[FXR1969]

I just picked up a 1917 tripod from a fellow member here, looks great by the way!
I have a question about the color, is green the original color or where they parkerrized?
Are the easy to take apart re paint or park???
Or just shut up and shoot it!!!!

 

[MG34_Dan]

I just picked up a 1917 tripod from a fellow member here, looks great by the way!
I have a question about the color, is green the original color or where they parkerrized?
Are the easy to take apart re paint or park???
Or just shut up and shoot it!!!!

Don't tease. Is it a 1917 or 1917A1?

 

[Armorer]

Just judging from the ones I have seen (M1917A1 only) . The lower leg part is normally painted OD. The cradle is black but I am not sure it was always parkerized. In other words the top cradle part may have been parkerized and then painted black as the one I have is not grey but very dark black. The shade of OD for the legs may vary depending on where or when they were painted but most seem to be a shade like 33070 or 319. 33070 was a pre and early WWII shade and lighter than the post war OD. In about 1944 shade 319 was used. Shade 319 was a lighter shade than 33070. A later shade known as 34087 was used and is described as a khaki brownish shade. If they were repainted in the 50s the shade 24087 a darker more brown shade would have been used.

The above colors seem to be the type used on vehicles (I am not sure if 34087 was ever used on vehicles originally but I understand it is close enough to 319 that restorers often use it.) Experts do not always agree on the proper color for each era. Also just because a paint was being used on vehicles does not mean that other GI hardware automatically got the same color.

I have seen M1917A1 cradles painted OD but I believe they were used on vehicles that mounted the water-cooled gun early in the war. Maybe others have some more exact information on the proper color.

The only pictures I have seen of an actual M1917 show the tripod painted overall with a light shade of OD.

 

[gulf state gaurd]

17a1 tripods and M2s legs were parked then painted, to include the tripod head. All movable parts, (like the traverse bar on the m2 were only parked.) Cradles were only parked by the arsenals

Actual 1917 tripods and cradles from ww1 were a different story

 

[FXR1969]

It's an A1 paints not bad on it,seems to work great never had or seen won up close till I got this one!
Just can't decide to try to re paint or park it! Mite leave as is!

 

[Colorado1919]

My M1917A1 cradle is gray parked. And looks like it has never been painted. And my tripod head and legs are painted OD.

 

[Lucky#13]

By far, the majority of 1917A1 cradles I have seen are parkerized. Painted cradles seem more rare to me. But the legs are definitely painted, and the sockets as well.

 

[FXR1969]

This one is all O D , thinking I mite just let it be not in bad shape!
More I look at it all together the better it looks !!!
Need to get it cleaned up good, il post some pictures of It!

 

[R.S.Mtn.]

While you are cleaning it up. At least take the detent apart clean and repack with red grease, but I would do the whole assembly. And while you have the grease out take the lock apart clean and repack. Then run a nice film inside the tripod head. I store my cradle in a 40mm ammo can, its perfect for transporting.

This one is all O D , thinking I mite just let it be not in bad shape!
More I look at it all together the better it looks !!!
Need to get it cleaned up good, il post some pictures of It!