Thank you all for your replies. Yes the floor plate is black, as are all the other parts other than the receiver. It is an early gun 1930's. I have used this guy for bluing before and had no problems with him. He just did an M 24 for the same customer and it was done right and the customer was pleased. I don't even want to show him this. I did the rust blue and the wood and they are good to go.