to what the right finish should be. I've heard that only ejector guns the forends were case hardened, but a friend has a minty 1936 .410 Field Grade that has a case hardened forend. Yet I've seen forends on both where there were small chips taken out of the curved piece that fits into the receiver, and if they weren't case hardened that wouldn't have happened. Also that same piece is so thin that if it wasn't case hardened it would distort easily. So I believe that they are all case hardened. The next time I have one apart I will try the file test on one in an inconspicuous place and post my findings.

 Post a Response