Parkerizing/Phosphate Finish Maintenance?

[Mosinguy]

I've been told by some that when you buy a firearm with a parkerized finish you should rub the finish with oil on a rag. Other people say to dip the whole gun in oil for a few weeks. My question is, why oil the finish at all? And what is the preferred way to oil the finish (oil rag, submerge in oil, etc.)? What oil do you use anyways? Thanks in advance!

 

[Mosinguy]

No one oils their finish?

 

[IndyGunworks]

parkerizing is just a sponge. you dont need to dip, and you dont need a rag.... find the best rust preventitive you can find (i like eezox) and spray it liberally. every now and again top off the "sponge" w/ some more oil

the parkerizing does NOT protect against rust... its mearly a VERY durable sponge than can hold ALOT of something that does protect the metal.

and really? some of us have fulltime jobs, and cannot answer a post w/in 6 hours of the thread being started, let alone the same day.

 

[J_Wales]

I've always just wiped mine down with the same oil I use to lube the slide. Doing so seems to have worked fine over time.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

And parkerizing / phosphate finishes can show beauty marks rather well.

They get "shiney" spots on 'em if they're dinged a little bit.