[mrrec]

We think alike, Rick! The dry spray thing does work good on a variety of finishes. The Eastwood spray Zn Phos. looks pretty good if you want the very dark look. The real thing varies considerably in shade, but I've almost never seen anything quite so dark - most is much lighter gray.

As far as real zinc phosphatizing goes, it will remain nice for many, many years if done properly. I have and have seen orig pieces with little rust after 30+ years. I usually double cook mine to thicken the coating and with climate controlled storage, I have no fear of corrosion.

The gun guys recommend WD-40 or oiling Parkerized (ZN phosphating) finishes for the ultimate in corrosion protection. I don't like the look and GM certainly never did it.
Dave