Question about a Manurhin

[Hatchett]

I've encountered, for sale, an MR-73 with a phosphated or parkarized type finish. The seller believes it to be the weapon's original finish. Literature on these things is scarce even in an extensive web scrawl, but nothing seems to suggest one would ever be factory parkerized. Can anyone weigh in on whether it is at all likely that such an example might exist?

 

[bragmardo]

There exist Manurhin revolvers with matte blue finish, e.g. the Convertible and late production Silhouette and Match variants. In regard of more common variants, anything is possible, beginning with factory-commissioned engraving with gold inlay. An aftermarket refinish on a police or private security gun should be easy to identify, e.g. by examining the erosion pattern on the forcing cone, looking for wear marks under the oxide finish, and so on.