Switch from blued to parkerized finish?

[964AWACS]

Does anyone know the approximate month/serial number range when the EVCC changed from bluing their M-8s to parkerizing them?

I have two that are dated 1943:

S/N E-109195 is blued
S/N E-156144 is parkerized

Can anyone narrow the range more closely?

I also have a third EVCC M-8, parkerized but no date and no serial number. Actually, the back of the grip has "Serial No. E-" with nothing after the dash. It is functional (I have fired it) so I don't think it was a military reject. Were there "lunch box specials" in the flare gun world too?

TIA. Glad I found you guys - a flare gun forum is long overdue!

[signalman]

One of the more difficult M-8's to find, are the Blued examples with Factory Lanyard ring. The serial number on these begin with ATS and are undoubtedly a special contract.

My blued examples are mostly Eureka Vacuum Cleaner Co. Manufactured.
My blued examples are usual early ( serial numbers under 100,000 )

My Parkerized examples usually have a higher serial number than 100,000

I also have an M-8 Parkerized M.S.W.C. Maker with no serial number.

There are also many RARE military conversions. Some with grenade cups.

One variation is the M-8 converted to 25mm and the finish on these are all found painted black.

I also have one example marked with the Van Karner ( a New York manufacture ) address.

[964AWACS]

Thanks Signalman!

Could you share a picture of the blued variant with a lanyard ring? I have never seen one of those.

Also, any speculation on the ones without a serial number? Post-war civilian sales? "Lunch box special" that went home in a worker's lunch box before getting its serial number? Or...?

One more question. Did they stamp the year on the M-8 throughout the war or did that end in 1943 or 1944?

[signalman]

I will picture it when I can.

I am not familiar with any M-8 factory dated 1944 so I guess dating stopped in 1943.

I think there may be too many M-8's without serial numbers for them to be lunchbox specials, but that is just a guess.
Other possibilities would include replacements for Government rejected pieces, commercial sales, or foreign contract to one of our allies.

[signalman]

Here is a photo of the Lanyard loop variation

Note the ATS prefix to the serial number

[signalman]

This is one of a number of known versions altered for a grenade cup.

It is dated 1943

[signalman]

This is a known military conversion to the 25mm flares. All of them I know of have the black painted finish.

[964AWACS]

Thanks for posting the pictures of those M-8 variants, signalman! I had never seen any of those three and didn't know that they even existed.

Do you know if the grenade launcher and 25mm conversions are U.S. or done by another country?

[signalman]

They are USA Military, and are actually pictured with others in a US Military Manual I saw.

Good Collecting, Howard

[FreeBear]

For my very first post --- FYI: There is a M8 converted to 25mm currently being listed on GunBroker. A little steep for my wallet right now with a starting bid at $500.00 ('Buy It Now'=$750.00)

Here's the page link: http://www.gunbroker.com/item/586403438


Bear