Prewar M70 Finish

DO YOU KNOW WHAT TYPE OF FINISH WAS USED ON PRE-WWII WINCHESTER MODEL 70S? I WAS TOLD THAT WINCHESTER USED A HAND-RUBBED OIL FINISH, BUT I DON’T SEE HOW THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRACTICAL IN A PRODUCTION MANUFACTURING SETTING.
 

According to the information that I have, Winchester used a type of lacquer finish that contained carnauba wax. Evidently this gave the appearance of a more traditional oil finish, yet allowed for the quick finishing required in manufacturing large numbers of firearms.

 NOTE: The following content first appeared in Shotgun News in 2010. It is from a featured section titled Ask the Gunsmith, where readers were able to submit their questions to master gunsmith Reid Coffield.