SKS Type-45 and the BBQ coating

[Greatguns]

I was updating my Russian restore thread with a pic of the blued bayonet I got and got to thinking about the Russian SKSs and the BBQ coating(don't want to call it paint as it may be a little more then that)
Anyway, has anyone else ever wondered if, instead of it simply being part of the "heavy refurb" process, it was actually part of the Russian Navy SKS inventory and the coating was put on there to help protect them from sea water? Kind of like being the predecessor to Sim-cote(or whatever it's called these days) that was originally made for the Navy Seals.
I have seen some Navy accessories and have a Navy ammo pouch with an early Navy SKS sling on the way from Russia, but have never actually seen a Russian Navy Type-45 SKS. Has anyone else? This topic may have come up in the past, but I don't recall much discussion on it. and have never seen anything really conclusive about it. Even looked before posting this, but maybe my Google-fu is weak today.

[Phosphorus32]

I’m not aware of a special coating for SKS-45 used by the Soviet navy or naval infantry. My alternative hypothesis is that it was simply application of the black paint used on AKMs at certain refurbishment facilities that also refurbished AKs   

[Bob_The_Student]

I never thought of it until now but why would they BBQ the rifles? Does anyone know that this process was faster than bluing? Did they apply directly to old bluing? What would be or is the reason for the BBQ?

GG, I like your thought process on naval guns. I think we would see Russian pistols also BBQ'd and I'm not sure I ever seen a BBQ'd pistol. Pistols would be issued more than rifles so it seems the pistols would be more prevalent with the BBQ using the Naval theory, IMO.

[Greatguns]

I never thought of it until now but why would they BBQ the rifles? Does anyone know that this process was faster than bluing? Did they apply directly to old bluing? What would be or is the reason for the BBQ?

GG, I like your thought process on naval guns. I think we would see Russian pistols also BBQ'd and I'm not sure I ever seen a BBQ'd pistol. Pistols would be issued more than rifles so it seems the pistols would be more prevalent with the BBQ using the Naval theory, IMO.

Ah, but pistols were more worn by officers who 1) were in the bridge or inside and 2)the pistols were in holsters whereas the rifles were not. Jes sayin'   Just more WAG

[Boris Badinov]

I never thought of it until now but why would they BBQ the rifles? Does anyone know that this process was faster than bluing? Did they apply directly to old bluing? What would be or is the reason for the BBQ?

My guess would be that the  BBQ process was likely cheaper, faster,  and less labor intensive than re-bluing.

[pcke2000]

BBQ paint is very often applied on Soviet refurb military optics too. Not specific to Navy or SKS use.

[Greatguns]

I never thought of it until now but why would they BBQ the rifles? Does anyone know that this process was faster than bluing? Did they apply directly to old bluing? What would be or is the reason for the BBQ?

My guess would be that the  BBQ process was likely cheaper, faster,  and less labor intensive than re-bluing.

Definitely all of the above not to mention the bluing process is very Costic/toxic

[Justin Hell]

If you ever have the pleasure of removing the BBQ paint and taking it back to the white....it will appear as a multi step process.
It isn't done over the bluing, at least in my experience.  It seems like it goes through a process, similar to parkerizing, except it has more of a goldish hue...but after the bluing is stripped....likely to give the metal a matte surface for the paint to cling to.  It is likely also heat cured.  It seems like a more drawn out process than simply bluing.

I would suspect the difference in the color of the naval accessories likely has to do with uniforms.

A few weeks/months ago...I saw a listing for a blued bayonet coming from Russia. The seller stated they were ordered by the KGB in small quantities early in SKS production, which would explain why they seem to be most normally seen on early SKSs...and rather rarely.  To further confuse matters though, they DID BBQ matte silver bayonets at refurb, but not usually...there are black painted bayonets, which one has to look out for closely...since most auction photos leave a lot to be desired.

Here is an example of that...purportedly from a M59/66    You can see the roughness under the paint, whereas the blued ones are smooth, and the bluing looks very deep.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SKS-Blued-Bayonet-from-Yugoslavian-59-66/233715994317?hash=item366a8f0ecd:g:dnQAAOSw64JfYrmS

There was another that must have ended, but I swear I saw it yesterday, that was obviously painted as the all too common ferrule nick exposed silver paint and there was a streak of silver on the edge of the blood groove from simple wear.

Oh, and as devil's advocate here is a naval drop case GG.   
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Authentic-Black-Canvas-COVER-Drop-Case-SKS-rpd-carrying-bag/332834500753?hash=item4d7e7b7091:g:PhQAAOSwel9eYLW0

[Greatguns]

Dang it all Justin, why do you do this to me?!

FYI, I added it to my watchlist, LOL. 

[Phosphorus32]

A few weeks/months ago...I saw a listing for a blued bayonet coming from Russia. The seller stated they were ordered by the KGB in small quantities early in SKS production,

eBay stories from Russia sound like they’re as interesting as gun show stories from rural America.

[Justin Hell]

A few weeks/months ago...I saw a listing for a blued bayonet coming from Russia. The seller stated they were ordered by the KGB in small quantities early in SKS production,

eBay stories from Russia sound like they’re as interesting as gun show stories from rural America.

It honestly didn't seem like they were trying to fluff the auction more than they were trying to explain why they were unusual. The price IIRC wasn't unreasonable either.

[Phosphorus32]

A few weeks/months ago...I saw a listing for a blued bayonet coming from Russia. The seller stated they were ordered by the KGB in small quantities early in SKS production,

eBay stories from Russia sound like they’re as interesting as gun show stories from rural America.

It honestly didn't seem like they were trying to fluff the auction more than they were trying to explain why they were unusual. The price IIRC wasn't unreasonable either.

Interesting, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. The most logical explanation was it was a characteristic of one or more of the multitude of refurbishment arsenals. Maybe one of the Russian arms researchers will uncover something one of these days speaking to refurbishment practices.